A year ago today, Hull FC defeated Catalans Dragons in a Golden Point thriller in Perpignan – on this anniversary of one of the club’s most exciting games in recent years, Club Historian Bill Dalton looks back at the club’s relationship with French Rugby League over the past 90 years.
Hull FC played a notable part in bringing Rugby League to the people of France. After the pioneering exhibition match between England and Australia in Paris, in which our own Joe Oliver featured, Jean Galia brought a French representative team to England in 1934, initially to play four matches at Warrington.
Galia, originally a forward from the French national Rugby Union side, as well as being a Champion boxer was the first ever France Rugby League captain and credited with the birth of the sport in the country, In fact his name, alongside fellow pioneering greats of the game James Loman (Britain), Albert Baskerville (New Zealand) and Dally Messenger (Australia) would be depicted on international Rugby League’s first ever trophy, the Courtney Goodwill trophy, first presented in 1936, such was his influence on the sport.
During the tour, it was decided to add two additional matches to the itinerary, and so Hull and Salford also had the honour of hosting the French. In fact, the victory over Hull at the Boulevard in 1934 was the first occasion in which the French team had triumphed in a game of Rugby League. The following year, Galia brought another team, Villeneuve, and this time Hull succeeded with a 24-20 win.
During World War Two, after the Germans had occupied France early in 1940, and the Nazi puppet Phillipe Petain became Prime Minister, his government outlawed Rugby League because the German authorities considered the game provided close ties with the British.
Despite this setback, the game was reintroduced after the war, and by 1951, France had assembled a test match team good enough to defeat Australia in a series Down Under.
Hull locked horns once more with the French in 1950 when they entertained Champions and cup holders Marseilles, winning 9-0.
Hull’s first visit ti France came in 1956 when they trumped over Albi and Carcassonne as part of the newly-instituted European Club Championship. The return fixtures, at Easter 1957, yielded another win over Carcassonne and a draw with Albi. Hull went on to win the competition with victory over Halifax in the following game.
Hull FC has had a significant French connection amongst its playing strength, particularly during the very successful 1980-90s era. Patric Soleal appeared on the wing for the Black & Whites in the 1983 Premiership Final, Patrick Entat was a popular scrum-half and a member of the 1991 Premiership winning team, and second-rower Daniel Divet was another French international who appeared for the club later in the 90s. In the Super League era, prop Adel Fellous also assisted Hull in a period on loan from Catalans in 2008.
With the advent of the European Super League, of which Paris St Germain were founder members, followed by the entry from Catalans Dragons from Perpignan in 2006, there became a new dimention to the natural friendship which we have always enjoyed with the French.
Certainly, in their 14 year membership of Super League, Catalans have performed admirably and became a force to be respected when they reached the first Challenge Cup Final at the new Wembley in 2007, as well as winning the cup in 2018, taking the trophy outside of England for the very first time in its history.
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