Stade des Minimes

Stade des Minimes

Former names	Stade Arnauné
Location	107 Avenue Frédéric Estèbe, Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France
Coordinates	43°37′30.77″N 1°26′7.64″E / 43.6252139°N 1.4354556°ECoordinates: 43°37′30.77″N 1°26′7.64″E / 43.6252139°N 1.4354556°E
Owner	Mairie de Toulouse (Toulouse town council)
Capacity	4,066
Surface	Grass
Construction
Built	1937
Opened	1937
Tenants
Toulouse Olympique (1937-2015), Toulouse Olympique Broncos (2014-)

Stade des Minimes is a rugby league stadium in Toulouse, France. It is the home ground of Toulouse Olympique Broncos.

History

Stade des Minimes or as it is also known Stade Arnauné has been the home of Toulouse Olympique since their founding in 1937. The town council agreed to purchase the ground for the sole use of the new sport, rugby league. When the river Garonne burst its banks in 1965 a test match between France and New Zealand scheduled for the Stade Municipal in Toulouse was cancelled because of flooding, the game was moved across town to the Stade des Minimes the first international game played at the ground. The same thing happened in 1999 when a round of matches in the Mediterranean Cup was moved when Lézignan's Stade du Moulin was also waterlogged.^[1] In 2015 when Toulouse Olympique moved to the British rugby league system to play in League 1 Toulouse Olypique moved to the Stade Ernest-Argeles. Toulouse Olympique Broncos who play in the Elite One Championship in France remained at the ground. Currently it has a capacity of 4066, including (2,000 seats). It is due to be expanded to reach a 10,000 capacity over the next two years. The renovation plans include the extending of the two main stands, the creation of a shop, a gym, and an administrative office for the club. The cost of the project is estimated to be 8 million euros.^[2]

Rugby League Internationals

Date	Teams	Score	Attendance	Tournament
12 December 1965	France v  New Zealand	28-5	7,000	Test Match
14 November 1999	France v  Lebanon	38-24	1,000	Mediterranean Cup
14 November 1999	Italy v  Morocco	38-0	1,000	Mediterranean Cup

External links

• Map of the stadium location
• How to get there

References

1. Delaney, Trevor (1995). The International Grounds Of Rugby League. Trevor Delaney. p. 150. ISBN 0950998249. Check date values in: |access-date= (help);
2. La Dépêche : 'L'indispensable aménagement Retrieved 2010-01-06