Biarritz Olympique

The history of the club extends back to the late 19th century. An athletic club, Biarritz Stade (named that, in 1902) opened up a rugby quarter. In 1909, the Biarritz Sporting Club was established. On 26 April 1913, the fusion of the two clubs took place. The new name of the club was Biarritz Olympique and its inaugural president was M. P. Campagne. On 13 May 1934, Biarritz Olympique played in the final of the French premiership; they were however, defeated by Aviron Bayonnais 13 points to 8 at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse in front of 18,000 people. It was the only all-Basque final and is still the final in which the two contenders were separated by the shortest distance (3 miles), outside the all-Parisian finals of the late 19th century.

A year later, Biarritz again found themselves in the final of the national championship, this time against USA Perpignan. They emerged victorious, winning three points to nil, claiming their first ever national championship. The success continued in the latter stages of the decade. In the 1938 championship, Biarritz again met USAP in the final, though this time, the Perpignan club were able to get the win, Biarritz losing 11 points to six. A year later, the two clubs met in the final again, with Biarritz coming out as the better club on the day, winning six points to nil, and claiming the second national championship. But for almost 50 years, Biarritz was not going to feature prominently in the French league.

It was not until the late 1980s that BO, as it is nicknamed, was going to reach the top again. In 1989 Biarritz contested their first Challenge Yves du Manoir final since the 1937 season. However, they were defeated by RC Narbonne 18–12 in the final. In 1992, Biarritz made it to the national final, played at Parc des Princes in Paris. However, Biarritz went down to RC Toulon 19 points to 14. In the 1997–98 season, Biarritz competed in their first European Rugby Cup competition, playing in the European Challenge Cup. Biarritz won three of their six fixtures, and did not make it past the pool stages. The 1998–99 season was similar to the previous, though they were able to win one more of their pool fixtures, but finished third in the pool standings after other French clubs Agen and Brive.

In their third Challenge Cup, Biarritz only lost one pool game and finished first in the standings. However, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by English club Bristol. As well as the success in the Challenge Cup, in the 1999–00 season, they also won the Coupe de France for the first time since 1937, defeating CA Brive 24–13 in the final. Biarritz also earned qualification for the Heineken Cup.^[1]

The club finished at the top of their pool In the Heineken Cup, but were eliminated by Irish team Munster, losing 38–29 in the quarter-finals at Thomond Park. In the 2001–02 Heineken Cup Biarritz did not make the finals, finishing second in their pool, winning two of their six pool fixtures.

In 2002, Biarritz made their way to the domestic final for the first time in a decade. They defeated Agen 25 to 22 at Stade de France in Saint-Denis in front of 78,457. That season they were also runners-up to La Rochelle in the Coupe de France final, losing 21–19. The 2002–03 Heineken Cup was also a success for Biarritz, finishing at the top of their pool standings, they were quarter-finalists, but lost to Leinster 18–13 at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.

The 2003–04 Heineken Cup was the best-ever for Biarritz, as they made it to the semi-finals for the first time. They finished at the top of their pool and defeated the Llanelli Scarlets in the quarter-finals. They lost to fellow French club Toulouse 19–11 in the semi-finals. In 2004–05 Biarritz dropped only the one pool game against the London Wasps and finished at the top of their pool. They then defeated Munster in the quarter-finals, to repeat their success of the previous season by making the semi-finals. They, however, lost to Stade Français, 20–17 at Parc des Princes. More success followed in 2005, where they defeated the Stade Français club 37 points to 34 in the domestic final after a very rugged challenge.

In the year 2006, they made it to the Heineken Cup final where they met Munster. Although they lost their first pool game to the Saracens, Biarritz won the remaining matches and finished at the top of their pool, and defeated English clubs Sale and Bath in the finals to make the final. They lost the compelling game 19–23. They were, however, able to make it to the final of the 2005–06 Top 14, where they met Toulouse. Biarritz led nine points to six at half time but stormed to victory in the second half, the final score being 40 to 13, making Biarritz back-to-back winners. In the 2006–07 Heineken Cup Biarritz won all six of their pool games, topping their group with 29 points. They met fellow pool team Northampton Saints at Estadio Anoeta in the quarter-finals: Northampton upset Biarritz 8–7. In 2010, after finishing atop their pool, Biarritz defeated Ospreys and Munster, both at the Anoeta, and lost a hard-fought Heineken Cup final to Toulouse, 21–19, at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Saturday, 22 May.

On 18 May 2012, Biarritz beat Top 14 rivals Toulon 21-18 in the 2012 Amlin Challenge Cup Final at Twickenham Stoop.^[2]

Biarritz played poorly during the 2013–14 Top 14 season, and ended up being relegated to the Rugby Pro D2 for the 2014–15 season.

