French Rugby League Championship

The French rugby league championship (French: Le Championnat de France de Rugby à XIII) has been the major rugby league tournament for semi-professional and professional clubs in France since the sport was introduced to the country in the 1930s.

French Rugby League Championship
SportRugby league
Founded1934
No. of teams20
Country France
Most recent
champion(s)		 XIII de Limouxin
Most titles AS Carcassonne
XIII Catalan (11 titles)
TV partner(s)Sport en France, vià

Except for the first season, a play-off structure leading to a championship final has always been used to determine the fate of the championship. Because the French rugby league championship has several divisions where the teams will change each year depending on final standings and relegation/promotion there have been many teams in the French rugby league championship since its inception.

The championship is divided into several divisions; the top league is currently titled Elite One Championship (French: Le Championnat de France Elite).[1][2]

Divisions

Elite One Championship
Elite 1
Team Stadium Location
Albi Tigers Stade Mazicou Albi, Tarn
SO Avignon Parc des Sports (Avignon) Avignon, Vaucluse
AS Carcassonne Stade Albert Domec Carcassonne, Aude
FC Lézignan Stade du Moulin Lézignan-Corbières, Aude
Limoux Grizzlies Stade de l'Aiguille Limoux, Aude
Baroudeurs de Pia XIII Stade Daniel-Ambert Pia, Pyrénées-Orientales
Saint-Estève Catalan Stade Municipal Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales
Saint-Gaudens Bears Stade Jules Ribet Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne
Toulouse Olympique Broncos Stade des Minimes Toulouse, Haute-Garonne
Villeneuve Leopards Stade Max Rousie Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Lot-et-Garonne

Elite Two Championship
ClubStadiumCapacityCity/Area
RC Baho XIIIStade Municipal de Baho2,000Baho, Pyrenees-Orientales
RC Carpentras XIIIStade de la Roseraie5,000Carpentras, Vaucluse
US Entraigues XIIIStade Georges Mauro2,000Entraigues-sur-la-Sorgue, Vaucluse
Ille-sur-Tet XIIIStade Jean Galia2,000Ille-sur-Tet, Pyrenees Orientales
RC Lescure-Arthes XIIIStade de Lescure d'Albigeois2,000Lescure-d'Albigeois, Tarn
Lyon Villeurbanne XIIIStade Georges Lyvet5,000Lyon, Rhone-Alps
RC Salon XIIIStade Marcel Roustan2,000Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône
Toulon XIII MétropoleDelaune Stadium2,000Toulon, Var
Villefranche XIII AveyronStade Henri Lagarde2,700Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron
Villegailhenc-Aragon XIIIStade Municipal Conques sur Orbiel2,000Villegailhenc, Aude

Lower Leagues

Below the Championship Divisions, the National Division 1 and National Division 2 are the third and fourth tier respectively.[3][4]

