Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne (pronounced [klɛʁmɔ̃ovɛʁɲ]) is a French professional rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. Clermont are two times French champions in 2010 and 2017. The rugby section is a part of a multi-sport club called AS Montferrand (also known as ASM Omnisports), which was founded in 1911 and adopted that name in 1919. Although the rugby section changed its name to the current ASM Clermont Auvergne in 2004, it is still frequently referred to as Montferrand both within and outside France.

The team play at the 19,022-seat Stade Marcel-Michelin, also known by its nickname, The Bib Park. Clermont wear yellow and blue, the colours of the French tyre manufacturer Michelin, taken from the colours of Montferrand when the firm was created there in 1889.

The city is where Marcel Michelin, the son of the founder of the French tyre manufacturer, decided to implement the first factory but also the stadium after the creation of ASM for its workers before World War I. L'ASM, as they are also called, have reached the French Championship final thirteen times, losing on each occasion until their eleventh trip in 2010, when they won the championship in their 100th year as a club.

History

Amateur era

The club was established in 1911 as AS Michelin, though they changed their name to AS Montferrandaise in 1922 due to legal obligation. The club was started by Marcel Michelin, the son of André Michelin, the founder of the Michelin tyre manufacturer. He died in deportation at Buchenwald; he had been deported there as a member of the Resistance and was involved in two successful escape attempts before dying during the third.

The club made its first final of any competition in 1935, where they played Perpignan for the Challenge Yves du Manoir. AS Montferrand lost the match, 3–3 and 9–0. The following year they featured in their first championship final; though they lost to RC Narbonne 6 points to 3. They made the final again in 1937, though that match was also lost, 13 points to 7 to CS Vienne. The following season the club won its first title; winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir by defeating Perpignan 23 points to 10.

During the 1940s the club contested the Coupe de France on two occasions, in 1945 and 1947. The club lost on both occasions, by one point, 14 to 13 to SU Agen in 1945, and then 14 to 11 against Toulouse in 1947. It would be another 10 years until the club featured in another competition final; losing to US Dax in the 1957 Challenge Yves du Manoir. The club became a force during the 1970s, starting in 1970 with a 3 points to nil championship loss to La Voulte Sportif. The club then contested the Challenge Yves du Manoir twice in a row over the 1972–73 seasons; losing both finals, against AS Béziers and Narbonne respectively. Then they won the competition in 1976, defeating SC Graulhet 40 points to 12 just a few days after the death of the young international winger, Jean-François Philiponeau, struck on the field during an exhibition game. The club then contested the championship final in 1978, though they lost to Béziers. They also lost the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1979, against Narbonne.

In 1994 season the club contested both the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir. They lost the Challenge Yves du Manoir to Perpignan (the third time the clubs had met in the competition final). They also lost the championship, defeated 22 points to 16 by Toulouse.

Professional era

The club contested two finals in the 1999 season as well, the French championship and the European Challenge Cup. They won the European Challenge Cup, defeating fellow French club CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 35 points to 16 at the Stade Gerland in Lyon. However they lost the domestic final, being defeated by Toulouse again, 15 points to 11. The club would meet Toulouse again in the season final of 2001, with Toulouse winning 34 points to 22. In 2004 they contested the European Challenge Cup again, though they lost to English club Harlequins, by one point, 27 to 26 at the last minute.

The team experienced a hard period between 2002 and 2006 and it was only with the arrival of Vern Cotter, in the middle of 2006, that the team's form began to improve.[citation needed] In Vern Cotter's first year as head coach, Clermont reached their first final since 2001 (which they lost in the last minute against Stade Français), and won the European Challenge Cup against Bath at the Twickenham Stoop. Montferrand developed further under Vern Cotter during the following two seasons, but they lose two more finals against Toulouse in 2008, and Perpignan in 2009. But the team continues to bounce back and perform well years of years.

In 2010, in the Heineken Cup the team was drawn against Leicester Tigers and Ospreys in a tough pool. Despite this Montferrand succeeded in winning the pool and were subsequently drawn against the holders of the cup, Leinster Rugby. That was the beginning of what would become one of the greatest rivalries in rugby. In an epic battle, Montferrand lost 29–28. After this loss, they went on to win all of their remaining games to win the French championship against Perpignan (19–6) with a notably exceptional display during the semi-final against RC Toulon in Saint-Étienne.

In 2012 they reached the semi-final of the Heineken Cup. They were beaten by Leinster Rugby and were inches from winning the game at the end but Wesley Fofana dropped the ball on Leinster's try line.

