Stade Gilbert Brutus

Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium in Perpignan, France, which has been the home ground of the Catalans Dragons since 2007.

History


The Stade Gilbert Brutus was opened in 1962 and built as the home ground of French Rugby League Championship club XIII Catalan who played at their ground until they merged with AS Saint-Estève in 2000 to form Catalans Dragons whos home ground the stadium has been since 2007.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the ground was used by a variety rugby league and rugby union clubs in Northern Catalonia.

The stadium takes it name from Gilbert Brutus, a French rugby union player, coach, chairman and referee, who was born on 2 August 1887 in Port-Vendres. He was a member of the French resistance in the Second World War and was murdered by the Gestapo on 7 March 1944 in Perpignan.

Before 2007, the stadium held 4,200 with 900 seated. This was deemed expanded for the Catalans Dragons before moving in from the Stade Aimé Giral. Expansion of the stadium began in 2006 with target 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 a number of rugby league internationals, the majority of which are home games of the French national rugby league team.