Rugby League: France-Wales to take another step towards the World Cup

In front of the eyes of the “abuelo” the 2026 World Cup dances. Despite her twenty-five capes and fourteen years in a blue jacket, Eloi Pelissier (33) still has ambition. And the desire exudes from every pore.In the middle of the “youngsters”, the man with 200 Super League matches guides, advises, animates… “The other day Guillermo (Aispuro-Bichet, 19 years old) came to see me to tell me that I had signed a jersey for him at Opoul, when I played for the Dragons. That's calming, huh!, smiles the father of three children. But I feel good among these young people. They are really interesting, intelligent and respectful.” But to reach the southern hemisphere, scene of the next world rally, “if I stay in shape of course and the coach calls me”, it will first be necessary to ride on the Welsh stomachs this Saturday afternoon in St -Estève (2:30 p.m.), in the final of the pre-qualifying tournament. Big winners over Ukraine on Tuesday evening (74-8), the Tricolores challenge the “Dragon Hearts” and must win, to have access to a final four-way tournament with the Cook Islands, Jamaica and South Africa. South. The two finalists complete the Australian and Papuan field. “Facing the Welsh, we will play a sort of elimination quarter-final”. Missteps are forbidden to believe in his quest for a fourth World Cup. “The first was in 2013 alongside the Greenshields, Ferriol, Fakir, Saddaoui…”, and even Maxime Grésèque, whom the “Dogue”, “a nickname signed Julian Bousquet I believe”, finds today in the staff of the 13th of France.

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“We are not going to hide. We are favorites, warned Laurent Frayssinous yesterday, the coach of the Blues under the Cabestany sun. But I am wary of this Welsh team. I know the philosophy of his coach (Mark Moxon, promoted to head coach since John Kear's hospitalization on Sunday, Editor's note). Completing the chains and banishing mistakes is his credo. They can count on a few Super League or Championship players. It's really not bad and physically tough with players like Elliot Kear. It will definitely be a good test for us.”

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Compared to Tuesday's match against the Ukrainians, the French staff spiced up their team with more experience with the contribution of a few Dragons like César Rougé, Alrix Da Costa, Arthur Romano, Mathieu Laguerre and Théo Fages and Toulouse who were mobilized for their Championship final. Suffice to say that the Tricolores would be well inspired to repeat the same performance from two years ago in Albi, when the Blues of Escaré, Bousquet or Garcia won 34-10. “It took us a while to make the difference,” recalls Laurent Frayssinous, who would not be against avoiding emotions.