French Competitions 2021/22

[Gomersall]

https://www.ffr13.fr/competitions-toutes-les-informations-pour-la-saison-2021-2022/

 

[barnyia]

Toulon have two weeks to submit their paperwork for being in elite 1 , if they don't they drop to the third division, Montpellier sharks in elite 2 (we'll see) 

[The Daddy]

46 minutes ago, barnyia said:

Toulon have two weeks to submit their paperwork for being in elite 1 , if they don't they drop to the third division, Montpellier sharks in elite 2 (we'll see) 

Are Montpellier Sharks the real deal then? There were a few French supporters on here a while ago saying that this project was dubious. 

I also heard that they no longer play in Montpellier city itself which would be a shame if true 

[barnyia]

They play in a village next to Montpellier, real deal I don't think so, the players they've got are either very young or have only ever played 4th division rugby, if they've some money , They will need to get some quality players in. But they  burned their  bridges before covid when he signed a couple of older elite players who didn't get what they where promised, you never know Leon Pryce could turn it around, if he gets what he's promised. 

[barnyia]

None at all, the other Montpellier team in the lower divisions now have a decent rugby school and a nice stadium. They're trying to rebuild the club slowly again from the base up. 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

20 minutes ago, barnyia said:

None at all, the other Montpellier team in the lower divisions now have a decent rugby school and a nice stadium. They're trying to rebuild the club slowly again from the base up. 

The Red Devil’s?

[barnyia]

Yes, they where called the dragons when I played there and we played in blue! 

[Southerner]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

you never know Leon Pryce could turn it around, if he gets what he's promised. 

I only read earlier today how Leon is prioritising watching his son play and looking to stay out of the game!!

[Cumbrian Mackem]

13 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

It´s a shame about Montpellier if true because as we´ve said before it is right on that southern belt of heartland teams and is a perfect bridge from Avignon to Toulouse . Surely Montpellier can support an Elite 1 team with 1000 fans if done right? 

Having a league presence in Montpellier also allows the game to creep even further towards France’s 2nd city Marseille.

[barnyia]

Montpellier did have an elite 1 team. There was more people on the pitch than in the stands! There's way too many other sports in French cities. Most people in Montpellier have no idea what rugby league is. 

[Eddie]

21 hours ago, barnyia said:

Toulon have two weeks to submit their paperwork for being in elite 1 , if they don't they drop to the third division, Montpellier sharks in elite 2 (we'll see) 

Do you know why it’s a case of Elite 1 or third division, rather than Elite 2 (if they’re not successful in their Elite 1 bid)? 

[barnyia]

I think it's because elite 2 has 12 teams this year, they probably don't want an odd number, but I seriously can't see Montpellier sharks playing in elite 2. Or finishing the season if they do start, 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

19 minutes ago, barnyia said:

I think it's because elite 2 has 12 teams this year, they probably don't want an odd number, but I seriously can't see Montpellier sharks playing in elite 2. Or finishing the season if they do start, 

Is someone or some group promising to bankroll the sharks? 

[fcl]

Toulon's plan is unknown: to start in Elite one, but with which players? I don't see 30 Elite level 1 players engaging with Toulon. The Montpellier project is still as fanciful as ever. In France, no club can have a project without being supported by a territorial organization (Community of towns, cities, departments, etc.) and this has never been the case with this obscure club. They even made false statements of support from these organizations to make sponsors believe they were credible.

A federation cannot be credible if it bets on these projects. For me, we must extend the area of influence of our sport in oil stains around our strongholds and stop dreaming of unrealistic projects in large cities where we do not have the human and financial means to exist. .

[barnyia]

Toulon aren't ready, but if they get some of their old u19s players back and 5 or 6 foreign players they could at least finish the first season and grow from there, but as fcl says it's a bit of a dream, but more serious than lattes-montpellier sharks, if the president or the guy running the publicity  goes into a shop he takes a photo and says it's a sponsor, if he goes to the physio it's suddenly the club's official physio! for the launch of the club in elite 2 only 2 people where actually on the photos, 

[Hvy wg]

The Montpellier dude went crazy, he shopped everywhere for players. Contacted everyone from Élite 1 to 5th union league.
Nobody wants to play for his club.

