Weekly round up #4 27/07/2020

We have a match this week!!! Yay!

This weeks round up starts with supporters club news...

Sky looking for Dragons fans

Niel Wood the UK Supporters Club supremo writes...

"SKY are keen to have some fan interaction in their coverage so we are looking for a few fans who will be watching the St Helens game on Aug 2nd on TV who would like to feature as Dragons fans for the day. It involves watching the game at home - they will rig up (via your laptop camera I think) so that they can watch you watching the game and get reactions to tries, tackles etc.

We don’t have many places available so I thought that I would offer to this group of loyal fans first 

Let me know if you would like to take part. 

Best wishes

Niel"

If you don't have details for Niel get in touch and we will sort you out. But be quick.

TV deal in place for Dracs

This is one that has run and run with a number of options getting close before the season started and then finished. 

L'Equipe is a name with massive resonance for fans of French sport so to get them in is a brilliant thing. 

I think some of the keenness for us to be able to have fans in was probably linked to this deal in some way and so it only remains for me to say "in your face Leeds"...

Seriously though, this is a positive thing for the club, the league and the game in France. Let's blow their socks off and show them this is a sport you have to watch. 

You can read about it here. 

Tony Gi(goes) to Wakey

After leaving the Dragons this winter having failed to agree terms on a new deal Tony Gigot has popped up in Wakefield of all places. 

He had been linked with Castleford in recent days but he follows Olivier Elima, Antoni Maria and Morgan Escare in turning out for the Wildcats. 

His recent trial with Toronto (remember them?) didn't show him off in his best light I have to say but wouldn't it be brilliant to see him back at his best in Super League?

Read the Dragons legends views on his move here. 

Ex-Coach honoured to be taking over Ottawa

Despite me wanting to write a joke about Ottawa not having much success in the hit parade since "Hands up, baby hands up" apparently we need to be serious and write about former Dracs player and coach Lauren Frayssinous heading up the Ottawa Aces. 

Its well documented his time in the big chair at Stade GB ended badly but we wish him well and have found this interview we wanted to share. 

Until next week where we might start talking about rugby games again, or continue with this weekly newsletter... or neither :) 

2020 season restart fixtures confirmed

The 2020 Superleague season kicks off again on 2nd August with all of our first months matches to be shown on Sky Sports. 

Being a cynic, the good news ends there as we are likely to lose all 5 based on them being away to sides likely to finish above us in the table (maybe with Wakefield as the exception. 

We begin at Champion St Helens before visiting the Mend-a-Hose where in recent years a stuffing is pretty much nailed on. 

Salford will be up next with Morgan Escare looking to put us to the sword before Wakefield and then another likely hammering at Wigan. 

However, should we win a couple of those matches we would be in the hunt with some home matches to come.

It will be interesting to see how changes to some clubs rosters and a long lay off might work in terms of freak results 

Can't wait 

Weekly Round up #3 (15/07/2020)

To be honest with you all, I'd never imagined this feature would get to a second week, let alone a third! So let's press on with the latest news round up of Catalans news from around the World Wide Web.

Tomkins unhappy with lack of discussion on rule changes

Sky Sports News Twitter feed posted asking what people thought of the implementation of 6 again and the removal of scrums for hygiene reasons. 

They struck gold as England International and Catalans star Sam Tomkins was keen to reply and put his point across, possibly without consulting his agent first. 

I don't think this was the post that got the RFL and Superleague complaining about players social media usage but Samkins will have certainly caused some annoyance in the corridors of power. 

Read it on Forty20.news here.

Bernard hits out again 

Club owner Bernard Guasch has hit out at Superleague owners after it was rumoured Leeds would refuse to travel to France (again) citing that the fact you could have 5000 in the ground would give Catalans an unfair advantage. 

The fact we travel to the UK every other week and are two games behind the rest of the competition sees to have escaped the attention of Gary Hetherington and some of the others owners. So I will remind them. We will not win the league as a result of being able to play in front of a crowd. So stop trying to politicise this issue for your own agendas and egos. Thanks.

TotalRL has the story here. 

