Rugby league (rugby à treize) has been played in France since the 1930s, and is most popular, like rugby union, in the south of the country. The sport arguably achieved its height in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s when the France national team made it to World Cup finals and won test series against Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand. Two French-based teams, the Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique, participate in the Super League tournament, which has helped boost the sport's profile and led to growth in player numbers.
