Coupe de France Lord Derby

The Coupe de France Lord Derby (), or just Coupe Lord Derby ('Lord Derby Cup'), is the premier knockout competition for the sport of rugby league football in France, as well as the name of its championship trophy. The tournament was first contested in 1934–35, which also marked the inaugural season of the French Rugby League Championship.

Each round is played in single-elimination mode. but since the 2023–2024 edition has been limited to teams in the top two divisions.

Format

For much of the tournament's history, games played at predetermined or mutually agreed upon neutral sites were the norm. While Toulouse struggled to field a stable team in the new code until 1937, it was still the go-to host city for many games during the tournament's formative years, both because it was viewed as a key market and because the relationship with rugby union authorities was much less contentious there than elsewhere in the country. In fact, Stade Toulousain considered renting its Stade Ernest-Wallon to the French Rugby League for the 1939 Lord Derby Cup final, before organizers settled on Stade du TOEC. In the 2023–24 season, only teams in the top two divisions, Elite 1 and Elite 2, took part in the competition. The trophy was actually not presented to the Lyon players during the French Cup final. Rather, it was handed over to them one week later on 12 May 1935 by John Wilson, general secretary of the Rugby Football League, at Stade Buffalo near Paris, during a special Cup Winners' Match against Challenge Cup champions Castleford, for which Lyon had qualified by virtue of their domestic cup win.

The actual name of the trophy, as engraved on the bowl, is Coupe de Lord Derby, although the more natural-sounding "Coupe Lord Derby" is almost always preferred. Among the rugby league crowd, the cup is affectionately known as La vieille dame ('The Old Lady'). Since 2017, each player from the winning team has received a replica of the cup for him to keep, which is slightly smaller than the original at in height.

Notable cup runs

Cinderella runs

The Lord Derby Cup has historically been dominated by first division teams. Nonetheless, one-off wins by lower division clubs are not unheard of, and a handful of underdogs have produced cinderella runs over the years. In 1983, fourth-level side Le Soler advanced to the semifinals, beating top-flight club Pia in the process, before losing to powerhouse XIII Catalan. In 2005, third-level team Salses beat two Elite 1 teams (Lyon-Villeurbanne and Villeneuve-sur-Lot) before bowing out in the semifinals as well, this time to Limoux. Ironically, he won the trophy in his only season played away from Toulouse, in 1965 with Lézignan. Toulouse would eventually break the curse in 2014, in their seventh final appearance.

Satellite tournaments

Junior French Cup

The equivalent of the Lord Derby Cup for Under-19 players is the Coupe Luc-Nitard ('Luc Nitard Cup'), whose final has traditionally been played as a curtain-raiser to the Lord Derby Cup final.

The Coupe Paul-Dejean ('Paul Dejean Cup'), for clubs at the National Division level but prior commitments at Toulouse's Stade des Minimes forced the postponement of the second semifinal between Pau and Carcassonne to 12 May.

!scope=row| 1940–44

|align="center" colspan="5" |Rugby league banned by Vichy regime||

!scope=row| 1944–45

| XIII Catalan|| 23–14 || Carcassonne||Parc des Princes, Paris || ||

!scope=row| 1945–46

| Carcassonne|| 27–7 || XIII Catalan||Stade Jacques-Chapou, Toulouse|| 18,000 ||

!scope=row| 1946–47

| Carcassonne|| 24–5 || Avignon||Stade Vélodrome, Marseille|| ||

!scope=row| 1947–48

| Marseille|| 5–4 || Carcassonne|| Stade Jacques-Chapou, Toulouse || ||

!scope=row| 1948–49

| Marseille|| 12–9 || Carcassonne|| Stade Vélodrome, Marseille || 24,000 ||

!scope=row| 1949–50

| XIII Catalan|| 12–5 || Lyon||Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne|| 13,500 ||

!scope=row| 1950–51

| Carcassonne|| 22–10 || Lyon|| Stade Vélodrome, Marseille || ||

!scope=row| 1951–52

| Carcassonne|| 28–9 || XIII Catalan|| Stade Vélodrome, Marseille ||14,384 ||

!scope=row| 1952–53

| Lyon|| 9–8 || Villeneuve|| Stade Jean-Laffon, Perpignan || 12,200 ||

!scope=row| 1953–54

| Lyon|| 17–15 || XIII Catalan||Stade Joseph-Lombard, Cavaillon|| 8,000 ||

!scope=row| 1954–55

| Avignon|| 18–10 || Marseille||Stade de la Roseraie, Carpentras|| 11,600 ||

!scope=row| 1955–56

| Avignon|| 25–12 || Bordeaux||Stade Jean-Laffon, Perpignan || 5,800 ||

!scope=row| 1956–57

| Marseille|| 11–0 || XIII Catalan||Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne|| 16,633 ||

