During this period, Lyon OU enjoyed a "golden age", dominating the French Championship, winning titles in 1932 and 1933, as well as the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1933.

In 1939, requisitioning for the Second World War suspended the Championship, before the Vichy regime decided to ban rugby à XIII in France in 1940.

R. Claudel vigorously denounced this policy and was forced to return to XV rugby, playing for Racing CF in Paris for two more years between 1940 and 1942.

[4] After playing a few friendly matches for Lyon OU during the 1929-1930 season,[5][6] Roger Claudel signed a permanent contract with the club in the summer of 1930.

[4] Roger Claudel's arrival at Lyon OU coincided with the club's rise to prominence on the French scene, recruiting many powerful players from the South of France.

[32] Roger Claudel and several other Lyon players made the headlines during the off-season for their announced departures, suggesting they might return to FC Grenoble.

R. Claudel retained his international status at the end of the year, following a meeting of the selection committee, and was in with a chance of playing in the annual match against Germany.

At the same time, Lyon OU competed throughout the season in the Challenge Yves du Manoir, winning the title on May 14, 1933 by beating S.A. Bordelais and remaining unbeaten throughout the competition.

In the group of three, Lyon OU were held to a 6-6 defeat by CA Bègles in Clermont-Ferrand, forcing them to play a big game against RC Toulon or risk not qualifying for the Championship semi-finals.

[49] April 8, 1934 marked the end of the Lyon OU era, as RC Toulon won the final match 6-4, eliminating the Lyonnais from the Championship.

As early as May 1934, rumours and denials appeared in the press announcing the departure of three Lyon OU players for rugby à XIII: Joseph Griffard, Henri Marty and Roger Claudel.

At the start of the school year in September 1934, R. Claudel signed up for Racing CF in Paris and took part in a number of friendly matches.

[57] In the Championship, Paris Rugby XIII, since joined by Georges Caussarieu, put up a good fight, but failed to challenge for the top places.

[60] The match was a real success, played in front of almost 18,000 spectators and a number of celebrities such as the deputy mayor of Bordeaux, Adrien Marquet.

[64] At the end of February, however, J. Galia restored his faith in the still-injured R. Claudel, selecting him for the team that would face England along with Caussarieu and Brané.

[65] He returned to competition and played an active part in Paris' 7-3 victory over Pau XIII in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France.

[68][69] Although England won the European Cup, France demonstrated its success in building a world-class XIII rugby team in less than a year.

Jean Galia, Max Rousié, and Louis Brané were often cited as the most attractive players, followed closely by Claudel and François Noguères.

In a Parisian team that underwent few changes during the off-season, R. Claudel and his partners seemed limited in their ability to compete for the top spots, despite the few talented players in his squad.

[72] In the selection match to determine the team that would face Wales on November 23, 1935, R. Claudel was one of the first-choice players, and nothing seemed to call this choice into question.

[81] He did, however, pay tribute to his team-mates, including Griffard, after their 25-7 defeat by England in February 1936, saying that "they didn't defend themselves too badly" in the face of such adversity.

[82] Roger Claudel began his third season with Paris Rugby XIII, joining his international teammates Pierre Germineau and Louis Brané.

[88] In mid-February, Paris Rugby XIII lost in the first round of the Coupe de France to US Lyon-Villeurbanne in a fair match played with 12 men against 13, following Labourdette's injury.

[97] In November 1937, R. Claudel relinquished his position as captain of Paris Rugby XIII, leaving Ribeyre to take on the role due to personal considerations.

[102] The name of Roger Claudel, back from injury, reappeared in the debate for the second match on January 16, 1938, but this time Galia decided in favor of Brunetaud.

The battle turned in favor of Toulouse Olympique XIII, who took the coveted eighth place, with the Parisian club eventually finishing ninth.

R. Claudel and his team-mates hoped to exact revenge in the last 16 of the Coupe de France, but were also defeated 19-7 by the same opponents on March 27, 1938, in Lyon.

[107] R. Claudel and Courbevoie were one of the attractions of this amateur championship, which was also contested by Saintes, Nantes, Stade Rochelais, Celtic Saint-Denis and Castres.

[119] He then took a six-month break from rugby to rest and practice his profession, only to return at the end of 1941, still wearing the Racing CF jersey.

[121] In October 1942, he took part in a match celebrating the tenth anniversary of Lyon OU's victory over their counterparts from the 1932 season, USA Perpignan.