Elite 1 (rugby league)

Elite One Championship
Founded	2002; 22 years ago
Country	France
Number of teams	10
Level on pyramid	1
Promotion to	League 1 (Via application to RFL)
Relegation to	Elite Two Championship
Domestic cup(s)	Lord Derby Cup
Current champions	Saint-Esteve Catalan (2019)
Most championships	AS Carcassonne (11)
Website	site
	Current: Elite One Championship 2019–2020

The Elite One Championship (French: Le Championnat de France Elite) is the top level rugby league competition in France. The season runs from September to April. The clubs play each other home and away then they enter into a play-off series culminating with a Grand Final.

History

See also French Rugby League Championship

The French Rugby League Championship began in 1934, the first one being the only one where it was won by the team finishing top of the table on points and not by a play-off series. The Elite One Championship was founded in 2002 after the French Rugby League Championship was split into two divisions. The format stayed the same with teams playing each other home and away, before a play-off series would determine the Champions. The club finishing bottom would not be automatically relegated, it would be dependent on whether the club finishing top of Elite Two Championship either wanted to be promoted or their facilities were up to standard.

Teams for 2019–20 Season

Elite One Championship
Team	Stadium	Location
Albi Tigers	Stadium 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
Palau Broncos	Stade Georges Vaills	Palau-del-Vidre, 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
Villenueve	Stade Max Rousie	Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Lot-et-Garonne

Map of Teams for 2019/20 Season

Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan

Saint-Gaudens

Toulouse Olympique Broncos

Villeneuve XIII

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Teams currently Participating in the Elite One

Results

Year	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Attendance
2002–03	Villeneuve	31–18	St Gaudens	Stade des Sports Et de l'Amitie, Narbonne	8,000
2003–04	St Gaudens	14–10	St Estève-Catalan	Perpignan	7,500
2004–05	St Estève-Catalan	66–16	Toulouse	Stade des Sports Et de l'Amitie, Narbonne	5,000
2005–06	Pia	21–18	Toulouse	Toulouse	5,462
2006–07	Pia	20–16	Lézignan	Stade Michel-Bendichou, Colomiers	7,882
2007–08	Lézignan	26–16	Pia	Stade de la Mediterranee, Béziers	9,550
2008–09	Lézignan	40–32	Limoux	Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne	11,263
2009–10	Lézignan	32–22	Pia	Altrad Stadium, Montpellier	6,612
2010–11	Lézignan	17–12	Limoux	Parc des Sports et de l'Amitie, Narbonne	11,874
2011–12	Carcassonne	26–20	Pia	Parc des Sports et de l'Amitie, Narbonne	8,980
2012–13	Pia	33–26	St Estève-Catalan	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	6,732
2013–14	Toulouse	38–12	Lézignan	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	7,245
2014–15	Toulouse	20–12	Carcassonne	Stade Michel-Bendichou, Colomiers	5,800
2015–16	Limoux	26–24	Carcassonne	Stadium Municipal d'Albi, Albi	5,420
2016–17	Limoux	24–22	Lézignan	Parc des Sports et l,Amitie, Narbonne	8,270
2017–18	Avigon	30–28	Limoux	Stadium Municipal d’Albi, Albi	5,000
2018–19	St Estève-Catalan	32–24	Carcassonne	Stadium Municipal d’Albi, Albi	1,500

Winners

#	Club	No.	Year(s)
1	Lézignan Sangliers	4	2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
2	Pia XIII	3	2005–06, 2006–07, 2012–13
3	Villeneuve Leopards	2	2002, 2002–03
	Toulouse Olympique		2013–14, 2014–15
	Limoux Grizzlies		2015–16, 2016–17
6	SO Avignon	1	2017–18
	Saint-Gaudens Bears		2003–04
	Union Treiziste Catalane		2004–05
	AS Carcassonne		2011–12
	Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan		2018–19

References

External links