Dragons back in training

After a scare earlier last week where the club stopped training sessions to get some test results. Thankfully all looks better now and this gallery from the clubs official website shows the players going through their paces. 

More next week !!! 

Monday Round up #2 (on Thursday) 09/07/2020

I know I know... a promise is a promise and I failed :)

Better late than never they say, here is the weekly round up. 

Folau

First up comes the news that controversial Israel Folau has agreed a deal to extend his Perpignan stay to the end of 2012. 

This is a really interesting piece of news of a number of levels. 

1. Do Superleague have to ratify contract extensions, or if its an option taken up by player or club does it not count as a "new deal"?. With all the bluster at the time Folau arrived and a change in rules to prevent controversial players signing contracts in the future, have they been too busy on other things allowing this to get through or have they no justification for a complaint? 
2. Does Folau grudgingly deserve a little credit here? He could have taken a large pay rise and moved back to the NRL or changed sports to join the Top 14, but he wants to give Dragons a full season. I don't know the ins and outs of his contract and whether his money has gone up but this action is certainly interesting and if it was any other player, Superleague would rightly be pushing the news. 
3. Does this mean that Steve McNamara is also close to a new deal? There is a lot of planning going in for 2021 and beyond at the moment and it would seem the coach is part of that process. 

Training

The Dragons returned to training over a week ago ahead of their August 2nd date with St Helens. However after a lot of social media pictures showing the players arriving at the club earlier this week with masks on, training has been suspended pending the outcome of some Covid testing. 

We think that's going to be known tomorrow and hopefully all are clear and we can get back to work on the pitch. 

Simon

Super Mika Simon is hanging up his boots at the end of the season. No that doesn't mean he is joining London :) . 

But I wouldn't rule him out for Palau Broncos. 

Thanks big fella and let's hope we can see you off in style. 

That's all for this week, see you on Monday*

*Maybe

Contract extension for Folau

Israel Folau has today signed a contract extension for the 2021 season with Catalans Dragons. 

The deal that brought him to Superleague was originally only for this year but with the state of the competition and Dragons likely to be adrift of the playoffs being two rounds more behind the rest of the teams the player wants to use 2021 to have a proper go at the league. 

Steve Brady of Catalan Media tells us how the likely resumption of SL is going down in Perpignan.

ANTICIPATION is building in Perpignan for the restart of Super League following the announcement of a return to training for Catalans Dragons.

Les Dracs will regather on July 6th to begin a mini pre-season programme before their first fixture against champions St Helens on August 2nd.

The Dragons will have had an unprecedented 21 weeks between games when they return to action against Saints at a venue to be announced in the UK but it’s the much-awaited return of Les Dracs to Stade Gilbert Brutus which has supporters in Perpignan wringing their baguettes in eager anticipation.

“It’s been such a long time, it’s been painful,” long-time supporter Roger Mourgues told us. “This club is one big family and it’s not the same when we’re not together. We’re just awaiting the date of the first home game.”

Only season ticket holders, sponsors and officials will be allowed into the Brutus under current anti-virus guidelines but as time passes there is hope that more fans will be allowed in – and the remote possibility of supporters from the UK at the Brutus before the end of the season.

“It’s better than nothing,” said Mourgues. “And if the virus continues to retreat maybe we will all be allowed in.”

The Brutus stadium is the heart of the community in the northern quarter of Perpignan, nestled between the airport and the city centre, and the lack of action has left a huge void in the area.

Early signs of life at the ground are already emerging with the club’s merchandise shop and brand new Brasserie Dragons bar/restaurant now open for business and coach Steve McNamara said his players couldn’t wait to get back to the Brutus pitch.

“I’m proud of the way the players have responded to this situation. Lockdown has been pretty severe in France but the players have all stuck to their individual programmes, they look fit and healthy and it’s obvious that they are raring to go,” he said.

“Sam Moa got clearance from the medical experts this week, he’s worked really hard and he’s ecstatic that he’ll get the chance to play again and we can’t wait to get him back out there.”

All that remains is for Super League fixture-planners to factor in fixtures in Perpignan. McNamara said: “From a Catalans perspective, the situation isn’t difficult, we’re here and ready to play home games under restricted crowds according to the latest government guidelines. The stadium is fit to host games, the club is making sure of that.

