Sport
Sport
Racing Club de France was founded in 1882 and crowned the first French rugby champion in 1892 during a match against Stade Français refereed by none other than Pierre de Coubertin !
Racing 92, more than just a club
For over a century, the Sky Blue and Whites have built their reputation on the values of respect and courage, excellence and style, and their legend has been written by some of their most emblematic players, with Yves du Manoir being one of the leading lights, and the very embodiment of these values. As graduate of a top French engineering school, he is the living portrayal of French excellence. He was called up to the national team at just 21 years old, and revolutionised the position of fly half with his skills running with ball in hand and passing ability.
This audaciousness would remain deeply rooted in the Sky Blue and Whites, leading them to take to the pitch in the final of the French championship in 1990 adorned in blazers and pink bow ties, savouring a glass of champagne during half time and winning the title against SU Agen spearheaded by the great Philippe Sella. It is this same team spirit that allowed Racing Rugby Club to build the foundation of an amazing run of title wins – six times French champions – and the club has proudly provided, up to present, more than 80 players including a dozen captains for the French Rugby Team.
Racing 92 is the professional arm of the Association Racing Club de France Rugby which, since 2012, brings together its rugby school, comprising two centres (Plessis-Robinson and Colombes), its top-level youth teams and its Training Centre. The various structures welcome over 600 young people from across the local region and who don our colours to prepare for victories, today and in the future.
In 2021, Racing Club de France Rugby developed women’s rugby in Hautsde- Seine. Racing 92 and Ovalto are determined to support this initiative. Today, more than 90 senior female players and a junior team train daily in partnership with the Suresnes club at the Yves du Manoir stadium in Colombes. Refurbished for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Yves du Manoir stadium give players the opportunity to play rugby in optimum conditions. Since the start of the 2023-2024 season, two players have also joined the club’s Pre-training Centre.
History of Racing 92
On the pitch, Racing 92 became French Champion again in 2016 and European Cup finalist in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
Along with sporting excellence comes responsibility, notably when it comes to building an ultra-modern training centre; environmental excellence by installing wind power on site, and banning the use of plastic bottles, and even setting up bee hives on the roof; and finally, societal excellence by building a high school on its premises to guarantee the educational success of its young trainees.
Today, Christophe Mombet, the new Chairman of the Association Racing Club de France Rugby, leads the destiny of our training centre. Every season, Racing 92 relies on a majority of players trained at the club, including Henry Chavancy, Bernard Le Roux, Eddy Ben Arous and Nolann Le Garrec, who are joined by world stars such as Gaël Fickou, Finn Russell, Antoine Bresler, Christian Wade, Cameron Woki et Francis Saili, for this 2021-2022 season.
This future-oriented vision is also accompanied by a hint of audaciousness, demonstrated by the fact that they play on a revolutionary pitch at Paris La Défense Arena, this ultra-modern and unique ground where future talent and iconic players of the game put on a real show in front of many thousands of fans.
Key figures
are graduates of the Training Centre since its creation
during the 22-23 season
Best attack in the Top 14
is the average number of players from training programmes lining up for matches in the 2022-2023 season.
About Laurent TRAVERS,
Club’s Chief Executive Officer.
Born in 1968, Laurent Travers played for a long time as a hooker for CA Sarlat and then for CA Brive. It was in Brive that he won the European Cup final against Leicester City in 1997. He then became a coach and played for ASM, Montauban, and then Castres Olympique, with whom he won the French championship in 2013. He then joined Racing 92 season and led them to the title in 2016. He is now the Club’s Chief Executive Officer.
About Stuart LANCASTER,
Director
Born in England in 1969, Stuart Lancaster began his career in 1991 as a flanker before becoming a coach. He ran the Leeds training centre for five years, before becoming Manager in 2006 and winning the English D2 championship. In 2008, he joined England’s RFU as Head of elite player development. In 2012, he took charge of the England team. In 2016, Stuart Lancaster joined Leinster, who won the Pro 14 for four years from 2018 to 2021 and the European Cup in 2018. In July 2023, he joined Racing 92 as Director of Rugby for the next four seasons.
They represent Ovalto
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Henry
ChavancyWith over a decade of experience and 350 professional matches in the Sky Blue and Whites shirt, Henry is a product of the Racing 92 training centre. Talented, serious and professional from head to toe, he is an iconic member of the squad and was one of the three captains for the 2022-2023 season. -
Camille
ChatA solid physical all-rounder with great strength, Camille is surprisingly agile for his size. He has become an essential player for the Sky Blue and Whites and the French national team. -
Dimitri
SzarzewskiDimitri is the French specialist in the hooker position. He turned international at just 21 years old, and became captain of the French team and then of Racing 92. He has over 80 appearances, has won two World Cups, three victories in the Six Nations and two Brennus Shield Cups to his name. Since this season he has been a coach at the Sky Blue and Whites. -
Joe
RokocokoA legend in New Zealand rugby, this Fijian-born winger has several records to his name, including the number of tries scored in a season with the All Blacks. Joe is also characterised by an exceptional state of mind, focused on passing on his knowledge to the Racing 92 youngsters. -
Boris
PaluAfter arriving in 2010 at just 14 years old, Boris turned pro in 2017 and has improved year on year. Thanks to his stamina and multi-talented nature, he is one of the most frequently used players each season. -
Cameron
WokiA key player in the revival of the French team, player in the 2nd and 3rd line, Cameron Woki is a versatile and very powerful player. European U18 champion and then World U20 champion, he impressed from a very young age. After having contributed to UBB’s successful seasons in recent years, he rejoined the ranks of the Sky Blue and Whites in 2022, returning to his home region. -
Laurent
TraversBorn in 1968 and originally from the Dordogne, Laurent Travers played for a long time as a hooker for CA Sarlat and then for CA Brive, European champions in 1997, alongside a professional career with Crédit Agricole. He then became a coach and played for ASM, Montauban and then Castres Olympique, with whom he won the French championship in 2013. He joined Racing 92 the following season and led them to the title in 2016. He is now the Club’s General Manager. -
Stuart
LancasterBorn in England, Stuart Lancaster began his rugby career on the field as a flanker. He played for Wakefield RFC and Leeds before joining the coaching staff in 2000. In 2012, he took charge of the England national team and took part in the World Cup in charge of the Roses XV. After his international experience, he joined the staff of Leinster Rugby, a major Irish club on the European stage, where he won a European championship title in 2018 against Racing 92! In July 2023, Stuart Lancaster joined Racing 92 as Director of Rugby. -
Josua
TuisovaBorn in Fiji, Josua is now 30 years old and an indisputable figure in world rugby with the Flying Fijians. In 2016, he won the gold medal in rugby sevens at the Olympic Games in Rio. A powerful player with an impressive physique, Josua Tuisova joined the Sky Blue and White squad in July 2023 from LOU Rugby. He previously spent seven seasons with RC Toulon where he won the French championship title in 2014.
A high-performing Training Centre
The Racing 92 Training Centre has always trained the best young players in French rugby. Building on its success, it renews itself, progresses and instils in young trainees the virtues and demands at the top level.
Under the direction of Christophe Mombet, and the Training Centre’s Sports Manager, 30 high-potential young athletes benefit from an exceptional environment in which to progress. Integrated into the professional team on a daily basis, these players benefit f rom tailor-made training where collective and individual skills, dietetics, physical monitoring and mental preparation play a key role.
