Meet Corentin Le Cam: The 6ft 8in French forward aiming to hit the heights with Catalans
The previous tallest players in Super League were Wayne McDonald (Leeds and St Helens) and Dane Tilse (Hull KR), who each measured 6ft 7in, while the tallest current player before the arrival of Le Cam is thought to be Leeds’ Sam Walters at 6ft 6in.
Le Cam, who can certainly lean over his Dragons team-mate Sam Kasiano, who is a mere 6ft 4in, made his first appearance in Super League against champions St Helens a fortnight ago and, after making his home debut against Hull last Friday, is in Steve McNamara’s squad for Thursday’s game at Warrington.
“I was a little bit nervous at St Helens but I did my best for the team,” Le Cam said. “There is a lot of competition for my position but I worked hard for my opportunity and I was very happy with how it went.
“To get two games this year is very good for me. I’m in the squad for Warrington and maybe I will play if Sam Kasiano doesn’t.”
Not surprisingly, Le Cam played basketball and rugby union in his younger days before being attracted to the 13-man code.
“My friends at school were playing rugby league so I tried it and really enjoyed it,” he said. “So I stayed with it. It’s a beautiful game.”
Le Cam showed such promise with the Catalans reserves that he was included in Laurent Frayssinous’ World Cup squad and, with the tournament being delayed by 12 months, he expects to be pushing for a spot by October 2022.
“I did a lot of training with the French team this year but the younger French players can be better next year,” he said. “We are going to work harder to be the best team.”
Apart from having to find the seat next to the emergency exit on the team’s flight to England for the extra leg room, Le Cam says he encounters few problems with his exceptional height.
“Sometimes we have a little jet and I have to adapt but I’m good,” said Le Cam, whose 18-year-old brother Audric (also two metres in height) plays for the younger age groups at the Catalans.
“I think I have advantages with my height but I need to be more explosive and I’m working on my movement. With my height that can be a little more difficult.”
The Wolves are aiming for a hat-trick of wins over the Dragons, after winning 24-8 in Perpignan in April and knocking them out of the Challenge Cup a fortnight later, but they are coming off the back of a surprise defeat by Wakefield.
Warrington are undefeated in their last 12 home meetings with the Catalans, having won 11 and drawn one since the Dragons’ 22-20 win at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in April, 2011.
