El Masri's French Union Offer

[singaporeXIII]

Didn't look too much into it but when i came across this article in the telegraph there was mention that a Pierre Vandome from the FRU made him the offer or something along those lines.
If my memory serves me correctly, isn't a Pierre Vandome running the New Caledonian RL? This could either be a co-incidence they have the same name, or could this be a typo or is it the same guy? Maybe Yakstorm, you could help me here.

 

[yakstorm]

Well the NCRL board was made up of the following at the start of this year:

President: Didier Pisani
Vice President: Jeann Louis Covacho
General Manager: Pierre Vandome
Development Officer: Sylvan Crismanovich

So yes there was a Pierre Vandome involved in NCRL. That said he could of gone back to Union was the FFR throwing around a fair bit of cash after the Union World Cup. Which would make sense for Pierre Vandome to make the offer in Sydney to Hazem El Masri.

Vandome was over in Lebanon for the Med Cup when NCRL were first setting up with the French RL and would know who El Masri was, plus has been in Sydney for organising RL matches. That said I still am pretty sure he is still involved in the NCRL, so what I think is more likely is someone representing the FFR who is from New Calendonia made the offer to El Masri, and Vandomes' was the first name they found so put it in the article.

Its like when I was on the road for work, they kept refering to the touring Scotland Rugby League side in Country NSW (ahh I wish it was the Scottish RL). They didn't have all the info but wanted to be first with the news.

 

[mc5]

I have my doubts about the authenticity of this offer for the simple reason that the FRU do not contract players. In French rugby it is the clubs who contract the players and they are act very autonomously from the FRU.

Strange also that there is no publicity about this offer in France or Europe.

 

[griff]

I have my doubts about the authenticity of this offer for the simple reason that the FRU do not contract players. In French rugby it is the clubs who contract the players and they are act very autonomously from the FRU.

Strange also that there is no publicity about this offer in France or Europe.

I think it is pretty clear the offer was from the club SC Agen, and there isn't even such an organisation as the FRU, it is the FFR. It is just in articles for the Australian market that when there is an offer to play Union in France they just say the offer came from "the FRU" as if it was similar to the ARU.

Sounds to me like this Pierre Vandome is the same guy, otherwise he would have no knowledge of El Masri. Hope this doesn't hamper RL's gains over RU in New Caledonia.

 

[mono_mal]

I heard whilst flicking through the channels on the Inside Rugby program that El Masri is being offered a contract with the Perpignan Rugby League club for 2006 and a French rugby union club is interested in signing him for the 2005 season.
They were not clear with the details though and I could only gather the above from their comments.

 

[Alan Shore]

So El Masri to play for UTC in 2006? I'm okay with all that then!

 

[ali]

I heard whilst flicking through the channels on the Inside Rugby program that El Masri is being offered a contract with the Perpignan Rugby League club for 2006 and a French rugby union club is interested in signing him for the 2005 season.
They were not clear with the details though and I could only gather the above from their comments.

This is true. The union deal is for 1 year and will be the bulk of his earnings. Anything Piere gets out of it will go to the New Caledoinan Rugby League.

I now hope this goes ahead.