LINDSAY Anfield believes Catalans Dragons joining the Betfred Women’s Super League could breathe new life into the competition.
Les Dracs’ women’s team currently compete in the five-team Elite Feminine in France and are entering the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup for the first time this year, having previously competed in the Women’s Nines.
Two-time BWSL grand final-winning coach Anfield is currently helping Catalans prepare for their cup bow in April, and believes the Perpignan-based side would provide a much-needed boost to a competition which has come to be dominated by her former club York Valkyrie, St Helens, Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos in recent years.
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“For me, it’s got a little bit [about] the whole top four, players on a little bit of a merry-go-round between clubs, and it probably needs spicing up,” Anfield told Forty20 Live.
“If that’s my mentality behind how I see things, well what better than try to introduce Catalans to the mix?
“In terms of Catalans coming into the Women’s Super League, it’ll come down to funding and how well they get on.
“There’s no point coming over to compete if we can’t. It’s just seeing where we are this year.”
Catalans face last year’s Challenge Cup runners-up and four-time winners St Helens along with Huddersfield Giants in Group A, travelling to the UK for both games.
Anfield has been impressed by what she has seen in France so far, with the domestic game benefitting from a influx of Australian players.
France’s national team still lag behind England though, with the two most recent matches between the sides seeing them beaten 64-0 and 42-0.
Anfield believes an approach similar to how the RFL is trying to develop the Welsh national team is needed in France, as well as finding a way to compete with rugby union for players.
“I know one of Tom Brindle’s big things is building Wales up so England have got a competitor, and it’s the same with France,” Anfield said.
“One of the big struggles is there’s no ability to draw on NRLW talent – there’s nobody over there who would qualify.
“It’s in-house, they’ve got what they’ve got, and maybe drawing on the rugby union talent because they’ve got a lot of talent.
“But they’ve got to make rugby league look sexier and more appealing for the rugby union girls over there.”
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