![[Flag of FC Auch-Gers]](../images/f/fr-32@ag.gif)
Last modified: 2014-05-04 by ivan sache
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Flag of FC Auch-Gers - Image by Ivan Sache, 29 May 2013
FC Auch-Gers is a rugby club based in the town of Auch. Rugby was played in Auch for the first time in 1897. The first
organized club, the Football-Vélo-Club-Auscitain (FVCA) was founded in 1903. On 13 March 1921, the monument commemorating the club' s members
killed during the First World War was inaugurated and the club was
renamed Football-Club-Auscitain (FCA).
The club won the French Second League in 1947, 2004 and 2007, and the
European Shield in 2005, defeating Worcester (23-10). It currently
plays in the Second League (Pro D2).
The most famous player ever of FCA is the Auch-born scrum-half Jacques
Fouroux (1947-2005). Fouroux played with FCA from 1976 to 1981 but has
remained famous, as the "Little Caporal", as the captain of the French
national team that won the Five Nations' Grand Slam in 1977. Appointed
coach of the French national team in 1980, Fouroux got rid of the
selection committee that previously "surveyed" the coaches and imposed
English methods of training; the French team won the Five Nations in
1981 (Grand Slam), 1983, 1986, 1987 (Grand Slam), 1988 and 1989. The
team lost the final of the first World Cup against New Zealand in 1987
after having defeated Australia at home in semi-final. Fouroux
resigned following an unexpected defeat against Romania in Auch.
The full-back Jacques Brunel played for FCA in 1976-1979 and
1981-1988, coaching the team in 1988-1995. He then coached USAP (Perpignan), winning the national championship in 2009, and the Italian national team (since 2011).
Several famous French players started they career in Auch and
subsequently joined more prominent clubs, for instance the prop Fabien
Barcella (2006-2008; 20 matches with the French national team since
2008) and the Auch-born hooker Yannick Bru (18 matches with the French
national team in 2001-2004).
The flag used by the supporters of FC Auch-Gers (photo, photo, photo) is horizontally divided red-white.
Red and white are the colours of the town, showed on the municipal
coat of arms, "Per fess, 1. Gules a Paschal lamb argent, 2. Argent a
lion gules".
Ivan Sache, 29 May 2013
![[Flag of USL]](../images/f/fr-32@ij.gif)
Flag of USL - Image by Ivan Sache, 25 November 2012
The municipality of L'Isle-Jourdain (7,296 inhabitants in 2009, therefore the second most populated municipality in the department of Gers) is located half distance (40 km) of Auch and Toulouse.
The first rugby club in L'Isle-Jourdain was founded in 1907 as Racing
Club Lislois, presided by the baker Jean Chabanon. The club was
subsequently renamed Union Sportive de L'Isle-Jourdain (USL).
The club won in 1967 the national championship in 4th Series (16-8 to
Lespignan), led by Jean-Claude Skrela, a 18-year old flanker.
In 1970, USL joined the 3rd League, winning the championship in 1980
(3-0 to Saint-Paul-lès-Dax). The club played for one season in Group
"B" of the 1st League, in 1995-1996.
In 2004, USL joined the Federal 1st League, that is the elite of
amateur rugby, where it would stay for only one season. USL currently
plays in Federal 2nd League.
Three members of USL played with the French national team.
The lock Élie Cester (b. 1942 in L'Isle-Jourdain) played 35 times
(1966-1974) with the French team, winning the Grand Slam in the 1968
Five Nations.
The flanker Jean-Claude Skrela (b. 1949) played 46 times (1971-1978)
with the French national team, winning the Grand Slam in the 1977 Five
Nations. As a coach of Stade Toulousain (1983-1992), he won three national championships (1985, 1986, 1989); as the coach of the French national team (1995-1999), he won two Grand Slams in a row (1997 and 1998) and reached the final of the World Cup in 1999.
The flanker Patrick Tabacco (b. 1974) played 18 times (2001-2005) with
the French team; he also won the national championship with Stade Français in 2003 and 2004. In 2008, he came back to L'Isle-Jourdain to "come full circle" and play again, as an amateur, with his original club, USL.
In 2012, USL won the Federal 2nd League "B" (for reserve teams), 19-9 to Suresnes. A photo taken during the award ceremony shows a supporter's flag as vertically divided yellow-red. These are the club's colours, which are nicknamed "sang et or" (blood and gold) - as the RC Lens football club.
Ivan Sache, 25 November 2012
