16 replies to this topic

[audois]

A delight Sunday up in the Minervois for the Villeneuve Federal Pool clash with Aude neighbours St Laurent Cabrerisse won by the home side 34-22. Local reporter Michel Lausse called it right a match ‘engagée et tres agreeable’- a good turn out on a lovely sunny autumnal afternoon with 200 or so behind the barriers.

The Federation have changed a few things from last season. The Elite1/2 now has 20 sides after Montpellier’s collapse. National 1 had only 8 sides last year & not really going anywhere. They’ve now expanded that substantially to 21 clubs in three regional Pools.
For us in the Aude it’s worked out pretty well even if Ornaisons have dropped out after being Federal Champions just two years ago. Apparently a local union set up enticed a bulk of the team to uproot. Fortunately USO will still run with an U21s & school of rugby intact.

Ferrals & Villegailhenc are the two local sides to move up to tier 3 with the latter opening their account at the weekend with a hard fought home win 32-28 against the Catalans of St Laurent Salanque. Below that level we still have a decent set up with a Federal Pool of 8 sides. Prexian where stragglers last term but now fused with near neighbours Le Lauquet to form ASPL & have a certain Daniel Waggon ex-Para Eels in tow as player coach. They’ve started like the proverbial house on fire with a win at new boys Limoux based Flassian & Sunday thumped the Catalans of Ille-sur-Tete 64-14 before nearly 400 spectators. This division looks promising offering derbys for Catalans, Corbieres, Aude Valley & Mountain Noire - the latter with the arrival of Aussillon-Mazamet from over the hill in the Tarn.The newcomers from just across the border opened their account with a close fought win 28-26 against Val de Dagne.

The wider region to me looks stronger than its ever been developing around the phenomena of the Catalan Dragons. Behind the SL club you have 5 semi pro set-ups, two Elite 2 clubs, 7 National 1 clubs & 8 at Federal. The Dragons feeder club, St Esteve beat Lezigan 36-24 yesterday before nearly 2000 supporters in an enthralling tussle full of quality & intensity attracting praise from many quarters.

Edited by audois, 16 October 2012 - 09:34 PM.

[keighley]

I hope the success of St Esteve as a feeder club is replicated in the feeder clubs being set up in England. If, for instance, Hunslet can get a 2,000 crowd, I will probably have to change my opinion with regards to the feeder club system.

On a wider note, it does seem that the future for French RL has not been so bright for many years from the information you are so interestingly posting here.

[oiseau]

a funny old game at Villeneuve on sunday Gordon - TO13 looking to bounce back from a bad display against SOA found themselves 16 -0 down after 20 minutes against a highly motivated Leopards team - Carlos watching on was not amused (he kept elbowing me to tell me what his lads were doing wrong - ouch !) and stormed to the dug-out opposite to vent his feelings - TO13 scored before the break with a couple of tries plus a conversion to make it 16 - 10 at HT
I can't imagine what Dumas said in the sheds but the second half was like watching a different game with Ford & Kheirallah running the show and ending up easy winners - a decent crowd of around 1200 to witness la folie !

good junior game to whet the appetite with TO13 kids looking down and out after 40 minutes but coming back well to take the points with some excellent individual displays - the future looks bright at the TO Academy

[CANETMAN]

a funny old game at Villeneuve on sunday Gordon - TO13 looking to bounce back from a bad display against SOA found themselves 16 -0 down after 20 minutes against a highly motivated Leopards team - Carlos watching on was not amused (he kept elbowing me to tell me what his lads were doing wrong - ouch !) and stormed to the dug-out opposite to vent his feelings - TO13 scored before the break with a couple of tries plus a conversion to make it 16 - 10 at HT
I can't imagine what Dumas said in the sheds but the second half was like watching a different game with Ford & Kheirallah running the show and ending up easy winners - a decent crowd of around 1200 to witness la folie !

good junior game to whet the appetite with TO13 kids looking down and out after 40 minutes but coming back well to take the points with some excellent individual displays - the future looks bright at the TO Academy

You are one brave man to stand next to Carlos all afternoon,i hope that he hadnt been on the garlic too much the previous night:))))))))

[oiseau]

You are one brave man to stand next to Carlos all afternoon,i hope that he hadnt been on the garlic too much the previous night:))))))))

he had just driven all the way from his mountain retreat near Font Romeu to see the game and was on form - I learned a lot about TO13s future plans as well as his aspirations in the hotseat at the FFR - it should be a busy term in office.....

no garlic, not even a whiff of alcohol ! he was on coffee all afternoon - after the game he drove back to Font Romeu to continue his two-week hunting expedition

[The Daddy_merged]

he had just driven all the way from his mountain retreat near Font Romeu to see the game and was on form - I learned a lot about TO13s future plans as well as his aspirations in the hotseat at the FFR - it should be a busy term in office.....

no garlic, not even a whiff of alcohol ! he was on coffee all afternoon - after the game he drove back to Font Romeu to continue his two-week hunting expedition

Care to spill the beans on any gossip?

[audois]

Carcassonne have had a bit of a chaotic start. They lost the opening game against Pia - rematch of last years cup & championship final. Then the none match against Montpellier followed by the postponement of the home fixture with Limoux. They had a hard fought win at Avignon last weekend 26-18 have another blank this weekend; then the home fixture the last weekend of the month against Villeneuve has been switched to be played away. The club treasurer will be wondering how to get some money in the till awaiting the Limoux derby for first weekend of November. If a decent day they will be hoping for a good turn out in the brand spanking new Domec.

The Canaris are a progressive club as I've mentioned here lots of times. Have many different arms to their set up. Impressed with their satellite operation with surrounding villages. Villegailhenc in N1 are their reserves along with Minervois at Federal level. The schools of rugby have taken off with now around 130 new kids involved on top of the 150 or so at the MJC section in the town itself.

