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.
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
TeamStadiumLocation Albi RLStadium MazicouAlbi, Tarn SO AvignonParc des Sports (Avignon)Avignon, Vaucluse AS CarcassonneStade Albert DomecCarcassonne, Aude FC LézignanStade du MoulinLézignan-Corbières, Aude Limoux GrizzliesStade de l'AiguilleLimoux, Aude Pia DonkeysStade Daniel-AmbertPia, Pyrénées-Orientales Saint-Estève CatalanStade MunicipalPerpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales Saint-Gaudens BearsStade Jules RibetSaint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne Toulouse Olympique BroncosStade des MinimesToulouse, Haute-Garonne Villeneuve LeopardsStade Max RousieVilleneuve-sur-Lot, Lot-et-Garonne
Regular season 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
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 in head-to-head matches between the specific teams. If a team has a greater point difference they rank higher on the table. If still tied then overall points difference will be the tie-breaker.
Finals 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). 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. 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.
Bracket
Grand Final
References