Elite 2 (rugby league)

Elite 2

Sport	Rugby league
Founded	2002
No. of teams	9
Country	France
Most recent champion(s)	Villefranche XIII Aveyron
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	Super XIII
Relegation to	National Division 1
Domestic cup(s)	Lord Derby Cup
Official website	Official site

Elite 2 (formerly the Elite Two Championship) is the second tier semi-professional rugby league competition in France below Super XIII, but above the National Division 1. The regular season runs from September/October to April. ^{[1] [2]} The clubs play each other home and away before entering into a series of play-off matches resulting in a Grand Final. ^[2] The winners can gain promotion to Super XIII providing they meet a minimum criteria. Occasionally the runners-up could be offered promotion. Promotion to Elite 2 from the National Divisions is also based on similar criteria. ^[3]

History

The Elite Two Championship was formed in 2002 when the French Rugby League Championship was split into two Elite One and Elite Two.

Teams for 2024–25 season

There are nine teams competing in the 2024–25 season. ^[2]

Carpentras

Salon

Tonneins

Occitania

class=notpageimage|

Teams participating in Elite 2 in the 2024–25 season

Ille-sur-Tet

Lescure

Palau

Pamiers

Realmont

Villegailhenc

class=notpageimage|

Teams participating in Elite 2 in the 2024–25 season located in Occitania region

Club	Stadium	Capacity	City/Area
RC Carpentras XIII	Stade de la Roseraie	5,000	Carpentras, Vaucluse
Ille-sur-Tet XIII	Stade Jean Galia	2,000	Ille-sur-Tet, Pyrenees Orientales
RC Lescure-Arthes XIII	Stade de Lescure d'Albigeois	2,000	Lescure-d'Albigeois, Tarn
Palau XIII Broncos	Georges Vaills Stadium		Palau-del-Vidre, Pyrénées-Orientales
Pamiers XIII	Stade Magnagounet		Pamiers, Ariège
Realmont XIII	Stade Claude Andre		Realmont, Tarn
RC Salon XIII	Stade Marcel Roustan	2,000	Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône
Tonneins XIII	Stade Jean Bernège		Tonneins, Lot-et-Garonne
Villegailhenc-Aragon XIII	Stade Municipal Conques sur Orbiel	2,000	Villegailhenc, Aude

Past winners

Year	Winner	Score	Runner Up	Ref.
2002–03	Sainte-Livrade XIII	25 – 15	UTC 2	[4]
2003–04	RC Carpentras XIII	14 – 10	UTC 2	[4]
2004–05	Marseille XIII	12 – 10	RC Carpentras XIII	[4]
2005–06	Le Barcarès XIII	25 – 19	Palau XIII Broncos	[4]
2006–07	Gifi Bias XIII	16 – 14	Racing Club Albi XIII	[4]
2007–08	Le Barcarès XIII	30 – 16	Montpellier Red Devils	[4]
2008–09	AS Corbeil	30 – 14	RC Baho XIII	[4]
2009–10	Palau XIII Broncos	18 – 12	Montpellier Red Devils	[4]
2010–11	RC Lescure-Arthes XIII	12 – 0	RC Baho XIII	[4]
2011–12	Palau XIII Broncos	34 – 17	Toulouse Jules-Julien XIII	[5]
2012–13	Palau XIII Broncos	26 – 22	RC Baho XIII	[6]
2013–14	RC Baho XIII	18 – 12	Racing Club Albi XIII	[7]
2014–15	Racing Club Albi XIII	21 – 14	RC Lescure-Arthes XIII	[8]
2015–16	La Reole XIII	20 – 16	RC Lescure-Arthes XIII	[9]
2016–17	Villefranche XIII Aveyron	13 – 10	RC Baho XIII	[10]
2017–18	Villegailhenc-Aragon XIII	23 – 16	RC Lescure-Arthes XIII	[11]
2018–19	RC Baho XIII	35 – 20	Villegailhenc-Aragon XIII	[12]
2019–20	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.			[4]
2020–21
2021–22	Baroudeurs de Pia XIII	15 – 14	RC Baho XIII	[13]
2022–23	Ille-sur-Têt XIII	25 – 18	Villefranche XIII Aveyron	[14]
2023–24	Villefranche XIII Aveyron	37 – 14	Villegailhenc-Aragon XIII	[15]
2024–25	Palau XIII Broncos	20 – 17	Villegailhenc-Aragon XIII	[16]

See also

• France portal
• Sports portal

• French rugby league system
• Rugby league in France
• Lord Derby Cup
• Coupe Falcou

References

1. "11 clubs to play in French Elite 2 Championship, Carcassonne sign Spanish International". Love Rugby League. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
2. "The Elite 2 calendar season 2024-2025 with 9 teams". Treize Mondial. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
3. "Treiziste Diary: Status quo in Elite 1, but changes being made to French lower divisions". Total Rugby League. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
4. "France Elite 2 Championship: Charts". Treize Mondial. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
5. "Palau sacré Champion de France" (in French). FFRXIII. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
6. "Palau champion de France du suspense" (in French). FFRXIII. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
7. "Les résultats du week-end" (in French). FFRXIII. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
8. "Une fête, une Coupe et un Planchot à Montpellier" (in French). FFRXIII. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
9. "Finale Elite 2 | La Réole XIII décroche le bouclier !" (in French). FFRXIII. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
10. "Elite 2 : le patient rouergat" (in French). FFRXIII. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
11. "Villegailhenc is French Elite 2 champion". Treize Mondial. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
12. "In the chaos, Baho scored twice by beating Villegailhenc". Treize Mondial. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
13. "Pia Elite 2 champion with golden point against Baho". Treize Mondial. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
14. "Ille triumphed at the end of the match against Villefranche and won the Elite 2". Treize Mondial. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
15. "Villefranche wins the title in Elite 2 by defeating the VARL". Treize Mondial. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
16. "Palau crowned France Elite 2 champion after its victory against VARL". Treize Mondial. 17 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.

External links

• Elite 2, French Rugby League Federation