Fizz options for under €30 and over €30  a grape also found in Gaillac in SW France but almost nowhere else It ripens late with good acidity so is well-suited to sparkling wine production Sadly producers I’ve met in the Languedoc are often unfairly dismissive of mauzac and prefer to make Crémant de Limoux with chardonnay and chenin blanc instead Blanquette de Limoux claims to predate Champagne as there is written evidence it was produced in 1531 at the Abbey of St-Hilaire This would have been a cloudy pét-nat (pétiallant-naturelle) wine of course,still produced under the Blanquette Méthode-Ancestrale Appellation There are also Gaillac Méthode-Ancestrale wines made from mauzac You may have hard the story that Dom Pérignon invented sparkling wine — “come quickly I’m tasting stars” is a quote often attributed to him Sadly it is from a 19th century advertisement so was first said by an ad-man The first mention of Champagne in literature is in the Restoration comedy The Double Dealer (1693) by William Congreve but this was likely non-sparkling as sparkling Champagne only became popular in the 19th century when bottle technology allowed it Pérignon is actually remembered for his skills as a cellarmaster and winemaker and for perfecting the art of making white wine from black grapes He was also lauded for finding ways to stop bottles of still Champagne exploding as dormant yeasts reawakened as the weather warmed in the springtime I have not recommended Dom Pérignon as there was no new release this year The 2012 vintage is very solid it has to be said — my notes from when I tasted it in 2021 refer to ‘concentrated layered pear drops’ and other pleasing flavours — it will be at its best in around 10 years time if you can bear to wait Blanquette de Limoux has a solid claim to being the oldest French sparkling wine Made primarily from the local Mauzac grape (plus some Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay) this is excellent value with aromas of over-ripe pears and soft apples a textured fleshy palate and a lingering lime and apple finish Crémant de Bourgogne uses Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes just as Champagne does but expect them to taste more like entry-level Champagne This is a very solid example at a great price — lemon sherbet and Nice biscuit aromas (remember them?!) lively and clean with a pleasing zesty freshness on the palate and a lime and green apple finish This was the best Cava I tasted all year so it deserved a mention despite its limited availability Made solely from free-run juice this has 36 months ageing on its lees elegant and rather delicate on the palate with lingering apple skin touches and female-led with Carol Duval-Leroy as GM and Sandrine Logette-Jardin as Chef de Cave Mostly Pinot Noir with a bright ripe fruit character mixed in with brioche and citrus creamy satiny palate with herbal notes and a pristine crisp finish Ruinart are the oldest Champagne house and created the first ‘Oeil de Perdrix’ Rosé Champagne in 1764 This pours a rich salmon pink with distinct floral strawberry and papaya on the nose — silky and almost lush on the palate with focused red fruit flavours Confession: I find NV Moët Brut Impérial utterly boring but the brand has huge star power for non wine people Offer guests this nine-year-old version instead which has biscuity There were a lot of spirits fighting for the final slot of 2022 including the spicy vanilla and pear flavoured 10 Year Cask Strength Green Spot (€340) exclusively available from thesinglemaltshop.com The Dirtgrain Manifesto release from Blackwater Distillery was another strong contender — actually 4x200ml bottles from different casks (€250) plus an exclusive book by Blackwater’s Distiller ever-erudite Peter Mulryan There was Kells Gin which is new to the market I’ve gone with Black’s of Kinsale’s Triple Threat purely because it slipped down so easily — a blend of Bourbon Sherry and Virgin casks with distinct vanilla and berry fruit aromas a silky sweet palate with a peppery spicy finish From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in more wine with leslie articles Restaurant critic Jay Rayner with Food editor Jillian Bolger in London Carcassonne will be looking to become French champions once again after all but securing top spot in the Elite Championship A 42-18 win over nearest rivals Limoux in a repeat of last season’s Grand Final has them three points clear at the top with just one game remaining It will be the fourth time in eight seasons that the Canaries have finished top of the pile – though on the previous three occasions they have then gone on to be beaten in the Grand Final since the French Elite One Championship was established in 2002/03 Carcassonne have won two titles – but lost the Grand Final on four occasions when they beat league leaders Pia 26-20 in the final following a thrilling 31-30 semi-final victory over Avignon which was the last time the team finishing top has gone on to become champions In the five seasons since – another was lost due to COVID – the league leaders lost the Grand Final with the exception of 2018 when St Esteve lost in their play-off semi-final There’s still a chance that Carcassonne could miss out on top spot but it seems unlikely as their final game is against bottom team Villeneuve Even a defeat by less than 13 earns Carcassonne a point that would be enough to secure the title and Villeneuve have managed just two wins all season Limoux will have to put the disappointment of last week’s defeat behind them quickly as they need to secure second place under pressure from both Lezignan and Albi A win for Limoux at home to Toulouse will secure second and a week off in the play-offs and even Albi could sneak second if they beat Lezignan and Limoux don’t earn a bonus point Joining those