IN a major step forward for the abbreviated version of rugby league, the new French season will kick off with two entire weekends of Nines matches played at six venues.
This weekend, Villeneuve, Carcassonne and Avignon will host matches while next weekend it will be the turn of St Gaudens, St Esteve and Limoux.
The elite one season will commence the following weekend.
Fittingly, each weekend will feature nine mens teams. The format requires each home team to host two opponents in a round robin.
The French Federation said on its website: “The next two weekends the nine Elite teams will meet on six different arenas. Thus, Villeneuve-Sur-Lot, Carcassonne & Avignon will respectively welcome their opponents of the day on the weekend of October 2 and 3. And Saint-Gaudens, Saint-Estève XIII Catalan & Limoux the weekend of October 9 and 10.’
Image: French Federation de Rugby x XIII
