Baroudeurs de Pia XIII

Club information

Full name

Baroudeurs de Pia XIII

Nickname(s)

Burros (donkeys)

Founded

1960; 64 years ago

Current details

Ground(s)

Stade Daniel-Ambert (4,500)

Coach

Thomas Valette

Competition

Elite 1

Uniforms

Home colours

The Baroudeurs de Pia XIII, later known as the Pia Donkeys, are a French Rugby league team based in Pia, Pyrénées-Orientales in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The Baroudeurs play in the Elite Two Championship during their existence they were the reserve team of the Elite One Championship team SM Pia XIII (the original Pia Donkeys), until that team ceased competing in Elite One and the reserve Baroudeurs were absorbed under the SM banner. Home games are played at the Stade Daniel-Ambert.

History

The club was formed in 2000 by the former successful top flight club SM Pia XIII to act as their official reserve side. The Baroudeurs, which translates as Fighters were one of the strongest clubs at their level. In season 2003/04 they reached their first league final in the National Division 1 but lost against Vedene XIII 6-42. The next two seasons brought more final heartache as they lost firstly against Salses XIII 20-36 and then to Villeneuve Tolosane 14–30, that season 2005/06 did bring some success when they won the Coupe Falcou to win their first trophy. 2006/07 brought relegation but the following season they registered a league and cup double. They beat RC Lescure-Arthes XIII 'A' in the league 30-6 and also lifted the Coupe Falcou for a second time. As a reserve side they wouldn't have been allowed to play in the same league as their first team and so when SM Pia XIII announced they were going to drop out of the top flight at the end of season 2012/13 the reserve Baroudeurs were absorbed under the SM banner. In the 2018–19 season the Baroudeurs returned to the Elite Two Championship.

Current squad

2022-23 Squad;

Thomas Ambert
Alan Baby
Julian Berdu
Windy Buche
Bruno Castany
Kevin Curto
Maxime Da Costa
Jean-Paul De Oliveira
Baptiste Dubertrand
Joan Guasch
Alexandre Huescar
Damien Huescar
Marc Janicot
Benjamin Jullien
Mathias Marty
Sylvain Masuaute
Marvin Merbah
Alexis Meresta-Doucet
Joseph Paulo
Ugo Perez
Loic Rosemplatt
Hugo Salabio
Maxime Scimone
François Therezin
Florian Vailhen
Dean Whare
Valentin Zafra

Honours

French Championship (4): 1995–96, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2012–13
Lord Derby Cup (3): 1975, 2006, 2007
National Division 2 (1): 2016–17

Records

Biggest Victory: 126–4 against Carpentras in the 2005/2006 season of the Elite Championship.
Biggest Defeat: 0–72 against Whitehaven in the 2006 Challenge Cup.