The British Lion Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 First up - so great to see Catalans on the up! First the Challenge Cup (v my team Warrington, that was a long trip back home from Wembley!) Then Camp Nou, and their continuous development in terms of how competitive they are, and good to watch. Players like Gigot - who really should be a household name, he's such a fantastic French player. What next? I really hope Bernard Gausch does take more games on the road across the 'Catalan' region. However....how do they transfer this form to the National team of France? Here are my thoughts. Feel free to agree or disagree. 1. We really have to hope Toulouse get promoted to SL, or, SL promote Toronto and Toulouse artifically to make a 14 team comp. 2. I'd make Steve McNamara the French national team coach. Yes - as well as being Catalans coach. 3. French Federation to insist on more internationals to the IRLF. One of those things to be a 3 match test series each year v England (not a Leigh sports village) until they continue to improve.) In fact - I already believe they are better than their one match test performances. Pride and purpose needs putting into the tests for them. Not just one off token tests. Consistency and regularity is key of competitive fixtures....build it up, bad blood, make it into something no one wants to lose! Not just a token fixture. 4. Somehow, the Catalans need to implement key positions such as stand off, hooker, loose etc for French player development. They are currently relying on overseas imports for key positions (same could be said for English SL clubs.) This is a key time for Catalans and FRL, riding on the crest of a wave. I hope somebody is doing something to build strategy and momentum to capitalize on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 Toulouse need to be in SL and get the sort of sponsorship and government funding Catalans do. Some of that money can be spent on development to expand the player pool in the Midi-Pyrenees region. If Toulouse can be a similar beacon for RL as the Dragons are in northern Catalonia, they will produce more players not just for themselves but also the rest of SL (think Theo Fages et al). The increased number of players and competition for places will in turn strengthen the national side. Voila. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdd Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 A French derby is certainly the next thing French RL needs to really kick on and gain larger media traction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 1 minute ago, Cdd said: A French derby is certainly the next thing French RL needs to really kick on and gain larger media traction. True but there’s no real shortcut to sustained success at international level. The structures have to be in place, ie more and better players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 Rugby League doesn’t need a French derby. It would be nice to have one and another relatively big event in the game but French Rugby League needs investment at all levels, from what I can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdd Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 6 minutes ago, Man of Kent said: True but there’s no real shortcut to sustained success at international level. The structures have to be in place, ie more and better players. There isn’t a shortcut, it’s a slow process. Part of that process is getting more media attention and giving young kids something to aspire to. We don’t need a top down OR bottom up approach we need BOTH. With 10+ home games each for both Catalans and Toulouse in SL, a game on the road in Barca, another on the road for Toulouse and the two derby matches..... that’s starts to sound like a very tidy package to sell alongside the French RL final as well. TV money and sponsorship is what will fund the development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 10 minutes ago, Cdd said: We don’t need a top down OR bottom up approach we need BOTH. TV money and sponsorship is what will fund the development. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnyason Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 yeah look imo trent Robinson best coach who consider national role. Gigot and fages are france 2 world class level players, they just don't have enough of them. Thats the main issue. Toulouse are imo a yeah off superleague as toronto seem certain to go up. The development with stade rugby is promising and questioning all in one. I believe they average 6k in superleague. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 Toulouse are looking really strong in the Championship. It’s unlikely they will overcome Toronto this year, but I expect them to gain promotion in 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdesert Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: Toulouse are looking really strong in the Championship. It’s unlikely they will overcome Toronto this year, but I expect them to gain promotion in 2020. Over Leeds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 On point 4 of the OP. Do the RLIF organise games outside of the RLWC? Isn’t it usually down to the competing nations to arrange ‘friendly’ matches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnyia Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 Cologni as the French coach is working hard to get a competitive French national team, Without money it's very difficult, this year has seen a number of teams not finish the season in the lower leagues and even junior teams, lots of games called offf due to lack of numbers, The game is flourishing in the perpignan region but struggling everywhere else, playing numbers are dropping except around perpignan, the catalans are working very hard with junior training