[Eddie]

57 minutes ago, barnyia said:

Toulon aren't ready, but if they get some of their old u19s players back and 5 or 6 foreign players they could at least finish the first season and grow from there, but as fcl says it's a bit of a dream, but more serious than lattes-montpellier sharks, if the president or the guy running the publicity  goes into a shop he takes a photo and says it's a sponsor, if he goes to the physio it's suddenly the club's official physio! for the launch of the club in elite 2 only 2 people where actually on the photos, 

Have Toulon been given the go ahead then? 

[BJW]

1 hour ago, barnyia said:

Toulon aren't ready, but if they get some of their old u19s players back and 5 or 6 foreign players they could at least finish the first season and grow from there, but as fcl says it's a bit of a dream, but more serious than lattes-montpellier sharks, if the president or the guy running the publicity  goes into a shop he takes a photo and says it's a sponsor, if he goes to the physio it's suddenly the club's official physio! for the launch of the club in elite 2 only 2 people where actually on the photos, 

He didn't use to be at Marseille did he? Sounds familiar.

[barnyia]

No. He was at the old Montpellier club until they got rid. He was in England too for a while according to a newspaper report, at Rochdale and maybe the skolars. Not sure if he played much or not. 

Still no news on Toulon. 

[BJW]

45 minutes ago, barnyia said:

No. He was at the old Montpellier club until they got rid. He was in England too for a while according to a newspaper report, at Rochdale and maybe the skolars. Not sure if he played much or not. 

Still no news on Toulon. 

His initials aren't JD are they? Or is he from an Australasian/Pacific background?

[BJW]

Presumably FFRXIII has 2 fixture lists ready for release depending on what happens with Toulon?

[ATLANTISMAN]

4 hours ago, fcl said:

Toulon's plan is unknown: to start in Elite one, but with which players? I don't see 30 Elite level 1 players engaging with Toulon. The Montpellier project is still as fanciful as ever. In France, no club can have a project without being supported by a territorial organization (Community of towns, cities, departments, etc.) and this has never been the case with this obscure club. They even made false statements of support from these organizations to make sponsors believe they were credible.

A federation cannot be credible if it bets on these projects. For me, we must extend the area of influence of our sport in oil stains around our strongholds and stop dreaming of unrealistic projects in large cities where we do not have the human and financial means to exist. .

Totally agree FCL lets get things back on track in places like Carpentras/Le Reole/Tonnies/Cahors etc etc etc 

 

Paul

[audois]

It was good news to hear that basement club Palau will after all be there next season in Elite 1. A former Kangaroo forward Rodney Howe will take the reins.  Excellent news too with two main experienced cogs from St Esteve in captain Ugo Perez and utility player Alexis Merestra also on board.

Another St Esteve player is moving on in half-back/hooker Valentin Zafra going to join Elite 2 Pia. The Donkey's are I think going to try and get back into Elite 1 pretty soon. They have the history behind them and a refurbished stadium too. Pre- the Dragons the Catalan region had 4 of the Elite 1 sides Pia being one along with St Esteve, X111 Catalan and St Cyprien.

I was thiking that it would be useful to make Catalan treize even stronger than now by having 4 semi-pro-sides again behind the Dragons juggernaut. West of Perpignan up the Tet valley you find Ille sur Tet. They play in Elite 2 and have the two Margalet brothers back in harness for the new season after helping Lezignan win the Championship  this year. Thibaut Margalet was a fine mobile prop at the Dragons and surprisingly left them early. Another former Dragons player Pascal Jampy is involved these days at Ille-sur-Tet and inconic centre Vincent Duport runs a gymnasuim in the town too. In time maybe they could be the fourth team.

Elsewhere the Dragons Academy starting up their season at U19s.40 players are involved at this level. Bruno Castany is the Director of the Centre Formation and brought the group together to outline what the Academy is looking for. He said that the 2 objectives were in the short term to be an U23 player at the end of the first year and then make effective the full-time professional set-up  by the end of 3 years.

[barnyia]

St gaudens have appointed the toulouse u19 coach as their head coach, the decision if toulon play in elite-1 is announced tomorrow. 

[The Daddy]

22 minutes ago, barnyia said:

St gaudens have appointed the toulouse u19 coach as their head coach, the decision if toulon play in elite-1 is announced tomorrow. 

Fingers crossed for some good news