‘Les Tricolors’ looking for history of their own

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By Alan Nicolea, 13 Oct 2008 Alan Nicolea is a Roar Guru

Tagged:: French rugby, International Rugby, Jason Ryles, Mark Gasnier, New Zealand Warriors, NRL, Roosters, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Sonny Bill Williams, Super League, Sydney Roosters, Warriors

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France and history go together well. They seem made for each other and this is why the French are one of the most culturally significant nations in the world – even in Rugby League.

Whether it be luring former NRL superstars Sonny Bill Williams, Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles for big cash, the French always seem involved in everything.

NRL foundation club the Sydney Roosters come to mind when talking about the influence French League has had over this part of the world.

The Roosters changed their playing strip during the mid nineties to a V style, modelled on the popular and entertaining French teams (who also wore red, white and blue) that visited Australia in the ’50s and ’60s.

Indeed Easts became officially known as ‘The Roosters’ once the new jerseys took the field. According to the players it was because of the ‘Le coq’ badge on the French jersey.

While their influence over one famous NRL club in Australia has been paramount to say the least, the French will visit Australian shores to perhaps create some history of their own in this years League World Cup.

Although not as powerful as the likes of Australia, New Zealand and England, the French should not be discounted. They have played in every League World Cup since its induction in 1954 and were runners up in the same year. Their last final though was way back in 1968.

Despite never winning a World Cup, France have shown enough in the past to suggest they will be no pushovers come late October.

During the early ’50s and ’70s, the French more than held their own against the likes of Australia, more often than not registering wins over their heavyweight counterpart.

Recently however, French Rugby League has not faired so well.

1995 was the low point for France, losing every game in the League World Cup and casting its national team into oblivion.

Just when the life of French League was dying away, the Engage Super League threw in a lifeline in the form of Perpignan based club, the “Catalans Dragons”.

Since their inception back to mainstream competition, French League has enjoyed a massive revival and the national team now sits at no.5 in the world rankings, behind Tonga and the big three that are favoured to dominate the 2008 league World Cup.

France are now even in the World Four Nations Rugby league Tournament, which will see them compete against England, New Zealand and Australia on a consistent basis starting in 2009.

Their current squad for the 2008 world cup is not bad, but is nothing that could potentially set their League campaign alight.

One player on their roster that could cause damage is Catalans Dragons winger Justin Murphy.

When he moved from the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the 2004 NRL season, Murphy would find himself in France, via English club Widnes, playing League in a nation that really just wasn’t interested.

But in his first season with the Dragons, Murphy finished as Top try-scorer in Super League XI with 26 tries and also made the Super League “Dream Team” despite his side finishing at the bottom of the table.

Murphy’s performances for the French outfit at least generated some interest in League, mainly in the south of France.

Indeed the French will need more than Murphy’s try scoring ability if they are to progress far against their more fancied opponents.

But compared to twenty or so years ago, France will fancy their chances in this years world cup.

Head coach of the ‘Les Tricolores’ Australian John Monie, has a team capable of casting French League back to the superpower it once was.

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The Crowd Says (22) | Page 2 of Comments

October 13th 2008 @ 4:33pm
oikee said | October 13th 2008 @ 4:33pm | Report comment

The simple fact is this Millster, league is very slow growing because of all the mistakes made over the years, even 2000 world cup was not planned well, the olimpics were on at the same time, but having had no money and 8 years to gain strength from the island nations by playing in other comps (nrl,super league) will see amerging nations who have risen the bar , so to speak, this is one area that has improved over all these years, yes the rules are still a little bit shadowy but at least there is rules and they are sticking to them, come next world cup then these little nations will be in a better position than they are now, the numbers are growing substancially over the next few years so the aussie dominance will be coming to a end, sooner than people might think. This is the good thing about the game, once you can break that then its like breaking the camels back, i will be sad, only because we lose that dominance which will be hard to recover. but the europe teams will be the ones who will benifit. Good for them i say, but i wont be cheering for them.

So going back and what the game has done for the islanders, lots of them have made a good living from the game, and the island people are all well deserving of this support for there islands. They are big lads that fit well with this game (also union), why would anyone want to jepadise this, some of my best friends are islanders, they are very nice people.

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October 13th 2008 @ 5:06pm
The Link said | October 13th 2008 @ 5:06pm | Report comment

Millster – thought it was a fraction out of character

Rugby à Treize has a nice nieche future in France, with Les Catalans in Super League and Toulouse Olympique knocking on the door.

I’d say the overwhelming majority of the squad are genuine local players, most of which are with Les Catalans.

Its out of them and the Kumuls for the people’s team of RLWC08

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October 13th 2008 @ 5:25pm
Alan Nicolea said | October 13th 2008 @ 5:25pm | Report comment

Millister

Yes, i mean’t NOT for the faint of art. Typo. But you can keep rubbing it in if you want.

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October 14th 2008 @ 7:55am
sledgeross said | October 14th 2008 @ 7:55am | Report comment

Nice work again Alan. The “thirteen aside game” is even more provincial in France than what it is in Oz and the UK. There have been some decent players over the years, and who can forget the French refs who used to officiate the Kangaroo tours 9Mr Alain Sablaroille???). The only French player I can recall playing In Oz and Superleague is former Canberra lower grader Jerome Guissett. STill, they are slowly working back to where they once were, and it would be good to see teh French have a credible team again (Who can forget Brandy Alexanders tries against the French while playing at fullback in the early 90s).

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October 14th 2008 @ 8:02am
Alan Nicolea said | October 14th 2008 @ 8:02am | Report comment

Sledgeross

Thanks for your support and i too believe the French have what it takes to perhaps cause a small stir in this world cup. The only way is north for French rugby league since they were inducted in the new four nations tournament with the big guns.

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October 14th 2008 @ 10:58am
Millster said | October 14th 2008 @ 10:58am | Report comment

Oikee – 100% agree with islanders having big hearts and being osme of the nicest blokes around all other things being equal.

Loo, I will wave the flag of goodwill and say that at least this article has given me a team to follow in the RLWC, whatever I think of the tournament. ALLEZ LES BLEUS!! (I presume they are called ‘Les Bleus’ in League like they are in football and Union…)

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October 14th 2008 @ 11:33am
CumberlandsAshes said | October 14th 2008 @ 11:33am | Report comment

When discussing the French Rugby league side we really should be emphasising how many high-quality French born and bred players there are in the squad. Aside from Murphy (who, incidentally, is a French Citizen, married to a Frenchwoman), James Wynne, Jared Taylor and John Wilson (who all live and play in France), the squad are high-quality products of French Rugby League. This is a minor miracle and something to be celebrated considering the hurdles and isolation experienced by the game over the last few decades. With the success of Les Catalans and Toulouse Olympique entering the full-time professional world next year, it seems that there are bright days ahead for the game in France.

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October 14th 2008 @ 2:21pm
sledgeross said | October 14th 2008 @ 2:21pm | Report comment

And dont forget the Pia Donkeys!

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October 15th 2008 @ 7:11am
alan nicolea said | October 15th 2008 @ 7:11am | Report comment

So maybe the French are now second favourites to win the Cup now. Judging by their great future in the code.

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October 15th 2008 @ 3:11pm
oikee said | October 15th 2008 @ 3:11pm | Report comment

Dont get 2 carried away alan, remember the Nucleur bombing in our backyard,

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