Valence Romans Drôme Rugby

Valence Romans

Full name	Valence Romans Drôme Rugby
Nickname(s)	VRDR Les Damiers (The Chequered Ones)
Founded	1908
Location	4 rue Chevalier 26100 Romans-sur-Isère
Ground(s)	Stade Marcel Guillermoz Stade Georges Pompidou (Capacity: 5,000 / 15,128)
President	Jean-Louis Darlay
Coach(es)	Cédric Chaubeau Christophe Espinas
League(s)	Pro D2
2023–24	11th
Team kit
Official website
www.usrp.tv

Valence Romans Drôme Rugby (formerly L’Union sportive romanaise and péageoise) is a French rugby union club based in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme). For the 2023–24 season they will be playing in Pro D2 having been promoted from Nationale.

L’US romanaise and péageoise was founded in 1908 as the sport association of two town on both side of the Isère, Romans-sur-Isère and Bourg-de-Péage. Le club was the formed by a lot of worker of Shoes's factory. After the Second World War, the club was promoted in Top 16 and reach two times the semifinals (1954 and 1955), and in 1969 reach again the quarter of finals. This defined US Romans as one of the strongest French club in the 70's. In 1976, the "Damiers" (nickname of the players) lost the quarter of final against the future champion, Agen, and 1977 lost the semifinals against Perpignan (6-9). For eight consecutive years, Romans will pass the first round of the Championship. A first relegation in "Groupe B" in 1988, was followed by a return in "Group A". in 1990. In 1992, the club was again relegated. In 1995 Romans lost the "Groupe B1" final against FC Lourdes (a stunning match closed 37–36). A lot of famous French player have played at USRP in the past: like Arnaldo Gruarin, Robert Soro and Philippe Saint-André.

Now the club play in Fédérale 1, the third level of French rugby union system, after some year in the lower Fédérale 2. In 2018-19 they were promoted from Fédérale 1 into Rugby Pro D2. They now are called Valence Romans Drôme Rugby.

The Soyaux Angouleme squad for the 2023–24 season is:^[1][2]

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

Player Position Union Cyril Deligny Hooker France Brice Humbert Hooker France Dorian Marco-Pena Hooker France Anthony Aléo Prop France Kevin Goze Prop France Gareth Milasinovich Prop South Africa Andrea Pontanier Prop France Julien Royer Prop France Chris Talakai Prop Australia Darrel Dyer Lock England Florian Goumat Lock France Yassine Maamry Lock France Ryan McCauley Lock Australia Eloi Massot Lock France Svet Bernat Girlando Back row France Thembelani Bholi Back row South Africa Charles Brayer Back row France Axel Bruchet Back row France Ioane Iashagashvili Back row Georgia Phillippe Laville Back row France Loan Real Back row France Matthieu Vachon Back row France

Player Position Union Léopold Dupas Scrum-half France Thomas Lhuséro Scrum-half France Tim Menzel Scrum-half Germany Lucas Méret Fly-half France Joris Moura Fly-half Portugal Mathieu Guillomot Centre France Ben Neiceru Centre Fiji Anatole Pauvert Centre France Jonathan Quinnez Centre France Isaac Te Tamaki Centre New Zealand Bart Wierenga Centre Netherlands TJ Maguranyanga Wing Zimbabwe Mosese Mawalu Wing Fiji Gauthier Minguillon Wing Spain Adam Vargas Wing France Charles Bouldoire Fullback France George Worth Fullback England

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

Player Position Union Victor Bonnardel Hooker France Baptiste Chazel Hooker France Tom Pruvost Hooker France Esteban Chouteau Prop France Enric Hilarion Prop France Mathis Roume Prop France Semi Ramacake Lock Fiji Julien Svitek Lock France Mathis Arnal Back row France Nahel Hasnaoui Back row France Maxime Hopsort Back row France Adrien Roux Back row France

Player Position Union Nathan Fugnier Scrum-half France Mateo Lajous Scrum-half France Clément Martinez Scrum-half France Clement Doucet Fly-half France Marco Sanchez Centre France Esteban Tercq Centre France Marvin Maurice Wing France Ulysse Pallot Wing France Noé Perret-Tourlonias Wing France Jules Swier Wing Netherlands

• Championnat of France Première Division
  • Semifinalist : 1954, 1955, 1977
  • Quart of Final : 1976
  • Eights of Finalist : 1978, 1981,
  • 16th of Final : 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986
• Championnat of France Première Division Groupe B1
  • Finalist : 1995
• Championnat of France 2nd division série
  • Finalist: 1959
• Championnat of France Reichel
  • Winner : 1983
• Championnat of France Crabos
  • Winner : 1974
• Championnat of France Cadet
  • Finalist: 1998
  • Winner : 1989
  • Finalist : 1979
• Championnat of France Minimes
  • Finalist : 1998
• Championnat of France Nationale B
  • Finalist 2009
  • Semifinalist 2010
  • Semifinalist 2011
• Challenge Gaudermen (Cadets)
  • Winner : 1989
  • Semifinalist : 1979

• Winner of Challenge of l'Espérance (1) : 1956
• Finalist du Challenge of l'Espérance (1) : 1992

• Official Site
• Actualité sportive of la Drôme