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Winds of up to 174 km/h caused major damages
Heavy rain and flooding was reported in some areas
At least 2 people have died and thousands left without power
One person was swept away by flood waters in Espeins in the Lot-et-Garonne Department
The department was placed under red alert for floods after the Garonne river rose rapidly
Government of the department said that as of 15 December
Heavy rain triggered flash floods and landslides that cut road access to Gourette and Artouste in the Pyrénées mountains
Pre-emptive evacuations were carried out in Landes on 13 December after the Gaves de Pau and Oloron rivers threatened to overflow
One other person died and 5 others were injured as a result of wind damage
— La Chaîne Météo (@lachainemeteo) December 15, 2019
— meteo60 (@meteo60) December 15, 2019
— Météo Villes (@Meteovilles) December 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/Meteo_Pyrenees/status/1206187043413516288
— VigiMétéoFrance (@VigiMeteoFrance) December 13, 2019
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France — Tonneins should be an idyllic place to live
the small town perches above the River Garonne in southwest France and is surrounded by gently rolling countryside
more than half the town’s voters backed the populist
far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in last weekend’s presidential election
the signs of decline and decay are everywhere
there are entire streets with boarded-up shops and
“It’s a sad town,” said an elderly woman sitting on a bench with a couple of friends
there’s nothing left now,” chimed in another
Tonneins is like thousands of provincial towns across France, once rural gems that are falling into disrepair, sore reminders of a waning France. And they have become easy prey for Le Pen, who in Sunday’s election made big gains across the country
The far-right leader has extended her grip beyond strongholds in northeastern and southern France and pushed west into areas that traditionally voted center left
voted for the Socialist François Hollande in 2012 and centrist Emmanuel Macron in 2017
Though Macron won reelection with 58 percent of the overall vote
the far-right National Rally has never been so strong
with Le Pen gaining 9 percentage points on her second-round result against Macron five years ago
who is seen as a president for the bigger globalized cities
to focus his energies on voters who feel left behind or cast aside
including those from rural towns and villages
With parliamentary elections looming in June
Macron’s La République en Marche party has to claw back support in places like the Lot-et-Garonne if it wants to keep control of the National Assembly
But turning around places like Tonneins is no easy task
the main concerns are over the rising cost of living
security and immigration — three issues that play to the strengths of Le Pen’s National Rally
Le Pen shunned big towns and ran a grassroots campaign focused on boosting purchasing power with eye-catching promises to cut VAT on basic products
a 24-year-old self-employed landscape gardener
voted for Le Pen because he wanted “change” and supported her policies on pensions and inflation
but salaries are much lower in the countryside and we’re struggling to make ends meet,” said Escoder
Escoder and his wife Gwenaël Josset have already cut back on holidays to keep afloat
they are seeing their dreams of getting on the property ladder vanish
“We have to be very careful with our money
there’s always something that needs paying for
Or else we really would just be eating potatoes at the end of the month,” said Josset
It’s not just the lack of money that chafes
it’s the sense that life was “better before” when their parents “ate meat every day.”
it’s a common refrain — that life was indeed easier not so long ago when there was more money and a local economy driven by the tobacco industry
shops have closed and people have become poorer,” said centrist Senator Jean-Pierre Moga
the town lost its attractiveness and petty crime increased,” he said
women would stay home to avoid groups of youths loitering in the streets
Tonneins illustrates the growing inequalities between urban and rural France. According to a 2020 study by the rural mayors’ association
city dwellers can expect to live two years longer than those in remote rural areas
tensions have increased between locals and the descendants of North African immigrants
Tonneins is a town with a rich immigrant past
Eastern Europe and Morocco settling and taking up farming jobs over the past century
some residents accuse the youth of North African descent of becoming troublemakers because of a lack of prospects
The poverty and lack of social mobility have made Tonneins
but that alone doesn’t move things,” said Sébastien Delbosq
a regional councilor from the National Rally
“What changed is the track record [of past governments]
The Lot-et-Garonne feels abandoned,” he added
The results of the presidential election show that 51 percent of voters in towns with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants backed Le Pen
compared with 25 percent in towns with a population of over 100,000
Macron has pledged to reconcile divisions in France
whether it’s in towns or in the countryside
we must re-create the conditions for a real equality of chances,” he said on a visit to Cergy
adding this was the only way to overcome the “feeling of neglect.”
