Rugby League: That’s The Way It Was. The History of Rugby League in France (Part 2).
Episode 5 : In Part 1, Mike Rylance told us about the incredible rise of Rugby League in the 1930’s – followed by the cruel bans of the Vichy Regime in the 1940s, and the golden period of the 1950’s which saw France dominate international Rugby League. In Part 2 we chart the game’s demise AND possibly the rise again of French Rugby League?
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Acknowledgments
Mike Rylance is the author of “The Forbidden Game” and “The Struggle and The Daring”.
Also thanks to Andrew Ferguson from The Rugby League Project
1978 December 10th France Australia. 2nd Test.

French Elite’ One Championship 2018/2019
Club | P | W | D | L | Pts. |
Carcassonne | 19 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 48 |
Lezignan | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 45 |
St.Esteve/XIII Catalan | 19 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 45 |
Limouxin | 19 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 45 |
Albi | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 39 |
Villeneuve | 19 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 36 |
Palau | 19 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 26 |
Avignon | 19 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 25 |
St.Gaudens | 19 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 19 |
Toulouse | 19 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 17 |
– French Elite’ One has a bonus point system
– The Championship Final was won by St.Esteve/ XIII Catalan V Carcassonne 32 – 24
– Of the original 10 clubs, Lyon-Villeurbanne now in Elite’ 2 Championship – Roanne now in French National Division 2 (Regional)
Challenge Cup Final 2018 Wembley Stadium
August 26th, 2018
CATALAN DRAGONS | WARRINGTON WOLVES |
1. Gigot | Ratchford |
2. Tierney | Lineham |
3. Mead | Goodwin |
4. Wiliame | T.King |
5. Yaha | Charnley |
6. Langi | Brown |
7. Drinkwater | Roberts |
8. Simon | Hill |
9. McIlorum | Clark |
10. Moa | Cooper |
11. Jullien | Livett |
12.Garcia | Hughes |
13.Casty | Westwood |
Interchange | |
Bousquet, Baitieri | Murdoch-Masila, G.King |
Edwards, Goudemand | Patton, Philbin |
Full Time
Catalan 20 ( Tierney, Garcia, Wiliame tries, Drinkwater 4 goals) defeated
Warrington 14 ( Murdoch-Masila, G.King tries, Roberts 3 goals)
More episodes of Rugby League; That’s the Way it Was can be found here
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rugby-league-thats-the-way-it-was/id1478212559