three and Carcassonne in the play-offs are Pia who have enjoyed a solid season and sit fifth The final spot will be decided in a do-or-die season finale between Avignon and St Gaudens Avignon have a point advantage in the table so whoever wins that one will take sixth spot before the two winners go through to play 1st or 2nd away The play-offs will now take place on the weekend of May 6/7 having initially been slated for the week before (April 29/30) But the decision has been made by the French Federation to postpone them for a week due to the international between England and France in Warrington on April 29 It means there will now be three weeks between the final game of the regular season and the first round of the play-offs It could have been a lot different for Limoux who led twice early on against Carcassonne last weekend Tries from Zachary Santo and Pat Templeman had them 6-0 and 12-4 to the good early on but Carcassonne led 24-12 at half-time and didn’t look back There was praise too for the off-field efforts of the Canaries too Coach Frederic Camel told TreizeMondial: “I am very happy for my players The best response to criticism could only come from the field we have to remain measured because we haven’t won anything We will get back to work now to prepare well for the Coupe de France semi-final against Avignon Our leaders had made this match an event and we can only salute and congratulate their work The next day was just as successful for the academy for the Jean-Marie Grégoire tournament with a lot of people despite the showers.” READ NEXT: More could follow star to rugby union for ‘international exposure’ © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved Richard Martial Crémant de Limoux Brut Rosé Mission St Vincent Crémant de Bordeaux Brut Blanc Champagne must have at least 12 months of lees ageing Wed 25 Sep 2024 at 03:00Are you a fan of fancy French bubbles The final weeks of French wine sales (until mid-October in Dunnes Stores and the end of the month in Molloy’s) and annual wine sales (until mid-October in O’Briens Wine) make it a fine time to buy Champagne or its regional cousin so firmly has this traditional-method sparkling wine from a fiercely protected geographical area cornered its global market slips so quietly under the radar that not all lovers of fancy French bubbles realise the excellent value it offers what’s the difference between these two closely related sparkling wines Both are made with the ‘traditional method’ with a second fermentation inside the bottle before the wine is aged on the lees (‘Lees’ are spent yeast cells which lend the wine toasty biscuity or brioche notes.) Champagne must have at least 12 months of lees ageing; for Crémant The key difference between Champagne and Crémant are where they are made — and therefore the conditions the grapes grow in and how well the wines might age — and with what grape varieties Champagne is made in the coolest and most northerly appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) in France with famously chalky soils Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in here (with Pinot Meunier in a secondary role) though often feature in Crémant wines alongside local grape varieties Aromatic Crémant d’Alsace is typically Pinot Blanc based Classy Crémant de Bourgogne is closest to Champagne geographically featuring Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perhaps with the likes of Gamay or Aligoté The Chenin Blanc grape leads the way in Languedoc’s cool-climate Crémant de Limoux often alongside Chardonnay and sometimes Mauzac and also in Crémant de Limoux with Cabernet Franc among others Crémant de Savoie and Rhône’s Crémant de Die also worth nabbing are Bollinger Champagne (€54.40 the Bollinger-made Langlois-Château L’Extra par Langlois Crémant de Loire (€20.45 the grower-made Jean Comyn Champagne ‘Harmonie’ Brut NV (€34.50 Molloy’s) or the easy-drinking Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé 2002 (Tesco €35 From a fifth-generation family estate in southern Burgundy and made with well-ripened Chardonnay grown in south-facing slopes of rocky clay and limestone soils with 18 months of lees ageing building rich aromas of honeyed nougat leading toasted hazelnut on the palate but finishing brisk and fresh Very classy and super year-round value.​ The Wine Pair (Clanbrassil Street) Specially Selected Chassaux et Fils Crémant de Loire €12.99 Joining the honeyed yet green apple tart Crémant du Jura (11.5pc which won Silver at the International Wine Challenge 2024 this new addition to Aldi’s shelves sees Chenin Blanc blended with Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc for a creamier softer style with easy-drinking orchard fruits this smart rosé with Terra Vitis sustainable accreditation is dry and tart with crunchy redcurrant fruits From €21 at Dunnes Stores until mid-October bright aromas of lemon biscuits and candied petals balanced on the palate by ripe apricot and lemon tart zing yeasty finish that keeps in check its 10g/l sugar (so €34.95 Stylish Marne Valley grower Champagne at a great price with bright lemony and white flower aromas given brioche richness fresh and punchy on the biscuity palate with nicely integrated residual sugar balancing the lemon sherbet acidity A moreish drop to squirrel away for a festive toast Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Widnes Vikings have swooped to sign highly-rated young Australian forward Morgan McWhirter from French Elite Championship outfit Limoux Grizzlies on a deal until the end of the 2026 campaign McWhirter – who will turn 24 in June – still has commitments to fulfil with Limoux having helped them into the play-offs over in France following a fifth-place finish in the regular season The Grizzlies face Saint-Gaudens Bears in the play-offs this