CARCASSONNE progressed to their third final in four years when they beat Lézignan 42-24 at the Stade des Minimes, Toulouse. 

They will meet Albi at Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan on the weekend of April 11/12. The two teams contested the 2024 final, when Carcassonne lifted the Lord Derby Trophy. 

Despite Lézignan’s early 8-0 lead on Saturday, Carcassonne took over and in the end were comfortable winners.

Maika Serulevu replied to Mathias Bousquet’s try for Lézignan before Clément Herrero initiated a score for Vincent Albert and then struck with a solo effort which took the Canaries 16-8 ahead.

Jordan Flovie for FCL and Vincent Albert with his second, traded tries before the break.

Djibryl Dauliac, Georgy Gambaro and Morgan Escaré put the tie out of Lézignan’s sight though there was token resistance from Dorian Gouzy and Max Bailey either side of Canaries’ forward Edenn Rogers-Smith’s effort. 

Albi met spirited resistance from Elite 2 leaders Villegailhenc, whose side featured several former Carcassonne and Lézignan players.

It took Albi 34 minutes to open their score, Clément Tailhades going over. Leading 4-2 at half-time, the current champions were restricted to three second-half tries, through Maia Sands, Théo Lardot and Julien Cancé, Robin Brochon goaling all three for a hard-won 22-2 victory 

In a rearranged match from earlier in the season, Avignon were run close by bottom side St Gaudens, who led 12-4 at the break before going down 22-20.

Also rescheduled, the game between ninth-placed Villefranche and Toulouse, in eighth, featured a dominant performance from Toulouse, who won 36-20.

Results
Coupe de France
Albi 22 Villegailhenc 2 (at Stade de la Chevalière, Mazamet)
Carcassonne 42 Lézignan 24 (at Stade des Minimes, Toulouse)
Super XIII
Avignon 22 St Gaudens 20
Villefranche 20 Toulouse 36

Fixtures
Saturday 14 March
Albi v Pia 
Lézignan v St Gaudens
Toulouse v Carcassonne
Sunday 15 March
Limoux v Avignon
Villefranche v St Estève-XIII Catalan
Bye: Villeneuve