Stade Gilbert Brutus
Encyclopedia
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 due to standing room. It is the permanent home of the Catalans Dragons
.
It will be able to hold between 11,500 and 13,000 after further renovation in the future..
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 and this seating is still used today. It was previously the home ground of former rugby league club XIII Catalan
.
, 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
and so construction to the stadium began in 2006 with the aim of bringing the Stadium to a total capacity of 14,000.
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 begin in February 2010, bringing the Stade Gilbert Brutus to a total capacity of between 11,500 and 13,000, with three all-seater stands. Development of a fourth stand is unlikely given the ground's proximity to several council buildings at that side of the field.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
located in Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, in the south of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Even though the stadium currently has around 9,000 seats installed, it can accommodate around 1,000 fans more due to standing room. It is the permanent home of the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
.
It will be able to hold between 11,500 and 13,000 after further renovation in the future..
History
The Stade Gilbert Brutus was, during the 1970s and 1980s a heavily used ground by both rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
clubs in the Catalan
Northern Catalonia
Northern Catalonia is a term that is sometimes used, particularly in Catalan writings, to refer to the territory ceded to France by Spain through the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659...
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 and this seating is still used today. It was previously the home ground of former rugby league club XIII Catalan
XIII Catalan
XIII Catalan were a French rugby league team from Perpignan, in the Catalan Pyrénées-Orientales region of France. They were founded in 1935, and thus were founding members of the French rugby league championship...
.
Expansion
Prior to 2007 the Stade Gilbert Brutus could only hold a total of 4,200 individuals and contained 900 seats; this was deemed inadequate for the Catalans DragonsCatalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
, so the Dragons decided upon using the Stade Aimé Giral
Stade Aimé Giral
Stade Aimé Giral is a multi-purpose stadium in Perpignan, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of USA Perpignan...
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
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
and so construction to the stadium began in 2006 with the aim of bringing the Stadium to a total capacity of 14,000.
Super League XII
Engage Super League XII is the official name for the year 2007's Super League season in the sport of rugby league.The 2007 season kicked off on the weekend of 2 February 2007 at the Galpharm Stadium. For the first time, the league had a staggered start due to the World Club Challenge between St...
. Further construction is planned to begin in February 2010, bringing the Stade Gilbert Brutus to a total capacity of between 11,500 and 13,000, with three all-seater stands. Development of a fourth stand is unlikely given the ground's proximity to several council buildings at that side of the field.