France national rugby league team
Encyclopedia
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league
tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers". The team is run under the auspices of the Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII and is largely made up of players from Super League
and the Elite One Championship
.
The French rugby league team first played in 1934 on a tour of England. They have taken part in all World Cups
, twelve in total, with the first being held in 1954 in France. They have never won the title but have finished runners-up in both 1954 and 1968. These are often considered the glory years of French rugby league as in the 1950s and 1970s the team were strong and regularly beat Australia, New Zealand
and Great Britain
. Since those days though, the Tricolores have not done so well, not managing to win a single match in the 1995 World Cup
, but doing slightly better in the 2000 World Cup
comfortably beating Tonga
and South Africa
, before losing to eventual finalists New Zealand
.
In 2006, the Perpignan
based team Catalans Dragons
entered Super League Europe, and have since produced a number of top-class French players. Despite improved professionalism France finished 10th in the 2008 World Cup
in Australia. The team will play in the 2013 World Cup.
Currently the team is ranked fifth in the world, behind Fiji
. In Europe alone they are ranked second, ahead of Ireland
, Scotland
and Lebanon
, but behind their main rival England
.
and Australia played in Paris
– the first game of rugby league
football in France. The match was one-sided, with Australia winning 63-13 in front of a crowd of about 5,000, but the seed was sown. French rugby union players, disgruntled that France
had been suspended from the Five Nations Championship
, formed the 'Ligue Francaise de Rugby a XIII' on 6 April 1934. Jean Galia
, a former rugby union international and champion boxer, lead France on a six-match tour of England in 1934 and they recorded their first win in Kingston upon Hull
. The national team
's first game was in Paris on 15 April 1934, losing 21-32 to England in front of a crowd of 20,000. By 1939 the French league had 155 clubs and the national side beat England (the first French side to do so in either rugby
code) and Wales
to take the European championship.
and major international series against Great Britain
, Australia and New Zealand
. In 1946 they became the first French sporting team to win at Wembley Stadium.
" in an International Championship match at the Boulevard, Hull which became known as the "Battle of the Boulevard". Other Nationalities won 17-14 but the match centred on the behaviour of Edouard Ponsinet
, who was involved in most of the violence that happened at the game. The Other Nationalities were down to eleven players at one stage, with Arthur Clues
being the most serious casualty, hospitalised with head injuries. Eventually Ponsinet was sent off, ten minutes from time after breaking the nose of Jeff Burke
. Despite this defeat France went on to retain the title with home victories over England and Wales.
In 1951 France embarked on their first ever tour of Australasia, coached by Bob Samatan and led by the legendary chain-smoking fullback, Puig Aubert
. Their flamboyant style of unorthodox attacking rugby attracted huge crowds. When the two nations met for the first Test the previous month, the match became the first "all ticket" international to be staged at the Sydney Cricket Ground
, and attracted a crowd of over 60,000. On Saturday 30 June 1951, Australia secured a hard-fought Second Test victory over France in Brisbane by 23 points to 11. The third Test took place at Sydney Cricket Ground three weeks later. Late tries from Duncan Hall
and Brian Davies could not prevent the Kangaroos from suffering an embarrassing 35-14 defeat. France played 28 matches during the three-month tour, winning 21 matches, drawing twice and losing just five times.
In the 1954 World Cup
, which was the first of either rugby code and was instigated by France, the Tricolours defeated both Australia and New Zealand, and Drew with Great Britain to reach the final. This was the closest they went to getting their hands on the World Cup, going down narrowly, 16-12, to Great Britain in the final in Parc des Princes
, Paris. France donated the original World Cup trophy, but they have never won it.
France repeated the success of their 1951 tour in 1955. The 1951 and 1955 French sides that toured Australia are still regarded as two of the strongest sides ever to tour that country.
In the 1957 World Cup
which was held in Australia no final was played, with the winner decided on a table standing, and France finished last, winning one match against New Zealand. History was made when the returning French and British squads visited South Africa and played a series of exhibition matches in Benoni
, Durban
and East London
, all of which were won by the British.
France failed to win a match, and finished last for the second consecutive time.
On Sunday 8 December 1963, France defeated the Australians in the first Test of a three Test series during the Kangaroo tour of Europe. The match was held in Bordeaux
.
The French managed to reach the final of the 1968 Rugby League World Cup
, the last time they have achieved that feat. They beat both Great Britain and New Zealand to qualify, but lost to Australia in Sydney, and so finished runners-up again.
