First World Cup team list are in

Catalans Dragons and Women’s team will be strongly represented on the opening day of the World Cup.

For the French men’s team, 5 Dragons feature in the starting line-up to face Samoa, with Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Léo Darrélatour, Romain Navarrete, Benjamin Garcia and Julian Bousquet all named in the team.

Arthur Romano will also be in the starting XIII, while Amir Bourouh is named on the bench. Both players will join the club next season from Hull FC.

For the French women’s team, 3 players from the Dragons Women’s team are named in the starting line-up for their opening game against Papua New Guinea: Elisa Akpa, Cristina Song-Puche and Leila Bessahli. Fanny Ramos will start the game on the bench.

France’s fixtures – Round 1 :

Friday 16 October (8.45am CET)
Samoa vs France | CommBank Stadium, Sydney

Saturday 17 October (4.15am CET)
Papua New Guinea vs France | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby