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Super XIII is the top level rugby league competition in France, sanctioned by the French Rugby League Federation. The season runs from September to April, which is in contrast to the majority of other major domestic rugby league competitions worldwide. The clubs play each other home and away then they enter into a play-off series culminating with a Grand Final. The competition was founded in 2002, as the Elite One Championship and renamed as Super XIII at the start of the 2024–2025 season. The competition is the continuation of the French Rugby League Championship, which began in 1934.[1]
| Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Country |  France |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Elite 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Lord Derby Cup |
| Current champions |  AS Carcassonne (2023-2024) |
| Most championships |  FC Lézignan (5) |
| TV partners | viàOccitanie, Sport en France |
| Website | Official site |
| Current: Super XIII 2024–2025 | |
Prior to the creation of Elite 1, the French Rugby League Championship was the top tier of the French rugby league system.
The competition was founded in 2002, as the Elite One Championship, following the splitting of the French Rugby League Championship 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.
The 2002–03 season, the first of the Elite 1 championship, saw the defending champions of France, Villeneuve, up against Saint-Gaudens in the final. Villeneuve had won the league championship in 2000–01 and completed a league/cup double in 2001–2002. Having already won the Lord Derby Cup in 2003, they achieved a second consecutive double with a 31–18 win to retain the Max Rousié Trophy. Their opponents, Saint-Gaudens, had not won a championship since the early 1990s, but the following season they defeated Union Treiziste Catalane 14–10 to claim the title and in doing so prevent UTC from claiming the double.[2][3] That achievement would come for UTC the following year as they went undefeated throughout the 2004–05 season and beat Toulouse 66–16 in the championship final.[4] The following two seasons saw Pia claim consecutive doubles.[5][6] In the 2007–08 season Lézignan began a run of four consecutive title wins becoming only the second club, after Catalan in the early 1980s, to achieve this feat.[7]
The competition was renamed as Super XIII at the start of the 2024–2025 season.[8] In September 2024, the president of the French Rugby League Federation, Dominique Baloup, gave an interview published in La Dépêche in which he discussed plans to increase the number of teams in the Super XIII and the possibility of moving the season to run between February and September from 2026.[9]
Location of teams participating in Super XIII in the 2024–25 season[a]
Winners
| # | Club | No. | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lézignan Sangliers | 5 | 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2020–21 |
| 2 | Pia XIII | 3 | 2005–06, 2006–07, 2012–13 |
| AS Carcassonne | 2011–12, 2021–22, 2023–24 | ||
| Limoux Grizzlies | 2015–16, 2016–17, 2022–23 | ||
| 5 | Toulouse Olympique | 2 | 2013–14, 2014–15 |
| 6 | Villeneuve Leopards | 1 | 2002–03 |
| Saint-Gaudens Bears | 2003–04 | ||
| Union Treiziste Catalane | 2004–05 | ||
| SO Avignon | 2017–18 | ||
| Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan | 2018–19 |
Television
Unlike, for instance, the BBC, France Television didn't offer any program to the French public about Rugby League.
Sport en France cover the Championship across their television platforms nationwide.[12] Coverage includes the match of the week and one match from each week of the playoffs including the Grand Final.
From 2020, some Elite 1 games are televised by a local channel ViàOccitanie; this is a free-to-air channel in the South of France but they are also available on the internet and via the triple play internet devices. Therefore, they offer, indirectly, free nationwide coverage of the domestic championship.[13]
Presently, French clubs have to fund the broadcast of their own games or to televise their own matches themselves via the social networks or YouTube.
Radio
Radio Marseillette, a local Southern radio, has rugby league debate and news every Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00. They also have commentary on some Elite League games.
Press
The French national mainstream media barely follow the game. Very occasionally, some articles about the sport are published in newspapers such as Le Monde, Le Figaro or the national Sport newspaper L'Équipe.
Nevertheless, there is undoubtedly a French specificity: the Weekly Rugby Union magazine Midi Olympique has a one-page section devoted to Rugby League. However, only two local newspapers genuinely cover the game; L'Indépendant ( based in the South of France) and la Dépêche du Midi (based in the South west of the country).
The British Rugby League press cover this championship; for example magazines like Rugby Leaguer & League Express offer a weekly report of the games. In Australia, the monthly publication Rugby League Review offer a few columns about the games as well.
FC Lézignan XIII winning in 2008–2009
Toulouse Olympique winning in 2013–2014
Teams line up ahead of the 2016–2017 season Grand Final
- All teams are located inside Occitania except Sporting Olympique Avignon and Villeneuve XIII RLLG which are just located outside the region.
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