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Look to be a rising force in the French game. After a cup and league double last season their roster gets stronger by the day. Reported here that the Dragons back rower Andrew Bentley will play with the FCL when their campaign opens next month. It appears both the Bentley lads will not be retained in the Dragons squad for 2011. No sign yet of hooker Kane ending up in the Corbieres with his brother.

Bentley's signing would add to that of Phillip Leuluia arriving from Salford for a second stint here. He played previously at Limoux. A third signing of note would be half back Nathan Wynn probably Toulouse Olympiques best player. These three recruits plus the other Aussies Duggan and Mullane and two promising youngster in centre Cardace and forward Bousquet will possibly make the FCL near untouchable. Their young coach Aurelien Cologni's star is rising all the time too.

Edited by audois

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"  - Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."  - Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

Si tu( Remi Casty) devais envoyer un fax au Président Guasch? " Un grand bravo pour ce que vous avez fait,et merci de m 'avoir embarqué dans cette aventure"

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Andrew Bentley has definitely signed for Lezignan for one season. Kane Bentley has not.

Kane Bentley had an interest from both Salford and Wakefield, but was being strung along by Catalans management. While Kane Bentley waited (as Bernard Guasch and Trent Robinson tried to negotiate the deal with Ian Henderson at the Warriors) both English clubs found alternative hookers to sign. Then Catalans said that they didn't want either Bentley. So Kane was left without an option.

They are both good players. Someone in Super League ought to sign Kane Bentley.

Edited by ParisSurtout

Le rugby a treize, c'est moi!

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Tremendous wine producing area.

They sound like the French Fev

They do. With Cas & Wakey fans in the area surrounding Fev, there's even the whine being produced too. :lol:

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They are probably the best supported team outside the Dragons. For Derby games against Carcassonne and Limoux would see crowds of around 3000. They do pull from around the Corbieres region which has a pop of say 20,000. Lezignan is an out and out league town although nearby Narbonne played in the Top 14 until a few years back.

They are starting to talk of 'what now' after two successive league titles just as Villeneuve did at the beginning of the decade. After seeing TO efforts over the last two seasons it needs I think some reflection. For example why would Toulouse's best player transfer to a lower level? May be for more easier money and less hasle travelling wise. There may be something we dont know. Like returning to TO when FCL season finishes.

I must admit I got it wrong thinking that the best players over here not at the Dragons would just automatically finish up in Toulouse. The challenge of pitting themselves against the next level down. In reality whats happened is lots of young hopefuls have put their hands up for TO but players like Moly, Greseque, Gagliazzo, Saddaoui and Sabri have all stayed put. I watched Toulouse struggle a few weeks back because their centres were injured or out of form. In the stand alongside was Mathieu Mayans from Limoux. He could have done a good job for them that night.

The Federation had a policy of three overseas players per club but they have appeared to drop this now. Now their approach is to charge each club more money for the license of overseas players, this to double and then treble in successive seasons.

Looking at the comp now though it is already looking like a two speed affair as FCL and Pia have bought up what talent there is. Breast beating when you win a league of nine sides like last season has little merit I think. As FCL grow stronger each year the stragglers fall further behind. Clubs like Albi and Lyon have given up the chase and are content to play second tier at a level they can cope with.

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"  - Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."  - Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

Si tu( Remi Casty) devais envoyer un fax au Président Guasch? " Un grand bravo pour ce que vous avez fait,et merci de m 'avoir embarqué dans cette aventure"

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Thanks for that Audois. I see that FCL are organising a Magic weekend on the 25-26 Sept. with 2 games on the Sat. & 3 games on Sunday for an entry fee of 10 euros for 1 day or 15 euros for both days. Will be a great weekend of festivities & rugby. Well done to FCL

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The elite really seems to be going from strength to strength, i see luke swain is to captain coach ASC, while daniel wagon is to captain coach Limoux and rumoured stanley gene to Villenvue. Fingers crossed Montpellier takes off.

Not all bad at Toulouse they have resigned most of there players, except for mitchell back to australia, wynn to FCL(rumours he will play for TO post elite) and mendes to ASC. Hearing Josh Lewis fringe nrl player (titans, tigers, sharks, roosters) is to join toulouse along with luke branigan. So they have keep there best forwards including Worth and the emerging star Tisserye. No way they are superleague ready but it builds depth for the national team slowly, to me it seems very shortsighted by many of the best of the elite not to play for toulouse but money talks, they should have made the play offs but lost there last 5 games, the nathan wynn loss derailed there season.

Audois what are you hearing of Kane Bentley another Superleague team or Toulouse.

