CA Brive

Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin, also referred to as CA Brive, Brive () or CAB, is a French professional rugby union club based in Brive-la-Gaillarde, in the Corrèze department.

Brive is a historical member of French rugby union, being one of the clubs that spent the most seasons in the top French domestic competition. "Les Coujous" also won the Heineken Cup in 1997, defeating Leicester Tigers in the final in a 28–9 win.

Many great players, both French and foreign, played for the club currently headed by Simon Gillham, and the youth academy has a good reputation. Brive players who also on to play for France include: Amédée Domenech, nicknamed "Le Duc" ("The Duke") who played there in the 1950s and 60s, and gave his name to the stadium after his death in 2003; prolific flanker Olivier Magne, fly-halves Christophe Lamaison and Alain Penaud, number-eight Jean-Luc Joinel and hooker Michel Yachvili, the father of Dimitri Yachvili, also wore the black and white jersey.

Their home ground is the 14,759-capacity Stade Amédée-Domenech and the club colours are black and white.

History

The club was created on 15 March 1910. Before the Second World War, Brive changed from rugby union to rugby league but returned to union after the war.

It played regularly in the First Division, and established itself as the stronghold of rugby in Limousin but for many years its only title was a Second Division trophy won in 1957. Brive did not make it to the final of the First Division championship until 1965. On 23 May that year they met SU Agen at Stade de Gerland in Lyon only to lose 15–8. Brive next made it to the final in the 1972 season, where they faced AS Béziers on 21 May in Lyon again, and again the Black and White came out the losers, as Béziers won their second consecutive title (9–0). Brive met AS Béziers in the final again three season later, in 1975. By then, Béziers had become the unbeatable team of the decade, and they won their fifth title, this time by just one point (13–12), at Parc des Princes in Paris.

Brive experienced a resurgence in the middle of the 1990s, first in 1996, when they made their first finals appearance since the mid-1970s in Paris. Brive however went down 20–13 to Stade Toulousain. It was their fourth losing final. Only one club have lost more finals without winning one than them (US Dax, on five). That year however, they won the Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating Pau 12–6. The following season, they made it to the final of the Heineken Cup where they faced the Leicester Tigers from England at Cardiff Arms Park. Brive finally won a final, defeating the Tigers 28–9. They are the only club to win the European Cup without ever winning their domestic championship.

On 22 February 1997, Brive, as European champions, were pitted against Auckland Blues who had recently won the Super 12. The French team were no competition to an extra powerful Kiwi side which won easily 47–11. In 1998 Brive again reached the final of the Heineken Cup, this time against Bath. They came close to capturing back-to-back titles, losing by just one point, 19–18 at Parc Lescure in Bordeaux.

Since then, however, the club has been in dire straits, as it was subjected to a punitive relegation to the second division in 2000 due to bad financial management. They bounced back two years later but have struggled ever since in the lower echelons of the league table, except in 2004 when they managed to qualify for the playoffs. In 2005, Brive went to the semi-finals of European Challenge Cup, but they lost to Pau. In 2009, after taking the sixth place of the Championship, the Black and White could participate in the Heineken Cup, but the competition was difficult for them, against the Europeans champions Leinster, Llanelli Scarlets and London Irish.

After difficulties and a relegation to the second division in 2012, Brive returned to the Top 14 the following year, after defeating Pau.

Honours

• Heineken Cup / European Rugby Champions Cup
  • Champions (1): 1997
  • Runners-up (1): 1998
• French championship Top 14
  • Runners-up (4): 1965, 1972, 1975, 1996
• Pro D2
  • Champions (1): 1957
  • Runners-up (2): 2013, 2019
• Promotion play-offs Final/Top 14 Access Match
  • Champions (2): 2012–13, 2018–19
• Challenge Yves du Manoir
  • Champions (1): 1996
  • Runners-up (2): 1963, 1974
• French Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2000

Finals results

Heineken Cup / European Rugby Champions Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
25 January 1997	Template:Flagicon CA Brive	28–9	Template:Flagicon Leicester Tigers	Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff	41,664
31 January 1998	Template:Flagicon Bath	19–18	Template:Flagicon CA Brive	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux	36,500

French championship

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
23 May 1965	SU Agen	15–8	CA Brive	Stade de Gerland, Lyon	28,758
21 May 1972	AS Béziers	9–0	CA Brive	Stade de Gerland, Lyon	31,161
18 May 1975	AS Béziers	13–12	CA Brive	Parc des Princes, Paris	39,991
1 June 1996	Stade Toulousain	20–13	CA Brive	Parc des Princes, Paris	48,162

Challenge Yves du Manoir

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Spectators
8 June 1963	SU Agen	11–0	CA Brive	N/A
18 May 1974	RC Narbonne	19–10	CA Brive	15,000
27 January 1996	CA Brive	12–6	Section Paloise	13,000

French Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
1 June 2000	Biarritz Olympique	24–13	CA Brive	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux	17,500

Current standings

{{#lst:2025–26 Rugby Pro D2 season|table}}

Current squad

The Brive squad for the 2025–26 season is:

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

Player Position Union Benjamin Boudou Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Yanis Charcosset Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Lucas Da Silva Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Vakh Abdaladze Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Zaccharie Affane Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Simon-Pierre Chauvac Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Francisco Coria Marchetti Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Nathan Fraissenon Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Henzo Kiteau Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Marcel van der Merwe Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Hugo Reilhes Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Irné Herbst Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Konstantin Mikautadze Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Alexandre Ricard Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Hendré Stassen Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Asier Usarraga Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Anhony Coletta Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Sasha Gue Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Courtney Lawes Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Retief Marais Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Samuel Maximin Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Yann Peysson Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Taniela Sadrugu Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Henco Venter Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag

Player Position Union John Cooney Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Mathis Galthié Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Maxime Sidobre Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Curwin Bosch Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Jamie Shillcock Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Hugo Verdu Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Kévin Fabien Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Stuart Olding Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Paul Pimienta Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Ben Tapuai Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Eto Bainivalu Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Geoffrey Cros Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Erwan Dridi Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Asaeli Tuivuaka Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Nic Krone Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Julien Tisseron Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Thomas Zenon Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag

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 Quentin Algay Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Valerio Siciliano Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Giovanny Tafili Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Simote Moala Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Pierre-Chanel Tafili Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Teun Karst Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Nathan Claassen Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Matteo Faintrenie Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Luke Griffiths Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag David Geneste Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Ollie Hull Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Tana Keletaona Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Issa Mendy Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Geoffrey Malaterre Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Thomas Seguy Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag

Player Position Union Noe Bros Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Matheo Guyon Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Mattin Laurent Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Leny Broncan Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Luka Keletaona Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Bastien Masse Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Victor Rayneur Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Georges Shvelidze Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Manuhere Avaeoru Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Maxence Bisaotto Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Benjamin Lefranc Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Baptiste Peyramard Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Lewis Noon Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag Noa Sage-Aymard Template:Rugby squad role Template:Rugby union governing body flag

Notable former players

The following are players who have represented their country, players who have won a title with the club, players who have played a sufficient number of games to go down in the club history or players who came from the academy and have made a significant career in another team:

File:11.09.1966. Villepreux en jeu et aux cartes. (1966) - 53Fi4662 (cropped).jpg