List of finals
Toulouse Olympique celebrating victory in 1973 and 1975
SeasonWinnersScoreRunner-upVenueAttendance
1934–35 Villeneuve 1No final played. League leaders were awarded the title
1935–36 Catalan25–14Bordeaux XIIIParc de Suzon, Bordeaux14,150
1936–37Bordeaux XIII23–10 Catalan14,300
1937–38 Albi8–5 Villeneuve14,880
1938–39 Roanne9–0 VilleneuveStade Velodrome de Lescure, Bordeaux19,788
1939–40 Catalan20–16Pau XIIIStade des Minimes, Toulouse10,000
1940-44: Rugby league outlawed by Vichy regime
1944–45 Carcassonne13–12 ToulouseStade Jean Laffon, Perpignan
1945–46 Carcassonne12–0 ToulouseStade de Gerland, Lyon
1946–47 Roanne19–0 Carcassonne15,000
1947–48 Roanne3–2 CarcassonneMarseille20,000
1948–49 Marseille12–5 CarcassonneStade Albert Domec, Carcassonne23,500
1949–50 Carcassonne21–7 MarseillePerpignan18,000
1950–51 Lyon15–10 CatalanStade Chapou, Toulouse21,933
1951–52 Carcassonne18–6 Marseille16,645
1952–53 Carcassonne19–12 Lyon22,000
1953–54Bordeaux XIII7–4 Marseille8,000
1954–55 Lyon7–6 Carcassonne12,000
1955–56 Albi13–5 Carcassonne15,850
1956–57 Catalan14–9 Avignon9,000
1957–58 Albi8–6 Carcassonne16,163
1958–59 Villeneuve24–16 Lézignan13,000
1959–60 Roanne31–24 Albi13,800
1960–61 Lézignan7–4 Roanne6,998
1961–62 Albi14–7 Villeneuve12,068
1962–63 Lézignan20–13 St Gaudens12,200
1963–64 Villeneuve4–3 Toulouse5,166
1964–65 Toulouse47–15 Villeneuve8,837
1965–66 Carcassonne45–20 St Gaudens11,244
1966–67 Carcassonne39–15 St Gaudens10,779
1967–68 Limoux13–12 Carcassonne14,432
1968–69 Catalan12–11 St Gaudens8,326
1969–70 St Gaudens32–10 Catalan21,300
1970–71 St Estève13–4 St Gaudens8,179
1971–72 Carcassonne21–9 St Gaudens11,566
1972–73 Toulouse18–0 Marseille13,827
1973–74 St Gaudens21–8 Villeneuve5,696
1974–75 Toulouse10–9 St Estève5,015
1975–76 Carcassonne14–6 Lézignan14,000
1976–77 Albi19–10 CarcassonneStadium Municipal d'Albi, Albi18,325
1977–78 Lézignan3–0 CatalanToulouse10,358
1978–79 Catalan17–2 Carcassonne13,202
1979–80 Villeneuve12–7 St Estève10,029
1980–81 Villeneuve v Catalan abandoned after six minutes due to fighting; no championship awarded.
1981–82 Catalan21–8 St EstèveToulouse8,504
1982–83 Catalan10–8 Villeneuve10,628
1983–84 Catalan30–6 Villeneuve8,182
1984–85 Catalan26–6Le Pontet XIII8,797
1985–86Le Pontet XIII19–6 Catalan8,000
1986–87 Catalan11–3Le Pontet XIII4,350
1987–88Le Pontet XIII14–2 Catalan9,950
1988–89 St Estève23–4Le Pontet XIIIParc des Sports Et de l'Amitie, Narbonne9,936
1989–90 St Estève24–23 Carcassonne8,000
1990–91 St Gaudens10–8 VilleneuveToulouse6,031
1991–92 Carcassonne11–10 St Estève6,000
1992–93 St Estève9–8 Catalan10,000
1993–93 Catalan6–4 PiaStade des Sports Et de l'Amitie, Narbonne12,000
1994–95 Pia12–10 St Estève13,200
1995–96 Villeneuve27–26 St Estève10,000
1996–97 St Estève28–24 Villeneuve12,000
1997–98 St Estève15–8 Villeneuve12,000
1998–99 Villeneuve33–20 St GaudensParis7,592
1999–00 Toulouse20–18 St Estève6,500
2000–01 Villeneuve32–20 ToulouseToulouse9,000
2001–02 Villeneuve17–0 Union Treiziste CatalaneStade de la Mediterranee, Béziers8,000
From the 2002-03 season, the French Rugby League Championship split into two divisions: Elite One Championship and Elite Two Championship.
2002–03 Villeneuve Leopards 31 – 18 Saint-Gaudens BearsParc des sports et de l'amitié, Narbonne8,000
2003–04 Saint-Gaudens Bears 14 – 10 Union Treiziste CatalanePerpignan7,500
2004–05 Union Treiziste Catalane 66 – 16 Toulouse Olympique XIIIParc des sports et de l'amitié, Narbonne5,000
2005–06 Baroudeurs de Pia XIII21 – 18 Toulouse Olympique XIIIToulouse5,462
2006–07 Baroudeurs de Pia XIII20 – 16 FC LézignanStade Michel-Bendichou, Colomiers7,882
2007–08 FC Lézignan 26 – 16 Baroudeurs de Pia XIIIStade de la Mediterranee, Béziers9,550
2008–09 FC Lézignan 40 – 32 Limoux GrizzliesStade Albert Domec, Carcassonne11,263
2009–10 FC Lézignan 32 – 22 Baroudeurs de Pia XIIIAltrad Stadium, Montpellier6,612
2010–11 FC Lézignan 17 – 12 Limoux GrizzliesParc des sports et de l'amitié, Narbonne11,874
2011–12 AS Carcassonne 26 – 20 Baroudeurs de Pia XIII8,980
2012–13 Baroudeurs de Pia XIII 33 – 26 Saint-Estève CatalanStade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan6,732
2013–14 Toulouse Olympique XIII 38 – 12 FC Lézignan7,245
2014–15 Toulouse Olympique XIII 20 – 12 AS Carcassonne Stade Michel-Bendichou, Colomiers5,800
2015–16 Limoux Grizzlies 26 – 24 AS Carcassonne Stadium municipal d'Albi, Albi5,420
2016–17 Limoux Grizzlies 24 – 22 FC LézignanParc des sports et de l'amitié, Narbonne8,270
2017–18 Sporting Olympique Avignon 30 – 28 Limoux GrizzliesStadium municipal d’Albi, Albi5,000
2018–19 Saint-Estève Catalan 32 – 24 AS Carcassonne 1,500
2019–20 Competition abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France[5]
2020–21 FC Lézignan 16 – 12 AS Carcassonne Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse 3,200
2021–22 AS Carcassonne 20 – 16 Limoux Grizzlies Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne 8,231
2022–23 Limoux Grizzlies 34 – 24 AS Carcassonne Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne 8,221

