Association sportive de Béziers Hérault (; ), often referred to by rugby media simply by its location of Béziers, is a French rugby union club currently playing in the second level of the country's professional rugby system, Pro D2. They earned their most recent promotion as the 2011 Fédérale 1 champions, but the club also won 11 Top 14 titles since its establishment in 1911.

Béziers was a major force in French rugby throughout the 1970s and 1980s; however, at the end of 2004–05 season they were relegated to Pro D2. After some years playing in the French second division, they finished bottom of the table in 2008–09 and were relegated to amateur Fédérale 1, before returning to Pro D2 after their 2011 title. They are based in Béziers in the Hérault department of Occitania, and play at the Stade Raoul-Barrière (capacity 18,555). The club colors are red and blue.

History The club was established in 1911. Their first notable honour was being runners-up in the Coupe de France. However it would not be until the 1960s when the club began its rise to prominence. Béziers made their first championship appearance in the 1960 season. On 22 May they faced FC Lourdes in the final, losing 14 points to 11 in Toulouse. Béziers found mixed success during the 1960s following their first championship loss to Lourdes. The next season they won their first championship, defeating US Dax 6 points to 3 in Lyon. They were also runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir that season. They also contested the domestic championship in 1962, though they lost to SU Agen 14 to 11 in the final. Béziers performed well in the 1964 season as well; losing the championship final to Section Paloise, and winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir.

After the success during the early 1960s Béziers became a powerful club in the 1970s. In 1971 Béziers made it to the final of the domestic championship; defeating RC Toulon 15 points to 9 in Bordeaux. The following season Béziers captured the championship, defeating Brive 9 points to nil in Lyon, and winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well. The club won championships in 1974 and 1975, defeating RC Narbonne and Brive respectively, both times at Parc des Princes in Paris. They were also involved in the 1976 final, though they lost to Agen, 13 to 10. The following season they won the championship again, defeating Perpignan 12 to 4 in the final. They also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well.

The next season they successfully defended their domestic title; defeating ASM Clermont Auvergne 31 points to 9 in the championship game in Paris. They however did not win back-to-back Challenge Yves du Manoir titles; though they came close, being runners-up. The success continued in the early 1980s as well, winning the championship of the 1980 season, defeating Toulouse 10 to 6 in the final, as well as being Challenge Yves du Manoir runners-up that season. Béziers repeated this again the next season; actually defeating Toulouse in the championship final again, and were runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir. They were champions again in 1983 and 1984, defeating RC Nice and Agen in the finals respectively. They also won the Coupe de France in the 1986 season.

Béziers returned to the professional ranks in 2011–12 following their 13–6 win over Périgueux in the 2011 Fédérale 1 final on 26 June. Both finalists were assured of promotion to Pro D2.

They struggled in their return season in Pro D2, finishing next-to last on the league table and well out of the safety zone. However, when ninth-place Bourgoin were forcibly relegated to Fédérale 1 for financial reasons, Béziers remained in Pro D2 for 2012–13.

In October 2024, it was reported that a consortium made up of Irish businessman and TV personality Eddie Jordan alongside former New Zealand and South Africa internationals Andrew Mehrtens and Bobby Skinstad respectively, were forming a consortium to buy the club as part of a wider project to emulate the success of the City Football Group.

Honours French championship Top 14 Champions (11): 1961, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 Runners-up (4): 1960, 1962, 1964, 1976 Challenge Yves du Manoir Champions (4): 1964, 1972, 1975, 1977 Runners-up (6): 1960, 1961, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1981 French Cup Champions (1): 1986 Runners-up (1): 1950 Fédérale 1 Champions: 2011 Elite 2 Champions: 2000 coupe d'europe Fira Champions: 1962

