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Season 2016/17

langpark

First Grade
Messages
5,867
Expanding from 18 teams to 20! (Across the two divisions). I find this pretty exciting.

La Reole and St Gaudens are promoted to Elite 1, while US Ferrals and US Entraigues move up to Elite 2 from the amateur ranks.


10h8z12.jpg



http://ffr13.fr/blog/actualite-elit...-ler-xiii-a-20-clubs-des-la-saison-prochaine/
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
No real geographical expansion, and two divisions of 11 and 9 is a little weird. Good to see St Gaudens back though.
 

langpark

First Grade
Messages
5,867
Yep, expansion was probably not the right word to use there. But it's good that two strong amateur clubs are making the step up. Ferrals seem to have been pushing for it for years and were probably even stronger (on and off field) than some teams that were already in Elite 2.

I suppose they've gone with 11 and 9 rather than 10 and 10 so they can keep the bye in both leagues. Hopefully within a year or two Elite 1 can increase to 12 teams. I'd love to see Lyon and/or Montpellier move up but from what I hear, both are nowhere near being ready for that at the moment.
 
Messages
11,354
Lyon, Montpellier, Paris, Marsellie, Avignion, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Villeneuve-sur-Lot
(that will do me for a NRL France Premiership)

By the way some of those club logos need a serious update
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,296
I wonder if Elite 1 & 2 would have expanded if XIII UniS weren't on the scene pushing to oust the current FFRXIII management.

For me the worrying thing is how small some of the towns these new clubs represent. Ferrals and La Réole represent tiny communities raising concerns over their long term ability to compete.

Whilst I get that in France sides draw fans beyond just the towns, I can't see these types of teams drawing the fans or sponsors required to do much more than just make up the numbers.
 

astreizix

Juniors
Messages
318
Round one is a Magic Week-end round.
All 10 teams will play on "Gilbert Brutus" Perpignan stadium on 2 days.

3 games on Saturday, September 24:

  • 2:00 pm: Toulouse Olympique Broncos vs RC St Gaudens XIII
  • 4:00 pm: Albi RL vs Villeneuve XIII RL
  • 6:00 pm: FC Lézignan XIII vs Saint-Estève XIII Catalan

2 games on Sunday, September 25:

  • 2;00 pm: Palau XIII Broncos vs SO Avignon XIII
  • 4:00 pm: AS Carcassonne vs XIII Limouxin

ps: No TV retransmission or live streaming
 

astreizix

Juniors
Messages
318
First day Magic Week-End results:

TOULOUSE BRONCOS 10-16 ST GAUDENS
ALBI 22-24 VILLENEUVE
LÉZIGNAN 30-26 ST ESTÈVE XIII CATALAN

Attendance: 3.316

3 tight games, with different level of play, last game was the best, Lézignan (with former NRL player Pomeroy) against Dragons Catalans reserved team.
 

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