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 Championship" redirects here. For other uses, see French Championship (disambiguation).
French Rugby League Championship
SportRugby league
Founded1934
No. of teams10
Country France
Most recent
champion(s)		Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan
Most titlesAS Carcassonne XIII Catalan (11 Each)

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).

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 Catalan14–9Avignon9,000
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 Villeneuve12–7St Estève10,029
1980–81 Villeneuve v Catalan abandoned after six minutes due to fighting; no championship awarded.
1981–82 Catalan21–8St 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. For the continuation of this list see Elite One Championship#Results.

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
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 RC Roanne XIII411938-39, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1959-60
11 Limoux Grizzlies331967-68, 2015-16, 2016-17
12 Saint-Estève XIII Catalan232004-05, 2018-19
13Le Pontet XIII231985-86, 1987-88
14 Lyon Villeurbanne XIII211950-51, 1954-55
15Bordeaux XIII211936-37, 1953-54
16 Marseille XIII141948-49
17SO 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
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