France Elite Season 1995-99

This is part of a series that charts the clubs that have played elite Rugby league in France in five year increments. We continue with the late 1990s. The chart has points I have allocated according to where teams finished in the League, Finals and Cup competitions. Some of the data below is missing so any feedback is appreciated in the comments section below.  

To start at the beginning of the series, simply click on the following dates 1960-64. 

1994-95: St Estève was making a name for itself as a leading club in the domestic game. It won the league title and cup, with Pia winning the grand final. 

1995-96: Some of the data around this time is hard to obtain, especially this season. The little I have for this season is below. 

1996-97: A tight battle between four clubs was the situation here. With two pools in operation, it increased the number of participants. I also modified the scoring slightly to accommodate the different format. Villeneuve and Limoux each won a pool, St Estève the grand final and XIII Catalan the cup.

1997-98: St Estève was the best this year with grand final and cup trophies. Villeneuve was the best in the league. Limoux was a consistent performer but without winning anything. 

1998-99: St Estève may have won the league but it was Villeneuve that captured the grand final and cup competitions. It also had a successful league campaign for a fine all round season. 

Summary: St Estève, Villeneue and Limoux were clearly the best performing sides for this period. Limoux didn't win much but one couldn't question the consistency it showed. 

Point of interest: This was the last time Tonneins and Pamiers appear on the lists that will follow. Tonneins has been around since the code's inception and has for the most part not been at the top echelon of the game. Much the same could be said of Pamiers except they were formed in the mid 1960s. 

For the next in the series, please click here.