Pierre Villepreux

File:AlainPenaudStadiumPic.jpg

Alain Penaud

File:Steve thompson.JPG

Steve Thompson

File:Arnaud Méla (cropped).jpg

Arnaud Méla

• Template:Flagicon Horacio Agulla
• Template:Flagicon Lisandro Arbizu
• Template:Flagicon Christian Martin
• Template:Flagicon Agustin Figuerola
• Template:Flagicon Pablo Henn
• Template:Flagicon Alex Moreno
• Template:Flagicon Eduardo Simone
• Template:Flagicon Tim Donnelly
• Template:Flagicon Peter FitzSimons
• Template:Flagicon Mark Giacheri
• Template:Flagicon Poutasi Luafutu
• Template:Flagicon Alfie Mafi
• Template:Flagicon Chris Tuatara-Morrison
• Template:Flagicon John Welborn
• Template:Flagicon Scott Franklin
• Template:Flagicon John Tait
• Template:Flagicon Phil Christophers
• Template:Flagicon Ben Cohen
• Template:Flagicon Riki Flutey
• Template:Flagicon Shane Geraghty
• Template:Flagicon Andy Goode
• Template:Flagicon Ben Johnston
• Template:Flagicon Jamie Noon
• Template:Flagicon Shaun Perry
• Template:Flagicon Steve Thompson
• Template:Flagicon Christian Short
• Template:Flagicon Filimone Bolavucu
• Template:Flagicon Kitione Kamikamica
• Template:Flagicon Sisa Koyamaibole
• Template:Flagicon Norman Ligairi
• Template:Flagicon Tabai Matson
• Template:Flagicon Benito Masilevu
• Template:Flagicon Peniami Narisia
• Template:Flagicon Dominiko Waqaniburotu
• Template:Flagicon Demba Bamba
• Template:Flagicon Roger Bastié
• Template:Flagicon Mathieu Bélie
• Template:Flagicon Nicolas Bézy
• Template:Flagicon Alexandre Bias
• Template:Flagicon Pascal Bomati
• Template:Flagicon Sébastien Bonetti
• Template:Flagicon Terry Bouhraoua
• Template:Flagicon Russlan Boukerou
• Template:Flagicon Jacques Boussuge
• Template:Flagicon Hugues Briatte
• Template:Flagicon Julien Brugnaut
• Template:Flagicon Romain Cabannes
• Template:Flagicon Benoît Cabello
• Template:Flagicon Julien Caminati
• Template:Flagicon Pierre Capdevielle
• Template:Flagicon Georges Carabignac
• Template:Flagicon Philippe Carbonneau
• Template:Flagicon Alain Carminati
• Template:Flagicon Sébastien Carrat
• Template:Flagicon Florian Cazenave
• Template:Flagicon Pierre Chadebech
• Template:Flagicon Damien Chouly
• Template:Flagicon Antonie Claassen
• Template:Flagicon Valentin Courrent
• Template:Flagicon Benjamin Dambielle
• Template:Flagicon Thierry Devergie
• Template:Flagicon Amédée Domenech
• Template:Flagicon Yves Donguy
• Template:Flagicon Thibault Dubarry
• Template:Flagicon Fabrice Estebanez
• Template:Flagicon Roger Fite
• Template:Flagicon Mickaël Forest
• Template:Flagicon Gaëtan Germain
• Template:Flagicon Jérôme Guisset
• Template:Flagicon Dominique Harize
• Template:Flagicon Cédric Heymans
• Template:Flagicon Teddy Iribaren
• Template:Flagicon Nicolas Jeanjean
• Template:Flagicon Jean-Luc Joinel
• Template:Flagicon Virgile Lacombe
• Template:Flagicon Damien Lagrange
• Template:Flagicon Julien Laharrague
• Template:Flagicon Christophe Lamaison
• Template:Flagicon Benjamin Lapeyre
• Template:Flagicon Julien Le Devedec
• Template:Flagicon Olivier Magne
• Template:Flagicon Arnaud Mela
• Template:Flagicon Arnaud Mignardi
• Template:Flagicon Rodolphe Modin
• Template:Flagicon Vincent Moscato
• Template:Flagicon Alexis Palisson
• Template:Flagicon Élie Pebeyre
• Template:Flagicon Michel Pebeyre
• Template:Flagicon Alexandre Péclier
• Template:Flagicon Alain Penaud
• Template:Flagicon Maxime Petitjean
• Template:Flagicon Lucas Pointud
• Template:Flagicon Jefferson Poirot
• Template:Flagicon Fabien Sanconnie
• Template:Flagicon Thomas Sanchou
• Template:Flagicon Patrick Sébastien
• Template:Flagicon Atila Septar
• Template:Flagicon Farid Sid
• Template:Flagicon Scott Spedding
• Template:Flagicon Laurent Travers
• Template:Flagicon Sébastien Vahaamahina
• Template:Flagicon Ludovic Valbon
• Template:Flagicon Loïc Van Der Linden
• Template:Flagicon David Venditti
• Template:Flagicon Elvis Vermeulen
• Template:Flagicon Sébastien Viars
• Template:Flagicon Pierre Villepreux
• Template:Flagicon Dimitri Yachvili
• Template:Flagicon Michel Yachvili
• Template:Flagicon Tedo Abzhandadze
• Template:Flagicon Karlen Asieshvili
• Template:Flagicon Soso Bekoshvili
• Template:Flagicon Otar Giorgadze
• Template:Flagicon Giorgi Jgenti
• Template:Flagicon Vasil Kakovin
• Template:Flagicon David Khinchagishvili
• Template:Flagicon Mamuka Magrakvelidze
• Template:Flagicon Irakli Natriashvili
• Template:Flagicon Anton Peikrishvili
• Template:Flagicon Goderdzi Shvelidze
• Template:Flagicon Valerio Bernabò
• Template:Flagicon Luciano Orquera
• Template:Flagicon Damian Browne
• Template:Flagicon Tjiuee Uanivi
• Template:Flagicon Brad Mika
• Template:Flagicon Tamato Leupolu
• Template:Flagicon Viliame Waqaseduadua
• Template:Flagicon Grzegorz Kacala
• Template:Flagicon Petru Bălan
• Template:Flagicon Alexandru Manta
• Template:Flagicon Sorin Socol
• Template:Flagicon Petrișor Toderașc
• Template:Flagicon Pat Barnard
• Template:Flagicon Kevin Buys
• Template:Flagicon So'otala Fa'aso'o
• Template:Flagicon Terry Fanolua
• Template:Flagicon Na'ama Leleimalefaga
• Template:Flagicon Simon Lemalu
• Template:Flagicon Mike Blair
• Template:Flagicon Tom Smith
• Template:Flagicon Gregor Townsend
• Template:Flagicon Alex Dunbar
• Template:Flagicon Suka Hufanga
• Template:Flagicon Kevin Dalzell
• Template:Flagicon Barry Davies
• Template:Flagicon Liam Davies
• Template:Flagicon Kieran Murphy
• Template:Flagicon Alix Popham

See also

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

External links

• Template:In lang CA Brive Official website
• Unofficial fan's site
• CA Brive profile on Rugby15