Rugby Club Vannes

RC Vannes (pronounced [van]; French: Rugby Club Vannes, Rugbi Klub Gwened) is a French rugby union club based in Vannes, currently competing in Pro D2 , the second level of the country's professional rugby system. Founded in 1950, they play at the Stade de la Rabine and traditionally wear blue and white jerseys.

RC Vannes

Full name	Rugby Club Vannes
Nickname(s)	RCV
Founded	1950; 75 years ago (1950)
Location	Vannes, France
Ground(s)	Stade de la Rabine (Capacity: 11,303)
Chairman	Olivier Cloarec
Coach(es)	Jean-Noël Spitzer
Captain(s)	Clément Payen
League(s)	Pro D2
2024–25	Top 14, 14th (relegated)

The team usually competed in the third tier of French rugby, Fédérale 1. During the 2015–16 season, they beat RC Massy during the Fédérale 1 promotion semi-finals automatically accessing to the 2016–17 Pro D2, an historical reach for a Breton rugby team.^[1][2][3] Vannes beat FC Grenoble Rugby in the 2024 Pro D2 playoffs to win promotion to the Top 14 for the first time.^[4]

Honours

• Pro D2
  • Champions (1): 2024

Current standings

2024–25 Top 14 Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Toulouse (C)	26	18	1	7	891	462	+429	118	52	11	5	90	Qualification for playoff semi-finals and European Rugby Champions Cup
2	Bordeaux Bègles	26	17	0	9	762	609	+153	98	72	5	5	78
3	Toulon	26	15	0	11	680	595	+85	79	68	7	5	72	Qualification for playoff semi-final qualifiers and European Rugby Champions Cup
4	Bayonne	26	15	1	10	632	650	−18	72	76	2	4	68
5	Clermont	26	13	0	13	674	627	+47	85	67	6	5	63
6	Castres	26	13	2	11	626	658	−32	69	71	3	4	63
7	La Rochelle	26	13	1	12	617	635	−18	75	65	5	3	62	Qualification for European Rugby Champions Cup
8	Pau	26	13	0	13	682	719	−37	73	92	4	5	61
9	Montpellier	26	12	0	14	623	609	+14	66	64	3	5	56	Qualification for European Rugby Challenge Cup
10	Racing 92	26	11	2	13	710	720	−10	81	83	1	7	56
11	Lyon	26	10	2	14	675	722	−47	77	84	2	4	50
12	Stade Français	26	10	0	16	597	755	−158	64	92	2	3	45
13	Perpignan	26	9	2	15	469	647	−178	40	72	2	2	44	Qualification for relegation play-off
14	Vannes (R)	26	7	1	18	661	891	−230	76	115	1	5	36	Relegation to Pro D2 [fr]

Updated to match(es) played on 9 June 2025. Source: Top 14
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2024–25 season, see List of 2024–25 Top 14 transfers § Vannes.

The Vannes squad for the 2024–25 season is:^[5][6]

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

Player Position Union Théo Béziat Hooker France Cyril Blanhard Hooker France Pat Leafa Hooker New Zealand Charlesty Berguet Prop Belgium Simon Bourgeois Prop France Hugo Djehi Prop France Phil Kite Prop Tonga Santiago Medrano Prop Argentina Thomas Murokoro Prop France Paga Tafili Prop France Mako Vunipola Prop England Anton Bresler Lock Namibia Matteo Desjeux Lock France Eric Marks Lock Germany Christaan van der Merwe Lock South Africa Fabrice Metz Lock France Jesse Parete Lock New Zealand Simon Augry Back row France Juan Bautista Pedemonte Back row Argentina Leon Boulier Back row France Karl Chateau Back row France Jean-Maurice Decubber Back row Belgium Joe Edwards Back row New Zealand Francisco Gorrissen Back row Argentina Sione Kalamafoni Back row Tonga Kitione Kamikamica Back row Fiji

Player Position Union Alexandre Gouaux Scrum-half France Jules Le Bail Scrum-half France Michael Ruru Scrum-half New Zealand Stephen Varney Scrum-half Italy Thibault Debaes Fly-half France Maxime Lafage Fly-half France Alex Arrate Centre France Iñaki Ayarza Centre Chile Pierre Boudehent Centre France Théo Costossèque Centre France Francis Saili Centre New Zealand Tani Vili Centre France Théo Bastardie Wing Brazil Romaric Camou Wing France Filipo Nakosi Wing Fiji John Porch Wing Australia Salesi Rayasi Wing New Zealand Gwenaël Duplenne Fullback France Paul Surano 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 Briag Scolan Hooker France Louis-Marie Suta Hooker France Marnus Maritz Prop South Africa Maurice Fromont Lock Belgium Timothe Mezou Lock France Matthis Uhila Lock France Rudi Brown Back row Scotland Evredi Iposo Back row Congo Owen Nouvion Back row France

Player Position Union Joseph Duong Scrum-half France Arthur Pissot Scrum-half France Romain Valentin Scrum-half France Jean Cotarmanac'h Fly-half France Enzo Benmegal Centre France Steeven Faupala Centre France Robin Taccola Centre France Mitchell Poulter Wing Fiji Titouan Lemanier Fullback France

Notable former players

Guillaume Blache [fr] Jean Bodard Laijiasa Bolenaivalu Jean-Louis Bouché Anthony Bouthier Aloisio Butonidualevu André Carrié Julien Cazenave [fr] Otilo Kafotamaki Antoine Gaillardon

Scott Clare Jean-Baptiste Claverie Jo Courtel Étienne Delangle [fr] Quentin Étienne [fr] Julien Faurois [fr] Jonathan Garcia [fr] Mickaël Garcia Martín García Veiga Jean-Yves Gauthier Pieter Grobler [fr] Bautista Guemes [fr]

Maxime Jadot Georgi Katcharava [fr] Vakhtang Maisuradze Ashley Moeke Apenisa Naevo Gilles Sausseau Christian Stoltz Gastón Szabo [fr] Ruehan van Jaarsveld [fr] Manoa Vosawai Conor Trainor Norman Wende [fr] Setefano Tone

See also

• List of rugby union clubs in France