From the Barcelona based paper 'SPORT' this morning:

[iThe Catalan Dragons, the rugby team from Perpignan, who play in the English Super League, will next Thursday sign a deal to collaborate with Òmnium Cultural to work together to promote and broadcast the culture and sport of Catalonia.[/i

Another promising and positive move by the Dragons. Always good to see them involve all Catalonia rather than just Perpignan and Catalunya Nord.

Does this mean that they plan a TV deal to Catalonia? Who are Omnium Cultural?

they are an association who promote catalan culture both sides of the border.
[urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%92mnium_Cultural[/url

if they pushed for it im sure catalan television station tv3 would be more than happy to get involved.

I know it's got nothing to do with the the Lord Derby cup or Catalans' players choice of breakfast, but I think it's more than worthy of comment and discussion on the Catalans board.

Catalans held a press conference in Barcelona yesterday to plug and promote the fixyure against Warrington on the 20th of June.
It was covered on Catalan national television and it features in a number of newspapers this morning. El9, a Catalan sports daily devoted a full page to the Catalans, their game in Barcelona in June and even the rivalry between rugby XV and rugby XIII.
With the full blessing of the RLEF the Catalan national team are looking for an opponent to play before the Dragons-Wire game. Rumoured possibilities include Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic. It promises to be a great celebration of 'Catalunya' and 'Catalanisme' with choirs being brought in from Perpignan and possibly Girona to sing the Catalan national anthem.
Well done to Bernard Guasch and Catalans Dragons for all the efforts they have made and are making.

w00t!

a response!!

it gets better and better!

there are firm plans afoot to create a summer league in catalonia. it will comprise of university teams from 3 of the four catalan provinces (lleida, barcelona and girona) aswell as a team from perpignan.
if everything goes to plan it will start this summer.



also the catalan rugby union has been denied the right to stage international matches by the irb. both the french and spanish unions complained and these complaints were upheld by a tribunal in paris. the catalan ru plan to fight the judgment.
this interestingly comes just months after the rlef awarded catalonia official observer status. the long and short of it could be that if a player wants to represent catalonia at rugby it will have to be league.
a friendly is in the pipeline to be played before the catalans-warrington game on 20th june.

[urlhttp://www.rugbylliga.cat/noticia/catalunya-i-els-dragons-a-barcelona-81[/url

video of the press conference in barcelona to promote the dragons in (spanish) catalonia and the game in barcelona in june.

[urlhttp://www.rugbylliga.cat/news/the-mundo-deportivo-speaks-about-the-catalan-dragons-75[/url

rugby league and the dragons get a double page spread in a national spanish paper!

Thats bloody good news

couldn't believe it when i opened the paper, nearly choked on my ensaimada!


catalans boss senyor guasch promoting the june warrington game in barcelona.

[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1HABNo7lLY&eurl=http://www.rugbylliga.cat/noticia/catalunya-i-els-dragons-a-barcelona-81[/url

Plenty of good news here, all of which underlines the necessity to overcome a shaky start and return to last year's form.

the second part of the press conference in barcelona

[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ6D1ZZL4_8&feature=related[/url

The Catalan league has begun!
great news and here is some action from the opening round

[urlhttp://www.rugbylliga.cat/videos/campionat-universitari-2009[/url