The Football Club de Grenoble Rugby (FCG) is a French rugby union club based in Grenoble and founded in 1892.
FCG was champion of France in 1954 and runner-up in 1993 during a controversial final, being deprived of the title of champion of France following a refereeing error.[1]
The club also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1987 and was finalist in 1969, 1986 and 1990.
FC Grenoble played in the Top 14, the top level of the French league system, for the 2019–2020 season, but were relegated to Pro D2 at the season end.
Grenoble have played home matches at the Stade des Alpes (capacity 20,068) since 2014–2015. The club's colors are red and blue.
The FCG is currently chaired by Patrick Goffi.
The first team is supervised by several specialists: Aubin Hueber as head coach, Nicolas Nadau senior coach, Patrick Pézery forwards coach and Tom Palmer defence coach.
History
The club was founded in 1892 following the merger of the main clubs in Grenoble in Rhône-Alpes.
Runners-up French Championship 1918
After becoming champions of the Alps in 1912, FCG reached the final of the Coupe de l'Espérance in 1918, which replaced the old championship of France during the First World War.
Since then Grenoble have regularly featured in the finals.
Grenoble contributed notable players to the original French National Team, among them Edmond Besset and Felix Lasserre and Edmond Vellat.
In 1931, Grenoble was one of 14 clubs who left the French Rugby Federation to create their own organization, UFRA.
French Champion 1954
In 1954, the first team, then coached by Roger Bouvarel, wrote the most beautiful page in the history of the club.
The team was nicknamed by the press the foreign Legion.
FC Grenoble won his first Bouclier de Brennus and became champion of France after a 5–3 victory against the U.S. Cognac.
Champions in 1954 :
1. René Martin 2. Innocent Bionda 3. René Duhau 4. Paul Rein 5. Duilio Parolai 6.Sergio Lanfranchi8. Eugène Smogor 7. Henri Coquet 9. Jean Liénard 10. Roger Baqué 11. Michel Pliassoff 12. Guy Belletante (c) 13. Georges Echevet 14. André Morel 15. Pierre Claret
Runners-up European Championship 1963
With Jean Liénard became coach, Grenoble played the final of the European Champion Clubs' Cup FIRA in 1963.
Runners-up of the Challenge Yves du Manoir 1969
In 1969, Grenoble bows in the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir against the US Dax on the score of 24–12.
Runners-up of the Challenge Yves du Manoir 1986
In 1986, Grenoble bows in the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir against the AS Montferrand on the score of 22–15.
Winner of the Challenge Yves du Manoir 1987
In 1987, Grenoble won the Challenge Yves du Manoir against the SU Agen on the score of 26–7.
This is the second major trophy for the club.
1. Bernard Vacchino 2. Éric Ferruit 3. Jean-Marc Romand 4. Willy Pepelnjak (c) 5. Hervé Chaffardon 6.Gilbert Brunat8. Stéphane Géraci 7. Christophe Monteil 9. Dominique Mazille 10. Pierre Mathias 11. Philippe Meunier and Thierry Picard 12. Alain Gély 13.Patrick Mesny14. Richard Zago 15. Gilles Claret
Runners-up of the Challenge Yves du Manoir 1990
In 1990, Grenoble bows in the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir against the RC Narbonne on the score of 24–19.
A second French championship Title denied following a refereeing error 1993
The arrival of Jacques Fouroux in control of the team for the 1992-93 season associated with Michel Ringeval marks the beginning of a new era called the Mammoths of Grenoble.[2]
Despite overpowering pack Grenoble tilts on the score of 14–11.[3]
A try of Olivier Brouzet is denied to Grenoble[4] and the decisive try by Gary Whetton was awarded by the referee, Daniel Salles, when in fact the defender Franck Hueber from Grenoble touched down the ball first in his try zone.
This error gave the title to Castres.[5] Salles admitted the error 13 years later[6]
.[7]
.[8]
Fouroux conflict with the Federation and who was already suspicious before the match of the referee[9] cry out conspiracy.[10]
Players Championship controversial Final in 1993 :
They were relegated to the French second division and came back again.
At the end of 2004–05, they were relegated to the French second division, Rugby Pro D2, after the top level was reduced from sixteen to fourteen teams. However, they were relegated even further, to the amateur Fédérale 1, due to financial problems; an audit of the club's books revealed debts of €3.64 million as of 30 June
2005.[11] They
earned promotion back to the professional ranks at the first opportunity, and played in Pro D2, in 2006–07; they finished their first season back in ProD2 in fourteenth place (out of sixteen), surviving the drop by one point over Limoges.
They ended the 2007–08 season in eighth, close to the play-offs.
In 2010–11 Grenoble finished second, losing the play-off semi-final game at home against Union Bordeaux Bègles.
In 2011–12 Grenoble finished first, securing their return to the Top 14 for the 2012–13 season.
In their first season back in the top flight, they were in contention for a playoff place early in the season, but faded to 11th, still safely above the relegation zone.
After the 2016–17 season, Grenoble have been relegated to the Pro D2 and in the 2017–18 season, ProD2 runners-up Grenoble have been promoted to the Top14, after a 47–22 victory over Oyonnax.
The promotion/relegation play-off win sees Grenoble head back to the French top flight, having dropped down this time last season.
Cyril Savy is the first player to use a tee in France in 1993.[15]
In the semi-finals at the last minute of the game when the FCG faces SU Agen, Savy succeeds a penalty a goal of 60m and gets an overtime.
His club came out victorious before being deprived of a title of champion of France on a refereeing error in a controversial final against Castres Olympique.[16]
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