AS Béziers Hérault

Béziers

Union	Fédération Française de Rugby
Founded	1911; 113 years ago (1911)
Location	Béziers, France
Ground(s)	Stade Raoul-Barrière (Capacity: 18,555)
President	Cédric Bistué
Coach(es)	Manny Edmonds Christophe Hamacek
League(s)	Pro D2
2023–24	3rd
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.asbh.net

Association sportive de Béziers Hérault (French pronunciation: [asɔsjasjɔ̃ spɔʁtiv də bezje eʁo]; Occitan: Associacion Esportiva de Besièrs Erau), often referred to by rugby media simply by its location of Béziers, is a French rugby union club currently playing in the second level of the country's professional rugby system, Pro D2. They earned their most recent promotion as 2011 Fédérale 1 champions,^[1] but the club also won 11 Top 14 titles since its establishment in 1911.

Béziers was a major force in French rugby throughout the 1970s and 1980s; however, at the end of 2004–05 season they were relegated to Pro D2. After some years playing in French second division, they finished bottom of the table in 2008–09 and were relegated to amateur Fédérale 1,^[2] before returning to Pro D2 after their 2011 title. They are based in Béziers in Occitania, and play at Stade Raoul-Barrière (capacity 18,555). The club colors are red and blue.

The club was established in 1911. Their first notable honour was being runners-up in the Coupe de France. However it would not be until the 1960s when the club began its rise to prominence. Béziers made their first championship appearance in the 1960 season. On 22 May they faced FC Lourdes in the final, losing 14 points to 11 in Toulouse. Béziers found mixed success during the 1960s following their first championship loss to Lourdes. The next season they won their first championship, defeating US Dax 6 points to 3 in Lyon. They were also runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir that season. They also contested the domestic championship in 1962, though they lost to SU Agen 14 to 11 in the final. Béziers performed well in the 1964 season as well; losing the championship final to Section Paloise, and winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir.

After the success during the early 1960s Béziers became a powerful club in the 1970s. In 1971 Béziers made it to the final of the domestic championship; defeating RC Toulon 15 points to 9 in Bordeaux. The following season Béziers captured the championship, defeating Brive 9 points to nil in Lyon, and winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well. The club won championships in 1974 and 1975, defeating RC Narbonne and Brive respectively, both times at Parc des Princes in Paris. They were also involved in the 1976 final, though they lost to Agen, 13 to 10. The following season they won the championship again, defeating Perpignan 12 to 4 in the final. They also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well.

The next season they successfully defended their domestic title; defeating ASM Clermont Auvergne 31 points to 9 in the championship game in Paris. They however did not win back-to-back Challenge Yves du Manoir titles; though they came close, being runners-up. The success continued in the early 1980s as well, winning the championship of the 1980 season, defeating Toulouse 10 to 6 in the final, as well as being Challenge Yves du Manoir runners-up that season. Béziers repeated this again the next season; actually defeating Toulouse in the championship final again, and were runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir. They were champions again in 1983 and 1984, defeating RC Nice and Agen in the finals respectively. They also won the Coupe de France in the 1986 season.

Béziers returned to the professional ranks in 2011–12 following their 13–6 win over Périgueux in the 2011 Fédérale 1 final on June 26. Both finalists were assured of promotion to Pro D2.

They struggled in their return season in Pro D2, finishing next-to last on the league table and well out of the safety zone. However, when ninth-place Bourgoin were forcibly relegated to Fédérale 1 for financial reasons,^[3] Béziers remained in Pro D2 for 2012–13.

In October 2024, it was reported that a consortium made up of Irish businessman and TV personality Eddie Jordan alongside former New Zealand and South Africa internationals Andrew Mehrtens and Bobby Skinstad respectively, were forming a consortium to buy the club as part of a wider project to emulate the success of the City Football Group.^[4][5]

• French championship Top 14
  • Champions (11): 1961, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984
  • Runners-up (4): 1960, 1962, 1964, 1976
• Challenge Yves du Manoir
  • Champions (4): 1964, 1972, 1975, 1977
  • Runners-up (6): 1960, 1961, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1981
• French Cup
  • Champions (1): 1986
  • Runners-up (1): 1950
• Fédérale 1
  • Champions: 2011
• Elite 2
  • Champions: 2000
• coupe d'europe Fira
  • Champions: 1962

The Béziers squad for the 2023–24 season is:^[6][7]

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

Player Position Union Wilmar Arnoldi Hooker South Africa Yvann Lalevée Hooker Franceé José Luis González Hooker Argentina Giorgi Akhaladze Prop Georgia Filippo Alongi Prop Italy Youssef Amrouni Prop France Yannick Arroyo Prop France Francisco Fernandes Prop Portugal John-Henry Fincham Prop France Luka Tchelidze Prop Georgia Jon Zabala Prop Spain Clément Bitz Lock France Pierre Gayraud Lock France John Madigan Lock Ireland Hans N'Kinsi Lock France Clément Ancely Back row France Gillian Benoy Back row Belgium Pierrick Gunther Back row France Thomas Hoarau Back row France Sias Koen Back row South Africa Otunuku Pauta Back row Tonga William Van Bost Back row Belgium

Player Position Union Jean-Victor Goillot Scrum-half France Samuel Marques Scrum-half Portugal Mitch Short Scrum-half Australia Victor Dreuille Fly-half France Harry Glynn Fly-half England Romain Uruty Fly-half France Maxime Espeut Centre France Branden Holder Centre France Paul Réau Centre France Paul Recor Centre France Taleta Tupuola Centre New Zealand Watisoni Votu Centre Fiji Paul Alquier Wing France Pierre Courtaud Wing France Nicolas Plazy Wing France Raffaele Storti Wing Portugal Gabin Lorre Fullback France Charly Malie Fullback France Tim Nanai-Williams Fullback Samoa

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

Player Position Union Yanis Boulassel Hooker France Julien Rasamoelina Prop France Clément Samper Prop France Matthys Louw Lock South Africa Thomas Canaleta Back row France Apisalome Kuruisaqila Back row Fiji Antoine Payrastre Back row France Joaquin Selma Back row France

Player Position Union Leon Sanchis Scrum-half France Sevuloni Lutu Centre Fiji Arnaud Sola Centre France Maxime Vacquier Centre France Théo Vassallo Centre France Maxime Mazzella Wing France Tevita Boseiwaqa Fullback Fiji Mathias Duchaux Fullback France

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

• (in French) AS Béziers Hérault Official website