Stade toulousain
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| Full name | Stade Toulousain |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1907 |
| Location | Toulouse, France |
| Ground(s) | Stade Ernest-Wallon (Capacity: 19,500) |
| President | Jean-René Bouscatel |
| Coach(es) | Ugo Mola |
| Captain(s) | Thierry Dusautoir |
| League(s) | Top 14 |
| 2015–16 | 5th (playoff quarter-finalists) |
| Official website | |
| www |
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Stade Toulousain (French pronunciation: [stad tuluzɛ̃]) (Occitan: Estadi Tolosenc), also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Occitania. Toulouse is arguably one of the finest rugby clubs in the world and the most successful in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup a record four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps and Munster, respectively. Stade Toulousain have also won a record 19 French Championship titles. It is traditionally one of the main providers for the French national team. Their home ground is the Stade Ernest-Wallon. However, big Top 14 matches along with Heineken Cup games are often played at the Stadium Municipal de Toulouse. The club colours are red, black and white.
Before 1907 rugby in Toulouse was only played in schools or universities. In 1893, students of secondary school "Lycée de Toulouse" got together in "les Sans Soucis". Once attending university the same students founded "l'Olympique Toulousain", which became "Stade Olympien des Etudiants de Toulouse" (SOET) a few years later in 1896. In the same period, 'non-students' grouped in "le Sport Atléthique Toulousain" (SAT) while students of the veterinary school created "l'Union Sportive de l'Ecole Vétérinaire" (USEV). Both entities merged in 1905 and called themselves "Véto-Sport". Finally in 1907, Stade Toulousain was founded resulting from a union between the SOET and Véto-Sport.
Stade Toulousain played its first final of the national title French Championship in 1909 and lost it to Stade Bordelais Université Club (17–0) in Toulouse. In 1912 Stade Toulousain won its first national title. It had to wait until 1922 before it won its second. However the 1920s were a golden era for the club. Their first final action in the 1920s was in 1921, when they were defeated by USA Perpignan. Despite losing in 1921, the side went on to win the 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926 and 1927 championships.
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