Rugby League: The Catalan Dragons have returned to the field

No commemoration of the 106th anniversary of the 1918 armistice on the side of the Catalan Dragons. The squad met on the Toulouges synthetic pitch, “Jonathan Hernandez”, newly inaugurated the day before and made available to the Dragons club for this return to sport. England coach Steve McNamara presented the five new members of his coaching staff. Starting with his two assistants, Joel Tomkins and Ryan Sheridan, the performance manager Ryan Whitley, but also two new physiotherapists who join Fabien Gonzalez. Julien Vaur, after two years with Stade de Reims and a summer with Olympique de Marseille, joined the Dracs medical unit, just like Joshua Zoppo.

For the first time in many years, Steve McNamara had 24 of his players. No more repeats, seven, ten or eleven as has often been the case. Elliott Whitehead (Canberra), who had arrived the day before from Australia, and Julian Bousquet, who had arrived a few hours earlier from his honeymoon, were present, in the middle of Nick Cotric (Canberra), Tevita Pangai (Junior Redcliffe Dolphins) and Oliver Partington ( Salford). Four of the six recruits completed the 80 minutes of training. Sam Tomkins and Tom Makinson (St-Helens), will join the group this Tuesday, but at the Cabestany facilities this time, while captain Benjamin Garcia is expected from Thursday. Only playmaker Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters) who is getting married at the end of December in Australia will join the squad at the beginning of December. Prop Romain Navarrete, ill, was the only loss of the day.

Two “Bronco Tests” for a recovery

This Monday, the players discovered the new performance manager, Ryan Whitley, who scheduled two Bronco Tests for his players. Something new for the Dragons. The players went back and forth for 20 meters, then 40 and then 60. But that's not all. This series was repeated five times and without interruption. César Rougé and Arthur Mourgue finished in front, totaling 4.45 minutes during the second Bronco Test carried out at the end of the session. The Dragons actually completed two Bronco Tests which kicked off the six weeks of preparation before Christmas. Going under 5 minutes is a good time that players will have to go under before the restart. Monday afternoon was reserved for a bodybuilding session and indoor tests.

The youngest, Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Yacine Ben Abdeslem, Clément Martin and Nino Seguela were also there, as was the former Samoan winger, of New Zealand origin from the MHR, Ben Lam, who had lost a few kilos and who is under contract until December 31, 2024. Time to see if the 33-year-old player gets used to his new code.

To date, the management has not planned a camp around Girona as has been the case for two years. Question of preparation meeting, Steve McNamara is studying the possibility of facing the President's XIII selection which would be made up of Super XIII players, French and foreign.

This Tuesday (9:45 a.m.) and Friday (9 a.m.), the Catalan Dragons will be on the field again (Cabestany), before the meeting with the supporters on Monday November 18 for the opening of subscriptions at the Gilbert stadium -Brutus of Perpignan. The 2025 season is launched three weeks earlier than last season, for a team which also finished its 2024 season three weeks earlier and which will know its calendar and the 27-day marathon on Wednesday November 20.