“There will be no quarantine to stop teams coming in and out of the country, or for us to visit England, the bio-secure documents are all there and lodged with the RFL in terms of how it could happen for all teams so the conditions are in place to have regular home and away fixtures.

“There is a clear method of travel available, we’re looking at flying in and out of the UK on the day of our away games during the early weeks of the restart so there is no reason why English teams can’t do the same and visit us.”

McNamara said it was crucial that his team were allowed home advantage, particularly in a shortened season with a revised four-team playoff.

He added: “Switching to a four-team play-off makes the whole competition tighter and there are less games for teams to catch up if they’ve dropped points at the start of the season. We’ve won three from four and we need to build on that right from the start. You can’t afford to get too far behind with just 22 games in total to play in a limited number of weekends available.

“Whoever wins the Grand Final is going to thoroughly deserve it this year as it’s going to be attritional. There are fewer games, but over a much shorter period of time. It’s not something you’d like to see every year but we have to get our teeth into it and let’s go.

“In some regards it could be even more special to win it than a normal season.”

Monday round up #1 29/06/2020

 I am aware of how tardy I have been in keeping the website updated during the Covid-19 pandemic and have even toyed with the idea of sacking the whole thing off.

However, I am still here, for now, and keen to keep bringing Dracs news to the UK masses. 

This is all done without any official links to the club and without any sources, its all from using the internet and news sources to try and bring you the best comment. 

One new innovation I wanted to introduce was a round up of the weekends news in a regular Monday post, so here is number 1. Hope you like it. 

Joan Guasch

The owners Son has left the Dragons domestic Elite 1 side for Lezignan after many years of service. 

He is a reliable player and decent goal kicker so it will be interesting to see how he goes elsewhere and what the club does to replace him

Ben Pomeroy

The Aussie left the Dragons elite side many years ago before coming back at Warrington, our domestic side and Broncos Palau. 

It's reported he has left there and is likely to retire. 

Mike Mc Meekan

The Daily Mirror has reported that the England international Mike Mc Meekan is leaving Castleford Tigers to join the Dragons for 2021. 

Mixed reaction online to his probable departure with Cas fans seeming to think he was past his best and just looking for one last pay day. 

Dragons return to work

The excellent Forty20.news website has this morning posted an article about how the Dracs are going to be phasing their return to trianing. 

You can read the full piece here. 

...and finally

The last bit of club news this week surrounds the coach Steve McNamara who its fair to say has mixed reviews from this correspondent! 

However, following his recent coaching master class on the Super League website (which we shared here) he has appeared on the Rugby League United Podcast and it is a really fascinating listen. 

It has certainly helped sway my opinion even more on Steve and I would encourage you to listen by clicking here. 

If you see a story and think we've missed it, please use the contact form to get in touch. 

2nd August confirmed as next Dragons match

Super league is back and Catalans are part of the season opening triple header on Sunday 2nd August. 

We will be playing St Helens away (gulp) at 1615. 

Come on the Dracs!!!!

Dracs to kick off Super league return ?

According to a number of reports on the internet (including some from sources we trust!), Catalans Dragons weather postponed match from earlier in the season at Wakefield will be the match that is re-arranged to restart Super League.

With the Dracs needed to spend time in England its looking like a block of games off mainland Europe for us with a trip to St Helens following a week later so that we are back level on matches before a full round of games the following week.

That would see us play as follows...

Wakefield Away 1st August Ko to be confirmed
St Helens Away 8th August  Ko to be confirmed

So we would have a mini pre-season in England with two away games ahead of the full recommencement of the league.

With pro sport officially banned until 1st September in France it might be that a number of other away matches fill the next three weekends and we then head back to France and play 5 at home on the bounce.

I like this plan because it means we don't have to wait as long as supporters of other teams. Although our home form has been bang average for the last couple of seasons under McNamara so the thought of a of block of home matches fills me with dread.

Fingers crossed the rates of death and infection continue to decline on both sides of the channel and these plans become reality.

Stay safe.

Steve McNamara on how we beat the Saints in 2018 semi final...