SU Agen

SU Agen

Full name	Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne
Founded	1908; 116 years ago (1908)
Location	Agen, France
Ground(s)	Stade Armandie (Capacity: 10,512 seats)
President	Alain Tingaud
Coach(es)	Christophe Laussucq Rémi Vaquin
Captain(s)	Antoine Erbani
League(s)	Pro D2
2022–23	6th (playoff quarter-finalists)
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.agen-rugby.com

Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne (French pronunciation: [spɔʁtɪŋ ynjɔ̃ aʒɛ̃ lɔt e ɡaʁɔn]), commonly referred to as SU Agen, Agen (French pronunciation: [aʒɛ̃]) or SUALG, is a French professional rugby union club based in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne that competes in the Pro D2, France's second division of rugby.

Founded in 1908, Agen is one of the historic clubs in French rugby, having won the French Championship eight times. Its home ground is the 10,512-seat Stade Armandie and traditional club colours are navy blue and white.

The club is renowned for its youth system and its academy structure.

History

The club was established in 1900. They made their first championship final in the 1930 season, where they met US Quillan, and defeated them 4 points to nil in Bordeaux, and thus capturing their first championship title. The club experienced some success in the coming years in the Challenge Yves du Manoir competition as well; winning it in the 1932 season and then becoming runners-up to Lyon OU in the 1933 season.

Agen would have another successful run in the 1940s, beginning with the 1943 season when they defeated Stade Bordelais 11 to 4 to win the Coupe de France. That season they also made it to the championship final; though they were defeated by Aviron Bayonnais 3 points to nil at Parc des Princes in Paris.

In 1945 they again won the title of the French championship, defeating FC Lourdes 7 points to 3 in the final in Paris. The championship was one of two titles that season, as Agen also won the Coupe de France, defeating Montferrand 14 to 13. Agen featured in one more championship that decade, losing to Toulouse 10 points to 3.

Agen were relatively quiet during the 1950s, though they again rose to prominence during the 1960s. In 1962 they again became of the champions of France after defeating Béziers 14 points to 11 in the season final. The following season they won the Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating Brive 11 points to nil in the final. Agen became the French champions on two more occasions during the 1960s, defeating Brive in 1965 and then Dax in 1966.

The club had another successful run during the 1970s, starting with an unsuccessful Challenge Yves du Manoir final, losing to Toulon 25 points to 22. They were unsuccessful again in 1975 in the Challenge Yves du Manoir, losing to Béziers 16 points to 12 in the final. However they would then meet Béziers in the championship final of the 1976 season, and defeat them 13 to 10 to win their first championship since 1966.

Agen went through period of success in the 1980s after winning the championship in 1982, defeating Aviron Bayonnais 18 points to 9 in the final. The following season they won the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well after defeating Toulon 29 points to 7. In 1984 they again contested the championship final, though they eventually lost it to Béziers. They unsuccessfully contested it again in 1986, losing to Toulouse 16 to 6. They were also runners-up in the 1987 Challenge Yves du Manoir, losing to Grenoble. However, in 1988 they again won the championship, defeating Stadoceste Tarbais 9 to 3 in the final.

They contested the final again in the 1990 season, losing to Racing Club de France 22 points to 12. In 1992 they won the Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating RC Narbonne 23 to 18.

Professional era

In 1998 they played in their first European cup final, the European Challenge Cup, losing to fellow French team US Colomiers 43 to 5 in the final. On June 8, 2002 they lost to Biarritz Olympique in the championship final.

In recent years, one of their biggest stars has been Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca. He led the team in tries in 2005 and 2006, and led Pro D2 in that category during Agen's most recent promotion season in 2010. However, he would be dismissed from the team in September 2010 after failing to report to the team for preseason workouts (several weeks later, he would reemerge at Toulouse).

Honours

• French championship:
  • Champions: 1930, 1945, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1976, 1982, 1988
  • Runners-up: 1943, 1947, 1984, 1986, 1990, 2002
• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
  • Champions: 1932, 1963, 1983, 1992
  • Runners-up: 1933, 1970, 1975, 1987
• Coupe de France:
  • Champions: 1943, 1945
• European Challenge Cup:
  • Runners-up: 1998
• Challenge Armand Vaquerin:
  • Champions: 1999
• Pro D2:
  • Champions: 2010
  • Promotion playoff winners: 2015, 2017

Finals results

Finals results

Challenge Yves du Manoir

Coupe de France

European Shield

Pro D2 promotion playoffs

Current standings

Current squad

The Agen squad for the 2021–22 season is:^[3]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Gaël Doms Hooker France Clément Martinez Hooker France Loris Zarantonello Hooker France Martin Augeix-Dejean Prop France Alex Burin Prop France Walter Desmaison Prop France Maxime Duprat Prop France Tapu Falatéa Prop France Florent Guion Prop France Hans Lombard-Buret Prop France Dave Ryan Prop Ireland Malino Vanaï Prop France William Demotte Lock France Grigor Kerdikoshvili Lock Georgia Gauthier Maravat Lock France Toby Salmon Lock England Corentin Vernet Lock France Matthieu Bonnet Back row France Martin Devergie Back row France Arnaud Duputs Back row France Vincent Farré Back row France Camille Gérondeau Back row France Loïc Hocquet Back row France Jesse Jegerlehner Back row France Fotu Lokotui Back row Tonga Samuel Nollet Back row France Laurence Pearce Back row England

Player Position Union Dorian Bellot Scrum-half France Paul Graou Scrum-half France Théo Idjellidaine Scrum-half France Emile Dayral Fly-half France Danré Gerber Fly-half South Africa Christian Lacombe Fly-half France Raphaël Lagarde Fly-half France Thomas Vincent Fly-half France Clément Garrigues Centre France Tyren Kroos Centre Netherlands Kolinio Ramoka Centre Fiji Harry Sloan Centre England Iban Etcheverry Wing France Louis Gauban Wing France Jefferson Joseph Wing France Alexandre Odinga Wing France Tevita Railevu Wing Fiji Timilaï Rokoduru Wing Fiji Jean-Marcelin Buttin Fullback France Mathieu Lamoulie Fullback France Théo Louvet Fullback France Loris Tolot Fullback France

Notable former players

See also

• List of rugby union clubs in France
• Rugby union in France

References

External links

• (in French) SU Agen Lot et Garonne Official website
• (in French) SU-Agen Unofficial website