I don't know why you're trying to use a result of a France team missing pretty much all of it's full time players to make sweeping generalizations about the sport in France. Yes, they aren't as strong and have nowhere near as much depth as England, but a team including the likes of Fages, Gigot, Casty, Duport, Mounis, Pelissier, Baitieri, Bosc, Garcia, Elima, Yaha etc would more than provide a challenge. The fact is that I probably follow French RL closer than most and the squad yesterday had players that even I've never heard of. It was a virtual development team, they had an 18-year-old who was playing RU a month ago. I don't know why they selected this team and they definitely didn't do themselves any favours, but in realistic terms this result is not at all reflective of the level of France.

Also I'm not sure if you're aware that Australia are no longer the number 1 team in the world, I know you're usually a little bit behind.

Possibly a sweeping generalisation, but still a true one, outside the dozen players missing ( why do that I also havent a clue ) they are very poor, it wasnt just ability, no spirit,fight or even disapointment, the England lads werent even trying, it was embarrasing

Despite what you might think you know of my opinions about expansion of the sport I was hugely dissapointed with the French decision to rest a whole team ( if thats what it was ) , it will have damaged the future of the fixture and the credibility of the French

Not good

They don't have much depth outside of the 20 or so full-time players that play regularly at their clubs, but the team yesterday wasn't the strongest they could've fielded even with the players missing. They could've picked a bunch of senior players who have played for the national team in the past like the Bentley brothers and many others from the French league who could've kept the scoreline relatively respectable, but they just seemed to go with youngsters or completely obscure players. As I said, it was more of a developmental team than a legit international team and really should've been billed as France A.

I agree that the match was a joke and it was hugely disappointing turn out from the French, but the issue here is why they ended up fielding this team rather than any problems with the quality of players that they have or the development of the sport. Maybe the earlier poster is correct and they did this because the match was treated as a joke from the start. Either way, it's definitely not good and hopefully being humiliated like that will be a wake-up call for them in terms of the national set-up.

You do realise some French players have just finished a long hard season right? Whereas some are just starting their year right?

You keep trying don't you, in spite everything you keep trying.

I guess the question of whether France can challenge England is similar to asking whether Hudds can challenge in the play offs: there's a case to be made that they could, but the total lack of supporting evidence inevitably leads to a lot of scepticism.

Catalans can't develop many players to get into their best 17. Absolutely pathetic. Throwing money at antipodeans and bringing through very little quality when they are the only SL team in the country.

Few teams if any can 'boast' 18 home grown players in their squad with so many clubs sharing the same catchment area. So comparing English home grown players with French players in the Dragons is idiotic. The Giants - with 3 other SL teams in west Yorkshire (4 other til very recently) - compare pretty well with the Dragons who have no SL competition. The 4 West Yorks clubs can find 20 or so home grown players to play each week despite competition from big Lancashire clubs & Hull. Catalans with no local SL competition struggle to get 5/6.



Your suggestion that clubs running several junior teams + scholarships right the way through to the U19s are not interested in development because they dont want an U23s is plain daft. Many prefer the current pathways + dual registration. Very few want U23s.