ASM Clermont Auvergne

ASM Clermont Auvergne
Full name	Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne
Nickname(s)	Montferrand; Les Jaunards (The Yellow Guys); Les Jaune et Bleu (The Yellow and Blues); La Yellow Army
Founded	11 October 1911; 113 years ago
Location	Clermont-Ferrand, France
Ground(s)	Stade Marcel-Michelin (Capacity: 19,372)
Chairman	Michelin
President	Jean-Claude Pats
Coach(es)	Christophe Urios
Captain(s)	Baptiste Jauneau
Most appearances	Éric Nicol (437)
Top scorer	Gérald Merceron (2,704)
Most tries	Aurélien Rougerie (134)
League(s)	Top 14
2023–24	8th
1st kit	2nd kit
Official website
	[[1] www.asm-rugby.com/%20asm-rugby.com]]

Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne (pronounced [klɛʁmɔ̃ ovɛʁɲ]) is a French professional rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. Clermont are two times French champions in 2010 and 2017. The rugby section is a part of a multi-sport club called AS Montferrand (also known as ASM Omnisports), which was founded in 1911 and adopted that name in 1919. Although the rugby section changed its name to the current ASM Clermont Auvergne in 2004, it is still frequently referred to as Montferrand both within and outside France.

The team play at the 19,022-seat Stade Marcel-Michelin, also known by its nickname, The Bib Park. Clermont wear yellow and blue, the colours of the French tyre manufacturer Michelin, taken from the colours of Montferrand when the firm was created there in 1889.

The city is where Marcel Michelin, the son of the founder of the French tyre manufacturer, decided to implement the first factory but also the stadium after the creation of ASM for its workers before World War I. L'ASM, as they are also called, have reached the French Championship final thirteen times, losing on each occasion until their eleventh trip in 2010, when they won the championship in their 100th year as a club.^[1]

History

Amateur era

The club was established in 1911 as AS Michelin, though they changed their name to AS Montferrandaise in 1919 due to legal obligation. The club was started by Marcel Michelin, the son of André Michelin, the founder of the Michelin tyre manufacturer. He died in deportation at Buchenwald; he had been deported there as a member of the Resistance and was involved in two successful escape attempts before dying during the third.

The club made its first final of any competition in 1935, where they played Perpignan for the Challenge Yves du Manoir. AS Montferrand lost the match, 3–3 and 9–0. The following year they featured in their first championship final; though they lost to RC Narbonne 6 points to 3. They made the final again in 1937, though that match was also lost, 13 points to 7 to CS Vienne. The following season the club won its first title; winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir by defeating Perpignan 23 points to 10.

During the 1940s the club contested the Coupe de France on two occasions, in 1945 and 1947. The club lost on both occasions, by one point, 14 to 13 to SU Agen in 1945, and then 14 to 11 against Toulouse in 1947. It would be another 10 years until the club featured in another competition final; losing to US Dax in the 1957 Challenge Yves du Manoir. The club became a force during the 1970s, starting in 1970 with a 3 points to nil championship loss to La Voulte Sportif. The club then contested the Challenge Yves du Manoir twice in a row over the 1972–73 seasons; losing both finals, against AS Béziers and Narbonne respectively. Then they won the competition in 1976, defeating SC Graulhet 40 points to 12 just a few days after the death of the young international winger, Jean-François Philiponeau, struck on the field during an exhibition game. The club then contested the championship final in 1978, though they lost to Béziers. They also lost the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1979, against Narbonne.

In 1994 season the club contested both the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir. They lost the Challenge Yves du Manoir to Perpignan (the third time the clubs had met in the competition final). They also lost the championship, defeated 22 points to 16 by Toulouse.

Professional era

The club contested two finals in the 1999 season as well, the French championship and the European Challenge Cup. They won the European Challenge Cup, defeating fellow French club CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 35 points to 16 at the Stade Gerland in Lyon. However they lost the domestic final, being defeated by Toulouse again, 15 points to 11. The club would meet Toulouse again in the season final of 2001, with Toulouse winning 34 points to 22. In 2004 they contested the European Challenge Cup again, though they lost to English club Harlequins, by one point, 27 to 26 at the last minute.

The team experienced a hard period between 2002 and 2006 and it was only with the arrival of Vern Cotter, in the middle of 2006, that the team's form began to improve.^{[citation needed]} In Vern Cotter's first year as head coach, Clermont reached their first final since 2001 (which they lost in the last minute against Stade Français), and won the European Challenge Cup against Bath at the Twickenham Stoop. Montferrand developed further under Vern Cotter during the following two seasons, but they lose two more finals against Toulouse in 2008, and Perpignan in 2009. But the team continues to bounce back and perform well years of years.

