Sunday 14 November 2021

France Elite Season 2015-19

This is the final in a series that charts the clubs that have played elite Rugby league in France in five year increments. We continue with the late 2010s. The chart has points I have allocated according to where teams finished in the League, Finals and Cup competitions. 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

2014-15: This was an even season with Carcassone winning the league,  Toulouse the grand final and Lézignan the cup. St Estève-Catalan had a good season without reward. 

2015-16: Toulouse joined the UK League One so the domestic team was retained but without the same firepower. Albi returned and has stayed since. Carcassone win the league, Limoux the grand final and St Estève-Catalan won a trophy with a cup final victory after a few years of missing out.

2016-17: St Gaudens returned after a brief absence, Lézignan finished top of the league, Limoux the grand final and Carcassonne the cup. Lézignan's overall consistency made them the best for the season.

2017-18: St Estève-Catalan were getting back to their winning ways with league and cup wins. Avignon won the grand final while Limoux did everything but win a trophy. 

2018-19: Carcassonne was the best with league and cup victories with St Estève-Catalan winning the grand final. 

Summary: St Estève-Catalan's consistency narrowly had them the best of the five year stanza, with Limoux, Lézignan and Carcassone unable to be separated and all so close to the top. Those four clubs were the strongest.



Point of interest: Avignon is famous for hosting popes way back in the 1300s and I recall singing a song at school about a bridge in the city. Its fame here is its Rugby league club, liquidated in 2001 but survived to remain down to this day. It's in a sizable city so would it be suitable to enter a team in the UK one day? Perhaps a bridge too far. 

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