Paris Saint-Germain Rugby League

Paris Saint-Germain
Club information
Full name Paris Saint-Germain Rugby League
Short name PSG Rugby League, PSG RL
Founded 1995 (1995)
Exited 1997 (1997)
Former details
Ground(s)
Chairman Jacques Larrose
Manager Andy Goodway
Captain David O'Donnell
Competition Super League
1997 11th
Departments of
Paris Saint-Germain
Football (Men's) Football (Youth Men's) Football (Women's)
Handball (Men's) eSports Boxing (Men's)
League (Men's)

Paris Saint-Germain Rugby League, commonly known as Paris Saint-Germain (French pronunciation: ​[paʁi sɛ̃ ʒɛʁmɛ̃]) and familiarly as PSG Rugby League or PSG RL, was a French professional rugby league club founded in 1995, and based in the city of Paris in France.[1] The club was the rugby league department of Paris Saint-Germain until 1997.[2]

PSG Rugby League played in the highest tier of European rugby, the Super League. The Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, with a seating capacity of 20,000 spectators, was their home ground.[2] However, the capital club played once at the Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié in Narbonne.[3]

PSG RL debuted against Sheffield Eagles at the Charléty in front of 17,873 spectators on March 29, 1996,[4] with a team composed solely of Australian and New Zealand players.[2] An initiative from former French rugby union player and manager Jacques Fouroux, the Super League project lasted only two seasons (1996 and 1997),[2] in which PSG RL also played in the 1997 Challenge Cup, 1997 World Club Challenge and the 1997 Premiership Trophy.[5]

A scandal over undeclared contracts led to the dissolution of PSG Rugby League in September 1997.[6] PSG RL played its last match against Salford Red Devils in the Premiership Trophy on September 7, 1997.[4]

History

1996 season

Paris Saint-Germain Rugby League was officially founded as the rugby league department of parent club Paris Saint-Germain on December 23, 1995. Led by Jacques Fouroux, PSG RL became the only foreign club in the Super League, exclusively composed of English teams.[1]

Fouroux pre-selected 40 players in the French championship, before announcing the final list of 26 players, which 9 foreigners (Australians, New Zealanders, Samoans, but also a Moldavian and a Polish). Darren Adams, former Racing 92 player, was the star of the team.[1]

On March 29, 1996, PSG Rugby League, managed by Michel Mazaré, made its Super League debut with a 30–24 victory over Sheffield Eagles at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in front of 17,873 spectators.[4] However, the rest of the season wouldn't be as successful. PSG RL was given a reality check by Wigan Warriors (8–76), leading to a downward spiral of 11 defeats in a row.[1]

The catastrophic season saw the capital club finish 11th (out of 12) with only 3 wins and a draw in 22 games, while club president Jacques Fouroux resigned from all his duties at PSG on September 1, 1996, leaving the club in debt and facing an uncertain future.[1]

1997 season

PSG Rugby League, led by new club president Jacques Larrose, almost missed out on its second Super League season due to budget problems. The club had originally envisioned a 13 millions francs budget, but fell short. To make up for the missing 5 millions francs, PSG RL had to settle for just three French players (Pascal Bomati, club captain Pierre Chamorin and Fabien Devecchi) in the squad now managed by the Australian Peter Mulholland.[6]

As odd as it was beginning the season in the 1997 Challenge Cup (an English cup competition), even more incredible was the fact that PSG's squad consisted of 22 foreign players (21 Australians, one New Zealander) and only two of them were present the previous season: Deon Bird and Jason Sands. And just like its first season, PSG RL started with a win over Sheffield Eagles (18–4) before a series of defeats derailed its ambitions.[6]

Even though PSG defeated rock-bottom Castleford Tigers (13–8), English manager Andy Goodway was brought in to replace Peter Mulholland. In June, the club took part in the 1997 World Club Challenge, and against all odds came out on top against Australian team Western Reds (24–0) at the Stade Sébastien Charléty. PSG RL followed up with mixed displays in the Super League: a victory over Halifax (14–12) and then a defeat to Castleford (8–20).[6]

In July, PSG returned to Australia for a disappointing second leg of the World Club Challenge before creating a major shock by dominating Wigan Warriors (30–28) in the Super League, one of the best English clubs at the time, in Charléty. A scandal followed, unfortunately. Two PSG board members in dispute with the Super League denounced the contracts of some club players (mostly the Australians) to the authorities. Instead of employment contracts, these players had tourist visas to avoid paying certain taxes in France.[6]

Even though the club, once again, finished 11th (out of 12) in the Super League, its statistics had improved with 6 wins in 22 games. However, the scandal led to the dissolution of PSG Rugby League just a week after the end of the Super League.[6] On September 7, 1997, PSG RL played its last match against Salford Red Devils in the 1997 Premiership Trophy.[4]

Seasons

Only Super League matches.[7]
Winners Runners-up Third place Promoted Increase Relegated Decrease
No. Season Super League Manager Top Tryscorer Top Pointscorer Attendance
Div Pos Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Player Tries Player Goals
1 1996 D1 11th 22 3 1 18 398 795 −397 7 France Michel Mazaré France Pascal Bomati 10 France Patrick Torreilles 54 8,026
2 1997 D1 11th 22 6 0 16 362 572 −210 12 Australia Peter Mulholland,
England Andy Goodway		 New Zealand Phil Bergman 14 Australia Jeremy Robinson 60 5,510

Competitive record

As of the 1997 season.[5]
Competition T S Pld W D L GF GA GD
Super League 0 2 44 9 1 34 760 1367 −607
World Club Challenge 0 1 5 1 0 4 52 132 −80
Challenge Cup 0 1 2 1 0 1 42 12 +30
Premiership Trophy 0 1 1 0 0 1 6 48 −42
Total 0 5 52 11 1 40 860 1559 −699

Former notable players

Includes club captains (c) and vice-captains (vc).[1][6]

Club officials

As of the 1997 season.[2][8]

Presidents

No. President Paris Saint-Germain Honours
1 France Jacques Fouroux 1995–1996
2 France Jacques Larrose 1996–1997

Managers

No. Manager Paris Saint-Germain G W D L Win % Honours
1 France Michel Mazaré 1995–199622311813.64
2 Australia Peter Mulholland 1996–199713301023.08
3 England Andy Goodway 199717501229.41

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "PSG Rugby League : saison 1996". Paris.canal-historique. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Omnisports : quand le PSG se rêvait à 13…". Paris.canal-historique. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "Paris St Germain - Venues". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Paris St Germain - Results". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Paris St Germain - Competitions". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "PSG Rugby League : saison 1997". Paris.canal-historique. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  7. ↑ "Paris St Germain - Seasons". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "Paris St Germain - Coaches". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
Official websites
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