They are the only Elite 1 club running with two U21 teams & last year they made two finals. A bit disappointing then to see them run with 8 overseas players this year. May be they're concerned with the USC union club now making their way in Pro 2. Vinnie Anderson arrives next week I understand. Today at Bar La Casa just off Place Carnot they welcomed the latest arrival from NSW Cup Troy Savage. Seen here holding the new all black away shirt. On pic L-R Soum, Madam Bardou co-President, Mazard, Towers,Poching, Savage, Sadrau, Aitken with Offerdahl next to co-President Dr. Guilhem.

[Jim from Oz]

I had a drink and a feed in that very bar when I was cycling around the south of France with my girlfriend in July 2011 !

I got talking to the barman and he told me his sister was married to Jean-Phillippe Baile of France and Catalans Dragons fame!

He then put on State of Origin highlights in the bar for us!

A Dutch family sitting in the bar as well were a bit curious as to what this strange game they were seeing was !

A great day!

[barnyia]

I've just started to help out at lezignan with the rugby school, the set up is amazing, the teams are from 5 to 11 year olds, it's a great set up, each team has a minimum of two coaches and helpers, all being sent to pass the first level coaching certificate, paid for by the club,

Wednesday afternoon and the field is full of kids, for the under 6 team there's 24 kids training, plus the off visits from casty and bousquet, who also pass on training tips to the 16,s and 18's
Now I understand why most teams in French rl have player's that have passed by this rugby school.


Very impressed,

[oiseau]

I've just started to help out at lezignan with the rugby school, the set up is amazing, the teams are from 5 to 11 year olds, it's a great set up, each team has a minimum of two coaches and helpers, all being sent to pass the first level coaching certificate, paid for by the club,

Wednesday afternoon and the field is full of kids, for the under 6 team there's 24 kids training, plus the off visits from casty and bousquet, who also pass on training tips to the 16,s and 18's
Now I understand why most teams in French rl have player's that have passed by this rugby school.


Very impressed,

brilliant system - it's the same for football teams in the majority of France - each village with a football team , even those villages with only say 300 inhabitants will have the first team with a veteran team and at least one junior team - in the typical village /town you will usually find at least half a dozen teams running from the tots to the veterans each coached by members of the other teams - it's the same for the RU clubs in our area - the kids' system is needed as very little sports are practised in the school system

[audois]

I've just started to help out at lezignan with the rugby school, the set up is amazing, the teams are from 5 to 11 year olds, it's a great set up, each team has a minimum of two coaches and helpers, all being sent to pass the first level coaching certificate, paid for by the club,

Wednesday afternoon and the field is full of kids, for the under 6 team there's 24 kids training, plus the off visits from casty and bousquet, who also pass on training tips to the 16,s and 18's
Now I understand why most teams in French rl have player's that have passed by this rugby school.


Very impressed,

Poached by the FeuCeuLeu! But good for you. The game needs as many well informed people involved as possible. Was talking to former international & of PSG fame Vincent Wulf in town a few weeks back. He was telling me he hopes to go to England shortly to take his coaching badge. He knows Wires Willie Poaching well whos feeding him the info. Hope the MJC/ASC bite his hands off on his return.

[audois]

I had a drink and a feed in that very bar when I was cycling around the south of France with my girlfriend in July 2011 !

I got talking to the barman and he told me his sister was married to Jean-Phillippe Baile of France and Catalans Dragons fame!

He then put on State of Origin highlights in the bar for us!

A Dutch family sitting in the bar as well were a bit curious as to what this strange game they were seeing was !

A great day!

Jim - theres another Bar in town now behind the ASC & the treize. Le Portail is just near the arch way leading out to the water fountain on Boulevard Barbes. Same street as La Casa. The patron is the Canaris marketing bloke & has set up internet facilities for the clubs players. He has Bein Sport on stream too. Along with Chez Felix & the Celt Bar on Place Carnot the game via Sky feeds & Bein Sport is more visable than its been for a long time. Great to see.

[barnyia]

Was poached on the magic weekend by one of the lads I used to play at Montpellier with, I'm still at Villeneuve but just helping on Wednesday afternoon's at lezignan, was asked to help with the cadet team but it's the same nights as villeneuve, Vincent is a great bloke, I don't think he's involved anymore at Villeghailanc, he said that he needs to get away or he'll still be playing at forty!, I know the feeling as villeneuve have given me a player's licence just incase!

Edited by barnyia, 18 October 2012 - 12:13 PM.

[oiseau]

Was poached on the magic weekend by one of the lads I used to play at Montpellier with, I'm still at Villeneuve but just helping on Wednesday afternoon's at lezignan, was asked to help with the cadet team but it's the same nights as villeneuve, Vincent is a great bloke, I don't think he's involved anymore at Villeghailanc, he said that he needs to get away or he'll still be playing at forty!, I know the feeling as villeneuve have given me a player's licence just incase!

looks like a struggle for Rory with the players at his disposal and no money to spend - I would like to see him back at FB where he is more effective in my opinion - at least the team is still going.....for the moment !

[barnyia]

looks like a struggle for Rory with the players at his disposal and no money to spend - I would like to see him back at FB where he is more effective in my opinion - at least the team is still going.....for the moment !

sorry i should have said that i'm at villeneuve minervois in the Aude not villeneuve leopards,

[oiseau]

sorry i should have said that i'm at villeneuve minervois in the Aude not villeneuve leopards,

oh, sorry mate !

I thought it seemed one heck of a trek from FCL to Villeneuve /Lot !!!

[fcl]

Welcome Barnya to the FCL and thank you for highlighting our work
Sunday, December 2nd there will be an opportunity to bring the two clubs with the derby