Macron promised €50 billion of investment per year
financed by his reforms of pensions and job-seeker allowances
Some of this money is earmarked for rural and peripheral areas
His camp also argues that the government’s effort to bring down unemployment — which is at its lowest since 2008 — is the best way to boost buying power
But none of these policies will have an immediate impact on places like Tonneins
Already €5 billion has been invested in renovating the centers of small towns
“Lots of places in the Lot-et-Garonne received money,” said Michel Lauzzana
a local MP from Macron’s La République en Marche party
It’s like a cruise ship that slowly turns around,” he said
Except time is running out. In June’s parliamentary elections, Le Pen’s allies hope that her strong showing in the presidential vote will translate into seats in the National Assembly. In the Lot-et-Garonne, Le Pen won 27 percent of the vote
ahead of Macron’s 23 percent and 18 percent for far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon
“They are not in government so they can promise the moon,” said Lauzzana, referring to analysis showing that Le Pen’s and Mélenchon’s campaign platforms were not properly budgeted
“We work under restrictions because we are managing the country
We are fighting dreams with the weapons of the real world,” said Lauzzana
it’s unlikely that Escoder and his wife will hear those arguments when they cast their votes in June
a new Macron mandate just means less money in their pockets
EU executive is planning a two-track approach of incentives and retaliatory measures to convince the White House to strike a deal
Paris accused Russia’s Fancy Bear group of conducting cyberattacks on the French president’s campaign team
Paris and Berlin have been at loggerheads for years
you’re horrible people” and walk away if Moscow or Kyiv don’t play ball
Scotland’s squad for their Test match against Ireland later this month is dominated by players from the Championship and League 1
with Super League and NRL youngsters also included
Nathan Graham’s Bravehearts take on the Wolfhounds on Sunday
October 27 at the Gateshead International Stadium with a 2pm (BST) kick-off scheduled
The clash of the Celtic rivals will see Scotland return to action for the first time since the Rugby League World Cup in 2022
and head coach Graham has named a very varied squad
LRL RECOMMENDS: Pacific Championships week one round-up – Super League-bound stars shine, Outrageous Nene Macdonald, Jillaroos run riot
Among the players chosen from Championship clubs are veterans Danny Addy and Dale Ferguson
who featured 29 times this term for Featherstone Rovers
Ferguson meanwhile began the year as Dewsbury’s player-coach
but relinquished the coaching side of things early on in the season
He amassed 11 appearances over the course of a campaign which saw the Rams relegated
His next Scotland game will see him become the nation’s second-highest appearance-maker ever
Elsewhere, Hunslet duo Matty Fletcher and Ross Whitmore have been included in Graham’s 21-man squad having helped the Parksiders to promotion from League 1
the pair amassed 41 appearances for Dean Muir’s side in 2024
and could now be rewarded with their first-ever international caps
Graham’s squad also includes Warrington Wolves youngster Isaac Reid
Canterbury Bulldogs young gun Kyle Schneider and Hayden Cumming
who dons a shirt for Mackay Magpies’ under-20s in the Mackay & District league
only Schneider has previous international experience at senior level
He played in all three of Scotland’s games at the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup
coming off the bench in the first two before being handed a start against Fiji
The hooker awaits his first-grade debut Down Under
but has already made 60 appearances in the Queensland Cup including 22 this year which saw him score two tries
whose club rugby comes for Tonneins Phoenix over in France
Lowe made eight appearances in 2023 for Swinton Lions
while Grierson is yet to make an appearance within the ‘professional’ section of the British game’s pyramid
Neither have made an international debut to date
LRL RECOMMENDS: 20 players from Super League clubs named in extended Ireland squad ahead of Scotland Test
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but he is by no means the first – many of Palace’s recent heroes trace their footballing roots back across the channel
joins from German side Mainz on an 18-month loan with an option to buy
he had spells with Lyon and Le Havre before moving to Mainz
becoming their top scorer in 2020/21 with 10 goals in 17 appearances
we’ve looked back at five of the best French-born Eagles
