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Full name | Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque | ||
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Nickname(s) | BO | ||
Founded | 24 April 1913 | ||
Location | Biarritz, France | ||
Ground(s) | Parc des Sports Aguiléra (Capacity: 15,000) | ||
President | Shaun Hegarty | ||
Coach(es) | Nicolas Nadau and Shaun Sowerby | ||
Captain(s) | Steffon Armitage | ||
League(s) | Pro D2 | ||
2023–24 | 14th | ||
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Official website | |||
www |
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque (French: [bjaʁits ɔlɛ̃pik pe.i bask]; lit. '"Biarritz Olympic, Basque Country"'), usually known simply as Biarritz, is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Nouvelle-Aquitaine which competes in the Pro D2, the second division of French rugby. Biarritz plays its home matches at the Parc des Sports Aguiléra, which is a multi-use stadium in Biarritz and which has a capacity of around 13,500 people, though for games that need a larger capacity, Biarritz may play at the Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastián. Biarritz play in red and white colours. Biarritz won a number of major honors, including the French championship on five occasions.
Biarritz Olympique was formed in 1913 through a merger of the Biarritz Stade and Biarritz Sporting Club rugby teams. Biarritz made their way to the final of the French championship for the first time in the 1934 season where they were defeated by Bayonne. The following season they claimed their first championship, defeating Perpignan in the final. That decade Biarritz met Perpignan twice again in the final, winning one and losing one. It would not be until 1992 when the club made the final again, and then a decade later, winning the championship in 2002. The club won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, and were runners-up in Europe in 2006 and 2010 as well. In 2013–14, Biarritz won just five matches out of 26, and were relegated to the Pro D2 League. In 2020–21, they were promoted back to the Top 14 after a 7 year absence.