Every month, Rugby League World magazine gives fans the opportunity to put their questions to a leading Rugby League personality. In the June 2023 issue (No. 485) Mike McMeeken of Catalans Dragons stepped up to provide the answers…
Dennis Richards: It is impressive that Sam Tomkins and James Maloney have made such an effort to speak French in France, but what about you? You’ve been in France for a while now, how’s the French going?
Trés bien, the club gives us French lessons and really encourages us to pick up the language.
They do a lot of work in the community and we are encouraged to speak as much French as we can to people in the schools and places we visit. From what I understand, the boys buy into it a lot more now than they did in the past. I will say I think the English are better at it than the Aussies because we are more cultured!
It’s a mark of respect for supporters, local people and the sponsors who put so much into the club and I know Bernard (Guasch, club President) the owner appreciates it too.
Wiltshire Warrior Dragon: A while ago, Les Dracs seemed to go through a phase of choosing overseas players who just didn’t suit the club and struggled with the culture and language issues. Since Alex Chan returned in his managerial role, the suitability of players to ‘fit in’ seems to have improved a lot?
Alex is a big part of this club, he has a big say on recruitment and retention and he helps a lot of the boys out off the field. Both him and Steve McNamara are conscious of the signings of the past and they are keen not to make any mistakes. They will both meet any potential new signing and find out not just if they are a good player but a good person too.
If you’re coming here you have to buy into the system, you’re not here on holiday.
Alex was a great prop forward himself and he’s an example of how to have a great mentality on the field, he was extremely tough but off the pitch he’s a really good person to have around. He’s very strong minded and at the right times he can be very firm with you but he’s got a great sense of humour and he can lift you when needed.
When you seem him rocking up to the stadium on his Harley Davidson, how can you not love him?
Gavin Harrison: Over the years, plenty of lads like yourself have come north and built great careers in the top flight. With the demise of the Broncos, will that stream of talent dry up, or will it continue with no top of the pyramid club?
Although London aren’t a Super League club any more there are still loads of players down there who have the ability to come up, look at Kai Pearce-Paul who made it with Wigan, got selected for England and is on his way to the NRL.
He’s just one example of many players who can make the grade from London, there is massive potential down there and who knows in the future, with IMG’s help there could be a place for London in Super League. I hope it happens because it’s definitely an enticing and attractive place for players to want to go and while it hasn’t worked in the past it would be a real boost for the game if it succeeds in future.
DoubleD: Do you think rugby league will ever be successful in London/South East and what does that success look like?
It’s a difficult place to take a piece of the sporting pie. Football takes up most of the attention, there are big rugby union teams and loads of other sports and attractions in one of the world’s greatest cities.
Back in the nineties rugby league seemed to have gained a little foothold and attendances began to improve but for whatever reason it didn’t continue to grow.
It’s chicken or egg, you need success on the field before you can attract support off it, nobody wants to spend hard-earned money watching a team get beaten every week, but to attract good enough players you need resources and the right coaching set-up.
Sports Prophet: The grassroots game in London and the South East would look vastly different to what you experienced in the early years of the new millennium. What are your lasting memories of playing junior football in London for your club and later on the performance pathway in London Origin and at Quins RL?
The grassroots game in London is vastly bigger now than when I first came through, there were only a handful of amateur sides then.
When I played for West London Sharks there was only us and Croydon at the time that were really competing but now I believe there are loads of decent teams in different parts of London and I don’t think the Sharks even exist anymore because West London was too vague of an area. It’s a big place.
The amount of talent and ability in London is incredible and we need to tap into it and provide platforms for them to perform on.
Man of Kent: You’ve got the number 8 shirt this year. How have you found the move from the second row to the front row?
It’s been good, obviously challenging at times which is what I want, and I’m miles away from being an accomplished prop forward yet but I’m still learning.
As each training session and game goes by I’m gaining in confidence and hopefully I’ll get a grasp of it soon.
Playing alongside experienced front rowers like Siua Taukeiaho and Julian Bousquet, plus advice from Alex Chan and Sam Moa, hopefully I’m learning from the best.
Steve McNamara has convinced me that I’m adding another string to my bow and it’s good for my career to be flexible between front and back row.
It’s good for your diversity in the game, I’ve played all over, at amateur I was stand-off and centre but I graduated towards the pack and seemed settled in the back row.
When I stepped into the middle last year I used it as an opportunity to get my hands on the ball more and try to shift it around as well as taking important carries.
It’s a tough game and you have to enjoy the physical side of it or you are in the wrong sport. You need that edge and controlled aggression is the key. It’s too easy to go over the top and then you start giving away penalties and suspensions. It’s a fine balancing act and I am enjoying the learning process.
DoubleD: Will you stay in the game when you retire from playing or do you have other career ambitions?
Good question and probably something I need to think about but it’s still up in the air for me, whether I go into coaching or the strength and conditioning side of things I don’t know.
I wouldn’t want to be a head coach, full credit to anyone who can do it but it is so demanding and stressful I’m not sure it’s for me.
I don’t know yet but maybe I’d better start looking into it.
@realrockchick22: Are there any goals you’d like to accomplish in the next few months to a couple of years?
Obviously the team goal here is to win silverware, if you’re a top side that goes without saying.
We’ve got the mentality of ‘we need to win something’ and hopefully it happens for us.
To win trophies for this region would be so rewarding, they are extremely passionate about the game so to win the Challenge Cup once again or Super League would be pretty cool.
There are lots of players here who won the cup in 2018 and they have explained what it meant and how special it was for the supporters, I’d love to be a part of something like that.
@tweamryanhall: Is there a coach or other athlete that you look up to as a role model?
When I was growing up watching and playing union Jonny Wilkinson and my older brother were my role models. I don’t have anyone specific that I look up to but I enjoy seeing stories unfold, like on Instagram, how LeBron James and people like him have become such a success. Those people that have the right mentality and know what to do to be successful really impress me.
TheYoungBaron: What persuaded you to leave Castleford for the delights of Southern France? (Please keep your answer to under 5000 words).
I needed to get out of my comfort zone, I felt it was time to move on and Steve (McNamara) met with me and told me about the opportunities here. The goal of winning major trophies for a region like this, to become the first team to win the Super League in France, would be something very special.
It was very enticing and you could see over recent years how the team had got progressively better so we’ve got a real chance.
If we can be committed and competitive every week we’ll have a chance of winning something.
Old Frightful: I see you were born in Basingstoke. When you were at Castleford, and Ryan Hampshire was full back, did it make you just a little bit homesick?
Nice one, Basingstoke-Hampshire, I get it, but I was never homesick really, I enjoyed my time at Cas.
It felt like home from home and when I go back to England now I spend lots of time in the North Yorkshire area. My missus is from there and it’s a great place.
Championship RL: Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of sports?
We’ve got two young girls and dogs so I don’t get much time for anything else other than training and playing. I’ll maybe take up boules or pétanque as they call it around here, I think I’d be good at that. The one hobby I have at the moment is just after 8’oclock at night when the kids go to bed and I drop off in front of the TV.
@emma_tr4_rhinos: What is the most interesting place you have ever been to?
Good question, tricky, but I went on a cruise to the Caribbean once and we saw St Lucia which was beautiful but it was interesting to see how hard the people there are trying to make a living selling stuff to tourists. It really makes you think. I’ve had some interesting experiences in Castleford and Blackpool but apart from that not much to shout about really.
First published in Rugby League World (June 2023, Issue 485).