weekend, and should they be eliminated, the versatile forward will make the move to the UK in time to make his Widnes debut against Featherstone Rovers on May 11 LRL RECOMMENDS: Ex-Super League forward makes cross-Championship switch as experience hailed The 23-year-old made the move to France with Limoux last year having previously plied his trade Down Under in the Queensland Cup having represented the Mackay Cutters Sunshine Coast Falcons and Townsville Blackhawks McWhirter amassed 41 appearances in the second-grade competition he said: “I’m so excited to be joining the team for the rest of this season and 2026 “I can’t wait to get over there and hear some of the brilliant chants that come with the English culture “I’m hoping I can bring an extra dimension to the forward pack I know the fans will be really welcoming and I’m just hoping to repay them by playing some good footy.” The Vikings – who travel to newly-promoted Hunslet this weekend – sit 7th in the Championship table having taken seven competition points from their first seven league games this term Head coach Allan Coleman added: “It’s fantastic to get Morgan over the line We’ve kept a close eye on him and have been working with his agent for a couple of months now “He’s played at a good level in Australia and came through some really great systems “Hopefully he’ll come on board and have a big impact for us he’s renowned for being really aggressive and having great go-forward.” LRL RECOMMENDS: Salford Red Devils coach addresses Sydney Roosters takeover links and rebrand talk but the Languedoc’s whites have other charms – not least their price the general impression is that the Languedoc’s Mediterranean climate is better suited to reds with whites accounting for only 1 in 10 bottles produced each year And though they may sometimes lack the sharp in the case of a trio made for Aldi’s Exquisite Collection by the reliable Jean-Claude Mas The soft peachiness of the Marsanne 2015 and the pretty apple blossom of the Clairette are both in store for £5.99 chardonnay from the cool enclave of Limoux Mas Jullien Blanc 2010, France (£29.95, Berry Bros & Rudd) Perhaps the most popular dry Languedoc white of recent years is picpoul de pinet, a crisp, unshowy style that has long been consumed locally as a partner for the oysters harvested in the Etang du Thau. An example such as Domaine Félines Jourdan 2015 (£9.99, Majestic) is a good alternative to muscadet albeit without the yeasty savouriness that makes the best of that Loire white so interesting play around with blends of several grape varieties leading in this case to a wine with the feel of olive oil as well as the mineral nerviness and scent of scrubby herbs that are so evocative of the region’s craggy landscape Follow David on Twitter @Daveydaibach This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media It’s always been a source of disappointment for me that the French domestic competition hasn’t grown in stature since the introduction of Catalans to Super League Instead of the pioneering Dragons being used as the pinnacle and dragging up those behind them The fabled Anglo-French competition between English Championship clubs and their French Elite 1 counterparts didn’t last long Crowds in rugby league are generally sparse outside of season ticket games – see Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup for instance – but the cross-channel games are certainly something that should be explored further if perhaps it targets lower Championship sides due to the difference in class The French Elite 1 Championship comprises 10 teams and was won last year by Saint Esteve XIII Catalan effectively a feeder side to Catalans Dragons The season starts with their own version of the Magic Weekend The 10 teams play each other home and away The top six then proceed to the end of season play-offs The French Elite 2 competition is still being formulated for the new season but is expected to have either 10 or 12 teams There is a desire for promotion and relegation between the two but it hasn’t happened since Saint Gaudens went up in 2016 due to minimum criteria put in place for promotion The reasons for that are largely financial with some clubs unable to commit to making the step up due to the historic issues that have affected rugby league in France That lack of automatic promotion/relegation has seen the gap widen between the two competitions in recent years But there are a growing number of clubs in Elite 2 with ambition who boasted Vinnie and Louis Anderson and Patrick Ah Van in their squad for the recently completed season work a lot on youth development while Pia are on their way back having had a turbulent recent history There are nice projects developing in big cities like Toulon and Lyon and Carpentras have a nice set-up there is a National Division 1 which is split in to two leagues (East/West) and then a National Division 2 with five regional leagues previously known as the Federal championships There have been some expensively assembled Elite 1 teams in the past with crowds lower than 1,000 and clubs also lack the resources to effectively communicate and market their games to attract people to the grounds As rugby league continues to attempt expansion it would surely be the most positive step to encourage and establish professional leagues where possible and that should be supported and cultivated to enable its growth We will make an effort moving forward to cover the French game as best as we possibly can, in partnership with Treize Mondial in the hope that raising awareness of it encourages its growth – and not just so we can get over to cover a few matches during the UK off-season Toulouse Secret invites you to discover where to buy the best galettes des Rois in the pink city And with lots of butter inside… Whether