USA Perpignan

Rugby team
teamname = Perpignan

---

fullname = Union Sportive Arlequins Perpignanais
location = Perpignan, France
country

founded = 1902
ground = Stade Aimé Giral
capacity = 13,000
president = Paul Goze
coach = Jacques Brunel
league = Top 14
season = 2007-08
position = 4th
url = www.usap.fr
pattern_la1=| pattern_b1=| pattern_ra1=| leftarm1=FFFF00| body1=FF0000| rightarm1=FFFF00| shorts1=FF0000| pattern_so1=| socks1=FF0000
pattern_la2=| pattern_b2=| pattern_ra2=| leftarm2=AFEEEE| body2=AFEEEE| rightarm2=AFEEEE| shorts2=FFFFFF| socks2=FF0000

Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais (French) or Unió Esportiva Arlequins de Perpinyà (Catalan), generally abbreviated as USAP in both languages, is a Catalan French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales. It currently competes in the Top 14, the top level of the French league system.

The club was founded in 1902 as AS Perpignan, renamed US Perpignan in 1919 and adopted its present name in 1933. Perpignan play at Stade Aimé Giral (capacity 13,000). They wear the red and gold of the Catalan flag. Like FC Barcelona in Southern Catalonia, USAP is a Catalan nationalist icon in Northern Catalonia.

History

The club was established in 1902 as AS Perpignan. It would be in 1914 that the club would go on to make its first ever final appearance. On May 3, Perpignan players defeated Stadoceste Tarbais eight points to seven at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse in front of 15,000 people. Several of these champions were killed some months later in World War I and, to honour their sacrifice, it was decided to colour USAP jersey like a Poilu uniform.

Four years after the championship in 1914, the club was renamed as US Perpignan. Under the new club name, US Perpignan made it to the final of the French championship three seasons after the change. On the 17th of April in 1921, Perpignan defeated Stade Toulousain five points to nil at Parc des Sports de Sauclières in Béziers and thus claiming their second premierhsip. Three seasons later, the finalists of 1921 would meet again in the final of 1924, though this time Toulouse won the game, three points to nil in Bordeaux.

The success continued throughout the 1920s, and following the final defeat of the 1934 season, US Perpignan were able to make it to the final of the 1925 season. They faced AS Carcassonne in Narbonne, and defeated them five points to nil to win the 1925 premiership. For the third season in a row, US Perpignan made it to the final. The opponents were Stade Toulousain once again, the two sides had each defeated each other once in a final in recent years. Toulouse won 11 points to nil in Bordeaux. After the prominent dominance in the mid 1920s, Perpignan did not make any more final appearances after 1926.

Nearly a decade passed before Perpignan made another final appearance. It was the 1935 season that Perpignan faced off against Biarritz at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse on the 12th of May. Biarritz won the match three to nil. That season they also won theChallenge Yves du Manoir. Three seasons later Perpignan were again involved in the premiership final, again against the Biarritz team. The final was played on May 8, and this time, Perpignan defeated Biarritz, winning 11 points to six to claim their first premiership since 1921. They were also runner-ups of the Challenge Yves-du-Manoir that same season as well.

The success continued throughout the late 1930s, with Perpignan again being runner-ups of the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1936. It was also the 1936 season that Biarritz and Perpignan would face off in the premiership. Both of Perpignan's last two final appearances were against Biarritz, and both Perpignan and Biarritz had won one each against each other. The final took place on April 30, and Biarritz turned out to be victorious, defeating Perpignan six points to nil. Two years later, Perpignan were in the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir, but became runners-up.

Their next final appearance would not be until the season of 1944. Perpignan played Aviron Bayonnais at Parc des Princes in Paris on the 26th of March to decide who would be the champions of France. Perpignan won, defeating Aviron Bayonnais 20 points to five, claiming their first premiership since 1938.

Perpignan would have to wait another eight years until they would make it to the final again. In the 1952 season, Perpignan met FC Lourdes in the final at Stadium Municipal in Toulouse, where they went down to FC Lourdes 20 points to 11. However, both sides would meet in another final three years later to decide the 1955 premiership. This time Perpignan emerged victorious, defeating FC Lourdes 11 points to six in Bordeaux. Perpignan also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir during the 1955 season, and were runner-ups the following year as well.

Perpignan won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1965, but made their first final appearance 20 years after 1955, to decide the 1977 season premiership. They met AS Béziers in the final, who defeated Perpignan 12 to four at Parc des Princes. Perpignan won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1994, but they would next appear in the final in 1998, where they went down to Stade Français 34 points to seven in Paris in front of 78,000 people.

In 2002, the club entered into a partnership with the University of Barcelona Rugby Club, hence renaming them USAP Barcelona, which compete in the División de Honor, the national premiership in Spain. Perpignan made it to the 2004 final, where they met Stade Français, who defeated them in the 1998 final. Stade Français won again, 38 points to 20 at Stade de France in front of 79,722 people.

In European competition, USAP reached the final stage in 2003 (losing 21-17 to Toulouse in Dublin Lansdowne Road) after losing a 1999 semi-final in Toulouse Stadium against Colomiers. They were beaten in quarter-final in Lansdowne Road again in 2006 by eventual winners Munster.

They have recently signed All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter, widely regarded as the world's best player. He has joined them on a six-month deal starting from December from the Crusaders, meaning he will miss the 2009 Super 14 season before heading back to play for the All Blacks in June 2009.cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article4228294.ece |title=Dan Carter joins Perpignan |first=Matthew |last=Pryor |publisher="The Times" |date=2008-06-28 |accessdate=2008-06-28]

Club honours

* Top 14
** Champions: 1914, 1921, 1925, 1938, 1944, 1955
** Runners-up: 1998, 2004
* Challenge Yves du Manoir
** Champions: 1935, 1955, 1994
** Runners-up:1936, 1937, 1938, 1956, 1965
* Heineken Cup
** Runners-ups: 2003

Finals results

French championship

Heineken Cup

Current squad

rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=FH | name=Dan Carter (from December 2008)

Notable former players

* Daniel Herbert
* Thierry Lacroix
* Dan Luger
* Richard Parks
* Ramiro Pez
* Scott Robertson
* Mick O'Driscoll
* Percy Montgomery

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.usap.fr Official site] fr icon/ca icon
* [http://www.usap-paris.com Official Fans site of Perpignan in Paris] fr icon
* [http://www.buc-usap.com/ USAP Barcelona] Brother rugby union club in Barcelona ca icon
* [http://www.angelets-terra.com Angelets de la Terra] - Catalanist fan site
* [http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/team-usap.html Data, results, etc]