Champions by club
Club Wins Runners
up		 Winning Years
1 AS Carcassonne11131944-45, 1945-46, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1971-72, 1975-76, 1991-92, 2011-12, 2021-22
2 XIII Catalan1171935-36, 1939-40, 1956-57, 1968-69, 1978-79, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1993-94
3 Villeneuve Leopards9101934-35, 1958-59, 1963-64, 1979-80, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03
4 Lézignan Sangliers751960-61, 1962-63, 1977-78, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
5 Toulouse Olympique661964-65, 1972-73, 1974-75, 1999-00, 2013-14, 2014-15
6 AS Saint Estève661970-71, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1992-93, 1996-97, 1997-98
7 RC Albi511937-38, 1955-56, 1957-58, 1961-62, 1976-77
8 St Gaudens481969-70, 1973-74, 1990-91, 2003-04
9 Pia XIII441994-95, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2012-13
10 Limoux Grizzlies431967-68, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2022-23
11 RC Roanne XIII411938-39, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1959-60
12Le Pontet XIII231985-86, 1987-88
13 Lyon Villeurbanne XIII211950-51, 1954-55
14Bordeaux XIII211936-37, 1953-54
15 Marseille XIII141948-49
16 Saint-Estève XIII Catalan122018-19
17 Union Treiziste Catalane112004-05
18 SO Avignon112017-18

Footnotes
  1. Won title on points: no play-off was used
  2. Match abandoned after six minutes after the beginning due to fighting; no championship awarded.

Books
  • Le Rugby à XIII le plus français du monde −1934 to 1996– by Louis Bonnery,
  • The Forbidden game by Mike Rylance.

See also

References
  1. "Championnat Elite 1". Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  2. "Championnat Elite 2". Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  3. "Division Nationale". Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  4. "Championnat Fédérale". Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  5. "Coronavirus : la Fédération française met fin aux compétitions de rugby à XIII cette saison". lequipe.fr. Groupe Amaury. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
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