, a narrow win over Australia, who went on to win the Cup in the final. In 1972 France hosted the sixth World Cup
and again only got the one win, in the opening match against New Zealand. The trend of underperforming in the World Cup continued for the French in the expanded 1975 tournament
in which they got a lone win over Wales and a draw against New Zealand. Two years later in the 1977 World Cup they didn't win a match at all. But then in 1978 France beat the Kangaroos 13-10 and 11-10 which remained Australia's last failed attempt to win an international series or competition until 2005. But for many it is this victory that signalled the end of French international competitiveness.
, drew with Great Britain in Avignon
and were thrashed 52-0 in Carcassonne
against Australia. Away from home they suffered a large defeat against Great Britain in Leeds
. The team recorded their only win of the World Cup beating Papua New Guinea
in front of 3,500 people in Carcassonne
.
, Garry Schofield
, Martin Offiah
and Denis Betts
were embarrassed by a 25-18 loss, which was France's first victory on English soil for 23 years. The team then met Papua New Guinea on Sunday 30 June 1991 in Rabaul
, where they were beaten 28-24. On Sunday 7 July 1991, the two sides met again for a World Cup
encounter at Danny Leahy Oval, Goroka
. The heat and humidity caused France all kinds of problems, but the Tricolores squeezed home 20-18.
On Sunday 27 October 1991, the first ever Test match involving the Soviet Union
took place at the Stade Georges Lyvet, Villeurbanne, near Lyon, France. The Bears were beaten 26-6 by France. The Papua New Guinea national team wound up their 1991 tour of Europe with a World Cup rated Test match against France, which was played on Sunday 24 November at the Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne. France defeated their visitors 28-14. In the 1995 World Cup France had to play the Samoans three days after taking a physical pounding from the Welsh in Cardiff.
John Kear
was briefly in charge of Les Tricolours in 1997.
France took on Italy
at the Parc des Sports, Avignon
in November 1999. France needed a draw to win the Mediterranean Cup
. The Italians, registered a memorable 14-10 victory, which handed the cup to the Lebanon
.
for a match against South Africa
on Saturday 3 November 2001. The French were too good for a young and inexperienced South African side. They scored four tries in each half, and won 44-6 after leading 24-0 at half-time.
In 2002, france lost to Lebanon
36–6 in front of 9,713 spectators at Tripoli
in the Mediterranean Cup
final.
In 2004 the French returned to form with a narrow 20-24 defeat of New Zealand and a losing but creditable performance against Australia. However, the game was played under modified rules and was not at the time considered an official test match. Shortly afterwards the game was retrospectively awarded test status. In 2005, the Tricolores played Australia again in Perpignan
. They suffered a 44-12 defeat. Unlike their last match against Australia, this game was played under normal rules and is considered a regular test match. This was their best performance in an official test match against Australia since 1990.
In the Winter of 2007, Papua New Guinea toured France, and in both matches that the two nations played, France won. After those two games a match in Paris was scheduled against New Zealand, on their way back from a 3-0 test defeat against Great Britain. A last minute try secured a 21-16 New Zealand win in front of a decent crowd despite Paris rail strikes. France participated in the 2008 World Cup
after being granted automatic qualification. They were drawn in Group B with Scotland
and Fiji
. Winning only one game and losing two, France finished the tournament in last place.
France participated in the first 2009 Four Nations tournament against England
, New Zealand
and Australia. The following year, the tournament was held in Australia and New Zealand, with France's place being taken by a pacific qualifier. With the Four Nations returning to Europe in 2011, France needed to qualify by winning the 2010 European Cup
, but failed to do so, with Wales qualifying instead. In 2011 the English team, rather than playing their annual test against France, instead arranged the inaugural 2011 International Origin match.
Touch Judge
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers". The team is run under the auspices of the Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII and is largely made up of players from Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
and the Elite One Championship
Elite One Championship
The Elite One Championship is the top tier French professional domestic rugby league competition....
.
The French rugby league team first played in 1934 on a tour of England. They have taken part in all World Cups
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
, twelve in total, with the first being held in 1954 in France. They have never won the title but have finished runners-up in both 1954 and 1968. These are often considered the glory years of French rugby league as in the 1950s and 1970s the team were strong and regularly beat Australia, New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
and Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
. Since those days though, the Tricolores have not done so well, not managing to win a single match in the 1995 World Cup
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
, but doing slightly better in the 2000 World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
comfortably beating Tonga
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
and South Africa
South Africa national rugby league team
The South Africa national rugby league team are a growing force in rugby league football, South Africa competes sporadically against other international nations because of their location and their absence from any major international competitions. They are ranked twenty-third in the world...
