Stade Gilbert Brutus

Location	Perpignan, France
Opened	2007
Expanded	2005 & 2007
Owner	Fédération Francaise de Rugby à Treize
Surface	Grass
Capacity	13,000
Tenants
Catalans Dragons

Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium located in Perpignan, in the south of France. Even though the stadium currently has around 9,000 seats installed, it can accommodate around 1,000 fans more, although attendances over 9,000 are rare and usually only a result of teams with a large number of away fans playing against its tenants, the Catalans Dragons.

It will be able to hold between 11,500 and 13,000 after further renovation in the future.^[1].

[edit] History

The Stade Gilbert Brutus was, during the 1970s and 1980s a heavily used ground by both rugby league and rugby union clubs in the Catalan area of Perpignan. During the 1970s it would undergo its first set of constructions with the installation of stands with seating, however unconventional seating was put into place that featured no back support^[2] and this seating is still used today. It was previously the home ground of former rugby league club XIII Catalan.

[edit] Expansion

Prior to 2007 the Stade Gilbert Brutus could only hold a total of 4,200 individuals and contained 900 seats^[3]; this was deemed inadequate for the Catalans Dragons, so the Dragons decided upon using the Stade Aimé Giral for 2006. It had always been the Catalan clubs plan to use Gilbert Brutus as their home ground prior to gaining admission into Super League^[1] and so construction to the stadium began in 2006 with the aim of bringing the Stadium to a total capacity of 14,000.

The tribune Guasch-Laborde

Whilst the Catalans Dragons were playing at the alternative stadium, the first phase of reconstruction started at their official ground. This first stage included the construction of two covered, all-seater stands, one of which featuring hospitality suites. By the end of the 2006 season, the reconstruction was finished, and Catalans moved back into the stadium for the 2007 season. Further construction is planned to bring the Stade Gilbert Brutus to a total capacity of between 11,500 and 13,000, with three all-seater stands.^[4]

The stadium has had no further reconstruction work to date, and therefore has three main stands, with some standing areas between each stand:

• 'La tribune Bonzoms': the stadium's covered southern stand, featuring its hospitality suites and club shop, with 2,955 seats.
• 'La tribune Guasch-Laborde': the covered northern stand, featuring the tunnel to the players' changing rooms, with 1,355 seats.
• 'La Gradins Ouest': the uncovered western stand, where away supporters are typically seated, featuring 1,500 seats with no back support.

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

Official websites

• Stade Gilbert Brutus Online
• Stade Gilbert Brutus Photo Gallery

Coordinates: 42°43′23″N 2°53′6.7″E / 42.72306°N 2.885194°E / 42.72306; 2.885194