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[MidlandsRugbyLeague]

ALITALIA EUROPEAN CUP – MATCH 5 - FRANCE 11 WALES 12

Iestyn Harris’ young Welsh side heroically won the Alitalia European Cup – and with it a passage into the 2011 Four Nations Tournament – with a thrilling 12-11 sucess in Albi, that was a reward for enterprise and wonderfully committed defence.

Despite lacking talisman Lee Briers through injury, Gareth Thomas taking on the captain’s armband, the Welsh underdogs shocked the 10,413 home crowd in a superb contest that again underlined the rising quality of international rugby league.

The result was in doubt right up until the final seconds when Sebastien Martins knocked on as France threatened, Lloyd White’s 76th minute penalty – given after a late challenge by Jamal Fakir on the last tackle, proving to be the difference.

White was one of a number of heroes in red, Thomas had a huge first half, mohawked Mark Lennon was a calming presence throughout and up front Jacob Emmitt and Ross Divorty from the bench held the defensive line together.

France started strongly but Wales were tough in defence with Jordan James and Christiaan Roets especially standing tall.

In the first real attack, Cyril Stacul was stopped in his tracks by Roets while young custodian Elliot Kear desperately cleared up from a Nicolas Munoz grubber kick that forced a goal-line drop-out.

Remi Casty almost went over but was halted just short after receiving Kane Bentley’s off-load as the hosts looked to take control.

Sloppy passing from Olivier Elima also prevented the home side from registering an opening score, a chance wasted after Tony Gigot’s excellent 40-20.

Wales’ first opportunity came on 14 minutes when Lennon attempted to get onto the end of a high bomb but home skipper Elima was first to the ball.

France eventually broke through on 17 minutes when Quentin Nauroy got on the end of a Teddy Sadaoui pass after full-back Stacul had sliced through, Munoz missing the conversion attempt.

Nauroy could have scored a second but Welsh full-back Kear brilliantly snatched the ball away from him as he looked to get on the end of a grubber kick.

Wales dominated the final 20 minutes of the first half territorially but, without Briers, lacked a decisive cutting edge.

Warrington starlet Rhys Williams thought he had a try on the board when he dived onto a loose ball but video referee Ben Thaler ruled that Kear knocked on when diving for the ball in the lead up.

An Aled James pass was palmed down leading to a Welsh scrum on France’s 10 metre line but, again, the visitors failed to take advantage of possession and the chance was lost, while a hopeful Kear pass five minutes before the interval, aiming for Lennon, sailed to into touch.

Both sides tightened up in the second half, especially when it came to handling errors with fewer scrums given away, even as the intensity of the contest increased.

Wales gained due reward on 46 minutes when the prolific Williams got onto the end of Danny Jones’ pass after a superb grubber and re-gather from White.

It was his tenth Welsh try putting him in second place in the all-time list, just two behind his coach Harris, White converting superbly from the touchline to put the visitors into the lead.

France looked to hit back but Gigot’s grubber to the in-goal went too far for Jean Philippe Baile to reach.

Just before the hour mark, Wales won a penalty 30 metres out when Baile led with the elbow when in possession on Jones but eschewed the short at goal and were rewarded from the tap.

Quick passing to the right through Jones, White and Kear paid off when Thomas burst over to make it 10-4.

In response, Casty was short of the line in a strong attack while Lennon and Kear cleared up the resulting kick for Baile.

France levelled on the back of a measured Gigot cross kick, palmed back by Nauroy for Teddy Sadaoui to gather and go over by the flag, Munoz landing a terrific goal from out wide.

White looked to have scored for Wales with eight minutes to go but his drop-goal was ruled out for obstruction by Jordan James on Jason Baitieri..

From the resulting penalty, France stormed upfield and Gigot potted what looked to be the winning one-pointer.

But with four minutes to go, Wales were awarded a penalty 40 metres out following Fakir’s illegal challenge and White coolly kicked the winning goal.

There was still drama when, in the closing minute, France were awarded a differential penalty at a scrum on half way but the tigerish Welsh defence held firm.