, before losing to eventual finalists New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
.
In 2006, the Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
based team Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
entered Super League Europe, and have since produced a number of top-class French players. Despite improved professionalism France finished 10th in the 2008 World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
in Australia. The team will play in the 2013 World Cup.
Currently the team is ranked fifth in the world, behind Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
. In Europe alone they are ranked second, ahead of Ireland
Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation...
, Scotland
Scotland national rugby league team
The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments. The team is run under the auspices of the Scotland Rugby League, and are nicknamed The Bravehearts. Scotland are not regarded as a test nation...
and Lebanon
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
, but behind their main rival England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
.
Thirties
On New Year's Eve 1933, EnglandEngland national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
and Australia played in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
– the first game of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
football in France. The match was one-sided, with Australia winning 63-13 in front of a crowd of about 5,000, but the seed was sown. French rugby union players, disgruntled that France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
had been suspended from the Five Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
, formed the 'Ligue Francaise de Rugby a XIII' on 6 April 1934. Jean Galia
Jean Galia
Jean Galia was a French rugby union and rugby league footballer and champion boxer...
, a former rugby union international and champion boxer, lead France on a six-match tour of England in 1934 and they recorded their first win in Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
. The national team
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
's first game was in Paris on 15 April 1934, losing 21-32 to England in front of a crowd of 20,000. By 1939 the French league had 155 clubs and the national side beat England (the first French side to do so in either rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
code) and Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
to take the European championship.
Forties
The game of rugby league suffered in France during the Second World War, as the French rugby union collaberators worked with the collaborating Vichy regime to have rugby league banned. Some players and officials of the sport were punished (not reinstated in the French rugby union), whilst some of the assets of the rugby league and its clubs were handed over to the union. After the war the French game was re-established and the French became one of rugby league's major powers, competing in the Rugby League World CupRugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
and major international series against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. In 1946 they became the first French sporting team to win at Wembley Stadium.
Fifties
In November 1951, France met "Other NationalitiesOther Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
" in an International Championship match at the Boulevard, Hull which became known as the "Battle of the Boulevard". Other Nationalities won 17-14 but the match centred on the behaviour of Edouard Ponsinet
Édouard Ponsinet
Édouard Ponsinet was a French rugby league player for AS Carcassonne and club Lézignan in the French rugby league championship competition...
, who was involved in most of the violence that happened at the game. The Other Nationalities were down to eleven players at one stage, with Arthur Clues
Arthur Clues
Arthur Clues was an Australian professional rugby league player for Wests, New South Wales, and Australia. He primarily played in the second-row, i.e. number 11 or 12...
being the most serious casualty, hospitalised with head injuries. Eventually Ponsinet was sent off, ten minutes from time after breaking the nose of Jeff Burke
Jeff Burke
Jeff Burke is a former Disney Imagineer who joined the company in the early 1970s.The first two attractions that he worked on were Country Bear Jamboree and America Sings as a figure-finisher....
. Despite this defeat France went on to retain the title with home victories over England and Wales.
In 1951 France embarked on their first ever tour of Australasia, coached by Bob Samatan and led by the legendary chain-smoking fullback, Puig Aubert
Puig Aubert
Puig Aubert , was debatably the greatest French rugby league footballer of all-time Over a sixteen year professional career he would play for Carcassonne, XIII Catalan, Celtic de Paris and Castelnaudary winning five French championships and four French cups along with representing the French...
. Their flamboyant style of unorthodox attacking rugby attracted huge crowds. When the two nations met for the first Test the previous month, the match became the first "all ticket" international to be staged at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, and attracted a crowd of over 60,000. On Saturday 30 June 1951, Australia secured a hard-fought Second Test victory over France in Brisbane by 23 points to 11. The third Test took place at Sydney Cricket Ground three weeks later. Late tries from Duncan Hall
Duncan Hall
Duncan Hall was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 1950s, singled out as having been amongst the greatest of the 20th century. He played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley Diehards and represented Queensland and Australia. He has been named amongst...
and Brian Davies could not prevent the Kangaroos from suffering an embarrassing 35-14 defeat. France played 28 matches during the three-month tour, winning 21 matches, drawing twice and losing just five times.
In the 1954 World Cup
1954 Rugby League World Cup
The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954 and officially known as the "Rugby World Cup". The prime motivators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by the rugby union in World War II.The...
