Dean Bosnich has quit Pia and is off back home. Benoit Albert takes over as coach and Neale Wyatt has signed on for two more years.

Lyon have taken the drop down to Élite 2, as expected. No word on bringing another side in to replace them. I doubt there's a club strong enough to stomach it.

and apparently Seb Martins has re-signed with Dragons

So 10 teams next year? Or 11 if TO come back ...

It's down to nine at present.

Must .. learn ... to .... count.
10 teams with TO should be okay.

Not sure what TO's plans are in regard to this. I shall endeavour to find out.

and Una Lamelagi to Pia from Villeneuve

James Wynne steps down as FCL coach, but will continue as a player and captain. Aurélien Cologni is the new player/coach with Chris Beattie his assisstant.
I suppose Wynne figures that after two successive championships in his first two years, he can't really top that.

TO looks unlikely to put up a team. They are trying to have a deal with St Gaudens for them to act as reserve (but without being a "reserve"...).

Not a bad first step for them and a way to save a team in trouble. Ideally they would have their own team in the LER, but possibly this cannot be done while they are in the Championship.

ASC have re-signed Saia Makisi, Teddy Sadaoui, Christophe Moly and Romain Gagliazzo. Patrick Albérola and his staff have all signed up for another year. Nicolas de Martini and David Delpoux are both going back to Toulouse from whence they were on loan. Brahim Nahri joins from Baho and they've got an Australian signing in the pipeline - Reece Blayney, ex of St George and Canterbury, a stand-off to replace Russ Aitken. Amar Sabri has linked up with Whitehaven for the rest of the Championship season, as has UTC full-back Rachid Ahlalou.

There is something that attracts those guys from the LER to Cumbria.

No offence, but I cant see why.

South of France v Cumbria. not really a contest!!

know Gareth dean spent a few off seasons up there. There again he's a bridge end lad.

Sorry Gareth if you are reading this, Stewart will put me right

Thats right no contest, Cumbria all the way

It's an area of the games so-called heartlands that has vision beyond it's immediate boundaries.

UTC news.

Patrice Gomez is calling time on his top flight career. The 31-year old full-back or winger is going to drop down a division with Baho. UTC are sniffing around Avignon half-back Tony Gigot who is, apparently, playing with Harlequins reserves at the moment.

Aye, apparently doing well enough in the reserves that the clowns are thinking of giving him a proper punt in the first team.

Confirmed in today's paper.
Also, Nicolas Piquemal goes from Pia to Lézignan and Stéphane Muniesa calls time on his career. Looks like a rebuilding job for Pia next season

Catching up on some old news.

Nine clubs in Élite 1 next season, twelve in Élite 2.
Maximum of three overseas players in any matchday selection.

What defined as an overseas player?

is an Aussie or Englishman with x years playing in France considered french??

Cheers

There's always somebody who wants to complicate matters....

I don't know.

Cheers



I suppose there will be loop holes thpough!!

I think after playing 3 consecutive seasons, they qualify as French?

Yeah, I think you can qualify througjh residency after that.