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Rugby league has been played in France since the 1934. As with rugby union, the heartland of the game is the south of the country. During the Second World War, the sport was banned by the Vichy government, an act which the sport has struggled to recover from. There has been a recent resurgence of the sport following the admission of Catalans Dragons to Super League. The game now boasts record numbers of participants, similar in number to rugby league players in New Zealand, and is the fastest growing sport in France.
[edit] HistorySee also: History of rugby league Rugby football was introduced into France by the British in the early 1870s. It quickly began to flourish in the poorer, more rural south. The French rugby clubs remained in affiliation with the English Rugby Football Union and IRB when rugby split into rugby union and rugby league in 1895. Reports of professionalism and on-field violence in internationals angered the Rugby Football Union and in 1931, France was ejected from the Five Nations Championship. In 1934, Jean Galia took a French team that had never played rugby league to Yorkshire and Lancashire. Looking round for an alternative, many French players turned to rugby league, which soon became a popular game in France, particularly in the south of the country. On 6 April 1934 the French rugby league championship was founded and the sport quickly drew in attention and interest. Within five years, the number of rugby league clubs in France approached the number of rugby union clubs (despite union's fifty year headstart). By 1939 there were around 450 rugby league clubs in France, including amateur teams and 13 semi-professional rugby league clubs. The same year three leading rugby union clubs – Narbonne, Carcassonne and Brive – switched to rugby league. Germany invaded France in May 1940 and divided France into occupied France and a pro-Nazi Vichy France which roughly corresponded to the rugby-playing heartlands. Some of the French Rugby Union's senior administrators took advantage of their close relationship with the new regime to have rugby league outlawed as a "corrupter" of French youth[2]. All funds belonging to the French Rugby League Federation were confiscated and given to rugby union. In addition, rugby league players were forced to switch to rugby union. Rugby union's connections with the Vichy government and Nazism have remained largely unexplored by that sport. [edit] Post War to the Present On 10th July 1947, a gentleman's agreement was signed between the Ligue Française de rugby à treize (P. Barrière as representative), the French republic and the French rugby union for division of the Ligue Française de rugby à treize in two parts: a Federation française de jeu à treize as the governing body of the amateur game and a Ligue de rugby à XIII as the governing body for the semi-professional game.[3]. Although the ban on rugby league was lifted, it was prevented from using the word rugby in its title from 24 April 1949 until 26 June 1991, having to use the name Jeu à Treize (Game of Thirteen). After the war the French game was re-established and the French became one of rugby league’s major powers. France was the driving force behind the establishment of the Rugby League World Cup following the war.[4] The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954, the Final at Parc de Princes was narrowly lost by France 12-16 to a young, underdog Great Britain. France played major international series against Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. The 1951 and 1955 French tours of Australia, in which the French won both Test series 2-1, are still regarded as two of the strongest sides ever to tour Australia. The French maintained an excellent record in international rugby league through until the late 1970s, also triumphing over Australia in the home 1967-68 series and finishing as runner-up to Australia in the Rugby League World Cup of 1968. The Chanticleers also defeated Australia in the home 1978 Test series by 2 Tests to nil - a feat not repeated over Australia in a series by another international rugby league side until the 2005 Tri-Nations series win by New Zealand. In February 1996, a French team, Paris Saint Germain was formed to take part in the otherwise English Super League (Europe). The players being drawn from the French league. It was abandoned in October 1997, partly because Paris was not in the southern heartland of French rugby league and partly because the players had the double burden of playing for both Paris and their original club. In 1998, XIII Actif were formed under the Chairmanship of French rugby league historian Robert Fassolette, to put pressure on the French government over the Vichy banning of the sport and the return of stolen assets. The French Minister of Sport commissioned an enquiry, which found in favour of XIII Actif. The Court then ruled that only the French rugby league federation could take up the case further. This they declined to do under continuing pressure from rugby union. Professional rugby league returned to France in February 2006 when Perpignan-based club Catalans Dragons joined Super League. They provided French rugby league with a major boost by demonstrating their prowess before nearly 85,000 people at Wembley in the Final of the Rugby League Challenge Cup of 2007. [edit] Governing bodyMain article: Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII Since 26 June 1991 the governing body for rugby league in France has been the Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (i.e. formerly Ligue Française de Rugby à XIII then, Fédération Française de Jeu à XIII). The Federation is a founding member of and a full member of the Rugby League International Federation (i.e. IRLB Jan. 1948) and of the Rugby League European Federation (i.e. May 2003). [edit] CompetitionsMain article: French rugby league system The French Rugby League Championship has been the major rugby league tournament for semi-professional clubs in France since the sport was introduced to the country in the 1930s. The championship is divided into several divisions; the top league being Elite One Championship, below that is the Elite Two Championship. There are several lower and regional divisions below them. The premier knock-out cup is the Lord Derby Cup and there is the Coupe Falcou for National Division One and Federal clubs. At its height, the French Championship maintained teams from the big cities of Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse; as well as the passionate smaller rugby league towns of Carcassonne, Avignon, Lezignan, Albi, Villeneuve and Perpignan. Each year four French teams take part in the Challenge Cup, and since February 2006 the Perpignan based club formerly known as UTC (Union Treiziste Catalan), now known as Catalans Dragons, play in Super League. Toulouse Olympique bid for a 2009 Super League franchise but were rejected; subsequently they have accepted a place in the Championship. [edit] Super LeagueMain article: Super League (Europe)
Super League is the highest rugby league competition in Europe. France has one Super League team, Catalans Dragons. Paris Saint Germain played in Super League between 1995 and 1997. [edit] PopularityRugby league is most popular in the south of France. The game struggles for attention in the national media, but it is covered by local outlets in the south. However the introduction of Catalans Dragons into Super League in 2006 and Toulouse Olympic into Co-operative Championship in 2009 has seen substantial with articles appearing in national newspapers such as L'Équipe, Libération and Le Figaro. It has also contributed to the rise in playing numbers as in 2002 it was estimated that rugby league had around 20,000 regular players with this number rising to 34,000 registered participants and 150 clubs in 2009. [5][6] [edit] The National TeamMain article: France national rugby league team The French national rugby league team are often nicknamed les Chanteclairs, after the cockerel which is the emblem of the team, or as les Tricolores. They have competed in every World Cup and European Nations Cup, as well as playing in other tournaments such the Victory Cup. It was announced that from 2009, France would enter into the current Tri-Nations setup involving Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. The introduction of Catalans Dragons into the Super League, and recent strong outings from the international side led to this decision. This should benefit the rugby league world as a whole. The French territory of New Caledonia has had its own rugby league team since 2003, which is run by the Fédération Francaise de Rugby à Treize. [edit] Media[edit] TelevisionOrange TV shows every Catalan Dragons home match live. Selected games from the Elite Championship are broadcast live on Orange TV and summaries of each match Elite 1 are available to subscribers. They also broadcast some of Toulouse Olympique's home games live. Orange TV also has secured to rights to broadcast Super League, Four Nations and the European Nations.[7] [edit] RadioRadio Marseillette has rugby league debate and news every Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00. They also have exclusive live commentary of all Catalans Dragons home matches and Toulouse Olympique home matches. They also have commentary on some Elite League games. Radio France Bleu Roussillon carries commentary on every Catalans Dragons away match played in the UK. [edit] See also[edit] References
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