Catalans have rested 7 important players for their game against warlike Wigan. These great players are: David Mead, Rémi Casty, Benjamin Garcia, Mikael Simon, Lewis Tierney, Benjamin Jullien and Joshua Drinkwater. This decision is on order to maximise their capabilities the following week.

Clearly Catalans are planning to cause an upset in the Challenge Cup semi-final against St Helens.

If Catalans manage to make the Challenge Cup Final, there is a good chance that I will be buying the expensive seats in Club Wembley.
Hopefully I will be seated alongside or near President Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron, or Sir James Paul McCartney, or Sir Elton John, or Sir Michael Jagger.

I Fancy Catalan to win the semis, but yes Elton John and Paul McCartney at the CC final, Dream on. Leeds Catalan Final

If Catalans make the final I will try to contact Sir James Paul McCartney, Sir Michael Jagger, and Sir Elton John through their Facebook pages and encourage them to attend.

FWIW I saw the TV focus in on Sir Michael Jagger, in attendance at the FIFA World Cup semi-final in Russia involving France. Sir Michael Jagger obviously likes France and could be tempted to attend the CC final if Catalans are there. Maybe he could even encourage his friends Sir James Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John also to attend such an important event.

[iIf[/i Catalans beat St Helens, then Catalans will be favourite to win the CC.

There were a few thousand fans in the French sections at Wembley in 2007. I was one of them. I know that there will be a similar number if we make it in 2018. Of course that won't be 20,000. But I imagine that having Catalans there will attract to Wembley a lot more "neutral" fans from other clubs who would want to see the honours won by a club that is not one of the establishment "biggies."

Interestingly in Union (or not), Leinster ( Dublin, IRE) played Racing 92 (Paris France) in Bilbao, (Basque Country, Spain) recently........and they only had 1,007 unsold seats, with a crowd of 52,282. In 2015 2 French sides met in the final in London and attracted over 56,000 fans to Twickenham......so French fans will travel to watch their sides. Maybe the RL need to market to this audience more?
I'm also interested in how many Wakefield would bring to the final if they got there........considering the pitiful averages they have at present.....

Really? They were all French?
Union “fans” will turn up to watch any old dross. Especially if on a free corporate do. And while there will have been more French there than the Catalans CC final it’s not comparing apples with apples. League fans love the sport. 80% of Union fans turn up for the event. I know we’ll struggle with tv and corporate money unless we go the same way but at least our fans care.
I was invited to the Lloyds sevens and politely declined cos I couldn’t care less. I bet they got 30,000 there though for a non event.
Union has become fashionable even though their “World Cup” has 4 sides that could actually win. Ours has 3. We don’t have the home nations but Scotland are a joke at union anyway.
Let’s give France a proper chance. Catalans home crowds are better than a lot of ours and not that far off NRL. If they get a decent side next year and a local derby things could take off over there. Plus one day we might get back the money from the Vichy government!

Why can’t RL fans from England, a small part of Wales, Australia, New Zealand, PNG, France and now Canada just get together and enjoy our game and support each other onwards?

Like it or not it’s not attendances at games that supports modern day sport it’s TV figures and advertising revenue so unfortunately our only chance of survival in the northern hemisphere is with the added value of France and Canada.

You only have to look at the kit sponsors of overseas RL teams compared to SL to see that we need a global influence as over here we’re seen as Northern Monkeys with no disposable income.

Here are the highlights of the Catalans Dragons thumping of Salford: www.catalansdragons.com/articles ... lford-r22/

Here are the highlights of the Catalans Dragons thumping of Salford: www.catalansdragons.com/articles ... lford-r22/

How come we don't have 40 page threads of the other 11 SL sides

Because they are not as interesting as the Mediterranean powerhouse, the Catalans Dragons. After all Catalans are the only French team in Super League. Moreover, this year they have risen from the bottom of the table into the top 8, with a form that rivals that of most of the top sides. What a Cinderella story!

Because other posters are happy to indulge the trolling of a lonely lad from Leigh.

Chorley, not Leigh

Apologies

Or you could argue that Catalans are where they should be at the very least with the players they have available. I'm glad they are finding some form at last and McNamara is looking like a decent coach after it appeared he was on borrowed time. Saints will have to be at their best to win the semi next week.