Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara says that the Challenge Cup is now close to hearts in the French game ahead of historic free-to-air coverage this weekend.
Saturday’s quarter-final at Stade Gilbert Brutus against St Helens will not only be on the BBC in the UK, but on the free France 3 Occitanie channel as well.
The Challenge Cup was the first major final the Dragons reached in 2007 – losing to Saints in the first final at the new Wembley – and the club’s first major trophy when they triumphed in 2018.
Although they have lost in the quarter-finals in every year since and will be looking to put that record straight this weekend, the competition now has a real meaning in France.
“The competition is dear to everyone’s hearts in the English game, we know that, but now in the French game too,” said McNamara.
“It was our first ever trophy, our only trophy as a club, so clearly we’ve got a really close affinity to the competition. What a great game there is in sight for Saturday.
“We’ve had some great tussles with St Helens and built a really good rivalry over the last couple of years. It’s about us getting out there and playing well.
“The fact we do that in front of English national TV and French national TV, it’s even more (important) to show people what the game is about. It’s very important at this stage of Rugby League in France.”