audois

The local 'L'Independant' newspaper saw it up the Canaris",had to work like mad" for this one. Completely different from the Cup Final in Perpignan. Gigot was everywhere with his passes and kicking. Albi where in front 5 minutes from the end. Escare's super try full length killed the visitors. Carcassonne now going to Narbonne for Final & win both cup & championship. Great game yesterday, need two to make it. Albi on the field and off it building for next year. Need more teams like this to make Elite 1, bring on more to make it worth it.

See Gigot score a late try. Pia were in it up to half-time 10-2. The Catalan side has some youngsters, they've done ok including beating Carcassonne on their own ground. I reckon they'll be better next year. Albi this year with Gigot and Miloudi have moved up. See that around 2,000 where there yesterday.

Been great watching Gigot this year in his later days. His effort at Limoux eartier when his Albi side were done for was marvelous. Thinking of his best days. Playing at Nou Camp and Anfield. The only Frenchmen to ever win the Lance Todd Trophy at Wembley. He'll be down the road from me Saturday at Stade Albert Domec for the championship semi-final against Carcassonne. Looking forward to it.

Go to here https://treizemondial.fr * I'm watching the game from Albi. Try 'You Tube Albi'

Think Lezignan-St Gaudens Quarter Final is on today 5 o'clock uk time but no coverage. Tomorrow Albi -Pia Quarter Final 4 o'clock uk time with 'streamig'

TO also have there captain back after a long lay-off in Dominique Peyroux

Forget to say that Laguerre has a younger brother who plays full back at Toulouse. He's out injured but is a decent player like his brother.

TO will have 2 Dragons on board at Swinton. Centre Laguerre and hooker Tison. Both played for France last weekend. Laguerre has played 29 Super League games for the Dragons

12 players there who played in the last World Cup Pelessier and Yaha are both injured presently Bousquet and Navarrete didn't play in 2022

I thought Albi were really up to it Saturday up to the first half hour. Until Miloudi not ony dropped the ball but got him self put in the bin. After that the Canari just ran away with it. Even Gigot let him self down giving Escare an easy try. Albi took 5 bus loads of supporters to help the 4,102 crowd. Thougth it looked good having chosen Gilbert Brutus as a venue too. It's likley the two teams will meet again at Stade Domec in Carcassonne next month in the Championship semi-final. Will the Tarnside make a better effort - Gigot will want to make up for it. The competition needs to grow with more and better teams

The TO had the pleasure to receive 350 partners to a function in the city recently. Among the invities was the Occitane Region (6 million) President Carole Delga - see pictured here with TO forwards Dominique Peyroux and Sitaleki Akavvola. https://www.to13.com/actualites/plus-de-350-partenaires-du-to-xiii-reunis-au-meett-a-loccasion-de-la-foire-internationale-de-toulouse/

Coming to Gilbert Brutus for the game two years since the Lord Derby Cup is a winner this Saturday. For a start having two former Dragons players of note in Gigot and Esccare on opposite sides. The entry is free for all 13 year olds and entries for all Dragons ticket holders. The restaurant too will be open from midday till 3pm. The first start with U15s Catalan-Salon at 11.30am, followed by U17s Albi-Baho (Perpignan) at 1pm and then U19s Carcassonne-Toulouse at 3pm before the Elite 1 Final at 5.15pm which will be 'streamed' by the Toulouse television station ViàOccitanie. The Carcassonne coach Fred Camel saw his side have an easy run-out last last weekend at Villeneuve (0-42) while Albi took on Lezignan in a tough match (24-14). Camel is expecting a Cup Final after the home leagues games went even. He will expect a very hard game. He said the Tarn side have developed into a professional outfit,"very good for our game".

The shock of the day surely St Gaudens turning over Avignon up in Provence (24-28) and taking 6th place. Player-coach Mitch Garbutt will be thirlled in his first year *See the final game of Elite 1 for this year Pia-Dragons reservers on the streaming at 3pm on local time - Zenon and Tison who played against Wire last week will be playing for the Catalans

13 of that listed- played against England and Samoa in the WC last October

Bousquet Cozza (Featherstone) Da Costa Dezaria Garcia Goudemand Laguerre Langi (Wakefield) Marcon (Toulouse) Mourgue Navarrete Pelissier (Toulouse) Romano Rouge Sangare (Leeds) Seguier Tison Zenon *13 players from Catalans *3 Catalans players are in the England squad Davies, Johnstone and McMeeken

Bastien Simone is also listed in the 30 French squad tp play against England at Warrington in April 29th

These three players did Ok against England at Bolton last October. Springer, Dezaria and Sangare in the forwards. France had to struggle in the forwards in the World Cup without Bousquet and Navarrete and these two should be present at Warrington come April. Will they pick Gigot who finished up against England with that wonderful opening down the right flank to send Romano under the posts. He's in his latter days yes but now doing everything great for Albi.

The game beween Albi v Lezignan Saturday 15th April willl be televised by viàOccitanie 5pm local time. Should be a classic

Tony Gigot and Morgan Escare will be linking up at the Gilbert Brutus ground having played for the Dragons in earlier times Albi will also have their U17s on the same day joining up with the Catalan side of Baho too The Tarn side last played in the Lord Derby Cup Final 15 yrs ago One of the best things that has happenend this year is the rise of Albi along with the return of Pia. We've had a bit too much of the Aude 3 sides - the Elite 1 is opening up a bit The municipal Stadium in Albi yesterday had few takers early afternoon with Caracassonne -Avignon but by evening one of the stands was nearly full from the locals. Encouraging

The two young players who signed full professional this week are on the team sheet for tonight. Zenon will start at full back I understand with Mourgue and Keighran in the halves.12 French plays in total

Carcassonne were the last winners of the Cup in 2019 beating St Esteve - the 3 years stopped by Covid. The only year was in 1981 when both of these same team were stopped at the Championship the week earlier. To complete the story these same teams again were starting it up after the 2nd World War 1945 when St Esteve won 28-16 Carcassonne

The Lord Derby Cup semi-finals takes place Sunday 9th April. 5pm Avignon-Carcassonne and followed by Albi-Limoux at 7pm. The towns Stadium in Albi hosts the games and the one where France played Wales a few seasons back. The Final will be played in Perpignan at Gilbert Brutus. on the 22nd April and takes 4 games Lord Derby plus U15s, U17s and U19s.

See that Catalans have taken on board two lads from their reserve side. Full time professionnels taking them up to 2025. Ugo Tison is a half back/hooker and Tanguy Zenon full back

The last R18 is on the 15th April. Interesting that Albi could over take Lezignan as they host the final game. Eslewhere Avignon host St Gaudens. Is it possible for Mitch Garbuit's gang pull of the best win of the season to make the Top 6. Unlikely but the Pyrenee lads have had their best season in years no

In the 2013 World Cup NZ (Sonny Bill Williams featued) played France at Avignon was a sell out. Half a century since crowds attended