Expansion cities like Lyon, Marseille and Montpelier etc should be targeted for the English league structure with the current elite 1 and elite 2 teams acting as feeder clubs.
I’d totally forgotten about llias bergal at Toulouse. The guy is a try scoring machine having scored 13 tries in just 11 appearances for Leigh last year. Makes you wonder why Leigh let him go??https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ilias-bergal-scores-six-tries-as-toulouse-rout-rochdale/
Winger Ilias Bergal scored six tries as Toulouse hammered Rochdale 68-0 in the Championship.
Bergal, 23, joined the club from Leigh in the off-season and has been restricted to just two appearances through injury before making his return at the Crown Oil Arena.
The French side ran in 12 tries against the sorry hosts, who are rooted to the bottom of the Championship with just one win all season, and only an expansion in number of the league will save them from relegation.
Former Hull KR centre Junior Vaivai scored his first try for the club following his recent transfer, while Castleford bound Tyla Hepi scored on his 100th appearance.
The result lifts Toulouse back up to second in the table, albeit before York take on Batley on Sunday.
Perpignan-born Bergal came through the junior ranks at Catalans, turning out for their feeder side St Esteve in the French League, before making a move to Swinton.
Despite his double hat-trick, it is some way short of the record in an RFL match – set at 11 by George West of Hull KR way back in 1905.
Have to wonder why Catalans have someone like Tierney in their squad instead of a player like Bergal?I’d totally forgotten about llias bergal at Toulouse. The guy is a try scoring machine having scored 13 tries in just 11 appearances for Leigh last year. Makes you wonder why Leigh let him go??
Same goes for thornley last year instead of Romano.Have to wonder why Catalans have someone like Tierney in their squad instead of a player like Bergal?
They had on a corespondent (name escapes me) on Total Rugby League podcast who was talking about the reserve sides of Catalan and Toulouse and how poor their crowd following is. Seems like if more clubs were to join the English competitions then Elite 1 might die off.Expansion cities like Lyon, Marseille and Montpelier etc should be targeted for the English league structure with the current elite 1 and elite 2 teams acting as feeder clubs.
Ideally all the French clubs should have academy sides competing with their English counterparts.
Crowds have been abysmal in elite 1 long before Toulouse and Catalan joined the U.K. league structure.They had on a corespondent (name escapes me) on Total Rugby League podcast who was talking about the reserve sides of Catalan and Toulouse and how poor their crowd following is. Seems like if more clubs were to join the English competitions then Elite 1 might die off.
Most likely not.Great news but will they be given a shot??http://www.catalansdragons.com/en/articles-9/189-7259-full-time-deal-for-reserve-team-players/
Are the 3 trialists from rugby union?https://www.loverugbyleague.com/pos...ignan-structure-of-lower-divisions-confirmed/
Dragons’ reserves team sign Goffin
One of the stars of last season’s Elite 1 championship, Jayson Goffin, has signed for St Esteve XIII Catalan from Villeneuve. They have also handed trials to several youngsters, who will train with the club in August. Hugo Bravo, Rachid Mekkaoui and Tom Azema, son of Franck the coach of Clermont Rugby Union.
Three new faces for Villeneuve
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Following on from the arrivals of William Ousty and Brad Wall, Villeneuve have made three new additions to their squad. Franck Maria, brother of Catalans’ utility Antoni, and Mike Melhout join from Avignon, while centre Latrell Schaumkel arrives from New Zealand.
Anderson brothers in the market
VARL, the club of Anderson brothers Vinnie and Louis, have made their first two new signings of the summer. Djamel Remok, a utility back who played in Villefranche last season, and young hooker Clement Cartier, who played a handful of games in Elite 1 for Carcassonne.
Former Barrow man in at Lezignan
Lezignan, semi-finalist in both the cup and the championship in the last two seasons, have recruited Arnaud Bartes from St Esteve. He played for Barrow in the Championship at the end of 2018, and is the second newcomer at Lezignan following the arrival of Remy Marginet.
France youngsters to face Toulouse
France’s equivalent of England Knights will take on Toulouse Olympique in a training game on August 1. 22 have been called up including former Toulouse forward Bastien Canet and young Catalans Dragons players Paul Séguier and Arthur Mourgue.
European Championship round 3 – France v Scotland Saturday 10 November in Carcassonne
Lower league structure confirmed
After unveiling the fixtures for the Elite 1 and 2 championships, the FFR XIII have now publised details of their other divisions. In the National Division (third tier), the 16 teams will be divided in to two groups of eight, while in the Federal Division (tier four), the 24 teams will be split in to three groups of eight. These championships will start at the end of September.