In 2010, in the Heineken Cup the team was drawn against Leicester Tigers and Ospreys in a tough pool. Despite this Montferrand succeeded in winning the pool and were subsequently drawn against the holders of the cup, Leinster Rugby. That was the beginning of what would become one of the greatest rivalries in rugby. In an epic battle, Montferrand lost 29–28. After this loss, they went on to win all of their remaining games to win the French championship against Perpignan (19–6) with a notably exceptional display during the semi-final against RC Toulon in Saint-Etienne.

In 2012 they reached the semi-final of the Heineken Cup. They were beaten by Leinster Rugby and were inches from winning the game at the end but Wesley Fofana dropped the ball on Leinster's try line.

Clermont reached the Heineken Cup final for the first time in 2013 after they beat Munster Rugby 16–10 in the semi-final in Montpellier. They subsequently lost to Toulon in the HEC final which was held in Lansdowne Road in Dublin on 18 May 2013 by a single point (16–15).

In 2014, Clermont reached the Heineken Cup semi-final of the play-offs for the second consecutive time and lost to Saracens.

2015 saw Clermont make it to the final of the European Cup (now European Rugby Champions Cup) but lost to RC Toulon 24–18. A few weeks later, they also lost the final of the French Top 14 against Stade Français 12–6.

2016 saw Clermont having their first blow in the European Rugby Champions Cup since 2011 by failing to make the quarter final after a late loss against Bordeaux at home. But they finally reached the French championship semi-final with a highly controversial lose against Racing 92.

However, the team bounced back and produced during the season 2016-2017, reaching again two finals in the French Top 14 and European Champions Cup. They lost the European Cup against reigning champions Saracens.

In January 2020, Clermont acquired a minority stake in the American rugby club New Orleans Gold. In addition to player exchanges, the teams will seek to facilitate cultural exchanges between the state of Louisiana and France.^[2]

Honours

Statue of Vercingetorix decorated with the flag of ASM Clermont Auvergne after the Top 14 championship of 2010.

European Rugby Champions Cup
- Runners-up (3): 2013, 2015, 2017
European Rugby Challenge Cup
- Champions (3): 1999, 2007, 2019
- Runners-up (1): 2004
French championship Top 14
- Champions (2): 2010, 2017
- Runners-up (12): 1936, 1937, 1970, 1978, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2019
Challenge Yves du Manoir
- Champions (3): 1938, 1976, 1986
- Runners-up (6): 1935, 1957, 1972, 1979, 1985, 1994
French Cup
- Runners-up (2): 1945, 1947
League Cup
- Champions (1):2001

Finals results

Heineken Cup and European Rugby Champions Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
18 May 2013	RC Toulon	16–15	ASM Clermont	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	51,142
2 May 2015	RC Toulon	24–18	ASM Clermont	Twickenham, London	56,662
13 May 2017	Saracens	28–17	ASM Clermont	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh	55,272

European Rugby Challenge Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
27 February 1999	AS Montferrand	35–16	CS Bourgoin-Jallieu	Stade de Gerland, Lyon	31,986
22 May 2004	Harlequin F.C.	27–26	AS Montferrand	Madejski Stadium, Reading	13,123
19 May 2007	ASM Clermont	22–16	Bath Rugby	Twickenham Stoop, London	10,134
10 May 2019	ASM Clermont	36–16	La Rochelle	St James' Park, Newcastle	28,438

French championship

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
10 May 1936	RC Narbonne	6–3	AS Montferrand	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	25,000
2 May 1937	CS Vienne	13–7	AS Montferrand	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	17,000
17 May 1970	La Voulte Sportif	3–0	AS Montferrand	Stadium Municipal, Toulouse	35,000
28 May 1978	AS Béziers	31–9	AS Montferrand	Parc des Princes, Paris	42,004
28 May 1994	Stade Toulousain	22–16	AS Montferrand	Parc des Princes, Paris	48,000
29 May 1999	Stade Toulousain	15–11	AS Montferrand	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	78,000
9 June 2001	Stade Toulousain	34–22	AS Montferrand	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	78,000
9 June 2007	Stade Français	23–18	ASM Clermont	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,654
28 June 2008	Stade Toulousain	26–20	ASM Clermont	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,275
6 June 2009	USA Perpignan	22–13	ASM Clermont	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,205
29 May 2010	ASM Clermont	19–6	USA Perpignan	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,262
13 June 2015	Stade Français	12–6	ASM Clermont	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,000
4 June 2017	ASM Clermont	22–16	RC Toulon	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,771
15 June 2019	Stade Toulousain	24–18	ASM Clermont	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,786

