The French has been playing Rugby League since the 1930s. It was the British who first introduced the game of rugby in France. It was in the early 1870s and the game took little time to become popular in the poorer and rural southern parts of the country.
Initially, the French clubs were affiliated to the southern British Rugby Union and the International Rugby Board (IRB). During the 1930s, the rugby union authorities blamed the French rugby union of violating the rules of amateur rugby and suspended them from playing against other countries. This marked the birth of the game of Rugby League in France as more and more rugby players shifted to rugby league. The game soon became extremely popular and was officially accepted in the country with the establishment of Ligue Française de Rugby à XIII or the French Rugby League Federation on 6 th April, 1934. The Federation received recognition of the French Government on 12 th January, 1938.
The French Rugby League Federation has been a member of the Rugby League European Federation and also a founder and full member of the IRLB or the Rugby League International Federation. It holds various competitions and tournaments of which the French rugby league championship is one of the most important. The league has several divisions and the topmost clubs of the country play in the Elite Championship. The Lord Derby Cup is another important tournament held by the French Rugby League Federation. Apart from these, some of the French rugby clubs also participate in the Super League (Europe) and the Challenge Cup.
The French Rugby League Federation has the national team as well as a number of clubs under its control. The clubs registered under the Federation include the AS Carcassonne, Carpentras XIII, Paris Saint Germain, Limoux Grizzlies, Pia XIII and others. It also has a control over the French national Rugby League team participating in various competitions and tournaments, such as the Rugby World Cup, the European Nations Cup and the Victory Cup. They are also scheduled to enter the Tri-Nations Cup, currently featuring Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand, from 2009.
The Ligue Française de Rugby à XIII or the French Rugby League Federation is one of the most important governing bodies in the world of rugby. It has lend appreciable contribution in the spread and development of the game of rugby league across the country of France and is expected to continue its service to the establishment of rugby league as one of the most popular games in France.