!scope=row| 1957–58

| Villeneuve|| 20–8 || Avignon||Stade Jean-Laffon, Perpignan || 5,473 ||

!scope=row| 1958–59

| XIII Catalan|| 7–0 || Avignon|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 11,000 ||

!scope=row| 1959–60

| Lézignan|| 7–4 || Carcassonne|| Stade Jean-Laffon, Perpignan|| 15,800 ||

!scope=row| 1960–61

| Carcassonne|| 5–2 || Lézignan||Stade Jean-Laffon, Perpignan|| ||

!scope=row| 1961–62

| Roanne|| 16–10 || Toulouse|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan|| 8,395 ||

!scope=row| 1962–63

| Carcassonne|| 5–0 || Toulouse|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan||5,100 ||

!scope=row| 1963–64

| Villeneuve|| 10–2 || Toulouse|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan||5,166 ||

!scope=row| 1964–65

| Marseille|| 13–8 || Carcassonne|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan||8,294 ||

!scope=row| 1965–66

| Lézignan|| 22–7 || Villeneuve|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 10,067 ||

!scope=row| 1966–67

| Carcassonne|| 10–4 || XIII Catalan|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 16,250 ||

!scope=row| 1967–68

| Carcassonne|| 9–2 || Toulouse|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 6,400 ||

!scope=row| 1968–69

| XIII Catalan|| 15–8 || Villeneuve|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 9,532 ||

!scope=row| 1969–70

| Lézignan|| 14–8 || Villeneuve|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 7,460 ||

!scope=row| 1970–71

| Marseille|| 17–2 || Lézignan|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 6,310 ||

!scope=row| 1971–72

| Saint-Estève|| 12–5 || Villeneuve|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 8,250 ||

!scope=row| 1972–73

| Saint-Gaudens|| 22–8 || Carcassonne|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 10,300 ||

!scope=row| 1973–74

| Albi|| 21–11 || Lézignan|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 6,580 ||

!scope=row| 1974–75

| Pia|| 9–4 || Marseille|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 9,021 ||

!scope=row| 1975–76

| XIII Catalan|| 23–8 || Toulouse|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 6,395 ||

!scope=row| 1976–77

| Carcassonne|| 21–16 || XIII Catalan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne|| 10,085 ||

!scope=row| 1977–78

| XIII Catalan|| 18–7 || Lézignan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne|| 15,939 ||

!scope=row| 1978–79

| Villeneuve|| 15–5 || Carcassonne||Stadium Municipal, Albi|| 6,642 ||

!scope=row| 1979–80

| XIII Catalan|| 18–8 || Carcassonne|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 8,783 ||

!scope=row| 1980–81

|align="center" colspan="5" |Final cancelled||

!scope=row| 1981–82

| Avignon|| 18–12 || Carcassonne|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 4,663 ||

!scope=row| 1982–83

| Carcassonne|| 10–3 || XIII Catalan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 7,235 ||

!scope=row| 1983–84

| Villeneuve|| 18–7 || Limoux|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 6,851 ||

!scope=row| 1984–85

| XIII Catalan|| 24–7 || Limoux|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 11,362 ||

!scope=row| 1985–86

| Le Pontet|| 35–10 || Saint-Estève|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || ||

!scope=row| 1986–87

| Saint-Estève|| 20–10 || XIII Catalan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 8590 ||

!scope=row| 1987–88

| Le Pontet|| 5–2 || Saint-Estève|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 5,000 ||

!scope=row| 1988–89

| Avignon|| 12–11 || Saint-Estève|| Stadium Municipal, Albi || 6,000 ||

!scope=row| 1989–90

| Carcassonne|| 22–8 || Saint-Estève|| Stadium Municipal, Albi || 6,832 ||

!scope=row| 1990–91

| Saint-Gaudens|| 30–4 || Pia|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 6,000 ||

!scope=row| 1991–92

| Saint-Gaudens|| 22–10 || RC Carpentras|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 7,000 ||

