Rugby union in France
Rugby union in France is a popular team sport. Rugby union was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents, which makes the country one of the few early exponents of the sport. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league, the Top 14. Clubs also compete in the European knock-out competition, the European Rugby Champions Cup, which replaced the Heineken Cup from 2014 to 2015.
| Rugby union in France | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Governing body | French Rugby Federation |
| National team(s) | France |
| Nickname(s) | Les Bleus, Les Bleuets (m) Les Bleues, Les Bleuettes (f) Les Tricolores |
| First played | 1872, Le Havre |
| Registered players | 360,847 |
| Clubs | 1,798 |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
The national side competes annually in the Six Nations Championship, last winning the competition in 2022. France has participated in every Rugby World Cup since its inception in 1987, and has been a runner-up on three occasions. France also hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup and hosted it again in 2023.
France, with 65 million people, is the world's most populous country in which rugby union has a large and dedicated following. That is more than the populations of other popular rugby nations such as New Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales combined.