Pacifque Treize, the pioneering rugby league team based in Noumea, will look to use the upcoming Under 17 tour of North Queensland, Australia as a launch pad for growth of the game in New Caledonia and Vanuatu in 2024.
The U17 touring team will comprise of players from New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Futuna and mainland France where the team will play 3 games against established rugby league powerhouse clubs Mackay Cutters, Townsville Blackhawks and Northern Pride.
Since inception in 2020, Pacifique Treize has trained their academie players at Stade Pentecost and catered for players aged 13-19. There is now optimism that given the significant surge in interest in rugby league in New Caledonia, that a 2nd academy location can be added in the 2024 season. Given players currently come from Noumea, Mont-Dore, Normandie, Dumbea and Paita (and previously Bourail), adding a 2nd location would make things more accessible for players that are having to travel a considerable distance.
Pacifique Treize Director Manuel Jalabert commented “Pacifique Treize has grand ambitions of one day competing in the Queensland Statewide junior and senior rugby league competitions. In order to do this, we need to continue to promote our sport to the youth of New Caledonia and to develop the talent to a level that will ensure that we are competitive in these competitions. We are very happy with our Noumea academy which is based at Stade Pentecost and we are hopeful of having another academy established in Mont-Dore, Dumbea or Paita in 2024.
Longer term we hope to add academies in all those locations mentioned and will work with local council I those areas to come up with a blueprint of how this can be achieved”.
Jalabert also stated “a lot of our current players have varied sporting backgrounds, whether that be rugby union; football; basketball; handball etc. and we welcome players from those sports to connect with us and try rugby league. We wish to compliment their existing sporting pursuits and provide another opportunity for them to learn and grow as people and as athletes”.
Interested players are encouraged to contact Pacifique Treize at info@pacifiquetreize.com or via Facebook or Instagram.
The creation of Pacifique Treize is brilliant. It will open a new market for rugby league. I think other areas you could focus on within the French diaspora could possibly include developing a player pool targeting locations such as Reunion,Mauritius, and Madagascar. All of these islands are similar to the Pacific and are about the same distance from Sydney to French Polynesia.I know you need to concentrate on New Calendonia and Vanuatu for practical and logistical reasons, but they are other areas you could explore into the future.Pacifique Treize could also strengthen French Rugby League and increase the profile of the sport to Mainland France by playing in an Australian competition close to the NRL. I think this could be the start of a cultural revolution for Rugby League if exposed to the French speaking world.I think in time this can only benefit the QLD Cup,French Rugby League, and the NRL.
Well done on this project it can only get stronger!!