New French team down under...

https://pacifique13.com/en/home/

A french speaking Rugby League team is bidding to join the lower leagues of Australian domestic competition and has launched their new website.

Pacifique Treize Rugby League is an Intrust Super Cup expansion bid for a team representing the French speaking Pacific Island territories of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, French Polynesia (Tahiti) and Wallis and Futuna that will be based in Noumea, New Caledonia.  

Laurent Garnier (not the 90's house DJ from the "F comms" label, that I know of) a man from Perpignan with an Australian wife is behind the bid and we wish him well.

I wonder if we might see some French prospects looking to try out and play down there going forward should the bid be successful.

Fakir calls time on his career

Former Dragons forward Jamal Fakir has taken this break from the game as his cue to hang up his boots and retire from the game. 

Fakir was most latterly of our second favourite French club, Palau Broncos having also played domestic rugby for Lezignan. 

We would like to wish him all the best in his retirement. 

No resolution for Elite 1

The French rugby league has announced that there will be no resolution to the 2019/2020 domestic league season with no titles to be awarded.

Juniors repeat the feat in Avignon

Following on from the reserves win in Avignon came the juniors win over the same side.

Avignon (14) 14

3 tries & 1 goal

St Estève XIII Catalan (30) 38

T : Ribas, Baby, Munuera, Goffin, Estève, Noguer, Llensa
G : Baby 5

Close to all of the points came in a frantic first half. 

Domestic league win for Catalans

Avignon (0) 10

T : C. Rey, De Monte
G : Arnaud

St Estève XIII Catalan (14) 24

T : Laguerre 2, Brochon 2, Albert
G : Guasch 2

Catalans won what we are now calling the Tony Gigot derby with an efficient away performance at Avignon over the weekend.

Having built a commanding lead before the interval Lucas Albert was among the scorers in the second half to cement the win.

Our recent form has seen us jump from 5th to 2nd in the table.

Heavy win for reserves

Lézignan (0) 4

T : Li. Albert
G :
DG :

St Estève XIII Catalan (8) 41

T : Laguerre, Le Cam 2, Salabio, Brochon, Cozza, Perez
G : Brochon 1, Lu. Albert 5
DG : Lu. Albert

We still look like missing out on the playoffs this season, but a welcome return to league form after a decent cup performance last weekend. 

Reserves picking up form with heavy Cup win

There was good news for the domestic league side as they hammered Villefranche to get through to the last 8 of the French Cup.

Super Roman Franco got a hat-trick and after a slow start to the winter for him, the wing man is starting to get over the line more often.

Maybe there is still hope of a Superleague appearance for him.

Villefranche (0) 10

T : Gleeson (2)

G : Rodriguez



St Estève XIII Catalan (36) 62

T : Zafra, Meresta (2), Franco (3), Marguerite (2), Laguerre, Ribas, Brochon

G : Brochon (9)

Juniors win at Realmont

Réalmont (16) 24

T : (3)

G : (6)



St Estève XIII Catalan (10) 52

T : Goffin (3), Dauset (2), Llandri, Jobe, Belmaaziz, Castano

G : Estève (8)

There was a place in the quarter finals of the Coupe de France at stake in this one and the Dragons had to come from behind to ensure qualification on the road.

Reserves best St Gaudens

St Estève XIII Catalan (12) 44

T : J. Chan, T. Chan, Brochon, Laguerre, Meresta-Doucet, Flovie, Franco (2)

G : Brochon (6)



Saint-Gaudens (16) 24

T : Minga (2), Busch, Stefani, Lucas

G : Th. Franck (2)

Roman Franco returned to try scoring form that made him a potential Super League player last winter with 2 in this win over Saint Gaudens.

Catalans lose close encounter

Villeneuve (12) 34

T : Bachoukh (2), Lasvenes, Brioux, Melhout, Tabu

G : Lasvenes (5)



St Estève XIII Catalan (18) 30

T : Cozza, Dezaria, M. Laguerre, J. Flovie (2), Marguerite

G : Brochon (3)

Catalans lost to Villeneuve over the weekend in a fixture lost behind the start of 2020 Superleague.

We have fallen to 5th in the table but with a game in hand.

Lord Derby Cup Draw

The full draw

Ille vs XIII Limouxin

Lescure vs  Villegailhenc

Salon vs Saint-Gaudens

Realmont vs Baho

Entraigues vs Palau

FC Lézignan vs Carcassonne XIII

Villefranche vs St Estève XIII Catalan

Toulon vs Albi

After beating Pia in the last round, Catalans travel to Villefranche in the next round of the Lord Derby Cup. 

Ladies win again

St Estève XIII Catalan (16) 32

T : Akpa (2), Bobo, Salles, Bessahli, Bianchini

G : Bobo (4)



Lescure (0) 0

T :

G :

It was another big win for the Ladies team over the weekend.  

Cup weekend sees blowouts

The French cup is getting serious now with a number of matches played over the weekend.

You can get the results here on Treize Mondial.

Catalans improved after half time to win the derby against Pia Donkeys.

Pia (20) 26

T : Prados, Florenza, Brail, Madouri

G : Durand (3)



St Estève XIII Catalan (18) 50

T : Baby, Brochon, Laguerre, J. Chan, Goffin, Zafra (2), Franco (2), Perez

G : Baby (4), Brochon

Topsy Turvy league form continues for Catalans

Albi (20) 30

T : Bianchin, Dupuy, Mazars, Guinguet, Grant

G : Fabre (5)

St Estève XIII Catalan (18) 22

T : Meresta-Doucet, Le Cam, Guasch, Flovie

G : Brochon (3)

This season of oddness continues for Catalans with a defeat to Albi over the weekend.

The result sees us slip to third place in the league table. Limoux and Avignon lead the way.

Heavy win for our other team Palau

Palau 84-18 TO XIII

The tough domestic campaign continues for Toulouse as Palau finally got going with this heavy win.

After getting close to Catalans the week before, Olivier Elima and his team battered the visitors with a 40+ point first half setting them on their way. 

Catalans win big game at the top of the league

St Estève XIII Catalan (16) 26

T : Brochon (2), Zafra, Franco

G : Brochon (5)

Limoux (6) 18

T : Barbaza (2), Liauzun

G : Santo (3)


Video to follow... 

5 in a row sees Goddesses top

St Estève XIII Catalan (24) 52

T : Canal (3), Akpa (2), Menaa (2), Rivas, Bianchini

G : Akpa (8)



Limoux (6) 10

T : Delpech, Moreno

G : Canet

Juniors win against Carcassonne

St Estève XIII Catalan (46) 60

T : Munuera (2), Tison (2), Dauset (4), Saliès, Llensa, Cazalet

G : Munuera (8)

Carcassonne XIII (6) 20

T : Rodriguez, Gil, Gasquez, Dalla Bona

G : Fernandez (2)

Revenge for the seniors defeat against the same opposition. 

Inconsistent league form continues for Catalans

St Estève XIII Catalan (18) 30

T : Zafra, Ambert (2), Le Cam, Scimone

G : Brochon (5)

Carcassonne XIII (12) 38

T : Benet, Lo (3), Pellow (3)

G : Alberola (5)

Williame leaves

The curse of our player of the season award has struck again with 2019 winner Brayden Williame leaving the Dragons today for an as yet un-named NRL club.

Sigh.

Whether this makes Steve McNamara's quote from earlier in the week that there would be no more signings obsolete, time will tell.

But this is a real blow.