The History of Rugby League In France (Tuesday 26th July 2022)

 French Rugby League has a tumultuous history and it's fair to say the sport in France has been through a lot. However, not many know that their history began all the way back in the 1870s. That was when Rugby Union was first introduced in France, and it quickly grew amongst rural, southern areas of France. When the Rugby Union and Northern Union, which would later become Rugby League, split in 1895, France decided to stay with the Home Nation unions. However, their quickly became allegations of professionalism and onfield violence in French internationals, which led to their suspension from Rugby Union's Five Nations Championship in 1931. This is what paved the way for Rugby League to be introduced in France. Harry Sunderland and the British RFL worked to get an Australia v Great Britain test to be held in Paris, after an earlier attempt in the 1931-32 Kangaroos tour was refused by the FFR. They got their goal as Australia and Britain played an exhibition match at Paris' Stade Pershing in late December 1933. It was the year after when Jean Galia took a French team (who had never played Rugby League before) to Yorkshire and Lancashire. The result? Well, French Rugby League was formed on the 6th April 1934.

As the ban from Union's Five Nations Championship was still in place meaning French players couldn't play in quality international competition, many players chose to make the switch to Rugby League. The French viewed it as modern and innovative due to League's professionalism and spectator-friendly rules. Like with Rugby Union's introduction, League quickly grew and within five years the amount of Rugby League clubs was fast approaching the number of Union clubs. In fact, there was 225 clubs in the French League in 1939 and France's national team had managed to beat England and Wales to win their first 1938-39 European Championship. 1939 also saw Narbonne, Carcasonne and Brive (three of the country's leading Rugby Union clubs) all switched to League.

However, World War Two derailed French Rugby League's progress. In May 1940, when France was invaded, the country was split into Occupied France in the North and pro-Nazi Vichy France in the South (roughly French Rugby League heartlands). The Vichy government associated RL with France's pre-war socialist government, the UK and General Charles De Gaulle. However, some of the French RU 's senior administrators took advantage of their close relationship with the new regime and had Rugby League outlawed for "corrupting the French Youth." Funds, grounds and equipment that belonged to the French Rugby League Federation were handed to rugby union, with an estimated 2 million 1940 French Francs (the currency before Euros) worth of assets stripped. RL players were also forced to switch to Rugby Union or quit sport full stop. 

The ban was lifted in 1944 and the federation was legalised again, however, none of the 2 million Francs worth of assets that were stripped were given back and so French Rugby League suffered long lasting damage and struggled to get the momentum it had pre-war back again.

On 10th July 1947, French Rugby League, French Rugby Union and the French Republic had a gentleman's agreement for dividing the Ligue Francaise de rugby a treize (RL's governing body in France) in to two parts. The Federation Francaise de jeu a treize would govern the amateur game while Ligue de rugby a XIII would govern the semi professional game. Even though the Vichy ban had been lifted, "rugby" was banned in the federation's title from 24th April 1949 to 26th June 1991, and so they had to use Jeu a treize (game of thirteen) instead. Rugby league was also banned in schools and limited to 200 professional players in this flawed agreement.

Nevertheless, French rugby league was re-established and became one of the sports two major powers, while also being a driving force for the establishment of the World Cup and even hosting the first one in 1954. They lost the final 16-12 to Great Britain. France played a few major international series against Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand and even toured Australia twice in 1951 and 1955 and won them both! Both of these French teams are still seen as two of the strongest teams to tour Australia.

Internationally, France kept a brilliant record, including beating Australia for a third time in the 1967-68 home series, and finished runner up to Australia in the 1968 Rugby League World Cup. They even beat Australia 2 tests to nil in the 1978 home series, something that wouldn't be repeated until the 2005 Tri Nations won by Australia. However, in the 1980s, their competitiveness with Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand reduced. They haven't returned to their former strength yet, with their last victory against them 3 teams coming against Great Britain in 1990.

The original proposal for Super League in 1995 had both Paris and Toulouse, before being reduced to just the one French club in PSG, who were formed in February 1996 to take part in Super League. Despite it's early success, it was abandoned in October 1997. This was due to Paris not being in the RL heartlands of the South and their players had double the burden from playing for their original club and Paris. This was because Paris drew all their players from the French League.

XIII Actif were formed in 1998, with historian Robert Fassolette as Chairman, aiming to pressure on the French government over the Vichy banning of the sport and return of all assets. An enquiry by the French Minister of Sport, which found in favour of XIII Actif but nothing was concrete. The court then ruled the French Rugby League federation could take action under its former name, which they had previously been made to change. However, in the early 2020s, the French federation have chosen not to support this action and don't communicate about the Vichy period no more.

French Rugby League was boosted by the return of professional Rugby League through Catalans. They demonstrated their power and talent by attracting a crowd of 85,000 for the 2007 Challenge Cup Final. They demonstrated this again by beating Warrington by 20 points to 14 in the 2018 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley in front of 50,672 spectators. The introduction of Toulouse in 2022 further helps the French game as they rally up to hold the 2025 Rugby League World Cup. Frenchmen and expansionists alike will be hoping they can survive their relegation battle with Wakefield Trinity. Other French Clubs can still apply to play in England too. They would have to do this through the RFL and meet a certain criteria. Therefore, perhaps there may be more clubs in England in the future, such as Lezignan and Carcasonne. One Women's side that do play in the UK are Deesses Catalanes. They are Catalans Women's side and have played in the Women's Nines this year and have done quite well. Well done Les Deeses Cats!

In France, the top league is the Elite One Championship, featuring teams like Lezignan, Carcasonne and Saint-Esteve XIII. Below them is the Elite Two Championship and there are several more leagues below that still today. Their main knockout cup is the Lord Derby Cup, while there is also the Coupe Falcou for National Division One and Federal clubs.

Media is still an issue for French RL. They have struggled to gain nationwide coverage of the sport, and it is mainly just regional companies who provide news on it. French Television don't offer any programs on Rugby League either. This means that French teams have to fund their own broadcast, on YouTube or Social Networks. Radio Marseillete lead the way in terms of radio, while Radio France Bleu Roussillon also provide commentary of Catalans home games. As aforementioned, the press barely follow the game. There are articles published in Le Monde, Le Figaro or the National Sports Newspaper L'Equipe very occasionally. Only two local newspapers genuinely follow the game; L'Independent, who are based in the South of France, and La Depeche Du Midi, based in the South West of France.

There you go then, a history of Rugby League In France. There is plenty more I could go into as I could have a proper look into the actual French leagues. Neverthless, merci beaucoup for reading! Until next time, bye!