it’s brioche cake or crown… To celebrateEpiphany in style Toulouse Secret invites you to discover where to buy the best galettes des Rois in the Pink City If we go to Le Poussin Bleu it’s first and foremost for its storefront and decor for its delicious individual or family-size galettes that will delight young and old alike What will you find at Pâtisserie Conté a bit like Les Rois but with candied fruit inside And frangipane galettes with crispy puff pastry and frangipane cream filling you can also discover – in addition to the traditional frangipane galette – a brioche des rois with orange blossom or a Limoux brioche with candied citron this “Babka des Rois” and this crown of kings like no other will give you a gourmet and original epiphany Generously filled with an ultra-light almond cream this Babka des Rois is available in individual format Do you like variety and originality? Maison Pillon will satisfy all your desires Galette Limoux and the famous traditional Galette Frangipane… there’s something for everyone We hope you find the bean and wish you a happy Epiphany the expertise of Maison Arnoult’s craftsmen is acclaimed throughout the Occitaine region 📍4 Centre Commercial St Caprais – 31240 L’Union You never do anything like the others? Does the frangipane galette des rois make you drool? Head to Saoko Pâtisserie to discover their special creation to celebrate Epiphany in the most original way possible A delicious crown of rolled brioches with a bean Johnathon Ford has now officially joined French Elite Championship Limoux Grizzlies on a deal until the end of the 2023/24 season following his departure from Featherstone Rovers Veteran half Ford – who began his career in the NRL with Sydney Roosters having been born in New South Wales – was one of 17 to leave Post Office Road as part of a mass exodus following Featherstone’s failure to seal promotion up to Super League losing out in the play-offs having romped the Championship That exit tally now stands at 19 with both Chris Hankinson and ex-Warrington Wolves youngster Ellis Longstaff moving on at the beginning of this month As tipped to do so by French news outlet L’Independent Ford has now returned to France and will form part of Limoux’s squad when the campaign over there resumes in the New Year The nine-time Cook Islands international previously spent 11 years in the South of France with Toulouse Olympique debuting in October 2011 when Sylvain Houles’ side were still plying their trade in the French Elite Limoux confirmed Ford’s return to the same division with a post on Instagram – @xiii_limouxin – yesterday A post shared by XIII Limouxin (@xiii_limouxin) the Grizzlies’ caption on that post translates to: “⚡️ JOHNATHON FORD (FEATHERSTONE ROVERS) “Cook Islands international halfback joins the 🔴⚫️ “Johno is a regular in France, playing for nearly 11 years at Toulouse Olympique (190 matches – 53 tries) before emigrating in 2021 to England and Featherstone “A great architect of the rise to the Super League and captain of the TO in 2021 he also achieved the double with the Toulouse club in 2014 and did it again in the Championship the following year As things stand, Limoux sit 3rd in the French Elite Championship having won six and lost two of their league games so far this season The Grizzlies return to action on January 13 READ NEXT: International Rugby League world rankings updated – Cook Islands move into top 10 with England reclaiming 3rd spot and Papua New Guinea taking 6th The two Grand Finalists from last season are the top two in the French Elite Championship league table at Christmas Carcassonne have won nine of their 10 games so far only losing once to Lezignan back in October The arrival of Morgan Escare from Salford has helped them to a prolific run of wins in to the festive period with the speedy full-back having already scored 10 tries since his return to his homeland The Canaries put 50 on Villeneuve and Toulouse as well as recording an impressive 19-0 win away at nearest rivals Limoux who were beaten 20-16 by Carcassonne in last season’s Grand Final back in May have slipped up twice in the first part of the season As well as that 19-0 defeat to Carcassonne with Pierre Carivenc’s drop goal the difference whose star-studded line-up includes James Maloney are well within touching distance having won eight of their 10 games so far too They were thrashed 56-10 by Limoux in November and also suffered a surprise 30-20 reversal at the hands of St Gaudens Avignon and St Gaudens (both 4-6) will be hoping a better second half of the season can propel them in to title contention Toulouse (2-7) and St Esteve (3-7) are the respective reserve sides of the country’s professional clubs Villeneuve have endured a difficult season and have lost all nine of their games – conceding on average more than 40 points per game The French Elite 1 Championship season resumes on January 7 READ NEXT: Catalans to face French Elite Championship select side Jason Clark sat down with Love Rugby League to discuss his recent signing with Limoux Grizzlies and his plans for life after league made the switch to Super League with Warrington in 2019 featuring in four seasons in the competition he made 157 NRL appearances for the South Sydney Rabbitohs since making his debut in 2009 He will embark on another adventure in 2022 with his young family making the move to France for the French Elite One Championship “It’s another life experience,” Clark told Love Rugby League “It’s not about me holding onto the rugby dream and playing forever It’s an experience for my wife and my children I’ve got three beautiful young daughters who can experience a life in France for eight months “The move we’ve looked into is a great little town and a team in the south of France We’ve enjoyed this culture in Warrington for