Challenge Yves du Manoir

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up
1935	USA Perpignan	3–3, 6–0	AS Montferrand
1938	AS Montferrand	23–10	USA Perpignan
1957	US Dax	6–6*	AS Montferrand
1972	AS Béziers	27–6	AS Montferrand
1976	AS Montferrand	40–12	SC Graulhet
1979	RC Narbonne	9–7	AS Montferrand
1985	RC Nice	21–16	AS Montferrand
1986	AS Montferrand	22–15	FC Grenoble
1994	USA Perpignan	18–3	AS Montferrand

* Note: by virtue of younger players

French Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up
1945	SU Agen	14–13	AS Montferrand
1947	Stade Toulousain	14–11	AS Montferrand

Current standings

2024–25 Top 14 Table
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Toulouse	9	6	3	268	145	+123	33	18	3	3	30	Qualification for Playoff semi-finals and European Rugby Champions Cup
2	Bordeaux Bègles	9	6	3	304	209	+95	42	28	3	2	29
3	La Rochelle	9	6	3	229	206	+23	30	22	3	0	27	Qualification for Playoff semi-final qualifiers and European Rugby Champions Cup
4	Bayonne	9	6	3	245	221	+24	30	29	1	1	26
5	Toulon	9	5	4	193	201	−8	22	23	1	2	23
6	Clermont	9	5	4	214	245	−31	28	27	3	0	23
7	Castres	9	5	4	271	239	+32	31	25	1	2	23	Qualification for European Rugby Champions Cup
8	Racing 92	9	5	4	238	228	+10	27	25	0	2	22	Qualification for European Rugby Champions Cup
9	Perpignan	9	4	5	178	222	−44	17	24	2	1	19	Qualification for European Rugby Challenge Cup
10	Lyon	9	4	5	245	261	−16	28	30	1	1	18
11	Montpellier	9	3	6	191	194	−3	18	21	0	3	15
12	Pau	9	3	6	199	244	−45	24	33	2	1	15
13	Stade Français	9	3	6	185	252	−67	20	31	1	1	14	Qualification for Relegation play-off
14	Vannes	9	2	7	226	319	−93	27	41	0	3	11	Relegation to Pro D2

Updated to match(es) played on 3 November 2024. Source: Top 14

Current squad

The Clermont squad for the 2024–25 season is:^[3]^[4]

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

Player	Position	Union
Folau Fainga'a	Hooker	Australia
Étienne Fourcade	Hooker	France
Barnabé Massa	Hooker	France
Giorgi Akhaladze	Prop	Georgia
Michael Ala'alatoa	Prop	Samoa
Étienne Falgoux	Prop	France
Sacha Lotrian	Prop	France
Régis Montagne	Prop	France
Cristian Ojovan	Prop	Moldova
Thomas Ceyte	Lock	France
Thibaud Lanen	Lock	France
Oskar Rixen	Lock	Germany
Rob Simmons	Lock	Australia
Lucas Dessaigne	Back row	France
Alexandre Fischer	Back row	France
Pita Gus Sowakula	Back row	New Zealand
Anthime Hemery	Back row	France
Marcos Kremer	Back row	Argentina
Fritz Lee	Back row	Samoa
Killian Tixeront	Back row	France
Peceli Yato	Back row	Fiji

Player	Position	Union
Sébastien Bézy	Scrum-half	France
Baptiste Jauneau	Scrum-half	France
Enzo Sanga	Scrum-half	France
Anthony Belleau	Fly-half	France
Benjamin Urdapilleta	Fly-half	Argentina
Léon Darricarrère	Centre	France
Pierre Fouyssac	Centre	France
George Moala	Centre	Tonga
Irae Simone	Centre	Australia
Bautista Delguy	Wing	Argentina
Joris Jurand	Wing	France
Alivereti Raka	Wing	France
Lucas Tauzin	Wing	France
Kylan Hamdaoui	Fullback	France
Alex Newsome	Fullback	Australia

Espoirs squad

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

Player	Position	Union
Irakli Usubyan	Hooker	Georgia
Thomas Duchêne	Prop	France
Levan Ezieshvili	Prop	Georgia
Matheo Frisach	Prop	France
Jean-Yves Liufau	Prop	France
River Tukino	Prop	New Zealand
Giga Tutisani	Prop	Georgia
Piero Gritti	Lock	Italy
Rémy Lanen	Lock	France
Samuel M'Foudi	Lock	France
Tom Belkessa	Back row	France
Baptiste Britz	Back row	France
Antoine Chalus	Back row	France
Giorgi Gergedava	Back row	Georgia

Player	Position	Union
Jules Bousquet	Scrum-half	France
Théo Giral	Fly-half	France
Loukas Guilhot	Fly-half	France
Mathys Belaubre	Centre	France
Yerim Fall	Centre	France
Gaspard Robbe	Centre	France
Beltrán Ortega	Wing	Spain
François Carlo Mey	Fullback	Italy