England Academy v France

[Damien]

A strong looking England Academy squad named for the match against France at Warrington on 2nd July:

 

 

[Dunbar]

Would love to see this squad go and play the best of the junior talent in Australia. 

[NRLandSL]

This is the French Squad:https://www.ffr13.fr/xiii-de-france-u19-la-liste-des-joueurs-retenus-pour-le-stage-5-a-lezignan/

Very strong squad IMO, starting 13 probably looks like this

1-Baptiste Pourchi
2-Romeo Tropis 
3-Guillaume Poulain
4-Clement Martin
5-Timeo Portier 
6-Mathis Jammes
7-Maxime Rostang
8-Sacha Kouassi
9-Hugo Garrigues
10-Rayan Bonte
11-Felix Aubry
12-Quentin Malbec
13-Gulliermo Aispuro-Bichet

Rostang and Aipuro-Bichet definitely the stars, will both great SL players in the future I’m sure. A lot of other good players aswell like Martin, Pourchi and Kouassi.

Shame Enzo Griffier isn’t in the squad.

[Trojan Horse]

Harvey Smith well deserved. Got a cracking future that lad and a quality 9.

[DoubleD]

Is Archie a relation of Paul Sykes?

[moorside roughyed]

Might have a drive over to Warrington and watch them. 

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

4 hours ago, Trojan Horse said:

Harvey Smith well deserved. Got a cracking future that lad and a quality 9.

Wakefield the only Championship side represented.  

[John bird]

5 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Would love to see this squad go and play the best of the junior talent in Australia. 

And New Zealand.

[John bird]

5 hours ago, Damien said:

A strong looking England Academy squad named for the match against France at Warrington on 2nd July:

 

 

Is this a one-off match or a 2 or 3 game series?

[Dunbar]

1 hour ago, John bird said:

And New Zealand.

Yes, but the England Academy vs. Australian Schoolboys were a really competitive series every 2 years and halted by covid... and in traditional Rugby League fashion we have no motivation to bring them back. So frustrating. 

[John bird]

Just now, Dunbar said:

Yes, but the England Academy vs. Australian Schoolboys were a really competitive series every 2 years and halted by covid... and in traditional Rugby League fashion we have no motivation to bring them back. So frustrating. 

Same with the junior kiwis v junior kangaroos.

[barnyia]

8 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

This is the French Squad:https://www.ffr13.fr/xiii-de-france-u19-la-liste-des-joueurs-retenus-pour-le-stage-5-a-lezignan/

Very strong squad IMO, starting 13 probably looks like this

1-Baptiste Pourchi
2-Romeo Tropis 
3-Guillaume Poulain
4-Clement Martin
5-Timeo Portier 
6-Mathis Jammes
7-Maxime Rostang
8-Sacha Kouassi
9-Hugo Garrigues
10-Rayan Bonte
11-Felix Aubry
12-Quentin Malbec
13-Gulliermo Aispuro-Bichet

Rostang and Aipuro-Bichet definitely the stars, will both great SL players in the future I’m sure. A lot of other good players aswell like Martin, Pourchi and Kouassi.

Shame Enzo Griffier isn’t in the squad.

I think pourchi will be on the wing, i believe tropis is injured, and Martin will probably be going to union. (Definitely a waste)! I reckon leny marc will be in the team 

[JM2010]

1 hour ago, barnyia said:

I think pourchi will be on the wing, i believe tropis is injured, and Martin will probably be going to union. (Definitely a waste)! I reckon leny marc will be in the team 

Are all these players at Catalans and Toulouse or is there a mix of a few clubs?

[NRLandSL]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

I think pourchi will be on the wing, i believe tropis is injured, and Martin will probably be going to union. (Definitely a waste)! I reckon leny marc will be in the team 

Massive shame about Martin, I was very very impressed by him for Lezignan. Would have gone on to do great things in rugby league. Hopefully he comes back after a season like Le Cam. 

[John bird]

35 minutes ago, NRLandSL said:

Massive shame about Martin, I was very very impressed by him for Lezignan. Would have gone on to do great things in rugby league. Hopefully he comes back after a season like Le Cam. 

I’d rather see the French youngsters go down under and play in the jersey flegg competition or Queensland equivalent than being lost to union.

