France v England: Vibrant domestic game helps French rugby league rise again

Toulouse Olympique will play in Super League next season

After an historic season for the Catalans Dragons and promotion into the top flight for Toulouse Olympique, optimism has reached new levels among the country's passionate supporters.

This Saturday's double-header between France and England men's and women's teams is expected to be a sell-out at the Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan.

And to add to the buoyancy of the mood, that twin Test match will also act as an early rehearsal for a World Cup in 2025 that is likely to be hosted by the French, backed by national and regional government.

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After decades of vague promise, often shrouded in struggle and strife, French Rugby League has finally found its way back to the game's top table.

The Dragons have led the resurgence. In 16 Super League seasons they have had an often bumpy ride but by winning the Challenge Cup in 2018 and the League Leaders Shield this year, as well as reaching the Grand Final, they are now established as one of the game's heavyweights.

Toulouse - who were turned down for admission to the Super League in 2006 - have had to win their way into the top flight through the English lower leagues. They finally succeeded this year after topping the Championship table and beating Featherstone in the so-called 'Million Pound Game' promotion play-off.

Fans of Catalans Dragons have been able to celebrate their team win the Challenge Cup in 2018 and the Super League Leaders' Shield this season

Catalans have been ploughing a lone furrow in France in trying, and often failing, to capture the national spotlight and national media attention.

Their exploits this year have led to more column inches in the famous L'Equippe newspaper. But many believe that Toulouse's promotion into Super League could lead to a breakthrough in exposure for the 13-a-side game.

"With the Catalans Dragons people wonder 'is it Barcelona? Is it northern Spain?' People are not quite sure," says English journalist Steve Brady, who lives in Perpignan covering rugby league.

"Toulouse is a game-changer because people immediately catch on. It's the fourth largest city in France and the association with Stade Toulouse, that will be a massive breakthrough in the media."

There is talk of a possible 30,000 crowd for the French Super League 'derby' next year, and hope of a French TV deal now the two clubs are at the highest level.

"Having a rivalry with the Catalans and having a French derby will be great," says Australian stand-off Johno Ford, who has been at Toulouse for 10 years and seen how the game has evolved.

"Rugby league is on the up, and the way we play footy, it's good fun and the more fans that can see us play they will enjoy it.

"When we started at Toulouse, we were only training at night and there was only five or so of us full time.

"But as the club has grown, step by step, it's evolved into a team of full-time players. I'm stoked to see the progression."

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The French evolution is also paying dividends for the national team. They have been the perennial under-achievers of the international game. They have invariably flopped at World Cups, despite hosting the first one back in 1954.

And they are not normally considered strong enough to give England or Great Britain any meaningful competition when it comes to mid-season internationals.

Their last win over Great Britain was over 30 years ago in 1990 - beating them 25-18 at Headingley - and even that was a major shock.

Arthur Mourgue of Catalans Dragons has made a big impression in Super League

But a new crop of bright young talent is encouraging French supporters. This year might be too early for them to topple England, but with the 2021 World Cup postponed until next year, they may then be ready to make their mark.

Of this week's French men's squad, 19 of the 20 players come from either Catalans Dragons or Toulouse Olympique. Morgan Escare of Salford is the odd man out.

And the squad is very youthful. Mathieu Cozza at 21, Mathieu Laguerre and Corentin le Cam, both 22, Paul Seguier at 24 and Mica Goudemand at 25 are just some of the promising young players.

But the star of the show, according to former France coach John Kear, is Catalans full-back Arthur Mourgue, who has burst on to the Super League scene this year.

Kear, now coach of Bradford and Wales, thinks there is much more to come.

"He's been fantastic." says Kear of the 22-year-old who was born within a stone's throw of the Dragons training base in St Esteve. "When he enters the field of play, everybody looks up and expects something to happen.

"He'll get more minutes next year and people will see his true quality."

Catalans coach Steve McNamara believes the current French side, at this stage, will be a "handful" for England. Ford is willing to go a step further.

"One hundred per cent there's a strong (French) team coming through," says Ford. "There's a good set of halves, good middles, they're good across the park. We'll wait and see, but I'm backing them.

"Give them three or four more years of top-flight footy and you think 'where does that stop?'"

There's a guarded optimism that the rest of the domestic competition can follow Catalans and Toulouse and strengthen. That may lead to the big two clubs returning to a much stronger and vibrant French domestic game.

But for the moment French followers are just allowing themselves to get a little excited and watch their national team with a little hope for the future.

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