sang-et-or.net partners |
|---|
|
|
|
| Jeffries turns the game Wakefield's way |
Absent ill |
A depleted Dragons, already without skipper Thomas Bosc among others, lost Clint Greenshields in the wee hours of the morning of the game. He was struck with a stomach bug, meaning Chris Walker took over at full-back on his debut with Kane Bentley coming onto the bench. And even in adversity, the game was there for the taking. However, two tries in two minutes, engineered by Ben Jeffries on his return to the Wakefield ranks, snatched the initiative and the points.
We review the action here |
|
|
New skipper absent |
Yet another lacklustre build-up to a new season, as is now the tradition with the RFL, sees round 1 take place on the second weekend of league action. The switch to summer saw Super League XV kick off in the snow on the last weekend of January, giving élite players a matter of a whole month's rest which is bound to ensure they have long, fruitful careers. The Dragons kick off at Wakefield, not always a happy hunting ground, as they look to pick up where they left off in 2009.
We preview the match here |
|
|
| Carpentras back down to earth |
 |
A week after Carpentras upset Pia, they were brought down to earth in cruel, vicious style. Lézignan took them to the cleaners in a ten-try rout. Pia also got back to winning ways, thrashing Villeneuve and Avignon heaped more trouble on St Gaudens. St Estève/XIII Catalan lost again, losing out to Carcassonne in some last-minute drama.
And that's where we start this week's round-up |
|
|
| Old boy Almarcha comes back to haunt TO |
He's got a challenge for his Player of the Year award |
by Mark Hall
Decimated by injuries and late withdrawals, and even having to draft in a junior player to make up the 17, Toulouse went down 28-18 to a spirited Grizzlies side, ably led by their man of the match and Olympique old boy Mathieu Almarcha. He scored two tries and kept much of the Toulouse attack at bay on a cold afternoon in Limoux.
We review the action here |
|
|
| Grizzlies next in TO's preparations |
 |
by Mark Hall
After the defeat at home to the Dragons, where Toulouse held the Super League side up at 16-16 until the opening minutes of the second half, the Grizzlies are the next team up on the friendly circuit. Limoux showed some great skills last year, when they downed Carcassonne in the play off semi-final. The day has a carnival atmosphere about it, with an veterans touch rugby game, the under-21 sides kicking off at 1pm local time, and the main match at 3pm. Afterwards Limoux are putting on an evening soiree so, with things not going right in certain parts of the French Rugby League world, the Grizzlies seem to be carrying the standard to make sure the game gets to a wide audience. Here we preview the main game action, with your reporter down in Limoux. |
|
|
| Packed house sees Dragons defeat TO |
Full stand at Minimes |
Over 4,000 spectators crammed into Toulouse's Stade Arnauné to see the Super League stars of the Dragons finalise their preparations for the new season. The result was never really in doubt, what with TO's season starting much later than the Perpignan club's, and Kevin Walters picked what looks to be his first-choice XIII and only four subs. Gilles Dumas played a more typical pre-season side in this, his team's first run-out of the year.
We have a report for you here |
|
|
| Carpentras pull off shock of the season |
|
There was a blank weekend scheduled this week, but with round 10 having been frozen off completely, there was an ideal opportunity to get those games out of the way. Well, all bar Carcassonne's trip to Avignon as ASC had already scheduled a game with Widnes to celebrate their 70th anniversary. Carpentras pulled off a huge result in beating Pia and not just by the odd two points. St Gaudens and Villeneuve both copped shellackings from Limoux and Lézignan respectively.
We wrap up the weekend here |
|
|
Sylvain Houlès on the charge |
by Mark Hall
The Dragons roll into Toulouse this evening, with their three new signings added to two large squads for this friendly game at Stade Arnauné. Both coaches have agreed rolling substitutions to give their charges game time and boost fitness ahead of the new season and with about 22 players named in the Toulouse squad, the game should be fun to watch. The weather should make for a game this year, as, when your reporters went to cover it, the posts were nearly horizontal due to high winds, the game was called off and we nearly lost our hire car when a tree missed it by a short head.
Here we preview the action |
|
|
|
The league is back, albeit a bit later than planned. Round 10 was wiped out by the heavy snows that affected much of Europe over the last weeks and months. St Estève/XIII Catalan were busy boys in the break as they had two matches to catch up on and lost both of them. They also lost their first game of the phase retour with several players backing up the day after Dragons duty. Elsewhere, FCL were finally taken down a peg, losing their first game of the season in the derby against ASC.
We catch up on all things Élite 1 here |
|
|
| First pre-season game ends in defeat |
First Dragons over the line in 2010 |
Castleford's sojourn in the south of France ended on a winning note as they beat the Dragons as the Gilbert Brutus. In the absence of Rangi Chase - absent as his dog chewed his visa, which is a brilliant excuse - Dean Widders slotted in at stand-off and scored twice as Cas held off a Dragons fightback.
We bring you a review of the game here |
|
|
| Match at Brutus ends Castleford's trip |
Not in the 25, but still involved |
With the new season rapidly approaching, the Dragons get out of the gym and onto the playing surface with a pre-season friendly against Castleford. The Tigers have been attempting to sun themselves in the south of France for a week, but the weather hasn't been kind. Indeed, they may have been as well staying at home for all the difference it's made.
Castleford's trip ends with a game at the Gilbert Brutus on Saturday at 17:30 local time and we preview it here |
|
|
|
Login |
|---|
Not a member yet? Click here to register.
Forgotten your password? Request a new one here.
|
|
|
