How do we improve the playing standard of domestic rugby league in France?

[ATLANTISMAN]

On 12/05/2023 at 17:07, JDR said:

Is this the same in other areas of France? France is not short of sporting and athletic raw materials, so I assume the main challenge is putting an effective program together.

NO however the area that has produced the most home grown Dragons players is Provence.

[ATLANTISMAN]

3 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

How is the French XIII perceived in Australia? And the English XIII?

To be honest, most Aussies think the Super League is now ######. It wasn't always the case, but the people who run the Super League let it decline and the English get very angry when the Australians ridicule it. The good news is that it can be fixed and as an international commentator I would love to play a part in its long-awaited revival in the 2020s. As for the game in France, well I never have seen with my own eyes, except on television, of course. The Elite 1 and others will continue to play an important role, but this footprint needs to be developed, just like in the UK, and it requires serious investment and resources.

What would you do if you were president of the FFR XIII to develop your sport?

If I were president or general manager, I would start by considerably improving my French! But in terms of what would have to be done, I would set up a real television contract for your Elite 1 and broadcast a highlight match of the day in both French and English. This last measure would make it possible to reach a whole new audience, something that I have already raised with the FFR XIII, but which has not yielded anything so far. I would make sure the Elite 1 has a main sponsor and the same for your Elite 2 and the other competitions, including the Women's XIII. I would make sure France has a strong international program that includes overseas tours to toughen up your players against quality opposition. I would launch Rugby League in French Polynesia and secure the necessary investment and resources to ensure Pacific Treize's inclusion in the Queensland Cup. I would bring Toulouse back to the Super League and make sure they stay there through licensing, and possibly add teams from Paris, like we had before, and probably Bordeaux.

I would expect to see the Super League broadcast on French TV every week, in French, showcasing the French teams. I would also get investment in player development pipelines in French-speaking countries and territories. Not just in the Pacific, but also in Africa, because I see Africa as a future source of great talent for the best players in the Super League and potential international players for France. Having already advised the Minister for Sport of Australia, who later became our High Commissioner to the UK, I would also work to improve relations with the government as it is obvious that this is a weak link for the FFR XIII given the political changes of recent months. If the relationship improved, we could see the French government or even regional authorities supporting on-the-ground development workers across the country, enabling more French children, boys and girls, to actually play rugby league. I could go on, but here are some elements to launch the renaissance of French rugby league.

 

 

https://treizemondial.fr/jason-costigan-la-credibilite-du-rugby-a-xiii-francais-est-partie-en-fumee-grace-a-ce-fiasco/

I like Jason and he comes across with some good points however having been at the coal face in France i can tell you to put it mildly its bloody difficult.

I cannot remember the number of times where one was close to a deal then that old Q came up from the agency in Paris is it 13 or 15 rugby (After that it was good night Vienna) 

For years we managed to keep things going on TV first Pathe Sport then Sport + in some cases subsidising the TV production costs with mainly perimeter advertising sponsors from the USA (In fact we also managed a great shirt sponsor for the France national team for the 2000 World Cup again an American company) However eventually my wife got it into my head that despite all the fun that we had we were just throwing good money away that was made in England to subsidise France god knows how much over 15 odd years but i would estimate maybe 2 million + maybe more.

The game is so small in France that having a TV contract that pays is almost impossible only time i can remember it was Eurosport late 19,s and then Pathe Sport around 1999 to 2002/3  and that was NO CASH just production costs (Prior to Sport +) a top sports agency from Paris was brought in to run it lovely people the person in charge of the French sponsorship was actually the son of the French ambassador to London (One should see the wine cellar at the embassy its prob worth more than the entire SL:) did that help no way in 3 years they managed a total of ZERO sponsors everything came from us the clubs loved it we used to pay them around 75000 francs a match + a pre match dinner for the Marie.

I remember a match in Lyon Madam Buffet (Maybe the wrong spelling) the communist minister of sport turned up (She was in the Jospin government) did that help not a sausage who ended up paying for everything we did even the lunch over 50 uninvited guests turned up and guess who paid for it

Perpignan works and the Dragons have fantastic sponsors locally many household names as in France the franchise system is so popular when you see the likes of MacDonalds AXA BMW Citroen etc its the local franchise forking out (Nothing wrong with that) Toulouse in time would IMHO be a great addition to Super League and the 2 other places which would work are Carcassonne and Avignon (Forget anywhere else Paris Bordeaux etc its a pipe dream) 

Meanwhile one keeps plodding along even at my age

 

Paul

Edited May 18, 2023 by ATLANTISMAN

[barnyia]

Paul what was the name of the summer regional comp in the early 90s televised, concerts, big crowds and then they somehow ran out of money, it's on YouTube somewhere but I can't find it, excellent coverage etc and then it came to an abrupt end. 

[ATLANTISMAN]

6 minutes ago, barnyia said:

Paul what was the name of the summer regional comp in the early 90s televised, concerts, big crowds and then they somehow ran out of money, it's on YouTube somewhere but I can't find it, excellent coverage etc and then it came to an abrupt end. 

Ahh YES the Jaques Fouroux comp brilliant

[Bobby123]

On 12/05/2023 at 11:57, Gerrumonside ref said:

There has been a post on the doomed French World Cup thread that says improving the playing standard of the French domestic club rugby league (i.e. developing the competition to a greater professional standard) is the key to bring to unlocking the potential of France as a rugby league playing nation.

How can this be done and what can the English do to help develop things on the path to a fully professional rugby league in France accepting that funds are limited in England itself?

Would partnering SL clubs with an Elite equivalent help (as seen say in a nursery type system in other leagues/sports)?  Are there other ideas and how would they work.

Personally I think money is tight in England so any help is going to have to be a number of small improvements and even getting the ‘buy-in’ of the notion that northern hemisphere development is England’s responsibility and ultimately to England’s long term benefit.

I know there’s a good deal of healthy cynicism over this being England’s ‘job’ and deep concerns over wasting precious funds, but you look at the French World Cup bid reports and subsequent thread - it’s obvious that French rugby league needs help from somewhere.

 

Forget it. Lets keep our own house in order

[Madrileño]

12 minutes ago, Bobby123 said:

Forget it. Lets keep our own house in order

Mmmmm.... let the shrinkage continue

[barnyia]

57 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Ahh YES the Jaques Fouroux comp brilliant

https://youtu.be/53L2XTeXL3I

[Jim from Oz]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

Paul what was the name of the summer regional comp in the early 90s televised, concerts, big crowds and then they somehow ran out of money, it's on YouTube somewhere but I can't find it, excellent coverage etc and then it came to an abrupt end. 

IIRC it was called “France Rugby League”

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Get France to annex Australia?

Get all fertile women in France to breed with a Tongan?

[GUBRATS]

Find 10 million quid from somewhere to invest in a 2029 France held WC 

[Big Picture]

7 hours ago, barnyia said:

https://youtu.be/53L2XTeXL3I

Merci beaucoups pour ceci, je vais l'additionner à ma collection extensive des vidéos du rugby à treize.

[Jparrish]

Is a World cup in France in 2029 out of the question ?

With more time to put a strategy in place to build up to it and secure nessacery funds I still believe it could work. 

Maybe even a co host situation with England/ UK where they take a lot more games than they did previously. 

[owls]

Australia seem to be uninterested in touring England any more,  NZ are hardly desperate to play us either, so if we want meaningful international matches , then we need to help France raise their game in anyway we can, a strong French team can only be a good thing,

[DEANO]

Another country where rl isn’t wanted