Bevan French will have to bide time for Wigan debut

Drew Darbyshire 30 Jul 2019 8:50 AM

Wigan’s new recruit Bevan French will have to wait a couple of weeks before making his debut.

The 23-year-old will arrive in the UK this week after being granted a release from his deal with Parramatta Eels. He has signed until the end of 2021.

French – who has cored 35 tries in 47 NRL appearances – will not be drafted into Wigan’s starting line-up straight away though.

Warriors coach Adrian Lam said: “He’s going to be great for us.

“He’s a talented player and a try scoring machine. He’s one of those players Wigan and Super League fans will love and adore.

“He will get the people off their feet and he suits the way we want to play moving forward.

“It will take him a week or two to settle in, as it is always the case with players moving mid-season, but when he does, we will have the dilemma of where to play him.”

On Sunday evening, Wigan also announced the signing of England international George Burgess on a three-year deal from 2020.

Lam added: “It’s massive news for the club and Super League in general and rugby league across the world.

“To have a player of his quality, who has been in the NRL for the last ten years and is an international world class front-rower is great for the game and for Wigan.

“It’s a statement of intent from the club and his presence will certainly make a big difference for us.

“We’ve got some front-rowers here already who have great experience, but it’s nice to have someone new come in as it brings a different edge.”