Challenge Cup record

USAP reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2000 but lost to eventual finalists Castres Olympique 43-33 and they exited at the same stage the following season, this time at the hands of RC Narbonne in a 34-24 defeat. A best-ever Challenge Cup showing came 12 years later as they reached the last four in 2013, only for two late Jerome Porical penalties to seal a 25-22 win for Stade Français Paris after James Hook’s 17 points looked to have secured USAP’s place in the final.

Last Challenge Cup campaign

Having spent the past two seasons in the French second tier, USAP’s last European campaign came in 2018-19, when they failed to progress from the Challenge Cup pool stage. They grabbed a 25-25 draw at Union Bordeaux-Bègles, but were beaten 34-27 at the Stade Aimé Giral in the reverse fixture, in addition to home and away defeats against Sale Sharks and Connacht Rugby.

Head coach

Patrick Arlettaz has been head coach at USAP since 2016, having previously been their backs coach between 2012 and 2014. A centre during his playing days, Arlettaz also turned out for USAP, as well as for Narbonne, Montpellier Hérault Rugby and ES Catalane, whom he has also coached. He scored two tries on solitary appearance for France, against Romania in 1995.

Key players

Young full-back Melvyn Jaminet recently earned a call-up to the France squad, while veteran back-row forward Damien Chouly has 80 European appearances to his name. A strong Argentinian contingent at the TOP 14 club includes centre Jeronimo de la Fuente and scrum-half Martin Landajo, who are both vastly experienced at international level.

Pool fixtures

Drawn in Pool B, USAP host Dragons and Lyon in their opening two games, before trips to Gloucester Rugby and Benetton Rugby.

We continue our preview of this season’s EPCR Challenge Cup sides by taking a look at 2013 semi-finalists USAP, who are making their return to European competition after a three-year absence.