He's not as big as the number 8 (Ross McCauley), he looks like one of the Dads has brought his boots.

Looks like a very good prospect.

Some good prospects there. Although the gulf between that competition and SL is enormous. Short of phenomenally rapid physical development you'd bet against any of them holding down a spot during the next two years.

That said, there are some pretty big lads in that team. Add a couple of extra shredded wheat to their diet and who knows?

That's what I thought.

Sonny was no slouch either.

It's less his observable size than his [iframe[/i. If he's not seventeen stone by the age of 21 I'll be surprised.

Forget Sonny Nickle. I'm thinking Papa Bouba Diop.

It's a crying shame that the young French players are having to come here.

At the Wigan v Catalan academy friendly game at Orrell I was speaking to Laurent Frayssinous.
He told me Catalan could not be admitted into the U19 academy competition because the majority of the Superleague clubs were not prepared to travel to France at that level, so most of the young French players were playing in the lower leagues and that their season ended in early May.

IMO when the clubs got the extra tv funding some of that money should have been ring fenced to MAKE the teams travel. Catalan were prepared to travel over here.

As far as I'm aware only Leeds and Wigan have played in France, but I think Saints, Wigan and Leeds have hosted Catalan over here.

How are those young French players expected to develop if they are not playing regular academy RL?

Rant over.

I suppose if there's a bigger spread of talent of the French lads throughout Super League, then it could lead to a bigger talent pool for them to choose from, instead of relying on Catalans to do it all which then takes them a while to recover from the season after. Already away from Catalans there's Boudebza, Larroyer, Simon, Fages, Barthau, Jouffrett, Springer, Baille, Marginet and the young lads who've been signed lately like Levy here and the players at Warrington. Hopefully the number builds up and some end up in the NRL like Casty and Guisset did.

Why is it a shame? The Catalans U19s thing is disappointing but NZoungou has never been contracted with Catalans, he's from Toulouse. Catalans already have a huge academy setup and a first-team squad of close to 40, barely any French players want to be there ATM and many of the ones who are signed are looking to leave the club due to a lack of first-team opportunities.

The real shame is that there isn't the money/infrastructure to have another 1-2 full-time clubs in France, but that doesn't affect the likes of huge prospects like Levy being picked up by Saints.

They are not 'having' to come here. Our under 19s head coach has said in today's League Express that he was playing for the first team at Toulouse and had been offered a contract by the Catalan Dragons, but he wanted to come to St Helens to prove himself.

So he chose to come here. He didn't have to.

Just imagine if he had taken up the offer by Catalan and had moved there. He might have been picked for their first team game against Wigan the other week. He could have scored 5 or 6 full length try's like the one against Cas u19's. Now that would of been embarrassing for the pies wouldn't it?

Agree with this

The best of the French kids will be. Just not in France.

Come to think of it - who WAS the last French player wearing the Red Vee?

Sure he was a Kiwi

French winger mate. Sure he was.

Edit - your correct, he was a kiwi.