France coach John Monie has played down his side’s “dark horse” status for the Rugby League World Cup, admitting cashed-up French rugby union’s pillaging had taken its toll on his talent pool.
The French arrived in Australia on Monday amid suggestions they could be a surprise packet at the tournament after steady improvement in three years under their Australian coach.
But Monie said today he simply wanted France to be competitive, acknowledging they don’t have the depth to seriously challenge the likes of Australia, England and New Zealand.
“We want to be competitive in our games, we want to play with a fair bit of courage,” Monie said from the Sunshine Coast, where the French will train this week before moving to Canberra ahead of their opening match against Scotland on October 26.
“But half our team play for (French-based side) Catalans in the Super League, the other half play in the local (French) competition.
“We’ve got one group of guys that are used to playing at Super League level and another group of guys that are sort of way underneath them, so that’s going to be the problem.
“We’ll have a dig though.”
With French rugby union luring the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Mark Gasnier and Luke Rooney away from the NRL, Monie said there had been a similarly worrying trend in French rugby league.
“It’s taken away most of the better backs out of the guys who play in the domestic league,” said Monie, a former Auckland Warriors and Parramatta coach.
“They don’t get the chance to come through in rugby league … we just lost one of the juniors that we had pencilled in the (national) squad for next year and he’s gone to play rugby union in Narbonne.
“They’re always sort of looking at the rugby league players … if the rugby union want them they tend to be able to take them.”
Monie said it was crucial for a second French team to be included in the Super League alongside Catalans in the future in order to promote competition for places in the national side.
Toulouse is set to join the Super League’s second-tier competition next season with Monie hoping they will be promoted to the top flight within the next three years.
“That’s really what we need to give them (French players) a bit more of a pathway in rugby league,” Monie said.
“If rugby league is going to kick on in France, that’s the next step we’re looking for.”
oikee
Guest
Just got back to this blog, thanks steffy for helping me out there, love those comments, dublin dave it really does not come down to age or what age i might be, i have internet silly, i look up anything i like and read most comments, by doing this you find out that union has always paid its players, not that well untill it became professional, also you learn things like the french government during the second worlsd war confiscating all leagues asserts and grounds, then you can also read about union in england not letting league expand and banning the game from the armed forces, and we all know how union evolved around the world. Or are you a little light on your knowleadge, i have mentioned to people before, read about sports before you make stupid comments or you lose credibilty when you make comment. I watch union as do most league followers, here in oz, your the one with the chip. Thanks again steffy.
Steffy
Guest
Yes, I support Quins RL Jon Wells, Harlequins RL player, has gained a law degree and a MA in criminolgy while also playing professional rugby
Ian Noble
Guest
Steffy Lost in the mists of time. As you live in London, do you support Quins RL?
Steffy
Guest
"all examples of players moving back to union before 1995" None of them moved back to union before 1995.
Ian Noble
Guest
A couple of points, The RFU have announced they will no longer partly finance the move of high profile League stars to union. The majority of these moves whilst at the time getting good publicity have in the main been unsuccessful, the stand out success being Jason Robinson. EPL clubs have good scouting systems and don’t forget the agents acting on behalf of players. Clubs such as Northampton Saints and Newcastle have acquired younger players with Ashton, Myler and Williams moving from Wigan, Widnes and Leeds. These players are in their early 20’s and have been given time to adapt to union. Ashton scored 44 tries for the Saints in ND1 and judging from their recent performance against Toulon together with Myler they are players for the future. One player who has been kept out of the limelight is Hape, who recently moved from Bradford Bulls to Bath. He bought out his final months of his contract with the Bulls, moved early and he is adapting to union playing quietly in the A team and coming off the bench. I like his approach, no arrogance but an appreciation that union is a different game and I suspect he will make an impact during the second half of the season. Benjamin Scott Quinnell, Jonathan Davies, Dai Young, John Bentley, Alan Bateman, and Barry Jon Rafter all examples of players moving back to union before 1995. Where these players have gained is in media work, with the likes of Edwards, Tait, Young and Ford becoming excellent coaches and I suspect an excellent coach for the future will be Andy Farrell. Careers in union are now not only more attractive financially, but the younger players are encouraged to take educational courses or learn a trade during their down time; Topsy Ojo at Birbeck reading law, and at your club Andy Sheridan reading bricklaying.
paul
Guest
whatever. Union in France has always involved payment to players. This poaching referred to hasn't started in the last 4 yeras, it has been happening for an age. Get over yourselves. Footy is back on the rise in France, one day soon(ish!) they will challenge us Aussies and the poms for bragging rights. I can't wait for that day.
Steffy
Guest
It's good to see we have Dublin Dave and Brad on here sharing their lack of knowledge
Dublin Dave
Guest
Oikee Some day the shoe might be on the other foot? How old are you, sonny? You do know that Union has only been officially professional since 1995, don't you? And before that, League was the ONLY professional rugby code. It was able to hire union players at will, as long as they turned their backs forever on the 15man game. OK, so you might think that giving up your entire previous life irrevocably is a major ask but it doesn't seem to have affected Sonny Bill Williams, does it? So how many Union stars did League in England manage to poach in its days of monopoly? The odd Welsh miner and one or two Ulstermen keen to escape the Troubles. That's about it. I can think of one Scot and two Englishmen (Alan Tait, Keith Fielding and Bev Risman) who ever made the switch back then but no more. (maybe there were a few but not sufficient to counterbalance the thousands who didn't). The shoe IS on the other foot now. Union is where the money is and it is where the support, outside of Wigan, Halifax and Sydney, always was. Comfy fit.
Steffy
Guest
"There are 28 professional teams in France as opposed to the 1 French league team wich in itsefl is dominated by English players." Which English players are those? "the French have been introduced to the sport thanks to sonny bill and Gasnier" They had never heard of it before those 2?
brad
Guest
I think its not so much that the French Union teams are poaching but rather a case of a player moving on to bigger and better things. There are 28 professional teams in France as opposed to the 1 French league team wich in itsefl is dominated by English players. Its probably same as in Australia with most of the union school boys having a better chance in league as there are more proffesional league clubs than the 4 union ones. The real poaching is with the likes of Sonny bill williams et al but remember that it was Ewan Mckenzie and Tana Umaga doing the poaching not the French. I have said it over and over before and will say it again The ARU and australian union in general have raised the world wide profile of league beyond anything the sport could have done on its own. In South Africa nobody ever heard of league until Sailor and Tuquri came along and now the French have been introduced to the sport thanks to sonny bill and Gasnier.
True Tah
Guest
oikee, Craig Gower was supposed to dominate French rugby, last weekend he was on the bench for Bayonne, who lost to an Italian club. His dreams of playing for Italy were also compromised when the Italian coach became aware of his weekend of fun at the golf range.
oikee
Guest
You would think out of a country of what, 60 million that union could find there own players without having to buy the league guys, yes i know that money talks but one day the shoe might be on the other foot. The vincy has not really gone away yet has it, oh well at least it frees up players for aussies to fill the gaps, at this rate the french team will be all aussies.