FRANCE

1. Cyril Stacul (Union Treiziste Catalan)

2. Frederic Vaccari (Union Treiziste Catalan)

3. Jean-Phillipe Baile (Catalans Dragons)

4. Teddy Sadaoui (AS Carcassonne)

5. Quentin Nauroy (Union Treiziste Catalan)

6. Tony Gigot (Union Treiziste Catalan)

7. Nicolas Munoz (Lézignan Sangliers)

8. Jamal Fakir (Catalans Dragons)

9. Kane Bentley (Union Treiziste Catalan)

10. Remi Casty (Catalans Dragons)

11. Olivier Elima (Bradford Bulls)

12. Michael Simon (Union Treiziste Catalan)

13. Jason Baitieri (Catalans Dragons)

Subs:

14. Sebastien Martins (Union Treiziste Catalan)

15. Mathieu Griffi (Toulouse Olympique)

16. Andrew Bentley (Lézignan Sangliers)

17. Yoan Tisseyre (Toulouse Olympique)



Tries: Nauroy (17), Sadoaui (67)

Goals: Munoz 1/2

Drop-goal: Gigot



WALES

1. Elliot Kear (Crusaders)

2. Rhys Williams (Warrington Wolves)

3. Christiaan Roets (South Wales Scorpions)

4. Gareth Thomas (Crusaders)

5. Mark Lennon (Cronulla Sharks)

6. Ian Webster (Central Queensland Comets)

7. Danny Jones (Keighley Cougars)

8. Jordan James (Crusaders)

9. Lloyd White (Crusaders)

10. Jacob Emmitt (St Helens)

11. Chris Beasley (Central Queensland Comets)

12. Aled James (South Wales Scorpions)

13. Ben Flower (Crusaders)

Subs

14. Jordan Ross (York City Knights)

15. Ross Divorty (Featherstone Rovers)

16. Gil Dudson (Crusaders)

17. Neil Budworth (Mackay Cutters)



Tries: Williams (46), Thomas (60)

Goals: White 2/3



Half-time: 4-0

Referee: Phil Bentham (England)

Attendance: 10,413

[tim2]

I suppose England might beat them...

[The Clan]

cue the first five Nations tournament!

[shrek]

Fantastic news!

Paris will be along in a second to tell us we need a 2nd Welsh team to cash in on this success!

[gazza77]

Fantastic news!

Paris will be along in a second to tell us we need a 2nd Welsh team to cash in on this success!

Nice to see that Les Cats have developed so far in the last few years that they can still loose to a team of mainly SL reserves and Championship players. Maybe the difference between ft & pt players isn't so great after all.

[exxile]

Nice to see that Les Cats have developed so far in the last few years that they can still loose to a team of mainly SL reserves and Championship players. Maybe the difference between ft & pt players isn't so great after all.

There were only 3 regular Catalans, plus Elima, in the squad. Where were the others?

[gazza77]

There were only 3 regular Catalans, plus Elima, in the squad. Where were the others?

So in that case the need to have a french team in SL to strengthen the national team has been how successful?

[The Future is League]

cue the first five Nations tournament!

its coming. ways will be found to include Wales and France in a 5 team tournament including England, NZ, and Australia in Europe.

[Jim from Oz]

is any of this on the web? youtube?

[The Parksider]

So in that case the need to have a french team in SL to strengthen the national team has been how successful?

There's a fench club in SL and a welsh club in SL that help underpin their national sides, albeit it's a long project.

The game had nothing in it.

But to get France playing Wales again after all these years, and playing at professional level, is absolutely fantastic.

I don't think amyone with the games interests at heart would not want to see Toulouse and the Scorpions develop towards SL too.

These "projects" can only succeed in the time it takes to get more kids of a good calibre interested in playing the game, and for those kids to grow into top professionals.

So with respect it's a shame people want to only give these things a couple of years before condemning them

[shrek]

is any of this on the web? youtube?

There are copies on the web, seeing as your in "Oz" if you were to look across the "sea" between you and New Zealand I am sure you'd find a copy.

