French Rugby Union Championship 1953/54

The 1953/54 season was the 55th edition of the French Rugby Union Championship. It comprised 48 teams in the top division (today's top 14 ).

The championship was divided into two phases. It began with the group stage, in which six teams played against each other in eight groups; there were also two groups of eight. From the groups of six, the first to third placed and the four best fourth placed made it into the knockout round, as did two teams each from the groups of eight. Sixteenth, eighth, quarter and semi-finals followed. In the final, which took place on May 23, 1954 at the Municipal Stadium in Toulouse , the two semi-final winners met and played for the Bouclier de Brennus . The FC Grenoble prevailed against the US Cognac and won the championship title for the only time so far.

Group stage

Teams are in alphabetical order, those in bold qualify for the 1/16 finals.

Group A CA Bègles US Dax Lourdes FC FC Oloron RC Toulon RC Vichy

Group B SU Agen USA Limoges Stade Montois RC Narbonne Paris Université Club Tyrosse RCS

Group C Aviron Bayonnais AS Béziers US cognac CA Périgueux Stade Rochelais AS Soustons

Group D FC too Biarritz Olympique Boucau Stade Castres Olympique Stade Lavelanétien AS Montferrand

Group E US Carmaux FC Grenoble US Montauban USA Perpignan Stade Toulousain Valence Sportif

Group F. US Bressane CO Le Creusot Lyon Olympique Universitaire US Montélimar AS Roanne CS Vienne

Group G Stade Aurillacois US Bergerac CA Brive Racing Club de France US Romans Stadoceste Tarbais

Group H. SC Angoulême Entente Côte-Vermeille SC Graulhet SC Mazamet Section Paloise SC Tulle

In the groups of eight qualified: SC Albi Stade Bagnérais Stade Niortais TOEC

1/16 finals

encounter	Result
Grenoble FC - Mazamet SC	14:12
SU Agen - SC Tulle	11: 00
CS Vienne - TOEC	12: 03
Section Paloise - Racing Club de France	08: 03
US Romans - US Bergerac	08: 03
US Bressane - Stadoceste Tarbais	10: 06
USA Perpignan - Stade Niortais	18: 00
Stade Toulousain - RC Toulon	14: 00
US Cognac - SC Albi	06: 03
Biarritz Olympique - Stade Lavelanétien	15: 00
AS Béziers - US Dax	11: 06
SC Angoulême - Paris Université Club	06: 03
Lourdes FC - Stade Bagnérais	27: 00
AS Roanne - Stade Niortois	08: 06
AS Montferrand - FC too	08: 03
US Carmaux - CA Périgueux	08: 00

Round of 16

encounter	Result
Grenoble FC - SU Agen	11: 3
CS Vienne - Section Paloise	09: 6
US Romans - US Bressane	12: 6
USA Perpignan - Stade Toulousain	11: 0
US Cognac - Biarritz Olympique	22: 5
AS Béziers - SC Angoulême	03-0
Lourdes FC - Roanne AS	17: 0
AS Montferrand - US Carmaux	03-0

Quarter finals

encounter	Result
FC Grenoble - CS Vienne	03-0
US Romans - USA Perpignan	08: 6
US Cognac - AS Béziers	03-0
Lourdes FC - Montferrand AS	17: 8

Semifinals

encounter	Result
US Cognac - Lourdes FC	21:20
Grenoble FC - US Romans	08: 05

final

May 23, 1954	FC Grenoble	5: 3	US cognac	Stadium Municipal , Toulouse Spectators: 34,230 Referee: Roger Taddéï
	Attempts: Lanfranchi (1) Elevations: Échevet (1)	(0: 3) report	Penalty kicks: Meynard (1)

Constellations

FC Grenoble: Roger Baque , Guy Belletante , Innocent Bionda , Pierre Claret , Henri Coquet , René Duhau , Georges Échevet , Sergio Lanfranchi , Jean Liénard , René Martin , André Morel , Duilio Parolai , Michel Pliassof , Paul Rein , Eugène Smogor

US cognac: Gérard Béhotéguy - René Biénès , Gérard Dumont , Jean Lagrange , Guy Mauroux , Jacques Meynard , Robert Porchier , Alain Puissant , Francis Puissant , Pierre Raboteau , Francis Robert , Crescent Rouby , René Savin , Raymond Sureau , Pierre Tissandier

Web links

• Ligue national rugby