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Albi Rugby League
Club information
Nickname(s)	The Tigers
Founded	1934; 90 years ago
Website	Official website
Current details
Ground(s)	Stade Mazicou (5,000);
Coach	Joris Canton
Competition	Super XIII
2023–24	2nd
Uniforms
	Home colours
	Home colours

Albi Rugby League XIII originally called Racing Club Albigeois XIII^[1] and more recently also known as RC Albi XIII are a semi-professional rugby league team based in Albi in the Occitanie region in southern France. Formed in 1934 the club compete in the Super XIII the highest level of competition in France. They have won the French title on five occasions and the Lord Derby Cup once. Their current home stadium is Stade Mazicou.

History

Racing Club Albigeois XIII were one of the founder clubs of rugby league in France indeed they were the second club formed after US Villeneuve in May 1934. They were formed by Jean-Marie Vignal one of Jean Galia's pioneers who would be the club's first captain/coach and Simon Bompunt who would be the club's first chairman. Initially the club recruited from nearby Toulouse as the local Rugby Union club SC Albi refused players to move to the new club, only two would move in the early years. The club finished 7th in their debut season their first ever match finishing in a 6–26 defeat at Bordeaux XIII^[2]

In season 1937-38 despite finishing 7th the club won through the play-offs to reach the final and then caused a major upset, beating US Villeneuve 8–3 to lift their first trophy.^[3] They reached the semi-final in 1939–40 in what would be the last championship before war broke out. During the war the Vichy Government banned Rugby League in France and the club were forced to join with the rugby union club in the town SC Albi under a new name Albi Olympique. After the war the club went back to Rugby League, they enjoyed a good spell at the end of the 1950s as they won the French rugby league championship three times in six years.^[4] They also hosted the touring Australia national rugby league team, losing 22–31 in 1952^[5] and 20–25 in 1956,^[6] but in 1959 they earned a 19–10 win against them in front of 5,845 spectators.^[7]

The club won the Lord Derby Cup in 1974^[8] and won the league championship for a fifth time in 1977.^[4]

The club withdrew from the Elite One Championship at the end of season 2007-08 due to financial reasons but in 2014-15 they won the Elite Two Championship^[9] and returned to the top flight finishing a creditable 5th in 2015–16.

The club currently runs youth sides and a ladies team.

Colours and Badge

The club have always played in amber and black. The Badge has been changed originally it was a French cockerel stood on a rugby ball with the number 13 on the ball. This was changed to a tiger next to a tower logo before the current one was used. The reference to 'Tigers' comes from the 90s when they followed many other clubs in adopting a moniker, possibly along the lines of Castleford Tigers who happen to play in the same colours

Stadium

They club are currently based at Stade Mazicou.

Stadium Municipal d'Albi

They were previously based at the Stadium Municipal d'Albi which had been the club's home ground since it opened for rugby in 1964. The main stand is a cantilever grandstand while opposite is newer stand both these stands are all seated, at either end there is terracing. In 1977 the French rugby league championship was held here despite RC Albi being in the final against AS Carcassonne. A record rugby crowd of 20,000 witnessed an Albi win, their last to date. In 1979 France national rugby league team beat the touring Papua New Guinea national rugby league team 16–9. The stadium underwent a major revamp in 2007 resulting in the now 13,058 capacity including 8,000 seated.

Current squad

Squad for 2022-23 Season

Albi Elite 1 Squad
Fullbacks Hakim Miloudi Wingers Julien Cance Damel Diakhate Tristan Dupuy Nittim Pedero Centres Simon Bernard Tony Gigot Théo Guinguet Hugo Lescouzeres Clement Tailhades Standoff (Five-eighths) Brad Wall Halfbacks Pierre Carivenc	Props Chase Bernard Mathias Leveille Maxime Puech Maxence Vuillermet Hookers Jack Cook Sam Cook Mathieu Liauzun Second rowers Locks (Loose forwards) Jason Goffin Théo Lardot Cedric Mazars Axel Rodrigues Louis Tailhades

Notable players

Honours

French championship (5): 1937–38, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1976–77
Lord Derby Cup (1): 1973-74
Elite Two (2): 1990–91, 2014–15

References

^ "Conférence de presse à Albi | J-10 avant la Finale Elite 1". FFRXIII (in French). 11 May 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
^ Rylance, Mike (1999). The Forbidden Game. League Publications LTD. p. 98. ISBN 9781901347258.
^ Rylance, Mike (1999). The Forbidden Game. League Publications LTD. p. 133. ISBN 9781901347258.
^ ^a ^b "France Elite One Championship". Treize Mondial. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
^ "Kangaroos Beat Albi Side". Cairns Post. Cairns: National Library of Australia. 27 December 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
^ "Kangaroos Shine On Firm Ground". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 27 December 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
^ "Kangaroos Tour 1959 Series Game 29". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
^ "Lord Derby French Cup Awards". Treize Mondial. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
^ "France Elite Two Championship Prize List". Treize Mondial. Retrieved 12 December 2024.