four years now My children will grow up and say they lived in Warrington for four years and then in the south of France for eight months “That would make me feel like I’ve been a good dad.” Clark said a close family friend helped inspire the move having visited alongside his family from Australia when Warrington travelled to Perpignan back in May “One of my dad’s best mates played over there He lived over there for seven years and loved it,” Clark said “He’s always had friends back there who he’s always been in contact with “My parents came over recently with my dad’s best mate and his wife He could speak French and did a little bit of translating for me when when I was there “Limoux reached out and we got it done pretty quick “I didn’t speak to really any other clubs “I’ve got some friends over there who are playing like Nathan Peats and Joseph Paulo I don’t think we’ll be alone over there We’re trying to learn but everyone says once you’re there “A lot of my friends said that their children are talking more French than them because their children pick it up quicker “It’s another exciting time for us and another little chapter before going back to Australia and starting work life there French Elite: James Maloney to play on in 2023 after signing new deal Following his stint in the French competition Clark revealed he will return to South Sydney Rabbitohs working in player welfare while also having an interest in coaching “I help out with the teams here in Warrington with the academy teams with Richard Marshall “I don’t like to put myself forward “I’m always willing to help anyone that asks for it I never throw myself in there saying I can do this and I can do that “It’s just if someone wants help we’ll be back in Australia and will hopefully working with the Rabbitohs in welfare “That’s a part of the game I really feel passionate about with the way the game is going for young kids and older blokes coming through the game and the pressure that’s put on them “I’d like to think I can help them in that aspect as I’ve been going for so long now.” Clark finishes his Super League career with 74 appearances and two tries as well as a goal kicked in his final match against Salford PODCAST: Matty Russell opens up on overcoming gambling and alcohol demons, & how Toulouse has reacted to Super League relegation FOLLOW: Keep up with all the latest on the Love Rugby League mobile app and podcast Rabbitohs Premiership winner and South Sydney junior has called time on his Rugby League playing career with another premiership victory this week meaning he winds up his 300-plus game career with three major trophies to his name a Life Member of the South Sydney Football Club won the NRL Premiership with the Rabbitohs in 2014 followed by victory in the prestigious 2019 Challenge Cup Final with the Warrington Wolves backed up by a premiership win with the Limoux Grizzlies after winning the French Elite 1 competition in 2023 in the last week played a total of 216 games across all grades for the South Sydney Rabbitohs between 2008 and 2018 including 169 first grade games since making his NRL debut in 2009 against the Dragons He was a key player in the 2014 NRL Premiership win and represented City Origin in 2015 Clark played 85 matches for Warrington before switching to Limoux for the 2022/23 season where he played 16 matches is a favourite son of the South Sydney Club He has the distinction of being victorious in every major Grand Final that he played – the 2014 NRL Grand Final the 2019 Challenge Cup Final and the 2023 French Elite 1 Championship game On behalf of everyone connected with the South Sydney Rabbitohs we congratulate Jason and his family on his wonderful career and we look forward to seeing them at the USANA Rabbitohs Centre and Accor Stadium when they return to Australian shores sponsor offers and access exclusive content former Newcastle Knights player and newcomer in Limoux he talks to us about his come back on the field after a long absence I’m a Newcastle Knights NRL player who came down with sickness in 2012 at the age of 22 then was unable to play until last year due to sickness When I was playing NRL I had some offers to go to the super league and play abroad I chose limoux as I know the club to be a very proffessional and family orientated club Since arriving in limoux everybody involved with the club have made myself and my family feel very welcome so we are very happy with our decision I am also an admirer of the French lifestyle which I believed would be great for my young family to experience Yes off course being back on the field and playing again is something to be celebrated in itself Having this perspective I find allows me to appreciate all the small things involved with playing again like the friendship involved with team mates and training The teams performances so far have been strong the team have won a couple of tough matches with some key players still to return On the weekend we had 7 players unavailable through injury I believe so I think this is encouraging moving forward for the season we were close to the line and I dived over.I think my team mate who was able to get a quick play the ball deserves a lot of credit for the try My ambitions for the season are to play well and contribute to the team I am very motivated to play well as I have spent so long out of the game Due to the time out of the game my body feels good and refreshed so I am hoping for a good season Yes I am open to the prospect of staying in limoux for more than one season Me and my family are really enjoying It here and the club as I mentioned have been great in helping us settle in Yes super league is something I am considering I am still eligible for super league so we will see First and foremost though I am focused on playing well for limoux for the