SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne

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.

SU Agen
Full nameSporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne
Founded1908; 116 years ago (1908)
LocationAgen, France
Ground(s)Stade Armandie (Capacity: 10,512 seats)
PresidentAlain Tingaud
Coach(es)Christophe Laussucq
Rémi Vaquin
Captain(s)Antoine Erbani
League(s)Pro D2
2023–2413th
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.agen-rugby.com

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

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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

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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

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Finals results

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French championship

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DateWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueAttendance
18 May 1930SU Agen4-0 (aet)US QuillanParc Lescure, Bordeaux28.000
21 March 1943Aviron Bayonnais3-0SU AgenParc des Princes, Paris28.000
7 April 1945SU Agen7-3FC LourdesParc des Princes, Paris30.000
13 April 1947Stade Toulousain10-3SU AgenStade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse25.000
27 May 1962SU Agen14-11AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse37.705
23 May 1965SU Agen15-8CA BriveStade de Gerland, Lyon28.758
22 May 1966SU Agen9-8US DaxStadium Municipal, Toulouse28.803
23 May 1976SU Agen13-10 (aet)AS BéziersParc des Princes, Paris40.300
29 May 1982SU Agen18-9Aviron BayonnaisParc des Princes, Paris41.165
26 May 1984AS Béziers21-21 (aet)SU AgenParc des Princes, Paris44.076
24 May 1986Stade Toulousain16-6SU AgenParc des Princes, Paris45.145
28 May 1988SU Agen9-3Stadoceste TarbaisParc des Princes, Paris48.000
26 May 1990Racing Club de France22-12 (aet)SU AgenParc des Princes, Paris45.069
8 June 2002Biarritz Olympique25-22 (aet)SU AgenStade de France, Saint-Denis78.457

European Rugby Challenge Cup

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DateWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueAttendance
2 February 1998 US Colomiers43-5 SU AgenStade des Sept Deniers, Toulouse12.500

Challenge Yves du Manoir

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YearWinnerScoreRunner-up
1932SU Agenround robinLyon OU
1933Lyon OUround robinSU Agen
1963SU Agen11-0CA Brive
1970RC Toulon25-22SU Agen
1975AS Béziers16-12SU Agen
1983SU Agen29-7Toulon
1987FC Grenoble26-7SU Agen
1992SU Agen23-18RC Narbonne

Coupe de France

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YearWinnerScoreRunner-up
1943SU Agen11-4Stade Bordelais
1945SU Agen14-13AS Montferrand

Pro D2 promotion playoffs

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DateWinnerRunner-upScoreVenueAttendance
2014La RochelleSU Agen31–22Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux33,262
2015SU AgenStade Montois16–15Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse
2017SU AgenUS Montauban41-20Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux

Current standings

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2023–24 Pro D2 Table
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDTBLBPtsQualification
1Provence302028803632+1718395Semi-final promotion playoff place
2Vannes3017211777508+26910789
3Béziers3017112789715+746480Quarter-final promotion playoff place
4Grenoble3019011826694+1328379[a]
5Dax3017112626683−575277
6Brive3016113689583+1068276
7Nevers3015015682610+726975
8Mont-de-Marsan3015114766641+1255774
9Aurillac3014115593764−1713364
10Colomiers3013116661657+44664
11Valence Romans3013017623640−175562
12Soyaux Angoulême3013215563616−530662
13Agen3013116597732−1352561
14Biarritz3011019618811−1934553
15Montauban3011019577755−1782551Relegation play-off
16Rouen309120604753−1495548Relegation to Nationale
Updated to match(es) played on 12 January 2024. Source: [1]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Competition points earned in head-to-head matches
  2. Points difference in head-to-head matches
  3. Try differential in head-to-head matches
  4. Points difference in all matches
  5. Try differential in all matches
  6. Points scored in all matches
  7. Tries scored in all matches
  8. Fewer matches forfeited
  9. Classification in the previous Top 14 season
    Notes:
  1. ^ Following the decisions rendered by the Appeal Commission on July 6, 2023 and December 14, 2023 by the Disciplinary Council, a withdrawal of 12 points applies for FC Grenoble Rugby.The total sanction was reduced on appeal on 31 January 2024, recovering four points in the ranking.

Current squad

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The Agen squad for the 2023–24 season is:[1]

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

PlayerPositionUnion
Clement MartinezHooker France
Mike Sosene-FeagaiHooker United States
Richard BarringtonProp England
Alex BurinProp France
Beau FarranceProp England
Florent GuionProp France
Malik HamadacheProp France
Hans Lombard-BuretProp France
Thèo SauzaretProp France
William DemotteLock France
Zak FarranceLock England
Joe MaksymiwLock England
Evan OlmsteadLock Canada
Corentin VernetLock France
Matthieu BonnetBack row France
Martin DevergieBack row France
Arnaud DuputsBack row France
Antoine ErbaniBack row France
Vincent FarreBack row France
Julien LebianBack row France
Fotu LokotuiBack row Tonga
PlayerPositionUnion
Dorian BellotScrum-half France
Theo IdjellidaineScrum-half France
Sonatane TakuluaScrum-half Tonga
Thomas VincentFly-half France
Ben VolavolaFly-half Fiji
Théo BelanCentre France
Peyo MuscarditzCentre France
Kolinio RamokaCentre Fiji
Harry SloanCentre England
Iban EtcheverryWing France
Inoke NalagaWing Fiji
Henry PurdyWing England
Tevita RailevuWing Fiji
Timilai RokoduruWing Fiji
Jean-Marcelin ButtinFullback France
Matthieu LamoulieFullback France
Loris TolotFullback France

Espoirs squad

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

PlayerPositionUnion
Aymeric BardyHooker France
Pierre JouvinHooker France
Gregory RobertHooker France
Alexandre EveraertProp France
Brice HoarauProp France
Mamuka MstoianiProp Georgia
Adrien PaganottoProp France
Maino PakihivatauProp France
Riley PuluProp New Zealand
Ben NehringLock Germany
Maxime TurcLock France
Tomasi FineanganofoBack row Tonga
Valentin GayraudBack row France
Dany LamatakiBack row France
Marius RollandBack row France
PlayerPositionUnion
Tom ChazarinScrum-half France
Romain LefortScrum-half France
Andrea LucchiniScrum-half France
Emile DayralFly-half France
Mathias JeanFly-half France
Gautier LaveFly-half France
Damien MarchalFly-half France
Yui CharrierCentre France
Clement GarriguesCentre France
Storm von PlasterCentre South Africa
Allydael CamaraWing France
Lucas De BuekelaerWing France
Matheo FleiterWing France
Kelyan GiroudWing France
Jefferson JosephWing France
Romain DarchenFullback France
Titouan LemanierFullback France
Matthieu MaymatFullback France

Notable former players

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "EFFECTIF VERSION 19/20". Sporting Union Agenais (in French). Retrieved 7 September 2019.
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