, which was the first of either rugby code and was instigated by France, the Tricolours defeated both Australia and New Zealand, and Drew with Great Britain to reach the final. This was the closest they went to getting their hands on the World Cup, going down narrowly, 16-12, to Great Britain in the final in Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
, Paris. France donated the original World Cup trophy, but they have never won it.
France repeated the success of their 1951 tour in 1955. The 1951 and 1955 French sides that toured Australia are still regarded as two of the strongest sides ever to tour that country.
In the 1957 World Cup
1957 Rugby League World Cup
The second Rugby League World Cup was held in Australia in 1957. As before a group stage was held first, with matches being held at locations in Sydney and Brisbane....
which was held in Australia no final was played, with the winner decided on a table standing, and France finished last, winning one match against New Zealand. History was made when the returning French and British squads visited South Africa and played a series of exhibition matches in Benoni
Benoni, Gauteng
Benoni is a city with 654,509 inhabitants on the East Rand in the South African province of Gauteng. Since 2000, it has been part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.- History :...
, Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
and East London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, all of which were won by the British.
Sixties
In the 1960 Rugby League World Cup1960 Rugby League World Cup
The 1960 Rugby League World Cup was the third staging of the tournament and the first Rugby league World Cup to be held in Great Britain. The same format as used in 1957 was used, with a group stage leading to a final table....
France failed to win a match, and finished last for the second consecutive time.
On Sunday 8 December 1963, France defeated the Australians in the first Test of a three Test series during the Kangaroo tour of Europe. The match was held in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
.
The French managed to reach the final of the 1968 Rugby League World Cup
1968 Rugby League World Cup
- Final standings :-Final:The final had been billed a 'debacle' following Great Britain's inexplicable loss to France in Auckland, leaving them to contest the final despite being beaten by Australia seven tries to none two days prior....
, the last time they have achieved that feat. They beat both Great Britain and New Zealand to qualify, but lost to Australia in Sydney, and so finished runners-up again.
Seventies
France managed one victory in the 1970 Rugby League World Cup1970 Rugby League World Cup
The fifth Rugby League World Cup was held in Great Britain in 1970. Britain, fresh from defeating Australia in the Ashes, were hot favourites, and won all three of their group stage games. All the other nations lost two games each, and Australia qualified for the final largely on the back of an...
, a narrow win over Australia, who went on to win the Cup in the final. In 1972 France hosted the sixth World Cup
1972 Rugby League World Cup
The sixth Rugby League World Cup was held in France in October and November of 1972. Australia started as the favourites to retain the trophy they had won just two years previously. New Zealand had beaten all three of the other nations in 1971 and France were expected to be tough opponents on their...
and again only got the one win, in the opening match against New Zealand. The trend of underperforming in the World Cup continued for the French in the expanded 1975 tournament
1975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
in which they got a lone win over Wales and a draw against New Zealand. Two years later in the 1977 World Cup they didn't win a match at all. But then in 1978 France beat the Kangaroos 13-10 and 11-10 which remained Australia's last failed attempt to win an international series or competition until 2005. But for many it is this victory that signalled the end of French international competitiveness.
Eighties
Rugby league in France went through a riotous period at the beginning of the 1980s. From 1985 to 1987 the team were beaten by New Zealand in PerpignanPerpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, drew with Great Britain in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and were thrashed 52-0 in Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
against Australia. Away from home they suffered a large defeat against Great Britain in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. The team recorded their only win of the World Cup beating Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
in front of 3,500 people in Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
.
Nineties
In 1990 a Great Britain team including Shaun EdwardsShaun Edwards
Shaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach....
, Garry Schofield
Garry Schofield
Garry E. Schofield OBE is an English retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. At the time of his retirement he was the most-capped Great Britain player of all time along with Mick Sullivan, with 46 appearances. He also won three England caps, making him the highest...
, Martin Offiah
Martin Offiah
Martin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire...
and Denis Betts
Denis Betts
Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby...
were embarrassed by a 25-18 loss, which was France's first victory on English soil for 23 years. The team then met Papua New Guinea on Sunday 30 June 1991 in Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, where they were beaten 28-24. On Sunday 7 July 1991, the two sides met again for a World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
encounter at Danny Leahy Oval, Goroka
Goroka
Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. It is a town of approximately 19,000 people , 1600m above sea level. It has an airport and is on the "Highlands Highway", about 285 km from Lae in Morobe province and 90 km from the nearby town of Kainantu also...
. The heat and humidity caused France all kinds of problems, but the Tricolores squeezed home 20-18.