remainder of this season Étiquettes : Rugby à XIII en direct Romain Maillot : « Le niveau général continue de progresser » Craig Taylor : « Je tiens à souligner à nouveau ma fierté pour la défense et la cohésion exceptionnelles des filles » Widnes recrute un deuxième ligne de Limoux Hakim Miloudi : « Nous grandissons de jour en jour, le club également » 2 nouveaux Dragons dans le XIII de la semaine en Super League Le Toulouse Olympique recrute un nouveau meneur Clément Boyer : « C’était un véritable match d’hommes » [Live] Pia vs Limoux en direct vidéo, Super XIII – Barrage Yacin Atba : « J’ai rectifié le tir en montrant que l’on pouvait compter sur moi » [Live] Saint-Estève XIII Catalan vs Villeneuve en direct vidéo, Super XIII – Barrage Les Dragons Catalans se sabordent face à Leigh lors du Magic Weekend Frédéric Camel : « Il serait bon que tout le monde retrouve du respect » [Live] Albi vs Carcassonne en direct vidéo, Super XIII – 21ème journée Alexandre Mickalezyk : « Je suis là pour m’amuser et aider des mecs géniaux qui en valent la peine » À propos - Contact - Mentions légales - Partenaires - Qui sommes-nous ? Treize Mondial © Tous droits réservés - 2025 There were big winning margins in four of the five games in the Elite Championship at the weekend Avignon recorded a 20-16 win over Limoux to drag them close to the top four as their resurgence continues Sofiane Ghanem and Corentin Rey scored first half tries as Avignon opened up a 19-0 lead by half-time Limoux got on the board before Gigot added a second drop goal Zachary Santo’s converted try made it 20-12 before Alain Torreilles opted to take a penalty to reduce arrears to one score The Grizzlies then decided to take a further penalty to bring things back to 20-16 The Bisons are now just a point behind Limoux who are a further three points behind third place Lezignan having won 10 out of 11 games so far this season with St Esteve a point behind them and a point ahead of Lezignan after their 40-20 win away at St Gaudens Villeneuve bounced back from a couple of defeats with a comfortable 42-16 win over Albi Former England international and Man of Steel Rangi Chase considered moving to France before opting to join League 1 side West Wales Raiders I wanted to get out of Yorkshire because I’d been around there so long I was getting a bit stagnant and I needed a new challenge I got speaking to Aaron – I played against him in my younger days – and then the club sold it to me.” The Elite 2 Championship will not resume for the 2020/21 season The competition has been paused since before Christmas and barely a handful of games had been played Under 19s and amateur championships have also been cancelled The next Elite 2 Championship season could start in October talks about the French Cup semi-final against Limoux and the end of season goals What are the strengths of Limoux in your opinion Strengths of Limoux in my opinion are the experienced players they have both from France and overseas as well as their experience playing in big matches in recent seasons Is it an advantage to play this match at home I wouldn’t say it’s an advantage playing at home for the game itself but having all of our passionate Tigers supporters at the game will make the occasion that much more special to play in front of them What are the differences between the French championship and the New Zealand championship The main difference between the French and New Zealand championship for me is the speed of the game there is a lot of skill and toughness in both competitions What are your individual and collective goals and what would a successful season look like for you My goal as an individual is to give my all to the team every game and contribute to us (hopefully) advancing to the big matches of the championship A successful season for me personally would be nothing short of a Grand Final WIN Étiquettes : Voici le tableau des transferts du championnat de France Elite 1 pour la saison 2023-2024 avec les arrivées et les départs des 10 clubs concernés avec pour but la mise à l'honneur des joueurs qui ont marqué le mouvement treiziste depuis 1970 D'une liste de présélectionnés une poignée d'entre eux recevra une distinction Arrières : Wozniack (Saint-Estève) Mêlée : Ivan Grésèque (XIII Catalan) Troisième ligne : Maïque (FCL) Deuxième ligne : De Nadaï (Limoux) Il reste à présélectionner les piliers et les talonneurs Souhaitez-vous recevoir une notification lors de la réponse d’un(e) internaute à votre commentaire “The Boarding School Murders,” has an almost perfect storyline with a nice plot twist at the end who recently got picked by a scholarship program at one of the most reputed schools in the world it is up to Frankie to prove herself innocent does an exceptional job with her charming performance and the other actors also play a crucial role in making “The Boarding School Murders” a good watch for the weekends The film starts with the introduction of Frankie She is one of the finest students of history in her class and has applied for Limoux Boarding School in Switzerland It is one of the most epic schools in the world from where top entrepreneurs and CEOs come Frankie is selected under the scholarship programme she and her roommate Trina think that she deserves this opportunity Frankie reminds Trina about an incident where they were caught stealing a cheap plastic bracelet But Trina gives her the same bracelet as a parting gift she soon understands that she will have to be very courageous to cope with the other students Most of them come from the houses of billionaires and Frankie comes from a very poor background This class discrimination is pointed out on multiple occasions by Tinsley Wellington and her group some sinister plans are going on against Frankie when Frankie and Jacqueline are hanging out in the