Clermont reached the Heineken Cup final for the first time in 2013 after they beat Munster Rugby 16–10 in the semi-final in Montpellier. They subsequently lost to Toulon in the HEC final which was held in Lansdowne Road in Dublin on 18 May 2013 by a single point (16–15).

In 2014, Clermont reached the Heineken Cup semi-final of the play-offs for the second consecutive time and lost to Saracens.

2015 saw Clermont make it to the final of the European Cup (now European Rugby Champions Cup) but lost to RC Toulon 24–18. A few weeks later, they also lost the final of the French Top 14 against Stade Français 12–6.

2016 saw Clermont having their first blow in the European Rugby Champions Cup since 2011 by failing to make the quarter final after a late loss against Bordeaux at home. But they finally reached the French championship semi-final with a highly controversial lose against Racing 92.

However, the team bounced back and produced during the season 2016–2017, reaching again two finals in the French Top 14 and European Champions Cup. They lost the European Cup against reigning champions Saracens.

In January 2020, Clermont acquired a minority stake in the American rugby club New Orleans Gold. In addition to player exchanges, the teams will seek to facilitate cultural exchanges between the state of Louisiana and France.

Honours

Statue of Vercingetorix decorated with the flag of ASM Clermont Auvergne after the Top 14 championship of 2010.

Finals results

Heineken Cup and European Rugby Champions Cup

DateWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueAttendance
18 May 2013France RC Toulon16–15France ASM ClermontAviva Stadium, Dublin51,142
2 May 2015France RC Toulon24–18France ASM ClermontTwickenham, London56,662
13 May 2017England Saracens28–17France ASM ClermontMurrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh55,272

European Rugby Challenge Cup

DateWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueAttendance
27 February 1999France AS Montferrand35–16France CS Bourgoin-JallieuStade de Gerland, Lyon31,986
22 May 2004England Harlequin F.C.27–26France AS MontferrandMadejski Stadium, Reading13,123
19 May 2007France ASM Clermont22–16England Bath RugbyTwickenham Stoop, London10,134
10 May 2019France ASM Clermont36–16France La RochelleSt James' Park, Newcastle28,438

French championship

DateWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueAttendance
10 May 1936RC Narbonne6–3AS MontferrandStade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse25,000
2 May 1937CS Vienne13–7AS MontferrandStade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse17,000
17 May 1970La Voulte Sportif3–0AS MontferrandStadium Municipal, Toulouse35,000
28 May 1978AS Béziers31–9AS MontferrandParc des Princes, Paris42,004
28 May 1994Stade Toulousain22–16AS MontferrandParc des Princes, Paris48,000
29 May 1999Stade Toulousain15–11AS MontferrandStade de France, Saint-Denis78,000
9 June 2001Stade Toulousain34–22AS MontferrandStade de France, Saint-Denis78,000
9 June 2007Stade Français23–18ASM ClermontStade de France, Saint-Denis79,654
28 June 2008Stade Toulousain26–20ASM ClermontStade de France, Saint-Denis79,275
6 June 2009USA Perpignan22–13ASM ClermontStade de France, Saint-Denis79,205
29 May 2010ASM Clermont19–6USA PerpignanStade de France, Saint-Denis79,262
13 June 2015Stade Français12–6ASM ClermontStade de France, Saint-Denis79,000
4 June 2017ASM Clermont22–16RC ToulonStade de France, Saint-Denis79,771
15 June 2019Stade Toulousain24–18ASM ClermontStade de France, Saint-Denis79,786

Challenge Yves du Manoir

DateWinnersScoreRunners-up
1935USA Perpignan3–3, 6–0AS Montferrand
1938AS Montferrand23–10USA Perpignan
1957US Dax6–6*AS Montferrand
1972AS Béziers27–6AS Montferrand
1976AS Montferrand40–12SC Graulhet
1979RC Narbonne9–7AS Montferrand
1985RC Nice21–16AS Montferrand
1986AS Montferrand22–15FC Grenoble
1994USA Perpignan18–3AS Montferrand

* Note: by virtue of younger players

French Cup

DateWinnersScoreRunners-up
1945SU Agen14–13AS Montferrand
1947Stade Toulousain14–11AS Montferrand