On Sunday 27 October 1991, the first ever Test match involving the Soviet Union
Russia national rugby league team
-2008 World Cup Qualifying:In 2006 Russia were involved in Europe Round One, defeating Netherlands national rugby league team and Serbia national rugby league team to finish second and keep their World Cup dream alive. They then went through to Europe Round Two in Europe Pool Two with Ireland and...
took place at the Stade Georges Lyvet, Villeurbanne, near Lyon, France. The Bears were beaten 26-6 by France. The Papua New Guinea national team wound up their 1991 tour of Europe with a World Cup rated Test match against France, which was played on Sunday 24 November at the Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne. France defeated their visitors 28-14. In the 1995 World Cup France had to play the Samoans three days after taking a physical pounding from the Welsh in Cardiff.
John Kear
John Kear
John Kear is an English rugby league coach and former rugby league player. Kear is currently the coach of Batley Bulldogs...
was briefly in charge of Les Tricolours in 1997.
France took on Italy
Italy national rugby league team
The Italy national rugby league team represents Italy in international rugby league football. The team dates back from the 1950s after the formation of a domestic competition in the country, and in the 1960s they played Australia, France and a number of English teams.The game disappeared in Italy...
at the Parc des Sports, Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
in November 1999. France needed a draw to win the Mediterranean Cup
Mediterranean Cup
The Mediterranean Cup was an annual rugby league football tournament that was held in Lebanon although it also has been held in France. It was contested by Lebanon, France, Serbia and Morocco with the competition first conceived as a qualifying tournament for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, and in...
. The Italians, registered a memorable 14-10 victory, which handed the cup to the Lebanon
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
.
The New Millennium
France travelled to PretoriaPretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
for a match against South Africa
South Africa national rugby league team
The South Africa national rugby league team are a growing force in rugby league football, South Africa competes sporadically against other international nations because of their location and their absence from any major international competitions. They are ranked twenty-third in the world...
on Saturday 3 November 2001. The French were too good for a young and inexperienced South African side. They scored four tries in each half, and won 44-6 after leading 24-0 at half-time.
In 2002, france lost to Lebanon
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
36–6 in front of 9,713 spectators at Tripoli
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
in the Mediterranean Cup
Mediterranean Cup
The Mediterranean Cup was an annual rugby league football tournament that was held in Lebanon although it also has been held in France. It was contested by Lebanon, France, Serbia and Morocco with the competition first conceived as a qualifying tournament for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, and in...
final.
In 2004 the French returned to form with a narrow 20-24 defeat of New Zealand and a losing but creditable performance against Australia. However, the game was played under modified rules and was not at the time considered an official test match. Shortly afterwards the game was retrospectively awarded test status. In 2005, the Tricolores played Australia again in Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
. They suffered a 44-12 defeat. Unlike their last match against Australia, this game was played under normal rules and is considered a regular test match. This was their best performance in an official test match against Australia since 1990.
In the Winter of 2007, Papua New Guinea toured France, and in both matches that the two nations played, France won. After those two games a match in Paris was scheduled against New Zealand, on their way back from a 3-0 test defeat against Great Britain. A last minute try secured a 21-16 New Zealand win in front of a decent crowd despite Paris rail strikes. France participated in the 2008 World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
after being granted automatic qualification. They were drawn in Group B with Scotland
Scotland national rugby league team
The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments. The team is run under the auspices of the Scotland Rugby League, and are nicknamed The Bravehearts. Scotland are not regarded as a test nation...
and Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
. Winning only one game and losing two, France finished the tournament in last place.
France participated in the first 2009 Four Nations tournament against England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
, New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
and Australia. The following year, the tournament was held in Australia and New Zealand, with France's place being taken by a pacific qualifier. With the Four Nations returning to Europe in 2011, France needed to qualify by winning the 2010 European Cup
2010 European Cup
The 2010 European Cup, known as the Alitalia European Cup for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league football tournament. Three of the competing teams participated in the 2009 European Cup, with France also being included in the tournament after competing in the 2009 Four Nations...
, but failed to do so, with Wales qualifying instead. In 2011 the English team, rather than playing their annual test against France, instead arranged the inaugural 2011 International Origin match.
2011 Squad
Notable players
- Puig AubertPuig AubertPuig Aubert , was debatably the greatest French rugby league footballer of all-time Over a sixteen year professional career he would play for Carcassonne, XIII Catalan, Celtic de Paris and Castelnaudary winning five French championships and four French cups along with representing the French...