[shrek]

I don't think amyone with the games interests at heart would not want to see Toulouse and the Scorpions develop towards SL too.

I believe it may be possible to have the games interests at heart and want to see the French develop a domestic competition strong enough that there top clubs don't have to compete in Super League.

Insert a european cup competition above the domestic leagues on both sides of the channel and you'd be working towards having something to give us more intensive matches on a more regular basis.

Dropping Toulouse into Super League is just going to see another job lot of aussie players and coaches get a boost to the pension fund and a paid tour of europe.

[1976PMJwires]

LMFAO i have said i would laugh all year to Paris that wales would beat france and i'm right ........ French do not deserve 2 teams in sl

[Wolford6]

French do not deserve 2 teams in sl

Neither do Wigan. Someone tell Lobby.

[Scubby]

1. Greenshields
2. Pelo
3. Gossard
4. Raguin
5. Duport
6. Greseque
7. Bosc
8. Ferriol
9. Rinaldi
10. Guissett
11. Mounis
12. Touxagas
13. Maguire

Look at this list of French Intenational qualified players not involved in this crucial encounter. This team alone would have won the tournament comfortably. France are not strong enough to have this talent unavailable - simple as.

[The Parksider]

Dropping Toulouse into Super League is just going to see another job lot of aussie players and coaches get a boost to the pension fund and a paid tour of europe.

Point taken, and probably why they aren't being seriously considered this time.

Wish someone from France or with French knowledge would explain what the problem is.

[The Parksider]

1. Greenshields
2. Pelo
3. Gossard
4. Raguin
5. Duport
6. Greseque
7. Bosc
8. Ferriol
9. Rinaldi
10. Guissett
11. Mounis
12. Touxagas
13. Maguire

Look at this list of French Intenational qualified players not involved in this crucial encounter. This team alone would have won the tournament comfortably. France are not strong enough to have this talent unavailable - simple as.

Great post. Are Les Cats not inspiring the french to try RL in greater numbers??

[thirteenthman]

Look at this list of French Intenational qualified players not involved in this crucial encounter. This team alone would have won the tournament comfortably. France are not strong enough to have this talent unavailable - simple as.

Real quality not playing in the list quoted - Thomas Bosc alone would make a big difference and Maxime Greseque had a big game against the Irish. I guess it's just bad timing - it happens in RL with the amount of injuries that can occur.

This is the problem I have with the Welsh side, because even though I can't see them troubling anyone in the 4 Nations next year, it would be an absolute disaster if they had injuries to a few key players. If Lee Briers was out I'm fairly sure it would make a huge difference. They have even less strength in depth than the French do.
For all the development work going on in Wales the Crusaders team is packed full of Aussies - and below that all you've got is the SW Scorpions.

[audois]

Great post. Are Les Cats not inspiring the french to try RL in greater numbers??

France didn't do too badly in last years FN for a first go. Led England at the break, held Kiwis up to hour mark and down against Kangaroos 8-0 at ht. Eight of that squad didn't feature in this tournament. Munoz at 7 yesterday isn't the regular half back at his local club Lezignan who play two Australians in those positions which doesn't help.

But this last summer for the first time we saw the arrival off both the Roosters U20s in the Valvoline Cup and the Catalans Academy U18s playing cross Channel matches regularly against British sides. This is two years after the arrival of TOXIII in the Championship and five years after the Dragons entry. I think the Federation led Roosters are looking at playing a full season starting in April next year which should raise the levels of competitiveness even further. Last November the French Juniors U19s recorded their first ever home win against the Australian IS side too. Bit by bit it grows.

It just takes time. I remember before the 2000 WC France played a warm up game against BARLA at Albi and won 10-8. A year later I think it was they lost to BARLA up in Cumbria. The game has really come from a long way back.

[The Parksider]

France didn't do too badly in last years FN

Bit by bit it grows.

It just takes time.

That'll do for me as long as the GB test, the 4 nations and Les Cats are inspiring growth in the right direction.

Could anything acccelerate that growth??