Elite One Championship 2022–2023

The 2022–23 Elite One Championship was the 88th season of France's domestic rugby league competition and the 22nd season known as the Elite 1 championship. The competition expanded back to ten teams following the promotion of Baroudeurs de Pia XIII (also known as the Pia Donkeys) from Elite 2 after winning the title in 2021–22.[1]

Elite One Championship 2022-23
LeagueElite One Championship
Duration18 rounds + playoffs
Teams10
Broadcast partnersFrance ViàOccitanie
(Available Worldwide Online)
France Sport en France
United Nations Club YouTube Channels
2022–23 season
Champions Limoux Grizzlies
League leaders AS Carcassonne
Biggest home win Albi Tigers 42 – 2 Toulouse Olympique Broncos (16 October 2022)
Biggest away win Limoux Grizzlies 38 – 16 Saint-Estève Catalan (9 October 2022)

Each team played 18 matches in the regular season. The top six teams progressed to a three-week final series played during April and May 2023.

Teams

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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
  Pia Donkeys Stade Daniel-Ambert Pia, 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

Regular season

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The regular season started on 2 October 2022 and ended on 14 April 2023. Each team was scheduled to play every other team twice, once at home and the other away making 18 games for each team and a total of 90 games.

Table and results

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD BP Pts Qualification CAR LIM LEZ ALB PIA STG AVI STE TOU VIL
1   Carcassonne 18 15 3 557 279 +278 2 47 Semi-finals 42–18 18–10 20–12 46–23 38–14 32–8 46–16 30–24 56–8
2   Limoux 18 14 4 629 282 +347 2 44 0–19 56–10 20–24 42–26 50–0 46–14 20–6 62–14 54–0
3   Lézignan 18 13 5 556 354 +202 3 42 Qualifiers 22–6 12–26 26–10 52–16 52–12 37–18 44–16 44–16 40–18
4   Albi 18 13 5 502 286 +216 3 42 20–8 23–22 24–14 20–34 38–20 22–12 40–8 42–2 32–8
5   Pia 18 10 8 433 465 −32 1 31 32–22 6–20 20–27 16–12 22–14 20–10 22–37 26–14 34–28
6   Saint-Gaudens 18 7 11 357 542 −185 4 25 6–24 10–48 30–20 12–52 35–22 18–30 36–20 16–14 34–10
7   Avignon 18 6 12 404 468 −64 6 24 18–24 16–23 6–20 16–54 28–14 24–28 58–12 32–10 42–6
8   Saint-Estève Catalan 18 6 12 423 579 −156 3 21 26–30 16–38 16–48 22–17 16–36 30–24 54–18 40–22 42–20
9   Toulouse Olympique 18 3 15 388 595 −207 8 17 22–54 18–42 28–30 20–26 26–30 30–18 16–28 38–28 50–22
10   Villeneuve 18 3 15 281 680 −399 1 10 0–42 26–40 18–48 6–34 16–34 16–30 32–26 22–18 25–24
Source: [2][3]
  • 3 points for a victory
  • 1 point bonus for the losing team if the margin is less than 12
  • If two teams have equal points then the separation factor is the point difference. If a team has a greater point difference they rank higher on the table. If still tied then head-to-head matches will be the tie-breaker.

Finals

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At the end of the regular season, the top six in the table advanced to the knockout stage. First and second received a bye for the first week of finals as third played sixth (Qualifying Final 1) and fourth played fifth (Qualifying Final 2), with the losers of both matches eliminated. Third-placed Lézignan and fourth-placed Albi advanced to the semi-finals with comfortable wins over Saint-Gaudens (46–12 to Lézignan) and Pia (40–6 to Albi).[4] First-placed Carcassonne then played the winner of Qualifying final 1 and second-placed Limoux then played the winner of Qualifying Final 2. Results went in favour of the higher ranked teams as Carcassonne won 26–16 and Limoux won 36–10.[5][6] The winners of these two matches met in the Grand Final on 28 May at Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié in Narbonne. Carcassonne were the defending champions having defeated Limoux in the 2021–22 final. However, Limoux won 34–24 to reclaim the title they had last won in the 2016–17 season.[7]

Bracket

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Grand Final

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Sunday, 28 May 2023
15:30
Carcassonne   24 – 34   Limoux
Tries:
Bouregba 2
Canet
Serulevu
Goals:
Herrero 4
Report
Tries:
Garrouste
Crunel
Torreilles
Saddler
L. Vergniol
B. Vergniol
Goals:
Templeman 5
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne
Attendance: 8,221
Referee:   Benjamin Casty

References

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  1. ^ "Pia champion en Elite 2". L'Independant. 12 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Elite 1 classement 2022-2023". Treize Mondial. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Elite 1 calendrier 2022-2023". Treize Mondial. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Elite 1 2022-2023: Play-off results". Treize Mondial. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Carcassonne defeats Albi and will defend its title in the final in Narbonne". Treize Mondial. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Limoux outclassed Lézignan and joined Carcassonne in the final". Treize Mondial. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Limoux flies over the Elite 1 final against Carcassonne". Treize Mondial. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2024.