- Jean DopJean DopJean Dop was a French rugby league footballer. He played club football for Marseille XIII and also represented France, touring Australia with the 1951 French national team at halfback. Playing in place of injured Jean Crespo, his dashing runs were seen as instrumental in France's win over Australia...
- Jean GaliaJean GaliaJean Galia was a French rugby union and rugby league footballer and champion boxer...
- Max RousiéMax RousiéMax Rousié was a French rugby league and rugby union footballer who rose to prominence in the 1930s. He was a dual-code international, eventually becoming captain of the French rugby league team....
- Jacques MerqueyJacques MerqueyJacques Merquey , was a French rugby footballer of the 1950s. An dual-code rugby international, his position was centre, later in his career this changed to stand-off. He played for the Avignon rugby league club, S.O.A XIII, becoming the most capped International, with 37 games for France...
- Gilbert BenausseGilbert BenausseGilbert Benausse was a French rugby league footballer of the 1950s, and '60s. He played at the international level for France, and at club level for AS Carcassonne, Lézignan Sangliers, and Toulouse Olympique, playing at /, or /, i.e...
- Georges Ailleres
- Joel Roosebrouck
- Jean-Pierre Clar
- Clovis Carrive-Meyer
- Fabrice EstebanezFabrice EstebanezFabrice Estebanez , is a French rugby league player and now rugby union player. He is a utility back and is able to play center and flyhalf. He has played for his CA Brive before joining Racing Metro 92.-Career:...
Fixtures/Results
| Date | Team | Venue | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 2011 | England Knights England national rugby league team The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football... |
Leigh Sports Village Leigh Sports Village Leigh Sports Village is an £50 million multi-use sports, retail and housing development in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. Leigh Sports Village plays host to three of the towns sporting clubs. Amateur rugby league club, Leigh East and amateur athletics club, Leigh Harriers occupy dedicated... |
Friendly | Lost 38-18 |
| 21 October 2011 | England England national rugby league team The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football... |
Parc des Sports Parc des Sports Parc des Sports is a multi-use stadium in Annecy, France. It is used by Annecy F.C. for their home matches. The capacity of the stadium is 15,660 spectators. It also hosted the 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics.... |
Friendly | Lost 18-30 |
| 29 October 2011 | Scotland Scotland national rugby league team The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments. The team is run under the auspices of the Scotland Rugby League, and are nicknamed The Bravehearts. Scotland are not regarded as a test nation... |
Stade Gilbert Brutus Stade Gilbert Brutus Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium located in Perpignan, in the south of France. Even though the stadium currently has around 9,000 seats installed, it can accommodate around 1,000 fans more due to standing room... |
2011 European Cup | Won 46-10 |
| 5 November 2011 | Ireland Ireland national rugby league team The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation... |
Thomond Park Thomond Park Thomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in... |
2011 European Cup |
Record
| Against | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | 13 | 38 | 2 | 25% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 66 | 17 | 46 | 3 | 26% | |
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 80% | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0% | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 53 | 14 | 34 | 5 | 26% | |
| 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 67% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Match Officials
Referees- Thierry AlibertThierry AlibertThierry Alibert is a professional rugby league referee.M.Alibert is a full time professional referee, under jurisdiction from the Rugby Football League, and currently takes charge of Super League games, as well as selected Challenge Cup and international games...
- Dave Segura
- Mohammed DrizzaMohammed DrizzaMohammed Drizza is a french rugby league referee.- Referring career :He was oringally referring in the Elite One Championship V but he filled the hole left in for Thierry Alibert because Thierry Alibert replaced the departing Ashley Kieln in 2008.He has refereed some Elite One Championship...
- Christophé Grandjean
- Richard Frileux
Touch Judge
- Jose Perriera
- P. Saubel
See also
- Elite One ChampionshipElite One ChampionshipThe Elite One Championship is the top tier French professional domestic rugby league competition....
- Lord Derby CupLord Derby CupThe Lord Derby Cup , also known as French Rugby à XIII Cup, is the premier knock-out competition for the sport of rugby league football in France. It is open to all French rugby league clubs....
- European Nations CupRugby League European Nations CupThe European Cup is a rugby league football tournament for European nations that was first held in 1935. The tournament was first started in 1935, with England, Wales and France each playing each other once...
- Victory Cup
- Union Treiziste Catalane
- Federation ShieldFederation Shield-Standings:-Final:Rob Purdham captained the victorious England side in this tournament, with Matt Diskin as the vice-captain. The Paul Cullen coached side entered the final as favourites following a successful group stage with three wins from three matches....
- France national rugby union teamFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...