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The elite really seems to be going from strength to strength, i see luke swain is to captain coach ASC, while daniel wagon is to captain coach Limoux and rumoured stanley gene to Villenvue. Fingers crossed Montpellier takes off.

Not all bad at Toulouse they have resigned most of there players, except for mitchell back to australia, wynn to FCL(rumours he will play for TO post elite) and mendes to ASC. Hearing Josh Lewis fringe nrl player (titans, tigers, sharks, roosters) is to join toulouse along with luke branigan. So they have keep there best forwards including Worth and the emerging star Tisserye. No way they are superleague ready but it builds depth for the national team slowly, to me it seems very shortsighted by many of the best of the elite not to play for toulouse but money talks, they should have made the play offs but lost there last 5 games, the nathan wynn loss derailed there season.

Audois what are you hearing of Kane Bentley another Superleague team or Toulouse.

As you say TO have re-signed most of last years squad so it appears committed to another year in the CC. There is talk that they will play NRC as well but unsure whether that is part of a unique French Pool or not. What partly did for them this year was they lost stand off Villegas and had no real replacement like last year when they lost Nathan Wynn mid season. Also lot was expected of Worrall and Duport which didn't materialise because of injuries.

Its interesting that you mention Branighan may land up there as I heard the same rumour Saturday night. Ditto that Kane Bentley may also land up there which would be a very good acquisition.

Yeah agree with you about wasted opportunities with some French lads snubbing the CC but some compensation with the arrival of the Roosters U20 and Catalans U18s. I think one the issues is the older players are already in fixed employment and getting time off every other week end just doesn't work. I think last year TO had about eight full time players including the overseas contingent.

Edited by audois

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"  - Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."  - Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

Si tu( Remi Casty) devais envoyer un fax au Président Guasch? " Un grand bravo pour ce que vous avez fait,et merci de m 'avoir embarqué dans cette aventure"

gallery_02-am31503_5b827265940b7_.jpg

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Any limits on overseas players?

Well last year they had five, Worth, Mitchell, Bromley, N Wynn and T Wynn. Pelo is New Caledonia so I think doesn't count although I thought it was a Federation trained issue. Saturday night they fielded only two while Halifax had I think Tamghart, Black, Branighan, Royston, Watene and Nash. I dont know if they are looking to reduce quota for TO.

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"  - Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."  - Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

Si tu( Remi Casty) devais envoyer un fax au Président Guasch? " Un grand bravo pour ce que vous avez fait,et merci de m 'avoir embarqué dans cette aventure"

gallery_02-am31503_5b827265940b7_.jpg

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Well last year they had five, Worth, Mitchell, Bromley, N Wynn and T Wynn. Pelo is New Caledonia so I think doesn't count although I thought it was a Federation trained issue. Saturday night they fielded only two while Halifax had I think Tamghart, Black, Branighan, Royston, Watene and Nash. I dont know if they are looking to reduce quota for TO.

So, do they have any limit on the number of overseas players?

- Adepto Successu Per Tributum Fuga -

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So, do they have any limit on the number of overseas players?

I'm sure they do but I don't know the exact number. Think Mitchell was Pacific Island qualified so may be it was four. Other CC clubs I think it was one.

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"  - Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."  - Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

Si tu( Remi Casty) devais envoyer un fax au Président Guasch? " Un grand bravo pour ce que vous avez fait,et merci de m 'avoir embarqué dans cette aventure"

gallery_02-am31503_5b827265940b7_.jpg

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Well last year they had five, Worth, Mitchell, Bromley, N Wynn and T Wynn. Pelo is New Caledonia so I think doesn't count although I thought it was a Federation trained issue. Saturday night they fielded only two while Halifax had I think Tamghart, Black, Branighan, Royston, Watene and Nash. I dont know if they are looking to reduce quota for TO.

1 Overseas player in Championship. Fax have used the loopholes well. Watene, Gene, Aizue and Royston have benn here for over 5 years so are classed as non overseas players. Nash think has UK passport, Tamghart is French, Branighan is a Maltese Passport holder so again is exempt. Black is the overseas player. Other clubs like Barrow, Widnes etc also use this loophole

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hello

lezignan are paying out good money for wages, they are recruting all the best players and are spending big money to win a championship that they could spend less money and still win easily.

I would like to see them in the championship but it would kill the elite 1 league. Also its not really a place to spend a long weekend, i've had a couple of good nights in lezignan but a weekend would be way too long, there's 4 cafe's and 6 restaurants in lezignan,

The place is rugby league through and through and almost every rugby league team in france will have a player in there team that has passed through the lezignan ecole de rugby.

barney

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