The Coupe de France was a French rugby union competition founded early in the 20th century. It was abandoned during World War II but was restarted in 1943. All clubs were invited to participate, and about 100 of them took part, with first division teams joining in the later rounds.

The 1951 final was so violent that the Rugby Football Union, requested its discontinuation, fearing France could be expelled from the Five Nations Tournament which they had rejoined in 1939. Consequently, the chairman of the French Federation made the decision to end the competition. It was replaced the following year by the Challenge Yves du Manoir which had been ended by the war.

The competition was revived in the mid-1980s under the initiative of Albert Ferrasse, then president of the French Federation, running alongside both the championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir. However, low attendance and a congested schedule led to its cancellation after three seasons.

A final attempt to resurrect it was made in 1996, when it was merged with the Challenge Yves du Manoir to create the Trophée Du-Manoir Coupe de France. This version lasted until 2003 under three different names. As a result, the final seven competitions are counted in both the Coupe de France and Challenge Du Manoir records.

Finals Year Winner Score Runner-up 1943SU Agen11–4Stade Bordelais 1944 Toulouse Olympique Etudiants Club19–2Stade Bordelais 1945SU Agen 14–13AS Montferrand1946Stade Toulousain 6–3Section Paloise1947Stade Toulousain 14–11AS Montferrand1948Castres Olympique 6–0FC Lourdes1949 CA Bègles 11–6Stade Toulousain1950FC Lourdes 16–3AS Béziers1951FC Lourdes 6–3Stadoceste Tarbais1984 Stade Toulousain 6–0FC Lourdes1985RC Narbonne 28–27 (a.e.t.)AS Béziers1986AS Béziers 40–9Stade Aurillacois1996CA Brive12–6Section Paloise1997Section Paloise13–11CS Bourgoin-Jallieu1998Stade Toulousain22–15Stade Français Paris1999Stade Français Paris27–19CS Bourgoin-Jallieu2000Biarritz Olympique24–13CA Brive2001ASM Clermont Auvergne34–24FC Auch2002Stade Rochelais23–19Biarritz Olympique2003 (March)Stade Rochelais22–20CS Bourgoin-Jallieu2003 (November)Castres Olympique27–26CS Bourgoin-Jallieu

References

eu:Yves du Manoir errugbi txapelketa