International rugby league is coming to Campbelltown tonight – the East Campbelltown Eagles – who play in the Wests Group Macarthur Conference premiership – will host the French Under 19 team currently on a tour of Australia.
The tour is part of a plan by French Rugby League to raise the quality across their playing ranks with an eye on the future, including tournaments such as World Cups and European Cup matches.
They have chosen to come to Australia to give young French league players the chance to play against the best in the ‘’greatest game of all’’.
The aim is to give these rising young stars the opportunity to see up close the professional game, as well as build bridges Down Under.
The reason they have scheduled a match in Campbelltown is that East Campbelltown Eagles have had a French connection via rugby league for many years.
Current club president and life member Daniel Draper and his son Blake have both played rugby league over there with a French club called Cahors 13.
In 2021, French league player Raphael Cousin, from the Toulouse region, came to Australia and played for the East Campbelltown Eagles during that season.
His stint Down Under continued the tradition between the Eagles and Cahors 13.
The Eagles’ home ground here in Campbelltown, sometimes affectionately called Waminda International Oval, has hosted matches with international flavour before, including Peru versus Uruguay in 2019, and in 2021 when Peru took on fellow South American national team El Salvador.
There are no Macarthur Conference matches this weekend because of the school holidays, allowing the Eagles to select a side to play the French tonight.
Entry to tonight’s encounter is just $5, with children under 16 allowed in for free.
The match will kick off at 6.30pm.