XIII Catalan is a rugby league team from Perpignan in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of southern France. They were founded in 1934, and thus were founding members of the French rugby league championship. In 2000 their senior team merged with nearby neighbours AS Saint Estève to form Union Treiziste Catalane, now better known in the English-speaking world by their Super League identity of Catalans Dragons.
Toulouse Olympique or TO XIII is a professional rugby league club in Toulouse, south-west France. Founded in 1937, two years after the French Rugby League Federation, the club is a six-time winner of the French Rugby League Championship.
FC Lourdais is a French rugby union club from Lourdes currently competing in the French league system. Formed in 1911, they have won the French league eight times and the French cup six times. They play in the Stade Antoine-Beguere and traditionally wear blue and red jerseys. Their most notable former player is Jean Prat. They are based in Lourdes in Hautes-Pyrénées. The team currently competes in the fourth tier of French rugby, Fédérale 2.
Andrew "Andy" Bentley is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker, second-row or loose forward for Toulouse Olympique in the Betfred Championship.
The 2007/08 season was the fifth year of the Elite One Championship, the top level rugby league competition in France. The season commenced on 6 October 2007 and like the previous season, there were 11 teams with one team missing a round each week. A total of 22 rounds were played, with the last finishing on 12 April 2008 before the play-offs, that determined who played in the Grand Final. RC Albi were the league's new club having been promoted from the Elite Two Championship. Pia XIII were the defending champions having beaten Lézignan Sangliers in the 2006/2007 season Grand Final. The top 8 clubs qualified for the end of season play-offs. In the first week of the play-offs, Saint-Gaudens Bears and UTC both easily beat Toulouse Olympique and RC Albi respectively. However both teams were then beaten, Saint-Gaudens Bears by third placed AS Carcassonne, and UTC by Limoux Grizzlies in Week 2. Pia XIII beat AS Carcassonne in the first semi-final and a day later Lézignan Sangliers, the league leaders, squeezed past Limoux Grizzlies. In the Grand Final held at the Stade de la Mediterranee in Béziers, Lézignan Sangliers did what they had failed to do the previous season and beat Pia XIII 26-16, and thus winning the title for the first time. Despite finishing 8th and reaching the Lord Derby cup final RC Albi were relegated and Toulouse Olympique left the league and joined the English Rugby League system. SO Avignon were promoted from the 2nd tier. The Lord Derby Cup was won by Limoux Grizzlies.
George Fairbairn is a Scottish former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s, and coached rugby league in the 1980s and 1990s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Borders, and at club level for Kelso RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Wigan, winning the Man of Steel Award in 1980, and Hull Kingston Rovers, as a goal-kicking fullback, and coached at representative level rugby league for Scotland, and at club level Wigan, Hull Kingston Rovers, and Huddersfield.
William Bernard Ganley, also known by the nickname of "The Maestro", was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Lancashire, and at club level for Oldham, as a fullback. He was justifiably regarded as one of the greatest goalkickers in the game's history.
Antoni Maria is a French rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for FC Lezignan in the Elite One Championship and France at international level.
Gilbert Benausse was a French rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at the international level for France, and at club level for AS Carcassonne, Lézignan Sangliers and Toulouse Olympique, playing at centre, stand-off, or scrum-half, i.e. number 3 or 5, 6, or 7.
Rees Thomas was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached rugby league in the 1970s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Cornwall, and at club level for Maesteg RFC, Royal Navy and Devonport Services R.F.C., and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Swinton and Wigan, as a scrum-half, i.e. number 7, and coached at club level for Swinton.
Gregory White is a dual rugby union and rugby league utility with French, English and Australian nationalities. He was named in the French Rugby League squad to play England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in October 2011.
Lambert Belmas is a French professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for Toulouse Olympique in the Super League and France at international level.
George Aillères, is a French former rugby league player who represented France in the 1968 World Cup. He is the father of the fellow France rugby league international Pierre Aillères. He is nicknamed "Le Cube" due to his "imposing physical presence".
Claude Mantoulan, nicknamed La Mantoule, is a French former rugby union and rugby league player.
Mathieu Jussaume is a professional rugby league player with Toulouse Olympique in Super League. He plays centre and is a product of the Toulouse academy system.
René Benausse was a French rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s. He played at the international level for France, and at club level for AS Carcassonne and FC Lézignan XIII playing at wing. He is the older brother of fellow rugby league footballer Gilbert Benausse, alongside which he played for Lézignan.
Joseph Guiraud, is a French former rugby league player who played as centre, halfback and five-eights and later, coach.
André Casas was a French rugby league footballer who played as hooker.
André Lacaze is a French former rugby league footballer and referee.
André Marty is a former French rugby league footballer who played as a winger and loose forward.
