STEVE McNamara warned rugby league in France needs to counter the growth of the 15-a-side code if it is to continue the progress it has made over the past decade.
The former England boss was, until recently, at the heart of rugby league’s French revolution during nearly eight years as head coach of Catalans Dragons which coincided with them emerging as a force in the Betfred Super League.
But the French domestic Top 14 competition – which includes Catalans’ city neighbours Perpignan – effectively becoming the NRL of rugby union, and their second and third-tier competitions being fully professional is making life harder for the country’s Treizistes.
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“It’s strong, it’s passionate, it’s very tribal, there are lots of towns and villages who play hard against each other,” McNamara told BBC Five Live Sports Extra when asked about the current state of French rugby league.
“The problem is the enormity of the Top 14 because rugby union is a really, really big game.
“I’d say it’s pushing football across there in terms of the size of the game, so they’ve got a very big rivalry in terms of that.”
McNamara’s warning comes at a time when the presence of both Catalans and Betfred Championship outfit Toulouse Olympique in the British professional structure has been a bone of contention for some, and will undoubtedly form part of the ongoing club-led review which is now set to be presented in full at the end of the year.
His departure as Catalans head coach after nearly eight years at the helm was finally confirmed on June 30, despite Joel Tomkins having been serving as interim head coach since May 21.
The 53-year-old took charge in June 2017 and after guiding them to preserving Super League status, oversaw a historic Challenge Cup triumph the following year, as well as a first League Leaders’ Shield success and maiden Super League grand final appearance in 2021.
McNamara, who has been linked with the Leeds Rhinos job should Brad Arthur return to Australia at the end of 2025, left Stade Gilbert Brutus with the Dragons ninth in the table and struggling to make this year’s play-offs, but still took away more positives than negatives.
“All good things come to an end and it was a brilliant time for me,” McNamara said. “I’ve had eight years of an incredible journey, from the Million Pound Game right at the start to winning at Wembley, playing at the Nou Camp in Barcelona, League Leaders Shields, the grand final, home semi-finals.
“I’ve had so many great experiences, I’ve seen the development of some of the young French players who’ve come through as players and men.
“If you’d said at the last you were going to last just short of eight years, I wouldn’t have felt it would happen, but it was an awesome, awesome journey.
“I’ve learned so, so much along the way, and I’m really thankful for the opportunity.”