USA Perpignan
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| Full name | Union sportive arlequins Perpignan-Roussillon |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1902 |
| Location | Perpignan, France |
| Ground(s) | Stade Aimé Giral (Capacity: 14,593) |
| President | François Rivière |
| Coach(es) |
Alain Hyardet Grégory Patat François Gelez |
| Captain(s) | Guillaume Vilaceca |
| League(s) | Rugby Pro D2 |
| 2015–16 | 7th |
| Official website | |
| www |
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Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais (Catalan: Unió Esportiva Arlequins de Perpinyà), generally referred to as USA Perpignan, is a French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales. The club currently competes in the Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system.
The club was founded in 1902 as AS Perpignan, renamed US Perpignan in 1919 and adopted its present name in 1933. Perpignan plays at Stade Aimé Giral (capacity 14 593). The club wears red and gold (Sang et Or = Blood and Gold) colours derived from the Catalan Senyera.
The club was established in 1902 as AS Perpignan. It would be in 1914 that the club would go on to make its first ever final appearance. On 3 May, Perpignan defeated Stadoceste Tarbais 8–7 at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse in front of 15,000 people. Several of these champions were killed some months later in World War I and, to honour their sacrifice, it was decided to colour USAP jersey like a Poilu uniform.
Four years after the championship in 1914, the club was renamed as US Perpignan. Under the new club name, US Perpignan made it to the final of the French championship three seasons after the change. On 17 April 1921, Perpignan defeated Stade Toulousain 5–0 at Parc des Sports de Sauclières in Béziers and thus claiming their second championship. Three seasons later, the finalists of 1921 would meet again in the final of 1924, though this time Toulouse won the game 3–0 in Bordeaux.
The success continued throughout the 1920s, and following the final defeat of the 1924 season, US Perpignan were able to make it to the final of the 1925 season. They faced US Carcassonne in Narbonne, and defeated them 5–0 to win the 1925 Championship. For the third season in a row, US Perpignan made it to the final. The opponents were Stade Toulousain once again, the two sides had each defeated each other once in a final in recent years. Toulouse won 11–0 in Bordeaux. After their prominence in the mid-1920s, Perpignan's final appearance in 1926 was their last for nearly a decade.
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