By STEVE MASCORD
FIRED-UP Catalans coach Steve McNamara has responded forcefully to British clubs meeting last week to discuss the Dragons’ future behind their backs.
On April 1, the Rugby Football League clubs council – which does not include Catalans or Toulouse – was asked to consider, amongst other things, “what is the role of France and Wales in northern hemisphere RL?”.
It is the first concrete evidence of the new RFL under Nigel Wood reconsidering the involvement of Catalans and Toulouse, a pressure from rival clubs which McNamara himself told rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads earlier this year he was well aware of.
After the 20-12 Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Salford at Stade Gilbert Brutus last night, McNamara said he could not afford to worry about troubled Salford because no-one was looking after Catalans.
Asked about the Batley meeting, he responded: “It should be a priority.
“Hopefully it was a priority, not a ‘should they be in there or not’.
“Hopefully it was ‘we have to keep them in at all costs’ because this has been one of the biggest success stories of expansion and hopefully it will continue and be more.
“So the meeting at Batley, or whatever it was, whatever they’re talking about and whatever they’re doing, we’ll see what the outcome of that is.
“But for me there’s only one solution and that’s to strengthen this club and continue to keep it strengthening, this club.
“And that’s what we’ll continue to do, regardless of what anybody else things.”
McNamara said he felt for Salford players who have been paid late but but Catalans faced enough challenges of their own.
“You know, we paid for all of that tonight,” he said. “Nobody else paid a penny for that.
“Catalans paid for every single thing what happened there tonight – the match officials, the opposition, travel, hotels – and that’s a constant throughout the year.
“So I understand these other clubs with problems, Salford being one of them, but we have to look after ourselves first and foremost because nobody else will at this stage.
“Nobody else will.”
Opposite number Paul Rowley was asked before the match about the pressure being put on Catalans by rival clubs in the current caustic political environment for the game.
“I’ve not seen anything on that … I like Catalan,” Rowley said.
“I think they’re great. I like Toulouse as well. I’m all for expansion. As you know, I coached at Toronto.
“I’ll always believe that that was an absolute dropped ball, letting that one go.
“But I guess Covid and circumstances contributed to that and the wealth within our game and the distribution obviously being spread awfully thin and getting less is difficult.
“People and clubs have to look after themselves and I guess the core teams are in the north of England prediminantly.
“I understand it but definitely support it (expansion).
“…trust the people who make the big decisions to make the right decisions and you men will decide whether it’s good or bad.”