FRANCE coach Laurent Frayssinous has called for NRL help in reviving the game in his country following his side’s 78-4 defeat by Samoa at Sydney’s Commbank Stadium on Friday.
Frayssinous believes that the NRL is moving ahead at a much greater rate than Super League and he hopes that a deal can be done between Super League and the NRL to accelerate the growth of Rugby League in his country.
“What the NRL have done here is so good,” said Frayssinous in his press conference after the game.
“What they bring to the game is great. We want the NRL to do the same in Europe; for us there’s no question.
“There are a few things we want the NRL to invest in. We spoke about the last four years and how the game has evolved and is better over the last four years, and that’s what we want in Super League.
“For that, it’s a full circle: do we invest in the staff, the players or the environment, and that’s what you want for things to be better.
“Yes, it’s about money, but it’s also about strategy and how you grow the game in Europe. What the NRL have done here (in Australia) is a perfect example to follow.
“Grassroots first, definitely. There are some great Super League clubs. Catalans is a great Super League club like Wigan, they’re already well-settled. But instead of having four clubs in their region, can we have ten? Can we have more children who play Rugby League in France and in Europe.
“That’s what we want; that’s the start.”