Biarritz play their home matches at the Parc des Sports Aguiléra, which is a multi-use stadium in Biarritz. The stadium is used mostly for rugby and is able to hold around 13,500 people. Apart from Biarritz home games, the ground also hosted an international between the French Barbarians and Argentina.

Biarritz sometimes move larger games across the border to Estadio Anoeta in Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain. The Anoeta is the nearest stadium to Biarritz with a suitable capacity for matches such as a Heineken Cup semi-final, which must be played at a venue which can hold at least 20,000 spectators. The Anoeta holds well above that limit, at slightly over 32,000. The first such match held there was a victory over Munster in a quarter final of the 2004–05 Heineken Cup. In 2005–06 Biarritz played and won both their Heineken Cup quarter and semi-finals at the venue. The 2006–07 quarter-final against Northampton was also played there. In the 2009–10 Top 14 season, Biarritz took two league matches to the Anoeta—their home leg of the Northern Basque derby against Bayonne, and a home match against fellow traditional power Toulouse. They also played both of their knockout matches leading up to the 2010 Heineken Cup final at the Anoeta, defeating Ospreys in the quarter-finals and Munster in the semi-finals.

Biarritz Olympique usually play in red and white colours. Green is the club's tertiary colour, as red, white and green are the traditional colours that represent the Basque Country. Their home uniform consists of red socks and shorts with a predominantly white shirt with red sides. A second jersey also has one green arm. For the 2015-16 season, their kit is produced by Macron. The main shirt sponsor is Capgemini.

In 1998, it adopted its current name (Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque), which refers to the club's Basque heritage the name is often abbreviated as BOPB. The club logo is a red and white shield with the B and O in the middle. The words Pays Basque also appear on either side of the logo in green.

The Biarritz supporters sometimes wave the Basque flag in the stands. Traditional Basque songs are also heard, as Basque supporters have a reputation for being very good singers. The Parc des Sports Aguilera is considered an intimidating venue to play at, with Biarritz supporters having a reputation for being very vocal.^[3]

• French championship Top 14
  • Champions (5): 1935, 1939, 2002, 2005, 2006
  • Runners-up (3): 1934, 1938, 1992
• Heineken Cup/European Rugby Champions Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 2006, 2010
• European Rugby Challenge Cup
  • Champions (1): 2012
• Challenge Yves du Manoir
  • Champions (1): 1937
  • Runners-up (1): 1989
• French Cup
  • Champions (1): 2000

The Biarritz squad for the 2023–24 season is:^[4]

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

Player Position Union Brendan Lebrun Hooker France Thomas Sauveterre Hooker France Bastien Soury Hooker France Luteru Tolai Hooker Tonga Zakaria El Fakir Prop France Mohamed Haouas Prop France Guy Millar Prop Australia Giorgi Nutsubidze Prop Georgia Alfie Petch Prop England Lasha Tabidze Prop Georgia Killian Taofifenua Prop France Kévin Tougne Prop France Johan Aliouat Lock France Johnny Dyer Lock Fiji Pieter Jansen van Vuren Lock South Africa Nafi Ma'afu Lock United States Charlie Matthews Lock England Adrian Moțoc Lock Romania Simon Augry Back row France Charlie Francoz Back row France Thomas Hébert Back row France Ekain Imaz Back row Spain Tornike Jalagonia Back row Georgia Temo Matiu Back row France Dave O'Callaghan Back row Ireland

Player Position Union Kerman Aurrekoetxea Scrum-half Spain Imanol Biscay Scrum-half France Pierre Pagés Scrum-half France Antoine Domercq Fly-half France Christopher Hilsenbeck Fly-half Germany Ilian Perraux Fly-half France Billy Searle Fly-half England Yann David Centre France Jonathan Joseph Centre England Vincent Martin Centre France Robin McClintock Centre Scotland Tyler Morgan Centre Wales Francois Vergnaud Centre France Yoann Artru Wing France Steeve Barry Wing France Baptiste Fariscot Wing France Zach Kibirige Wing England Gervais Cordin Fullback France Joe Jonas Fullback South Africa Romain Lonca Fullback France

The Biarritz Olympique Espoirs squad is:^[5]

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

Player Position Union Ruben Arruabarrena Hooker France Valentin Barret Prop France Mehdi Kourdes Prop France Lucas Delos Lock France Youssouf Soucouna Lock France Olma D'Alessandro Back row Italy Tony Galas Back row France Tiaan Jacobs Back row South Africa Julien Nacimiento Back row France Jokin Zolezzi Back row France

Player Position Union Niccolo Beni Scrum-half Italy Elles Tochon Scrum-half France Mathis Cassago Centre France Carlo Mignot Centre France Jules Vanheye Centre France Thomas Hannesschlager Wing France Timothe La Gall Fullback France

• List of rugby union clubs in France
• Rugby union in France

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Biarritz Olympique.

• (in French) Biarritz Olympique Pays Basques Official website
• Biarritz Olympique anthem