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France

Emu01

Juniors
Messages
833
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stade_Numa-Daly_Magenta
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I fowarded Your idea about a French team playing out of New Caledonia on the the Nrl just to see their response..

Just as I suspected they flatly refused the idea even though I stated that it was only the Q Cup or NSW Cup.


The Nrls response went along the lines of “ Thank you so much for your idea about a French team but we believe we need to grow the revenue of existing clubs before we think about expansion”.

“But I will pass your idea on” “You have obviously given this a lot of thought”.

So there you go Mike, I thought it was a great idea but the Nrl couldn’t be bothered even trying something different.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,827
We've seen with the kiwis and PI's that you need at least 50-60 eligible players in the top flight to get a competitive international team. With the language, and lifestyle, barriers it's unlikely we will ever see a lot of talented 20year old French kids signing for SL or NRL clubs. Looks like Frances best hope would be to get three clubs full time in SL and some improved jnr development pathways. Maybe Perpignan, Toulouse and Barcelona(mostly French Catalonia players)?
 

Hello, I'm The Doctor

First Grade
Messages
9,124
We've seen with the kiwis and PI's that you need at least 50-60 eligible players in the top flight to get a competitive international team. With the language, and lifestyle, barriers it's unlikely we will ever see a lot of talented 20year old French kids signing for SL or NRL clubs. Looks like Frances best hope would be to get three clubs full time in SL and some improved jnr development pathways. Maybe Perpignan, Toulouse and Barcelona(mostly French Catalonia players)?

Barcelona would really be worth a crack for an SL team...

RU is pretty much non-existent as a spectator sport in Spain. With soccer as their sport, RL would have an opening in spain with all the big, slow kids and the fans wanting a contact sport.
 
Messages
3,884
You need a team in Paris, to strengthen French rugby league, before you need a team in Barcelona. French rugby league needs to have a presence in the national capital to make French people pay attention to the game. Plus it creates a second rivalry in French RL --- not only Catalans vs Toulouse, but also Paris vs Toulouse, which is already a hugely popular contest in rugby union. Let's consolidate in France before we try to spread, too thinly, to Spain.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
I fowarded Your idea about a French team playing out of New Caledonia on the the Nrl just to see their response..

Just as I suspected they flatly refused the idea even though I stated that it was only the Q Cup or NSW Cup.


The Nrls response went along the lines of “ Thank you so much for your idea about a French team but we believe we need to grow the revenue of existing clubs before we think about expansion”.

“But I will pass your idea on” “You have obviously given this a lot of thought”.

So there you go Mike, I thought it was a great idea but the Nrl couldn’t be bothered even trying something different.

The drive for something like this has to come out of New Caledonia/France.

It is a good idea for France. I agree the NRL should support the international game but they aren't a charity and there's not really that much in it for the competition that couldn't be achieved by investing in 5 or 6 other places closer to home and with more RL already existing.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,360
The drive for something like this has to come out of New Caledonia/France.

It is a good idea for France. I agree the NRL should support the international game but they aren't a charity and there's not really that much in it for the competition that couldn't be achieved by investing in 5 or 6 other places closer to home and with more RL already existing.

Exactly, not really up to NRL to push it, New Caledonia/France would have to put together something viable for QRL entry.
 

Irish-bulldog

Juniors
Messages
785
I wish I seen this frence team at full strength, I've seen enough from them to see massive potentional. I'm guessing they just need improved depth
 
Messages
14,139
They're so small. They needed Casty, Simon and Springer, but realsitically they also need some size elsewhere, including out wide, which they don't have.
 

Irish-bulldog

Juniors
Messages
785
They're so small. They needed Casty, Simon and Springer, but realsitically they also need some size elsewhere, including out wide, which they don't have.

Agreed, but 3 forwards can make a difference, you can tell france are one of the better league nations. I know they have leaked some points, but they are also in the hardest pool. If the french could get another team in the superleague they could really challenge. I've been impressed with this team, showing plenty of heart.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
They're so small. They needed Casty, Simon and Springer, but realsitically they also need some size elsewhere, including out wide, which they don't have.
Duport and Miloudi both have some size in the backs. Most of the Super League players do to be fair, the problem is the Elite players who don't have access to full-time conditioning. TBH I can't believe there are always still so many Elite players in the France squad, if only they would field their strongest team once in a while.
 

Green_

Juniors
Messages
74
Gigot is a great player, he should be playing
What is the latest with Gigot - is he still serving the drugs ban for 2 years or has that decision been appealed? He is certainly a player that would have added some spark to their attack at this tornament.

Is Salford's new signing, Nzoungou, a future rep star? I note he has been with Melbourne Storm in past.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
What is the latest with Gigot - is he still serving the drugs ban for 2 years or has that decision been appealed? He is certainly a player that would have added some spark to their attack at this tornament.

Is Salford's new signing, Nzoungou, a future rep star? I note he has been with Melbourne Storm in past.
Gigot sat out the start of the season and then was reinstated on appeal and played a couple of matches, and then for some reason the appeal was reversed and he was banned again. As far as anyone can tell the ban is for not for the actual drugs test, which was clean, but for supposedly making some type of joke about bribing the tester so it's a pretty weird situation. Not expecting to see him again until 2019 though and I believe he's no longer contracted with Catalans. AFAIK he's only banned by the French doping authorities and by not the RFL or any other RL bodies so not sure why he hasn't pursued a move to Australia or somewhere outside of France for a year, really weird situation.

Nzoungou is a good physical prospect but still lacking game awareness. Difficult to say how he will develop as a 19 y/o prop but he definitely has the potential physically. One of several good young French props aged 19-20 coming through the ranks.
 

Green_

Juniors
Messages
74
France awarded the RWC for 2023... one would assume that this is another smother for the development of League in France.
 
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