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.

History

RC Narbonne were established in 1907. The club's first appearance in the domestic championship final came in May 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.

Honours

• French championship:
• Champions: 1936, 1979
• Runners-up: 1932, 1933, 1974

• European Challenge Cup:
• Runners-up: 2001

• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
• Champions: 1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991
• Runners-up: 1967, 1982, 1992

• Coupe de France:
• Champions: 1985

Finals results

French championship

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

Challenge Yves du Manoir

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
1967	FC Lourdes	9-3	RC Narbonne
1968	RC Narbonne	14-6	US Dax
1973	RC Narbonne	13-6	AS Béziers
1974	RC Narbonne	19-10	CA Brive
1978	RC Narbonne	19-19 (more tries scored)	AS Béziers
1979	RC Narbonne	9-7	AS Montferrand
1982	US Dax	22-19	RC Narbonne
1984	RC Narbonne	17-13	Stade Toulousain
1989	RC Narbonne	18-12	Biarritz Olympique
1990	RC Narbonne	24-19	FC Grenoble
1991	RC Narbonne	24-19	CA Bègles
1992	SU Agen	23-18	RC Narbonne

Coupe de France

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
1985	RC Narbonne	28-27 (a.e.t.)	AS Béziers

European Challenge Cup

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
2004	Harlequins	27-26	RC Narbonne

Notable former players

• Didier Codorniou
• Patrick Estève
• Walter Spanghero
• Gareth Llewellyn

External links

• Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée - Official site