Catalans to face French Elite Championship select side
Catalans Dragons will take on a selection of the best players in the French Elite 1 Championship ahead of the new Super League season.
The game will take place on Saturday February 4 at Stade Gilbert Brutus, a fortnight before the Dragons start the new season against Wakefield.
Their usual pre-season clash with Toulouse has proved difficult to arrange due to the different start date of the Championship season.
A similar fixture took place in 2021, where France coach Laurent Frayssinous had a closer look at some of the domestic based talent available to him.
It remains to be seen whether it will be French players only, or if overseas stars featuring in the Elite Championship will play.
Former Dragons players James Maloney and Morgan Escare, now at Carcassonne, could face their former club.
Maloney plays in a star-studded Lezignan side, that also includes former Toulouse half-back Corey Norman and ex-NRL and Leeds hooker James Segeyaro.
Ex-Barrow centre Hakim Miloudi is now back in the French Elite Championship with Albi.
The French select side that the Dragons faced in 2021 included Tony Gigot, Lucas Albert and Nittim Pedrero.
Former Papua New Guinea winger Kuni Minga is in the top three try scorers in the competition playing for St Gaudens.
The side could take a similar composition to the France B side that lost 18-6 to England Knights in Bordeaux back in October.
The France B side included several Catalans youngsters, such as highly-rated half-back Cesar Rouge.
