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Pacifique X111

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293
As a current resident of Darwin this interests me greatly. There is a large appetite for league here... Not sure if Darwin could sustain Qld Cup initially but the team would get good support from both locals and government. Do you have any more info as I haven't heard this before and would love the idea.

Unfortunately I don't know much about the bid. All I know the plan behind it is to take advantage of the newly built Territory Rugby League Stadium in Mararra, and as you said, the strong League appetite in the NT, but as for who is driving it, I'll have to ask some more questions.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
If current rumours are true about this and other projects the NRL and SL will have a bit of catching up to do (not commercially of course) in terms of their footprint because if they do come off here would be the various around the world ranked by footprint:

Euro XIII's / RLEF Euro Comp - a dozen odd countries involved
RFL League 1 - English (including a London presence), Welsh, Canadian and U.S. clubs involved
SL - English, French and Canadian clubs involved
QLD Cup - Australian (including one from NSW), PNG and Pacific clubs involved
NRL - Australian and New Zealand clubs involved
Ron Massey Cup - Australian and Fijian clubs involved
RFL Championship - English (including a London presence) and French clubs involved
NSW Cup - Australian and NZ clubs involved

The Euro XIII's, League 1 and QLD Cup could become very commercially viable products in their own right.
 

Dakink

Bench
Messages
3,135
Unfortunately I don't know much about the bid. All I know the plan behind it is to take advantage of the newly built Territory Rugby League Stadium in Mararra, and as you said, the strong League appetite in the NT, but as for who is driving it, I'll have to ask some more questions.
I'll see if I can grab some pics of the new ground. It's a real nice little facility!
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
The Pacifique Treize team is bidding to join the QCup / Intrust Super Cup in 2023. There will be no new teams for the QCup in 2021, however unlike the NSWRL, the QRL has been quite keen to implement the Platinum League recommendation and have a 16-team competition before 2025.

The other team likely to join in the short term is the Western Mustangs (Toowoomba), although there has been talk around maybe a Darwin team joining.

It'd be great if all 3 could get the nod plus maybe 1 other to make it 18. The 'one other' is a tricky one, then again 6 months ago nobody could have picked a team from New Caledonia applying.

Darwin is an interesting one, I've often said over the years ideally larger regional towns (and small state capitals) could aim for a QLD/NSW Cup side. A QLD Cup side is realistically the highest level team Darwin will ever get so it would be good to have that base covered. Likewise a couple of regional NSW teams in the NSW Cup would be great if the finances stack up like Rockhampton and Mackay seem to do in QLD Cup.
 

Dakink

Bench
Messages
3,135
Unfortunately I don't know much about the bid. All I know the plan behind it is to take advantage of the newly built Territory Rugby League Stadium in Mararra, and as you said, the strong League appetite in the NT, but as for who is driving it, I'll have to ask some more questions.
Also if you ever hear more let me know, I'd like to get involved in helping get it up and running.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293
Some big news:
https://pacifique13.com/en/2020/07/08/pacifique-treize-granted-affiliate-status-with-ffrxiii/
https://www.intrl.sport/news/pacifique-treize-granted-affiliate-status-with-ffrxiii/
https://www.ffr13.fr/actualite-a-la-une/pacifique-lassociation-sportive-pacifique-xiii-voit-le-jour/

The Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (FFRXIII) has this month granted l’Association Sportive Pacifique XIII (Pacifique Treize) official affiliate status to deliver Rugby League to the French Pacific Territories.

The affiliation enables l’Association Sportive Pacifique XIII (A.S. Pacifique XIII) to run Rugby League competitions and high performance programmes within the territories of New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia including but not limited to, the Thirteen-a-Side, Nine-a-Side, Touch, Beach and Wheelchair variations of the code.

Players taking part in the programmes and competitions run by A.S. Pacifique XIII will be registered as participants of the FFRXIII and thus also eligible for the Federation’s own high performance programs, including selection for French Representative teams, including the Les Chanticleers.

The initial Board Members for A.S. Pacifique XIII, who will be charged with laying the foundations across the French Territories, will be Manuel Jalabert (President), Laurent Garnier (Vice-President), Zach Davis Hancock (Secretary) and Fraser Kendal.

Commenting on the announcement, Vice-President Laurent Garnier, expressed his delight at the opportunities this affiliation will open up for the Pacifique Treize bid.

“As a former player and coach in France and Australia, and a TV commentator for Rugby League, I am delighted with the opportunity this will give young talents in the French territories of the Pacific. We believe that we will be able to create a high-performance culture which will allow us to develop the local talent, and provide long term success for not only Pacifique Treize, but also the French National team.”

Noumea based, Manual Jalabert, added further his support and excitement for the project.

“This initiative is a great springboard for the youth of the French-speaking Pacific islands and also for French Rugby League. Indeed, Australia is a major nation in the sport and offers us the opportunity to participate in one of the biggest championships in the World will provides new and beautiful opportunities for our youth.”