Finals results

French championship Date Winners Score Runners-up Venue Spectators22 May 1960FC Lourdes14–11AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse37.20028 May 1961AS Béziers6–3US DaxStade de Gerland, Lyon35.00027 May 1962SU Agen14–11AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse37.70524 May 1964Section Paloise14–0AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse27.79716 May 1971AS Béziers15–9 APRC ToulonParc Lescure, Bordeaux27.73721 May 1972AS Béziers9–0CA BriveStade de Gerland, Lyon31.16112 May 1974AS Béziers16–14RC NarbonneParc des Princes, Paris40.60918 May 1975AS Béziers13–12CA BriveParc des Princes, Paris39.99123 May 1976SU Agen13–10 APAS BéziersParc des Princes, Paris40.30029 May 1977AS Béziers12–4USA PerpignanParc des Princes, Paris41.82128 May 1978AS Béziers31–9AS MontferrandParc des Princes, Paris42.00425 May 1980AS Béziers10–6Stade ToulousainParc des Princes, Paris43.35023 May 1981AS Béziers22–13Stade BagnéraisParc des Princes, Paris44.10628 May 1983AS Béziers14–6RC NiceParc des Princes, Paris43.10026 May 1984AS Béziers21–21SU AgenParc des Princes, Paris44.076

Challenge Yves du Manoir Date Winners Score Runners-up1960Stade Montois 9–9AS Béziers1961Stade Montois 17–8AS Béziers1964AS Béziers6–3Section Paloise1972AS Béziers27–6AS Montferrand1973RC Narbonne13–6AS Béziers1975AS Béziers16–12SU Agen1977AS Béziers 19–18FC Lourdes1978RC Narbonne19–19 (more tries scored)AS Béziers1980Aviron Bayonnais16–10AS Béziers1981FC Lourdes25–13AS Béziers

French Cup Date Winners Score Runners-up1950FC Lourdes 16–3AS Béziers1986AS Béziers40–9Stade Aurillacois

Current standings

Current squad

The Béziers squad for the 2025–26 season is:

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

Notable former players

Santiago González Bonorino Federico Todeschini Gonzalo Quesada Santiago Iglesias Valdez Matias Viazzo Rodney Iona Jye Mullane Josh Valentine Warwick Waugh Tyrone Viiga Anthony Hill Marc Andrieu Richard Astre Yoan Audrin Marc Baget David Banquet Raoul Barrière Lionel Beauxis Pierre Bérard Mohamed Boughanmi Terry Bouhraoua André Buonomo Yvan Buonomo Adolphe Bousquet Sébastien Bruno Henri Cabrol Didier Camberabero Gilles Camberabero Jack Cantoni Alain Carminati Romain Carmignani Richard Castel Frédéric Cermeno Olivier Chaplain Arnaud Costes Pierre Danos Paul Dedieu Cédric Desbrosse Benjamin Desroches Michel Dieudé Richard Dourthe Jean-Frédéric Dubois Nicolas Durand Philippe Escande Alain Estève Michel Fabre Patrick Fort Philippe Gallart Camille Gérondeau Kevin Gimeno Jean-Philippe Grandclaude Steven Hall Jean-Pierre Hortoland Alain Hyardet Pierre Lacans Thibault Lacroix Julien Laharrague Félix Lambey Brice Mach Rémy Martin Jean-Paul Medina Alexandre Menini Ludovic Mercier Pierre Mignoni Brice Miguel Hakim Miloudi Yannick Nyanga Alain Paco Michel Palmié Jean-Pierre Pesteil Jean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet Jérôme Porical Thibaut Privat Jean-Luc Rivallo Olivier Saïsset Claude Saurel Jean Sébédio Cédric Soulette Dimitri Szarzewski Armand Vaquerin Vasil Katsadze Davit Khinchagishvili Irakli Machkhaneli Lasha Malaghuradze Lasha Lomidze Goderdzi Shvelidze Jamie Hagan Conrad Marais Andrew Mehrtens Lachie Munro Elijah Niko Alin Petrache Cristian Petre Augustin Petrechei Lucian Sîrbu Steve Fualau Robert Ebersohn Dries Swanepoel Álvar Gimeno Suka Hufanga Winston Mafi Samiu Vahafolau Salesi Sika Seta Tuilevuka Albert Tuipulotu Andy Powell

See also List of rugby union clubs in France Rugby union in France

References

External links AS Béziers Hérault Official website