Current standings

2025–26 Top 14 Table
PosTeamvtePldWDLPFPAPDTFTATBLBPtsQualification
1Toulouse201505795438+3571085011271Qualification for playoff semi-finals and European Rugby Champions Cup
2Pau201307591514+7767625259
3Stade Français201118623495+12873618559Qualification for playoff semi-final qualifiers and European Rugby Champions Cup
4Bordeaux Bègles201208656520+13690608359
5Montpellier201118610452+15865507457
6Clermont201109633551+8277666252
7Racing 92201118583606−2367723150Qualification for European Rugby Champions Cup
8Castres2010010501570−6957682547
9La Rochelle209011586519+6772595445Qualification for European Rugby Challenge Cup
10Bayonne2010010553636−8363773245
11Toulon209110512618−10667746145
12Lyon209110570551+1970703344
13Perpignan205015408563−15544611223Qualification for relegation play-off
14Montauban (Z)201118381969−58845129017Relegation to Pro D2

Current squad

The Clermont squad for the 2025–26 season is:

ASM Clermont Auvergne 2025–26 Top 14 squad
Props Georgia national rugby union team Giorgi Akhaladze Georgia national rugby union team Giorgi Dzmanashvili France national rugby union team Étienne Falgoux France national rugby union team Sacha Lotrian France national rugby union team Régis Montagne Moldova national rugby union team Cristian Ojovan Hookers France national rugby union team Étienne Fourcade Samoa national rugby union team Seilala Lam France national rugby union team Barnabé Massa Locks France national rugby union team Thomas Ceyte France national rugby union team Thibaud Lanen Fiji national rugby union team Tevita Ratuva Australia national rugby union team Rob SimmonsBack row France national rugby union team Lucas Dessaigne Fiji national rugby union team Pita Gus Sowakula France national rugby union team Anthime Hemery Argentina national rugby union team Marcos Kremer Fiji national rugby union team Pio Muarua France national rugby union team Killian Tixeront France national rugby union team Selevasio Tolofua Scrum-halves France national rugby union team Sébastien Bézy France national rugby union team Baptiste Jauneau (c) France national rugby union team Lucas Zamora Fly-halves New Zealand national rugby union team Harry Plummer France national rugby union team Tom RaffyCentres France national rugby union team Léon Darricarrère France national rugby union team Pierre Fouyssac Fiji national rugby union team Alivereti Loaloa Tonga national rugby union team George Moala Australia national rugby union team Irae Simone Wings Argentina national rugby union team Bautista Delguy France national rugby union team Yerim Fall France national rugby union team Joris Jurand France national rugby union team Alivereti Raka France national rugby union team Lucas Tauzin Fullbacks France national rugby union team Kylan Hamdaoui Australia national rugby union team Alex Newsome
(c) denotes the team captain. Bold denotes internationally capped players.Source:

Espoirs squad

ASM Clermont Auvergne 2025–26 Espoirs squad
Props France national rugby union team Nohem Ez Zahouany France national rugby union team Mathéo Frisach Georgia national rugby union team Gigi Tutisani Hookers France national rugby union team Tom Belkessa Locks Italy national rugby union team Piero Gritti France national rugby union team Rémy Lanen France national rugby union team Antoine Madelbos France national rugby union team Léo Michaux France national rugby union team Baptiste VeschambreBack row France national rugby union team Baptiste Britz France national rugby union team Antoine Chalus-Cercy Georgia national rugby union team Giorgi Gerdedava France national rugby union team Raphael Payrastre Scrum-halves France national rugby union team Fernand Auvray Netherlands national rugby union team Niek Doornenbal Fly-halves Spain national rugby union team Juan Martín MontillaCentres France national rugby union team Timéo Frier France national rugby union team Dimitri Emery France national rugby union team Elyo Merlin Fullbacks France national rugby union team Axel Guillaud
Source:

Notable players

French international players

List of players who represented the France national rugby union team while playing for the club.

This list therefore excludes international players who wore the national jersey before or after their career at ASM Clermont Auvergne : Roger Aguerre, David Attoub, Anthony Belleau, Giorgi Beria, Jean Bernon[fr], Franck Comba, Christophe Deslandes, Pierre-Édouard Detrez, François-Xavier Dutour[fr], Lionel Faure, Alexandre Fischer, Loann Goujon, Daniel Héricé[fr], Julien Hériteau, Arnaud Mignardi, Alexandre Péclier, Adrien Pélissié, Adrien Planté, Jules Plisson, Louis Puech[fr], Marc Raynaud, Christophe Samson, Cédric Soulette, Jérôme Thion, Selevasio Tolofua, Jacobus van Tonder, Sébastien Viars and Armand Vigneau[fr].

Former players

See also

External links

  • (in French)
  • (in French)