A.S. Pacifique XIII will coordinate all programmes within the French Territories of New Caledonia, Wallis & Futuna and French Polynesia in partnership with the Pacifique Treize bid team, whilst all activities performed within Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands will be coordinated by the Vanuatu Rugby League (VRL) and Solomon Islands Rugby League (SIRL) respectively.

The Pacifique Treize Bid team has set its sights on joining the Queensland Rugby League's Intrust Super Cup competition in 2023.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293
Wasn't this the plan all along by France to boost their playing pool?

I may have been part of a wider FFRXIII plan, however the Pacifique Treize Intrust Super Cup team and l’Association Sportive Pacifique XIII are both completely independent from the FFRXIII and were setup by individuals not associated with the Federation.

Naturally now that things are starting to get going a partnership has been formed, as it is in the best interest of all organisations to be working together.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
So realistically how would these guys aim compete in QLD Cup? Players of that level aren't going to come from New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands etc overnight so you'd think initially they'll have to recruit most of their squad.

Naturally they'll probably have to recruit some Australian or NZ players. Hopefully to stick with the French & Pacific feel they're going for they target players from France, PNG, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. That should make the bulk of their squad in the formative years with 4-5 of the best locals then build from there.

I'm really hoping this gets off the ground, it could be one of the most interesting ventures in Rugby League.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293
There is a big French focus with this team, and finding players who can speak / understand French will play a significant role in recruitment, etc. This doesn't mean that players from Australia or New Zealand won't be considered, but expect Pacifique XIII to look towards mainland France for a significant portion of their recruitment.

In terms of finding locals for the team, expect to hear news about High Performance programs being rolled out in each of the territories focusing on 16 - 22 year olds. Whilst this won't necessarily create enough players for the team to compete in the QCup, it will hopefully expose any athletes with natural ability that could adapt to League and allows them to take advantage of the 2-3 year lead in time before taking the field.

There is also the opportunity to try and nab a few of the steady flow of players that migrate from New Caledonia & French Polynesia to France to play Union each year.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
There is a big French focus with this team, and finding players who can speak / understand French will play a significant role in recruitment, etc. This doesn't mean that players from Australia or New Zealand won't be considered, but expect Pacifique XIII to look towards mainland France for a significant portion of their recruitment.

In terms of finding locals for the team, expect to hear news about High Performance programs being rolled out in each of the territories focusing on 16 - 22 year olds. Whilst this won't necessarily create enough players for the team to compete in the QCup, it will hopefully expose any athletes with natural ability that could adapt to League and allows them to take advantage of the 2-3 year lead in time before taking the field.

There is also the opportunity to try and nab a few of the steady flow of players that migrate from New Caledonia & French Polynesia to France to play Union each year.

Good to hear. I remember thinking that that should target French players but then thought it might be easier said than done. I can see them getting a steady flow of players from France, probably mostly young players with ambitions of NRL. It is still half way across the world for similar money at best to Elite 1 so I doubt we'll see a huge flood of French players coming down.

Still it's good to be getting an insight in to those ambitions, hopefully it all falls in to place.
 

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,402
This could eventually be a backdoor way of making the game stronger in France and their national team stronger.May even get more press coverage in France.
 

Perth Tiger

Bench
Messages
3,022
If Catalans or Toulouse are smart they should try and form some sort of linkage to send some of their juniors there as I think Qld cup would be a higher standard than Elite 1
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
If Catalans or Toulouse are smart they should try and form some sort of linkage to send some of their juniors there as I think Qld cup would be a higher standard than Elite 1

Definitely, moreso Catalans as they hoard a heap of fringe SL players but rarely play them unless they have to. QLD Cup would be a higher standard than Championship as well in my opinion.

One advantage would be that the seasons run at the same time for Super League & QLD Cup.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293
Pacifique Treize will be looking to form multiple partnerships, both in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, to help gain access to players and as well provide opportunities to players.

Whether something happens with Toulouse or Catalans, or even with sides in Elite One, will become more evident over time, but there is definitely hope that some younger players from France will make the trek down to New Caledonia and take advantage of the opportunity to test themselves in a competition like the QCup and fast track their development.

Anyway, an update on the Testing Day's. First session held in Port Vila, Vanuatu yesterday:
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293

Following the testing days in Noumea, Pacifique Treize has picked a training squad who will now focus on learning the finer skills of the game before the first High Performance Unit is launched in 2021.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Would be great to see players from France coming into Queensland Cup and even potentially NRL via Pacifique XIII. And the return value to France, some big talented Pacific lads to strengthen their test team.
This really is a great project on so many levels, I hope it succeeds. Massive for Vanuatu, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Queensland Cup, Pacific Rugby League, and France.
Rare for an idea to tick so many boxes.
 

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