garden they see a mysterious figure looking at them from afar and both the girls start running for their lives later Frankie sees that Tinsley and her squad are messing with them Tinsley mentions the shoplifting incident and Frankie’s father having a criminal record saying that if Frankie does not follow her rules she will mention these to the school’s principal Tinsley’s body is found in the corridor of the hostel The panic looms large as Tinsley’s friends Maria and Annabelle start doubting Frankie’s motive behind the killing Detective Krause enters the scene and starts investigating the matter Maria mentions Frankie’s probable involvement in Tinsley’s death Frankie directly tells him that they may have gotten off to a bad start but this does not mean that she will kill someone because of being bullied who do not trust Frankie since it is revealed that she has a past history of shoplifting Frankie tells Jacqueline that it was Trina who stole the cheap plastic bracelet Frankie just hit a guard as he was behaving badly with Trina the rest of the lot does not know about the original incident so they start to look at Frankie like she is already convicted of Tinsley’s murder One night Frankie finds it very hard to sleep at night Suddenly she sees something happening outside in the garden She comes to the spot hurriedly and finds out that Maria is lying there and soon Maria is hospitalized in a critical condition Frankie says that she has seen someone pulling Maria’s body from the window of the basement the mysterious figure is not there to be found at all Detective Krause doubts Frankie is maybe lying Since Maria continuously blames Frankie for Tinsley’s murder and she also knows about Frankie’s troubled past Detective Krause has every reason to believe that Frankie is behind all of this and contacts Trina to explain something that she has found Frankie tells Trina that she doubts Miss Ainsworth as her appointment in the college somehow feels a bit dicey Frankie once stole Maria’s tablet to find out who killed Tinsley Later Frankie tells Jacqueline and Annabelle about the idea of Miss Ainsworth’s involvement in this Frankie goes inside Ainsworth’s bedroom while Jacqueline and Annabelle try to engage her in bizarre conversation Frankie does not find anything inside her room and she almost gets caught during the process the police find the exact shoe they doubt the killer wore from Frankie’s room Frankie is arrested as the prime suspect in one murder and another attempt at murder Frankie is released as she is being exonerated she knows that Maria knows who the killer is she comes back to her room and calls Trina explaining that she has no clue how she is being exonerated but she is willing to find out everything as she opens Maria’s tablet one more time Maria finds some interesting texts from Tinsley sent to Maria where Tinsley says that she has hired a private investigator who has come up with some significant information has an affair with a woman named Ainsworth who was recently appointed as the principal of the school Limoux paid her enough money to abandon her child and keep quiet about their extramarital relationship Limoux was that she wanted to have good grades in her curriculum and so she and Annabelle try to get the tablet to the detective they hear Jacqueline screaming from the principal’s office they find out that Jacqueline is holding a knife against Ainsworth’s throat while Mr we realize that Jacqueline is the daughter of Mr Miss Ainsworth fails to leave her daughter in foster care Limoux knew that Jacqueline would do anything to prove her worth to him so he sought help in the Tinsley situation Jacqueline thought that if she took care of Tinsley would very much appreciate her efforts and would love her the way she had always wanted She also revealed that she had planned it so perfectly that even Frankie’s admission was in the plan Jacqueline can put the blame on someone who already has a criminal record Jacqueline admits to killing Tinsley and attempting to murder Maria Annabelle records the whole confession on her phone and Frankie is released from all the charges we see Maria and Frankie become best friends Maria goes to the mental health hospital to meet with her father Shovan Roy is an avid filmmaker enthusiast dedicated to unraveling the magic of the cinematic world Passionate about understanding the art and craft of filmmaking he immerses himself in the captivating realm of storytelling With each passing day Shovan is learning more and more from his fellow teammates who motivate him to write the best content Shovan's journey in the realm of cinema is an ever-evolving adventure fueled by his unwavering commitment to the power of visual storytelling Designed by Two Words If you're trying to save a little money on groceries (and really The popular grocery chain has some can't-miss items that Aldi fans swear by but you might not think that wine would be one of them you can find some really good bottles of wine at Aldi but you can also find some not so great ones so how can you tell the best bets from the less-than-stellar the best and worst bottles of wine you can buy at Aldi so you can feel confident in the wine aisle — and a little less apprehensive that you might buy a bottle you won't like According to The Guardian this is one of the best wines you can buy at Aldi The climate in Limoux makes it perfect for growing grapes for French Burgundy-style Chardonnays If you're a white wine drinker, you need to know about this best-bet white that you can buy at Aldi. Decanter said summer meadow nose with flavours of white flower peach and a touch of grapefruit and marzipan." The perfect affordable spring and summer wine or a delicious change of pace year-round If you like tannic reds with lots of fruit, you might like this French