Valence Romans Drôme Rugby

Valence Romans Drôme Rugby (formerly L’Union sportive romanaise and péageoise) is a French rugby union club based in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme). For the 2023–24 season they will be playing in Pro D2, the second tier of the country's professional rugby system, having been promoted from Nationale.

Valence Romans

Full name	Valence Romans Drôme Rugby
Nickname(s)	VRDR Les Damiers (The Chequered Ones)
Founded	1908
Location	4 rue Chevalier 26100 Romans-sur-Isère
Ground(s)	Stade Marcel Guillermoz Stade Georges Pompidou (Capacity: 5,000 / 15,128)
President	Jean-Louis Darlay
Coach(es)	Cédric Chaubeau Christophe Espinas
League(s)	Pro D2
2024–25	8th
Team kit
Official website
www.usrp.tv

History

L’US romanaise and péageoise was founded in 1908 as the sport association of two town on both side of the Isère, Romans-sur-Isère and Bourg-de-Péage. Le club was the formed by a lot of worker of Shoes's factory. After the Second World War, the club was promoted in Top 16 and reach two times the semifinals (1954 and 1955), and in 1969 reach again the quarter of finals. This defined US Romans as one of the strongest French club in the 70's. In 1976, the "Damiers" (nickname of the players) lost the quarter of final against the future champion, Agen, and 1977 lost the semifinals against Perpignan (6-9). For eight consecutive years, Romans will pass the first round of the Championship. A first relegation in "Groupe B" in 1988, was followed by a return in "Group A". in 1990. In 1992, the club was again relegated. In 1995 Romans lost the "Groupe B1" final against FC Lourdes (a stunning match closed 37–36). A lot of famous French player have played at USRP in the past: like Arnaldo Gruarin, Robert Soro and Philippe Saint-André.

Now the club play in Fédérale 1, the third level of French rugby union system, after some year in the lower Fédérale 2. In 2018-19 they were promoted from Fédérale 1 into Rugby Pro D2. They now are called Valence Romans Drôme Rugby.

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 § Valence Romans.

The Soyaux Angouleme squad for the 2024–25 season is:^[1][2]

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

Player Position Union Cyril Deligny Hooker France Brice Humbert Hooker France Dorian Marco-Pena Hooker France Anthony Aleo Prop France Esteban Chouteau Prop France Kevin Goze Prop France Gareth Milasinovich Prop South Africa Andrea Pontanier Prop France Julien Royer Prop France Vincent Vial Prop Switzerland Florian Goumat Lock France Nathan Huguen Lock France Yassine Maamry Lock Morocco Ryan McCauley Lock Australia Darren O'Shea Lock Ireland Sven Bernat Girlando Back row France Thembelani Bholi Back row South Africa Axel Bruchet Back row France Otar Giorgadze Back row Georgia Philippe Laville Back row France Eloi Massot Back row France Loan Real Back row France Adrien Roux Back row France Ilia Spanderashvili Back row Georgia Matthieu Vachon Back row France

Player Position Union Paul Dumas Scrum-half France Thomas Lhusero Scrum-half France Tim Menzel Scrum-half Germany Lucas Méret Fly-half France Joris Moura Fly-half Portugal Matteo Rodor Fly-half France Matthieu Guillomot Centre France Louis Marrou Centre France Ben Neiceru Centre Fiji Anatole Pauvert Centre France Esteban Tercq Centre France Owen Lane Wing Wales Mosese Mawalu Wing Fiji Gauthier Minguillón Wing Spain Thomas Rozière Wing France Adam Vargas Wing France Charles Bouldoire Fullback France George Worth Fullback England

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 Tom Nublat Hooker France Enzo Bailly Prop France Theo Faure Prop France Chuck Odum Prop Nigeria Talat Sahin Prop France Semi Ramacake Lock Fiji Ethan Millot Back row France Hugo Quiros Back row France

Player Position Union Adrien Martin Fly-half France Gabriel Blaye Centre France Amaury Dufouleur Centre France Jack Hopson Centre England Finn Douglas Wing Scotland Alban Gomez Wing France Francesco Imberti Fullback Italy Yoann Pain Fullback France

Achievements

• Championnat of France Première Division
  • Semifinalist : 1954, 1955, 1977
  • Quart of Final : 1976
  • Eights of Finalist : 1978, 1981,
  • 16th of Final : 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986
• Championnat of France Première Division Groupe B1
  • Finalist : 1995
• Championnat of France 2nd division série
  • Finalist: 1959
• Championnat of France Reichel
  • Winner : 1983
• Championnat of France Crabos
  • Winner : 1974
• Championnat of France Cadet
  • Finalist: 1998
  • Winner : 1989
  • Finalist : 1979
• Championnat of France Minimes
  • Finalist : 1998
• Championnat of France Nationale B
  • Finalist 2009
  • Semifinalist 2010
  • Semifinalist 2011
• Challenge Gaudermen (Cadets)
  • Winner : 1989
  • Semifinalist : 1979

Other competitions

• Winner of Challenge of l'Espérance (1) : 1956
• Finalist du Challenge of l'Espérance (1) : 1992

Famous players

See also: Category:Valence Romans Drôme Rugby players

Jacky Bouquet Gilles Darlet Roger Gensane Nicolas of Grégorio Arnaldo Gruarin Marcel Guilermoz Jean-Claude Juzon Igor Juzon Paul Lafourcade Yves Menthillier Jacques Servien

Claude Mignacabal Jean-Claude Mignacabal Lucien Rouffia Philippe Saint-André Raphaël Saint-André Bernard Saubesty Robert Soro Albert Urquizu Gérard Verdoulet Jean-Luc Bailly