Lyon OU
Lyon Olympique Universitaire is one of the oldest sports clubs in France, back-to-back champions in the 1930s and European winners in 2022. These days Le LOU fill a stadium designed by Tony Garnier and are trying to turn a decade of Top 14 rugby into something more than mid-table.
From Narbonne Finals to the Yo-Yo Years
The club began in 1896 as Racing Club, a merger of two Lyon sides, and went through several names before settling on Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1910. Its rugby section reached the top early. Lyon beat Narbonne in the French championship final in 1932, then beat them again in 1933 to keep the Bouclier de Brennus.
Those two titles were followed by a long spell away from the elite. Lyon won the second division in 1989 and 1992 and Fédérale 1 in 2002, then won promotion in 2011 and spent the next few seasons going up and down between the top two divisions. The Pro D2 title in 2015–16 brought them back to the Top 14, and they have stayed there since.
A Night in Marseille, May 2022
On 27 May 2022 Lyon met Toulon in the Challenge Cup final at the Stade Vélodrome, in front of a competition record crowd of 51,431. Baptiste Couilloud scored the opening try after work from captain Jordan Taufua, Pierre-Louis Barassi added another, a penalty try followed and Léo Berdeu kicked the rest. Lyon won 30–12, with Cheslin Kolbe’s late try only a consolation for Toulon. It was the club’s first European trophy.
They got back to the final in 2025 but lost 37–12 to Bath in Cardiff. Last season they went out of the Challenge Cup after losing all four pool games, so this year’s European run carries extra weight, with the 2027 final set for the Groupama Stadium in Lyon on 21 May.
Tony Garnier’s Gerland
Gerland was Lyon’s first stadium, built between 1913 and 1926 to a design by architect Tony Garnier and modelled on the stadiums of ancient Rome. Garnier’s four great gates were listed as historic monuments in 1967. Olympique Lyonnais played football there from 1950. Le LOU moved in during 2017 and the venue now carries the name Matmut Stadium de Gerland. Lyon averaged 18,229 there in 2025–26.
2026/27: Out of the Bottom Half
Karim Ghezal is head coach and Marc-Antoine Ginon is president. Lyon finished 11th in the Top 14 for a third season running in 2025–26, and the stated aim this year is simple: get out of the bottom half of the table. Eight players arrived over the summer, including South African scrum-half Sanele Nohamba, prop Thomas Gallo and centre Adrien Séguret, while Killian Géraci and Arno Botha were among those leaving. France flanker François Cros is already lined up for 2027–28.
The highlight so far was a 51–25 win over Pau at Gerland on 19 September. A 28–16 home defeat to La Rochelle on 10 October left Lyon 8th on 14 points after six rounds, with a trip to Bayonne next on 24 October.
Baptiste Couilloud
Red and Black
Lyon play in red and black, the colours behind the LOU crest and the ones you will see in the stands at Gerland. Designs have changed season to season since the club returned to the Top 14, but the red and black base has stayed in place.
This FanFile covers Lyon OU as a club rather than one particular jersey. Check the crest, sponsor, manufacturer label and product code on your own shirt to identify its specific season and edition.
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Club Links
Sources & Further Reading
- Wikipedia: Lyon OU Rugby history and honours
- RugbyPass: LOU Rugby 2026–27 squad, transfers and objectives
- Rugby365: 2022 Challenge Cup final report
- Ville de Lyon: Matmut Stadium (ex-Stade de Gerland) history
- AllRugby: Lyon v Pau match sheet, September 2026
- Eurosport: Top 14 round 6 report, October 2026
Facts checked: 21 October 2026.