Catalans Dragons Wheelchair Explained

Clubname:Catalans Dragons
Nickname:The Dragons
Colours:White, Red and Gold
Web:catalansdragons.com
Season:2022–23
Position:(Champions)
Current:2023–24 Catalans Dragons Wheelchair season
Cup1titles:At least 8
Cup1years:2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
Cup2:Lord Derby Cups
Cup2titles:?
Cup3titles:1
Cup3years:2023
Cup4:European Club Challenges
Cup4titles:2
Cup4years:2023, 2024
Pattern La1:_yellow_border
Pattern B1:_yellow_red_V
Pattern Ra1:_yellow_border
Pattern So1:_mechelen2021h
Leftarm1:FF0000
Rightarm1:FF0000
Pattern La2:_yellow_border
Pattern B2:_redyellowcollar
Pattern Ra2:_yellow_border
Pattern So2:_mechelen2021h
Leftarm2:191970
Body2:191970
Rightarm2:191970
Shorts2:191970
Socks2:191970

The Catalans Dragons Wheelchair Rugby League Football Club are a French wheelchair rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. The club competes in the Elite 1 Championship, the top tier of the French rugby league system.

History

Catalans Dragons wheelchair teams is though to be one of the world's oldest wheelchair rugby league football clubs. Like the French Elite 1 Championship itself, it its unclear at exactly what point the club was formed, though are known to have been in existence during 2011–12 season[1] in which they finished runners-up.[2] Following this, Catalans established themselves as the dominant force in French wheelchair rugby league, winning every national championship with the exception of their 2016–17 Grand Final defeat to Toulouse Olympique.[3] In 2022, Catalans player Sebastien Bechara won the IRL Golden Boot.[4] Along with, the French league and cup, the teams also has started to compete in the British Wheelchair Challenge Cup, which they won their inaugural title in 2023[5] after finishing runners-up the year before.[6] 2023 saw another Catalans player win the IRL Golden Boot, this time Jérémy Bourson.[7] Also in 2023, as winners of the previous season's national championship, Catalans qualified for a new competition, the European Club Challenge, in which the French league champions would compete against the British league champions for the de facto European title. The Dragons shared the 2023 title with Halifax Panthers after a 32–32 draw,[8] before qualifying again the following year and taking the title outright after a 68–28 defeat of Wigan Warriors.[9]

Seasons

SeasonLeagueLord Derby CupYearChallenge
Cup
European Club Challenge
DivisionPWDLFAPtsPosPlay-offs
2011–12Elite 1Runners-up2012rowspan="11"
2012–13Elite 1Champions2013
2013–14Elite 1Champions2014
2014–15Elite 1Champions2015rowspan="7"
2015–16Elite 1Champions2016
2016–17Elite 1Runners-up2017
2017–18Elite 1Champions2018
2018–19Elite 1Champions2019
2019–20Elite 12020
2020–21Elite 12021
2021–22Elite 1Champions2022Runners-up
2022–23Elite 1Champions2023ChampionsChampions
2023–24Elite 12024ChampionsChampions

Honours

Leagues

Winners (At least 8): 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23

Cups

Winners (?):

Winners (2): 2023, 2024

International

Winners (2): 2023, 2024

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Les chiffres de la saison 2011-2013 . fr . FFRXIII . 3 July 2012 . 21 March 2024.
  2. Web site: XIII fauteuil : Cahors champion . fr . FFRXIII . 12 June 2012 . 21 March 2024.
  3. Web site: Le TO XIII/St Jory Champion de France . fr . FFRXIII . 3 May 2017 . 6 March 2024.
  4. Web site: International Rugby League Golden Boot Awards . 2024-02-12 . Rugby League International Federation.
  5. Web site: Catalans Dragons 66-20 Leeds Rhinos: French side clinch Wheelchair Challenge Cup final victory. Sky Sports.
  6. Web site: Rhinos slay Dragons to win third Wheelchair Challenge Cup in a row. Ben. Hall. June 26, 2022.
  7. Web site: Fisher-Harris, Hale and Bourson named 2023 Golden Boot winners . 6 December 2023 . National Rugby League . en.
  8. https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62078/wheelchair-rugby-league-european-club-challenge
  9. https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/04/06/warriors-beaten-in-wheelchair-european-championship/