!scope=row| 1992–93

| Saint-Estève|| 12–10 || XIII Catalan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 6,401 ||

!scope=row| 1993–94

| Saint-Estève|| 14–12 || XIII Catalan|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || ||

!scope=row| 1994–95

| Saint-Estève|| 28–8 || Pia|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 6,000 ||

!scope=row| 1995–96

| Limoux|| 39–12 || Carcassonne|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 9,000 ||

!scope=row| 1996–97

| XIII Catalan|| 25–24 || Limoux|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 8,000 ||

!scope=row| 1997–98

| Saint-Estève|| 38–0 || Avignon|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 7,000 ||

!scope=row| 1998–99

| Villeneuve|| 20–5 || Lézignan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 9,000 ||

!scope=row| 1999–2000

| Villeneuve|| 34–14 || XIII Catalan|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 9,000 ||

!scope=row| 2000–01

| Union Treiziste Catalane|| 38–17 || Limoux|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 8,000 ||

!scope=row| 2001–02

| Villeneuve|| 27–18 || Pia|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 8,500 ||

!scope=row| 2002–03

| Villeneuve|| 16–14 || Pia|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 7,000 ||

!scope=row| 2003–04

| Union Treiziste Catalane|| 36–24 || Carcassonne|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 10,500 ||

!scope=row| 2004–05

| Union Treiziste Catalane|| 31–12 || Limoux|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 11,000 ||

!scope=row| 2005–06

| Pia|| 36–20 || Lézignan|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 9,344 ||

!scope=row| 2006–07

| Pia|| 30–14 || Carcassonne|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 5,500 ||

!scope=row| 2007–08

| Limoux|| 17–14 || Albi|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 7,751 ||

!scope=row| 2008–09

| Carcassonne|| 18–16 || Limoux|| Stadium Municipal, Albi || 6,697 ||

!scope=row| 2009–10

| Lézignan|| 18–14 || Limoux||Parc des Sports, Avignon|| 8,140 ||

!scope=row| 2010–11

| Lézignan|| 27–18 || Pia|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 5,350 ||

!scope=row| 2011–12

| Carcassonne|| 14–12 || Pia|| Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne || 6,892 ||

!scope=row| 2012–13

| Avignon|| 38–37 || Limoux|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 6,877 ||

!scope=row| 2013–14

| Toulouse|| 46–10 || Carcassonne|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 6,763 ||

!scope=row| 2014–15

| Lézignan|| 27–25 || Saint-Estève XIII Catalan|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 4,124 ||

!scope=row| 2015–16

| Saint-Estève XIII Catalan|| 33–16 || Limoux|| Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne || 4,200 ||

!scope=row| 2016–17

| Carcassonne|| 30–24 || Lézignan|| Parc des Sports, Avignon || 5,500 ||

!scope=row| 2017–18

| Saint-Estève XIII Catalan|| 30–26|| Limoux|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 5,243 ||

!scope=row| 2018–19

| Carcassonne|| 22–6 || Saint-Estève XIII Catalan|| Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 5,000 ||

!scope=row|2019–20

|align="center" colspan="5" |Competition abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France||

!scope=row|2020–21

|align="center" colspan="5" | Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France||

!scope=row|2021–22

|align="center" colspan="5" |Competition abandoned due to a resurgence of COVID-19 induced by the Omicron variant||

!scope=row|2022–23

| Carcassonne||36–12|| Albi || Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan || 4,102 ||

!scope=row|2023–24

| Carcassonne||22–6|| Lézignan||Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan|| |||

!scope=row|2024–25

| Saint-Estève XIII Catalan|| 26–18 || Albi ||Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié, Narbonne|| ||

!scope=row|2025–26

| Carcassonne||44–6|| Albi||Stade Gilbert-Brutus, Perpignan|| |||

Gallery

Roanne-Villeneuve XIII 1938-05.png|Roanne vs Villeneuve in the 1938 Final

XIII Catalan-Toulouse XIII 1939-05.png|Catalan vs Toulouse in the 1939 Final

10.05.64 Finale Toulouse-Villeneuve (1964) - 53Fi540.jpg|Villeneuve vs Toulouse in the 1964 Final

Coupe de france lord derby presentation 2009 asc v limoux.png|Carcassonne celebrating winning the 2008-09 competition

Coupe de France Lord Derby

Format

Notable cup runs

Cinderella runs

Satellite tournaments

Junior French Cup

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links