bottle, which, according to The Telegraph is one of the best bottles of wine that you can buy at Aldi It's a little bit pricier than some of the others on the list at just over $14 but still an affordable wine that's a great value with all the other money you're saving on the rest of your grocery shopping you can afford to splurge just a tiny bit on this wine Here's another best bet from Limoux at Aldi. According to Decanter, this is a 100 percent Chardonnay wine with scents of honeycomb, lemon, and apple, and notes of grapefruit, melon, and floral elements. Irish blogger Joanne Ní Chróinín wrote on Instagram that it tastes of light fruit and citrus Decanter called this a "fantastic wine." High praise According to The Telegraph this Spanish red is a fantastic alternative option to Rioja It's super affordable (which is a win in and of itself) so it's a great choice to pick up for a casual dinner or a bottle that you're going to take to someone else's house (which you might not even end up getting to drink) The Telegraph described the taste as "soft gentle fruit," which usually pleases a wide variety of red wine drinkers If you've never had Fitou, you might want to pick up a bottle of this tasty wine the next time you're at Aldi. According to Decanter this wine is earthy and full of red fruit flavor When VICE recruited Australian sommelier Banjo Harris Plane to taste-test some of the Aldi wines that won awards at the Sydney International Wine Awards they found that some of those wines really weren't very good Both the writer and Harris Plane thought that the smell was a bit.. Upon tasting it they found it was extremely dry Harris Plane called it "gross." Not exactly a ringing endorsement In case you haven't heard, Aldi now has its own version of Trader Joe's "Two Buck Chuck" (or, in some places, "Three Buck Chuck") called Winking Owl. In a taste test, Robert Scheer, a photographer at the Indianapolis Star who's also the paper's "Wine Dude," gave Winking Owl's Pinot Grigio a C+ saying that though it smelled like it should and tasted OK but that's not really what I'm looking for in a white wine (or any wine VICE had Harris Plane taste this Shiraz While it wasn't one of the absolute worst that they tasted he said it still was not a great wine when compared with all the other red wine options out there The fact that they found it "less gross" than the blend is but it honestly doesn't really comfort me all that much If you love Cabernet Sauvignon, you're best off skipping this Winking Owl version the next time you're shopping for wine at Aldi, because otherwise you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. According to Scheer at the Indianapolis Star the fruit flavor tasted fake rather than truly fruity and said it had such a "strong green vegetal flavor that I can't recommend it." He also advised as everyone's palates and preferences are different This Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is not one of the best bottles of wine you can buy at Aldi, unfortunately. The Decanter review said the fruit seemed to have not been quite ripe enough yet and that it didn't have the qualities that you'd expect a Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot to have which makes it a good bottle to skip while shopping probably isn't really what you're looking for when shopping for wine According to VICE this was supposed to be a very impressive wine as it was judged against some pricey wines at the Sydney International Wine Awards The taste-testers found the smell to be reminiscent of the Precious Earth Shiraz You're probably better off leaving this one on the shelf Coronation Street star, Sally Ann Matthews has shared a heart-breaking post on Instagram after the death of her family cat The cat had lived for around seventeen years but sadly died this week Sally was left heartbroken, with her co-stars and followers reaching their arm out to support the Coronation Street actress Sally shared a tribute to her beloved cat yesterday (Sunday posting a picture of the black and white cat sprawled on the bed A post shared by Sally Ann Matthews (@sallyannmatthews) you really were the world’s most stupid cat and we loved you for it Sally’s co-stars commented with their support Hayley Tamaddon who previously played Andrea Beckett on the soap commented: “Awww I’m sorry Sal,” following her statement with a sad face and heart emoji Charlotte Jordan also sent her love Another followed: “Those little fur babies really do take up a lot of room in our hearts.” Sally often posts pictures of her furry friends over on her Instagram page Back in May, she shared a photo of her and her border terrier, Veto Veto could be seen licking her face after she’d been on a run A post shared by Sally Ann Matthews (@sallyannmatthews) Sally Ann exclaimed: “Sweaty kisses from my running buddy.” She’s also shared many other adventures with her dog even going calling him her “boating buddy” as the pair posed on a boat together Sally Ann Matthews plays Jenny Connor in Coronation Street Last week, Jenny thought that her relationship with Leo was over as he finalised his plans to move to Canada On the rebound, she started flirting with Stephen in the Rovers and soon took him into the back for a drink Little did she know that Stephen was only interested in her because he had his eyes on her money He’d just found out that she was the sole owner of the Rovers Return and wanted a slice of her cash The pair shared a kiss, with Gemma left shocked after seeing the two together She blocked the door just before Leo entered the room Jenny has questioned whether to tell him the truth Will Jenny be honest and confess to Leo about kissing Stephen or will she stay quiet Read more: Who is in the cast of Coronation Street 2022? 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