Rugby League: The Catalan Dragons continue their tour of the department

The 2025 Super League season almost saw one of its twelve clubs forced to withdraw. Salford, in financial difficulty at the start of its season, navigated through troubled waters, leaving several rivals to pounce on some of their players. An injured club, but which has recovered, after the announcement this Monday of an advance of 600,000 euros from the “RFL” (Rugby Football League) and the “RL Commercial”. The Salford club have commercial plans which can only begin when the town hall has finally purchased the AJ Bell Stadium, which Salford occupies with Sale Sharks.

Two study preparation meetings

The Toulouse club was therefore waiting for a big week for a move up to SL, in the event of liquidation of the Red Devils. Things are being resolved and the Dracs are putting forward their options regarding preparation meetings. Steve McNamara plans to face the TO on Saturday February 1, a week before the Challenge Cup round, scheduled in England. Remember that the championship will only begin on Friday February 14, at Gilbert-Brutus, against Hull FC. The Dracs management would also like to challenge a selection of Super XIII players (French and foreign), on Saturday January 25 in Perpignan. Except that the 14th day of the championship is scheduled for this date, including the derby between Lézignan and Carcassonne.

Since the resumption of outdoor training, the Dragons have been the globetrotters of the competition. Without a training center, they move around the department every year at the same time. The synthetic of Toulouges, Cabestany following, Saint-Nazaire last week, this Monday and Saint-Estève from this Wednesday and this Friday. What’s next? “We don't know yet, we're moving forward by the week, which is not ideal. It also depends on the state of the land in the city of Perpignan and we hope that Gilbert-Brutus will be available from the month of December”summarizes the general director of the club, Sébastien Munoz.

The club, which has not planned any training this year around Girona, is studying the feasibility of spending a day at the National Commando Training Center in Collioure, or Mont-Louis, but also, at the CNEA in Font-Romeu, where the Dragons have some habits. Two options studied for the month of January, when Australian playmaker Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters) will have joined the squad. The other five recruits, Tommy Makinson (St Helens), Nick Cotric (Canberra Raiders), Ollie Partington (Salford), Elliott Whitehead (Canberra Raiders) and Tevita Pangai Junior (Dolphins) returned to the group from the first week of preparation. For the first time in a very long time, Steve McNamara benefits from all his players in training, with one exception (Keary) and without any player in rehabilitation, or in a period of treatment. The club now hopes to get through the rain this winter and avoid the first injuries to slow down the start of the season.