Elite One Championship 2020–2021

Elite One Championship 2020–2021
League	Elite One Championship
Teams	10
Broadcast partners	ViàOccitanie
2020–21
Champions	FC Lézignan 4th Elite One title
League leaders	AS Carcassonne

The 2020–21 Elite One Championship was the 86th season of France's domestic rugby league competition and the 20th season known as the Elite One Championship. There were ten teams in the league. Each team played 18 matches in the regular season. The top six teams progressed to the finals series.

There were no draws. In case of an equal score, the rule of the "Golden point" was applied.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, games were played behind closed doors.

Some games were televised on the free to air TV regional channel ViàOccitanie. Yet, as this channel was facing economic difficulties, the clubs tend to broadcast their home games via the social networks.

Teams

Elite One Championship
Team	Stadium	Location
Albi Tigers	Stadium Mazicou	Albi, Tarn
SO Avignon	Parc des Sports (Avignon)	Avignon, Vaucluse
AS Carcassonne	Stade Albert Domec	Carcassonne, Aude
FC Lézignan	Stade du Moulin	Lézignan-Corbières, Aude
Limoux Grizzlies	Stade de l'Aiguille	Limoux, Aude
Palau XIII Broncos	Stade Georges Vaills	Palau-del-Vidre, Pyrénées-Orientales
Saint-Estève Catalan	Stade Municipal	Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales
Saint-Gaudens Bears	Stade Jules Ribet	Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne
Toulouse Olympique Broncos	Stade des Minimes	Toulouse, Haute-Garonne
Villeneuve Leopards	Stade Max Rousie	Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Lot-et-Garonne

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	AS Carcassonne	20	17	0	3	597	378	219	53
2	FC Lézignan	20	16	0	4	662	387	275	51
3	Saint-Estève Catalan	20	13	0	7	573	408	165	44
4	Limoux Grizzlies	19	12	0	7	530	348	182	41
5	SO Avignon	20	12	0	8	589	455	134	40
6	Villeneuve Leopards	19	11	0	8	497	448	49	35
7	Albi Tigers	18	4	0	14	366	549	-183	19
8	Palau Broncos	18	4	0	14	308	583	-275	17
9	Toulouse Olympique Broncos	18	3	0	15	376	585	-209	17
10	Saint-Gaudens Bears	18	3	0	15	297	654	-357	13

At the end of the preliminary phase, the top two clubs qualified for the semi-finals.

The other ones played the Playoffs. The third and fourth best-placed clubs hosted the Elimination finals.

Source:

Playoffs

	Elimination-Finals				Semi-Finals				Grand Final
					AS Carcassonne	27
	Limoux	22			SO Avignon	18
	SO Avignon	24							AS Carcassonne	12
									FC Lézignan	16
					FC Lézignan	26
	Saint-Estève Catalan	43			Saint-Estève Catalan	18
	Villeneuve Leopards	24

All playoffs games were broadcast on YouTube.

Grand Final

FC Lézignan v AS Carcassonne

20 June 2021	FC Lézignan	16 – 12	AS Carcassonne	Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse
15:00 UTC+02:00 (CEST)		Report		Attendance: 3,200

Media

Television

Unlike, for instance, the BBC, France Television didn't offer any program to the French public about Rugby League. This has been a real issue for the game. Explanations usually given are the low number of participants in France but also pressure which would be made by the Union authorities on the French Public Television Group.

In the early 2020s, some Elite 1 games are televised by a local channel ViàOccitanie; this is a free-to-air channel in the South of France but they are also available on the internet and via the triple play internet devices. Therefore, they offer, indirectly, a nationwide coverage of the domestic championship.

Presently, French clubs have to fund the broadcast of their own games or to televise their own matches themselves via the social networks or YouTube.

Radio

Radio Marseillette, a local Southern radio, has rugby league debate and news every Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00. They also have commentary on some Elite League games.

Press

The French national mainstream media barely follow the game. Very occasionally, some articles about the sport are published in newspapers such as Le Monde, Le Figaro or the national Sport newspaper L'Équipe.

Nevertheless, there is undoubtedly a French specificity: the Weekly Rugby Union magazine Midi Olympique has a one-page section devoted to Rugby League. However, only two local newspapers genuinely cover the game; L'Indépendant ( based in the South of France) and la Dépêche du Midi (based in the South west of the country).

The British Rugby League press cover this championship; for example magazines like Rugby Leaguer & League Express offer a weekly report of the games. In Australia, the monthly publication Rugby League Review offer a few columns about the games as well.