[NRLandSL]

2 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Are all these players at Catalans and Toulouse or is there a mix of a few clubs?

Mostly other clubs, only Aispuro-Bichet and Portier are Catalans and Garrigues and Tropis are Toulouse. A few Avignon, Limoux, Villeneuve and players from other clubs aswell.

[BroncoFan]

18 hours ago, DoubleD said:

Is Archie a relation of Paul Sykes?

Or possibly Nathan Sykes, his daughter Bella plays for Leeds Rhinos.

[BroncoFan]

Cai Taylor-Wray

Owen Dagnall

Harry Robertson 

Aaron Lindop

Nathan Lowe

Jack Farrimond

George Whitby

That is some backline !

[barnyia]

9 hours ago, John bird said:

I’d rather see the French youngsters go down under and play in the jersey flegg competition or Queensland equivalent than being lost to union.

He had an offer but didn't want to leave his family 

[barnyia]

10 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Are all these players at Catalans and Toulouse or is there a mix of a few clubs?

Mixture, Avignon, Lézignan, Villeneuve, limoux, Carcassonne, albi, even elite 2 teams 

[JM2010]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

Mixture, Avignon, Lézignan, Villeneuve, limoux, Carcassonne, albi, even elite 2 teams 

Why is that? I’d have thought all the best players would be in Catalans and Toulouse academies

[barnyia]

Very complicated, not all the best players go to Toulouse or Catalan, they need to change schools if they do, they end up playing against their old team at exactly the same level, the Catalans and Toulouse don't scout in France, and they never contact players they wait for them to come to trials, they don't offer money or signing on fees, then they offer peanuts to play elite 1, players will get more at their local club if they make first grade and they've a better chance of making first grade at their local club too. As i said it's a complicated situation, they pass their exams at 18, the Catalans have 40 players in u19s but I reckon out of the 40 only 8 or 9 would be in the top 30 players in france, Toulouse would probably have 4 or 5, they're are some very good players in the other clubs, this may be why france struggles after u18s as there are no real pro set ups with a real chance of making it as a full time pro. The academy playing English teams was the way forward but it was too expensive to run, 

 

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, barnyia said:

Very complicated, not all the best players go to Toulouse or Catalan, they need to change schools if they do, they end up playing against their old team at exactly the same level, the Catalans and Toulouse don't scout in France, and they never contact players they wait for them to come to trials, they don't offer money or signing on fees, then they offer peanuts to play elite 1, players will get more at their local club if they make first grade and they've a better chance of making first grade at their local club too. As i said it's a complicated situation, they pass their exams at 18, the Catalans have 40 players in u19s but I reckon out of the 40 only 8 or 9 would be in the top 30 players in france, Toulouse would probably have 4 or 5, they're are some very good players in the other clubs, this may be why france struggles after u18s as there are no real pro set ups with a real chance of making it as a full time pro. The academy playing English teams was the way forward but it was too expensive to run, 

I understand that, and what yoj describe makes sense, but it's very poor from a developing players point of view, especially elite players. Explains a lot as well when it comes to French players beyond u18s.

[NRLandSL]

7 minutes ago, barnyia said:

Very complicated, not all the best players go to Toulouse or Catalan, they need to change schools if they do, they end up playing against their old team at exactly the same level, the Catalans and Toulouse don't scout in France, and they never contact players they wait for them to come to trials, they don't offer money or signing on fees, then they offer peanuts to play elite 1, players will get more at their local club if they make first grade and they've a better chance of making first grade at their local club too. As i said it's a complicated situation, they pass their exams at 18, the Catalans have 40 players in u19s but I reckon out of the 40 only 8 or 9 would be in the top 30 players in france, Toulouse would probably have 4 or 5, they're are some very good players in the other clubs, this may be why france struggles after u18s as there are no real pro set ups with a real chance of making it as a full time pro. The academy playing English teams was the way forward but it was too expensive to run, 

 

Need to get NRL and SL clubs to start scouting France more seriously. Not sure what could entice them though. Hoping Enzo Griffier goes pro and can be Poster Boy for French youngsters and Elite 1 and 2. 

[NRLandSL]

3 hours ago, barnyia said:

He had an offer but didn't want to leave his family 

Offer from an NRL Club ?, that’s terrific even though he didn’t up going. Who was it from if you know and don’t mind me asking ?