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Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RC Narbonne) is a French rugby union club that will play the 2007-08 season in the second-level Rugby Pro D2, after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table.
They are based in Narbonne in Languedoc-Roussillon. They were founded in 1907. They play at Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié (capacity 11,000). They wear orange and black.
RC Narbonne were established in 1907. The club's first appearance in the domestic championship final came in May of 1932, where they faced Lyon in Bordeaux. However, Narbonne were not able to capture their first title, as Lyon would go onto win the final 9 points to three. The following season Narbonne again made it to the final of the league, and once again, Lyon were their opponents. Again played in Bordeaux, Lyon were victorious once again, defeating Narbonne 10 points to three. However by 1936 Narbonne were once agagin finalists of the French championship, and on May 10 in Toulouse they defeated Montferrand 6 points to three, claiming their first ever championship.
In 1967 Narbonne contested the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir, playing FC Lourdes (the 1966 Challenge Yves du Manoir champions). FC Lourdes held onto their title, defeating Narbonne 9 points to three. However the following season, Narbonne were again finalists, and won their first Challenge Yves du Manoir title, defeating Dax 14 points to six.
The 1970s were another successful era for RC Narbonne. In 1973 Narbonne captured their first Challenge Yves du Manoir title since the 1968 season, defeating Béziers 13 points to six. 1974 was a great season for Narbonne; they successfully defended their Challenge Yves du Manoir title by defeating CA Brive in the final, they were also runners-up in the main French championship, being defeated by their 1973 Challenge Yves du Manoir opponents AS Béziers (16 points to 14). In 1978 Narbonne again won the Challenge Yves du Manoir, being awarded the title after drawing 19-all with AS Béziers due to them scoring more tries. 1979 was a very successful year for Narbonne; they were able to hold onto their Challenge Yves du Manoir title, defeating AS Montferrand 9 points to seven, as well as the Challenge Yves du Manoir, Narbonne won the French championship (for the first time since 1936), defeating Stade Bagnérais 10 to nil at Parc des Princes in the final.
Narbonne would also win a number of honours during the 1980s. The club were runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1982, losing to US Dax 19 points to 22 in the final. Narbonne won it again in 1984, defeating Toulouse 17 points to 13 in the final. In 1985 Narbonne won the Coupe de France, defeating AS Béziers 28 to 27 after extra time. In 1989 Narbonne won the Challenge Yves du Manoir again, defeating Biarritz 18 points to 12. The club won it again in 1990, defeating Grenoble 24 to 19 in the final. Narbonne made it three in a row after winning the 1991 Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating CA Bègles 24 to 19 in the final game. Narbonne came close to winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir four times in a row, but lost to SU Agen 23-18 in the final. In 2001 Narbonne were runners-up in the European Challenge Cup, losing to the Harlequins 42 to 33 in the final.
- Challenge Yves du Manoir:
- Champions: 1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991
- Runners-up: 1967, 1982, 1992
| Date |
Winners |
Runners-up |
Score |
Venue |
Spectators |
| 5 May 1932 |
Lyon OU |
RC Narbonne |
9-3 |
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux |
13,000 |
| 7 May 1933 |
Lyon OU |
RC Narbonne |
10-3 |
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux |
15,000 |
| 10 May 1936 |
RC Narbonne |
AS Montferrand |
6-3 |
Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse |
25,000 |
| 12 May 1974 |
AS Béziers |
RC Narbonne |
16-14 |
Parc des Princes, Paris |
40,609 |
| 27 May 1979 |
RC Narbonne |
Stade Bagnérais |
10-0 |
Parc des Princes, Paris |
41,981 |
| Year |
Winner |
Score |
Runner-up |
| 1985 |
RC Narbonne |
28-27 (a.e.t.) |
AS Béziers |
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