camps, getting into schools, coaching seminars for the coaches and linking the junior clubs up with the dragons, but this is only available and open around perpignan, the kids around Perpignan have something to aspire to by getting picked to go to the xiii catalans club and working through the u 19s to xiii catalans elite1 then one day the super league team, the other areas away from perpignan can aspire to play for their clubs first team in elite or lower divisions, Kids playing well in say carcassonne would have to leave their club and move to xiii catalans to be in the system to one day get in to super league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 9 minutes ago, barnyia said: The game is flourishing in the perpignan region but struggling everywhere else, playing numbers are dropping except around perpignan, the catalans are working very hard with junior training camps, getting into schools, coaching seminars for the coaches and linking the junior clubs I'm with the dragons, but this is only available and open around perpignan, the kids around Perpignan have something to aspire to by getting picked to go to the xiii catalans club and working through the u 19s to xiii catalans elite1 then one day the super league team, the other areas away from perpignan can aspire to play for their clubs first team in elite or lower divisions, This is precisely why TO need to be in Super League. With funding, they could do the same job for player development in Toulouse and surrounding areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnyia Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 I have a young u19 player who's playing a lot of first team this season , he was at the catalans academy last year, he's now in the France adult training squad, he was told last year that if he wanted to push to get into the dragons squad he'd have to sign for xiii catalans and play elite 2 with baho and maybe a few with the xiii catalans first team and the odd xiii catalans juniors, why he developed, he was voted the second best catalans academy player last year behind morgue, He decided to come back to his formation club as they found him work/apprentiship and a bit of spending money, He's playing really well and learning but he has now reached the level of elite 1 and that's as far as he can go now, now a few local top 14 union clubs are sniffing around to sign him for their academy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 32 minutes ago, barnyia said: I have a young u19 player who's playing a lot of first team this season , he was at the catalans academy last year, he's now in the France adult training squad, he was told last year that if he wanted to push to get into the dragons squad he'd have to sign for xiii catalans and play elite 2 with baho and maybe a few with the xiii catalans first team and the odd xiii catalans juniors, why he developed, he was voted the second best catalans academy player last year behind morgue, He decided to come back to his formation club as they found him work/apprentiship and a bit of spending money, He's playing really well and learning but he has now reached the level of elite 1 and that's as far as he can go now, now a few local top 14 union clubs are sniffing around to sign him for their academy, A similar scenario to Hull many years ago. If a young lad, mid teens, showed promise Hull would advise them to move to West Hull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 9 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said: Rugby League doesn’t need a French derby. It would be nice to have one and another relatively big event in the game but French Rugby League needs investment at all levels, from what I can see. Another French team, particularly in a major French city, can lead to more investment though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulga Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 3 hours ago, deluded pom? said: On point 4 of the OP. Do the RLIF organise games outside of the RLWC? Isn’t it usually down to the competing nations to arrange ‘friendly’ matches? That's correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobbygobbler Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 On 25/05/2019 at 23:24, Oliver Clothesoff said: Rugby League doesn’t need a French derby. It would be nice to have one and another relatively big event in the game but French Rugby League needs investment at all levels, from what I can see. Rugby League needs a top class French derby far more than a Wigan v Saints derby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 1 hour ago, Lobbygobbler said: Rugby League needs a top class French derby far more than a Wigan v Saints derby You have my deepest sympathies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwalker71 Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 4 hours ago, Lobbygobbler said: Rugby League needs a top class French derby far more than a Wigan v Saints derby Here's a radical thought: Let's have BOTH... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighting irish Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 Hear hear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 3 hours ago, paulwalker71 said: Here's a radical thought: Let's have BOTH... Absolutely, as much as I'd like some big changes lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean de Bordeaux Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 On 26/05/2019 at 00:17, Cdd said: A French derby is certainly the next thing French RL needs to really kick on and gain larger media traction. I agree. Quote Another French team, particularly in a major French city, can lead to more investment though. I agree also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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