Football Club de Lézignan(often referred to as the Lézignan Sangliers) are a semi-professionalrugby league footballclub based inLézignan-Corbièresin thedepartmentofAudein the south ofFrance.They play in theSuper XIII.They have won seven French Championshiptitlesand sixLord Derby Cups.
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| Club information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Football Club Lézignan-Corbières Rugby League | |
| Nickname(s) | Sangliers (Boars) | |
| Colours | white, green and red | |
| Founded | 1903 | |
| Website | Official site | |
| Current details | ||
| Ground(s) |
| |
| Chairman | Alain Fabre,Christian Lapalu | |
| Coach | Aurelien Cologni | |
| Competition | Super XIII | |
| 2023–24 | 5th | |
| Uniforms | ||
| ||
The club was founded in 1903. In 1939 the club switched codes and began playingrugby league,which had gained success with the formation of theFrench championshipin 1934. In the 2007-08 season the club, led by their French international player-coachJames Wynne,won the French Championship for the first time in 30 years and reached the fourth round of theChallenge Cup.They currently play in theSuper XIIIat theStade du Moulinand are coached byAurelien Cologni
History
editIn 1893Joseph Angladea university professor practised a game called football with students on a ground they called 'Belle Isle'. The game was a mixture of football and rugby, very similar to what is now 'Australian Football' On the back of this a student calledLucien Mountainin 1903 founded the original rugby club 'Football Club Lezignanais'. In 1919 after 14 years playing in the hospital grounds the club moved their own ground to theStade du Moulinthen called the Stadium of the Mill. In 1921 the club competed in theFrench Rugby Union Championshipfor the first time and in 1929 they reached the final but were beaten byUS Quillan.Disheartened by rugby in France at this time the club was dissolved in 1931 after they had been threatened with a ban from entering the competition due to financial payments.[1]
On 2 August 1939 the new 'Lezignan' club joinedRugby leagueand participated in the 1939/40 season, unfortunately this would be the last one before war broke out. During the war theVichy Governmentbanned the sport and made players play union, after the war the club resumed playing Rugby League. The revival of the club began in 1954 with the appointment ofEdouard Ponsinetas captain-coach and of the arrival of new presidentMe Fau.They won their first junior title, then in 1960 the club won their first major trophy winning theLord Derby CupunderAndré Carrère.The following season the Sangliers lifted theFrench Rugby League Championshipfor the first time beatingRoanne XIIIin the final. In 1963 they won their second title, with the juniors doing even better as they completed a league and cup double. Two more cup wins followed for the first team in 1966 and 1970.[1]
During the 70s the club underMichel Maïqueproduced a host of excellent young and local players culminating in a 1978 title win overXIII Catalanin which 12 of the starting lie up were from their own youth team. There were also near misses as they were runners up three times in the cup 1971, 74 and 78 and in the league in 76. It was during this era that one of their best players emerged inPierre Lacazenicknamed 'The Butterfly'. There then followed a very long barren spell in terms of success, 30 years, until they won the league title in 2008. There then followed a spell of dominance from the club in which they won 4 straight titles and two cup wins resulting in two consecutive double campaigns in 2010 and 2011. In 2015 they won theLord Derby Cupfor a sixth time beatingSt Esteve XIII Catalanin the final.[1]Season 2016/17 brought delight in finishing top of the table but disappointment in losing both the league play-off final againstLimoux Grizzliesand theLord Derby Cupfinal againstAS Carcassonne.
Colours and badge
edit'Lezignan play in white green and pink of various design. The badge depicts a windmill that is still present at the site.
Stadium
editThe earliest reference to rugby being played in Lezignan came in 1893 when students played at a place called 'Belle Isle' on the 'Route de Cruscades. Between 1905 and 1919 rugby was played in the grounds of the hospital at the front of the building named as 'Jardins de Blasco' it had one wooden stand, that was stripped away during the war. In 1919 Lezignan presidentGustave Gayraudacquired land from the County of Kerouartz to use as a rugby ground. On the land was a vineyard, two mills, one water the other wind, and a small stream, the windmill is now just ruins but the watermill still stands. The first match played at theStade du Moulinwas in October 1919 vStade Toulousain,the supporters themselves built the first dressing rooms. Over the years work has been done to the ground with a major overhaul done in 2000 following devastating floods the year before. The current capacity is 6,000. On 3 July 2001 the ground hosted its first full international whenScotland national rugby league teamwon againstFrance national rugby league team42-20
Current squad
editSquad for 2023-24 Season
| Lezignan Elite 1 Squad | |
|---|---|
|
Fullbacks Wingers Centres Scrum-halves Stand-offs |
Props Hookers
Loose forwards |
Honours
edit- French Rugby League Championship/Elite 1(7)[2]
- 1960–61, 1962–63, 1977–78, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
- Lord Derby Cup(6)[3]
- 1960, 1966, 1970, 2010, 2011, 2015
References
edit- ^abcWebmaster."Histoire du rugby à XIII et du club de Lézignan-Corbières Aude".www.fcl13.fr.Retrieved22 April2018.
- ^"France Elite 1 Championship: Charts".Treize Mondial.Retrieved30 May2024.
- ^"Winners Coupe de France Lord Derby".Treize Mondial.Retrieved30 May2024.