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Source: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25136883-5001021,00.html
Former Cronulla star Greg Bird signs for French rugby league club
FORMER Cronulla five-eighth Greg Bird signed with French club Catalan Dragons today after being refused a visa by Great Britain to play for the Bradford Bulls.
The 25-year-old former Test representative was released by NRL club the Sharks after being charged last year with grievous bodily harm against his American girlfriend Katie Milligan.
Under the terms of his release, he is not allowed to play in the NRL this season.
The Dragons, who play in the English Super League, said on their official website Bird will be presented as a Catalan player at a press conference later today and could make his debut this weekend.
Gallery: Greg Bird - a portrait
The Dragons are coached by former Bronco Kevin Walters, whose assistant is former Bulldogs and Parramatta forward Dean Pay.
Bird will join former NRL stars Steve Bell (Manly), Dane Carlaw, Casey McGuire and Shane Perry (Brisbane), Clint Greenshield and Jason Ryles (St George Illawarra), Adam Mogg (Canberra) at the club.
The club is based in Perpignan in southern France. The town of about 300,000 is close to the Spanish border and about 200km from Barcelona.
Its rugby union club USA Perpignan plays in the top French league and made headlines last year when they signed All Black Dan Carter for a six-month guest stint.
Carter played only five matches for the club before suffering a serious Achilles injury in late January that has ruled him out of the game for six months.
Bird's negotiations with the Dragons are believed to have been underway for a few weeks.
He is due to face court again in Sydney on April 27 over the assault charges.
Bird is one of a number of former NRL players, including Todd Carney and Greg Eastwood, refused a working visa in the UK under tightened immigration laws.
With his options diminished, Bird had canvassed playing for Newtown in the NSW Cup and when the club withdrew its interest, looked set to turn out for Southern Districts in the Sydney club rugby union competition.
Former Canberra bad-boy Todd Carney had been set to play for Huddersfield until immigration officials stepped in and he has now signed a one-year deal with the Atherton Roosters in the far north Queensland. The Roosters play in the Cairns competition.
Eastwood, a New Zealand international and former Bronco, was due to play for Leeds but was denied a visa over a string of speeding offences.
He has appealed the decision but if he fails the Warriors look his most likely destination.
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