Stade Gilbert Brutus


Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium in Perpignan, France, which is the home ground of the Catalans Dragons.

History

In the 1970s and 1980s, the ground was used by both rugby league and rugby union clubs in Northern Catalonia. It was previously the home ground of rugby league club XIII Catalan. The stadium was named in honour of Gilbert Brutus, in memory of a French rugby union player, coach, chairman and referee, born on 2 August 1887 in Port-Vendres and, during wartime, died on 7 March 1944 in Perpignan.

Expansion

Before 2007, the Stade Gilbert Brutus held 4,200, including 900 seats. This was deemed inadequate for the Catalans Dragons who played at the Stade Aimé Giral in 2006. Expansion of the stadium began in 2006 with the aim of increasing capacity to 14,000.
The first phase of construction included two covered, all-seater stands, one with hospitality suites. By the end of the 2006 season, the work was finished and Catalans moved back into the stadium for the 2007 season. Further construction in 2010 brought capacity up to 13,000, with three all-seater stands.

Rugby League Test matches

The Stade Gilbert Brutus has hosted twenty-five rugby league internationals. Twenty-four of them involved France.
DateOpponentFinal scoreAttendance
11 March 196223 - 1312,500
2 December 196217 - 1212,500
8 March 19645 - 114,326
6 December 196418 - 87,150
28 November 196511 - 69,000
16 January 1966 Great Britain18 - 137,255
25 January 197011 - 1511,000
11 November 1971 New Zealand11 - 273,581
8 March 1964 Great Britain5 - 114,326
9 December 1973 Australia9 - 215,109
19 January 1975**9 - 117,950
26 October 1975 Australia2 - 4110,440
23 November 1980 New Zealand6 - 56,000
7 December 1985♦ New Zealand0 - 205,000
30 November 1986 Australia2 - 446,000
18 March 1990 Great Britain4 - 86,000
9 December 1990♦♦ Australia10 - 343,428
27 January 1991♦♦ Great Britain10 - 453,965
16 February 1992 Great Britain12 - 305,688
13 December 1992 Wales18 - 193,700
27 October 200746 - 167,000
29 October 201146 - 1010,313
11 November 2013†6 - 2211,576
13 October 201734 - 124,850

On 29 October 1972, the Stade Gilbert Brutus hosted a 1972 World Cup match between Australia and Great Britain with an attendance of 6,324. Great Britain won 27 - 21