Provence Rugby

Provence Rugby (Occitan: Provença Rugbi) is a French rugby union club currently playing in Pro D2, the second tier of France's league system. They were promoted back to the second level for the 2018–19 season after two seasons in Fédérale 1.

Provence

Full name	Provence Rugby
Nickname(s)	Les Noirs (The Blacks) Le PARC
Founded	1970; 55 years ago (1970)
Location	Aix-en-Provence, France
Ground(s)	Stade Maurice David (Capacity: 8,767)
President	Denis Philipon
Coach(es)	Mauricio Reggiardo
Captain(s)	Arthur Coville
League(s)	Pro D2
2024–25	4th
Team kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.provencerugby.com

Based in Aix-en-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhône just north of Marseille, the club was founded in 1970. They currently play at Stade Maurice David and wear black. The club was known as Aix Rugby Club from 1970 to 2001, and Pays d'Aix Rugby Club (PARC) from 2001 to 2015.

At the end of 2004/5 they were promoted to Pro D2 but were relegated back to Fédérale 1 at the end of the season. They returned to Pro D2 as runners-up to Lannemezan in 2009. In the 2009–10 season, they finished next-to-last on the league table, in a relegation spot. However, they were reprieved when Top 14 club Montauban filed for bankruptcy and were relegated directly to Fédérale 1. They did, however, suffdler relegation after the 2012-13 season, not returning until 2015–16.

By that time, they had changed their name to the current Provence Rugby, officially announcing the name change on 22 June 2015.^[1]

Provence finished last in the 2015–16 Pro D2 season. Initially, they were spared relegation when four clubs were relegated to Fédérale 1 due to financial mismanagement, but three of these eventually won appeals and remained in Pro D2,^[2][3] consigning Provence to the drop.

In the 2023-24 Pro D2 season Provence Rugby finished the regular season in first place. This was the first time in the clubs history that they made the finals of the Pro D2.

Honours

One of several logos used by the club in the early 21st century.

• Fédérale 1:
  • Champions: 2004, 2015, 2018
  • Runners-up: 2009
• Deuxième Division:
  • Champions: 1986

Current standings

2024–25 Pro D2 Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Grenoble	30	21	0	9	987	677	+310	11	3	98	Semi-final promotion playoff place
2	Brive	30	20	0	10	764	615	+149	10	4	94
3	Colomiers	30	18	1	11	926	778	+148	7	5	86	Quarter-final promotion playoff place
4	Provence	30	17	1	12	818	722	+96	7	5	82
5	Soyaux Angoulême	30	17	2	11	761	727	+34	6	2	80
6	Montauban	30	17	0	13	781	762	+19	4	5	77
7	Béziers	30	16	0	14	769	695	+74	7	6	77
8	Valence Romans	30	13	0	17	840	782	+58	4	8	64
9	Biarritz	30	14	0	16	718	757	−39	4	5	64
10	Nevers	30	14	0	16	706	857	−151	3	3	62
11	Dax	30	13	1	16	634	745	−111	3	4	61
12	Oyonnax	30	12	1	17	749	716	+33	6	5	61
13	Mont-de-Marsan	30	13	0	17	768	838	−70	3	5	60
14	Agen	30	12	0	18	699	727	−28	3	8	59
15	Aurillac	30	13	0	17	700	873	−173	2	3	57	Relegation play-off
16	Nice	30	7	0	23	592	941	−349	1	6	35	Relegation to Nationale

Updated to match(es) played on 16 May 2025. Source:

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2024–25 season, see List of 2024–25 Rugby Pro D2 transfers § Provence.

The Provence squad for the 2024–25 season:^[4][5]

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

Player Position Union Ian Boubila Hooker France Loïck Jammes Hooker France Joseph Laget Hooker France Kapeli Pifeleti Hooker United States Thomas Sauveterre Hooker France Tomas Francis Prop Wales Paul Mallez Prop France Julius Nostadt Prop Germany Enrique Pieretto Prop Argentina Quentin Samaran Prop France Hayden Thompson-Stringer Prop England Nicolás Toth Prop Argentina Thomas Vernet Prop France Federico Wegrzyn Prop Argentina Eliott Yansi Prop France Jerome Dufour Lock France Izack Rodda Lock Australia Josh Tyrell Lock Samoa Yannick Youyoutte Lock France Andrés Zafra Lock Colombia Charly Gambini Back row France Ned Hanigan Back row Australia Teimana Harrison Back row England Tornike Jalagonia Back row Georgia Guillaume Piazzoli Back row France Malohi Suta Back row France Bilel Taieb Back row Tunisia

Player Position Union Joris Cazenave Scrum-half France Arthur Coville Scrum-half France Kévin Viallard Scrum-half France Jimmy Gopperth Fly-half New Zealand Jules Plisson Fly-half France Jules Soulan Fly-half France Eto Bainivalu Centre Fiji Inga Finau Centre New Zealand George North Centre Wales Atila Septar Centre Romania Nadir Bouhedjeur Wing France Léo Drouet Wing France Adrien Lapègue Wing France Sione Tui Wing New Zealand Mathias Colombet Fullback France Thomas Salles Fullback France

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 Joris Cavaglieri Hooker France Remi Bouaffou Prop France Davit Gvelesiani Prop Georgia Wesley Masima Prop France Soakimi Pise Prop France Soane Suve Prop France Daniel Botha Lock South Africa Cyprien Kileztky Lock France Isaac Rumble Lock Australia Anicet Batbedat Back row France Baptiste Belhadj Back row France Alessio Contigliani Back row France Luca Mazeres Back row France Lucas Tempier Back row France

Player Position Union Lucas Fesquet Scrum-half France Tom Noble Scrum-half France Sacha Usclat Scrum-half France Vasco Rocard Fly-half France Matteo Ceccarelli Centre France Valentin Ibanez Centre France Baptiste Lenoir Centre France Hugo Navizet Centre France Emilien Trezieres Centre France Jeremy Tuima Centre Fiji Paul Cellio Wing France Romain Hernandez Fullback France

Notable former players

• Jean-Luc Aqua
• Guillaume Delmotte
• Norman Jordaan
• Yannick Ricardo (Portugal international)
• George Kutarashvili (Georgia international)
• Legi Matiu (France international)
• Mihai Lazăr (Romania international)
• Ovidiu Tonița (Romania international)
• Chris Wyatt (Wales international)