Bolasie was born in Lyon but moved to London when he was just seven months old – much to the benefit of English football
Starting his career at Rushden & Diamonds
he joined Palace from Bristol City in 2012
becoming a crucial part of the legendary play-off winning side
With Bolasie on one wing and Wilfried Zaha on the other
Palace’s tricky wingers propelled the Eagles towards the Premier League
Although eligible to represent both France and England
his parents’ country of origin – he has gained 40 caps in a successful international career
Chamakh started his professional career at Bordeaux
winning the league title before moving to England
After spells with Arsenal and West Ham United
he was brought to south London by Ian Holloway in 2013
Endearing himself to Palace fans with his attitude and work rate
he stayed at Selhurst Park for three years
Although he represented France at youth level
Chamakh pledged his international loyalty to Morocco and played 65 times for the senior side over more than a decade
Cabaye quickly became the Eagles’ master of set-pieces
scoring not just from the penalty spot but from free-kicks
he was a key part of the Palace side that reached the FA Cup final in 2016
Cabaye was a crucial part of the France national team for five years
appearing at two European Championships and the 2014 World Cup
signing for Paris Saint-Germain as a 12-year-old
After breaking into the first-team he was quickly regarded as one of the best young defenders in Europe
signing for Liverpool in 2013 before heading south to London four years later
Sakho has played 29 times for France in a 10-year international career
competing alongside Raphael Varane at the 2014 World Cup
Mateta told Palace TV: "I know Mamadou Sakho because he’s a good player
I know all players at Crystal Palace but Mamadou Sakho is a famous guy in France."
Ayew broke into his local first-team as an 18-year-old in 2009
After arriving in the Premier League in 2015
initially on loan and then in a permanent deal
It’s been a successful time for Ayew in south London so far
winning both the Player and Goal of the Season awards in 2019/20
Although in this list eligible for the France national team
it was no surprise that Ayew opted to represent Ghana – his father
captained the Black Stars to the Africa Cup of Nations in 1982
READ NEXT: Jean-Philippe Mateta joins Crystal Palace
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Club Historian Bill Dalton takes a look at the club’s international travel throughout its history
The Coronavirus lockdown has scuppered our first Super League visit to the Lamport Staium in Toronto this weekend
Whilst we have come to accept travelling abroad for an annual fixture against the Catalan Dragons
it might come as a surprise to realise just where our tackling arms have reached over the last 150 years
Some of our very earliest fixtures were played against clubs in Lincolnshire
and a tour in October 1882 took in games against London Falcons and Clapham Rovers
but it was not until January 1885 that the first journey over the Pennines took us to Rochdale Hornets
the annual club tour took in fixtures against Newport and Llanelli in Wales
Scottish opposition (Gala-Melrose) was encountered on Holderness Road in January 1886 and the famous Swansea club visited us a month later
whilst Hull visited Whiskeyville in December 1886 to play a West of Scotland XV
the first games outside of the British mainland took place in Dublin against Lansdowne and Dublin University
The Autumn of 1889 brought the famous Maori team to our shores and Hull welcomed them on 24 October
Hull were the only team to play them twice and not suffer defeat
Some of these fixtures were replicated during the years leading up to the ‘split’ from the Rugby Union but it would not be until 24 March 1934 that Hull first met French opposition when the fledgling France XIII beat us on the Boulevard 23-26 – the first victory by a French team
Jean Galia brought his Villeneuve team on 13 September 1934 and Hull gained revenge 24-20
During the early years after WW2 when the French Rugby League were re-forming after having their assets stripped by the Nazi-puppet Vichy Government
Champions Marseilles visited The Boulevard on 18 May 1950 and Celtic de Paris also came over a year later as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations
The French National team also came to the Boulevard in November 1953 to play Other Nationalities in the International Championship – a game which has gone down in folklore as “The Battle of The Boulevard”
They subsequently took on Great Britain there in a couple of test matches in the 80’s
Hull made two trips to Cardiff in 1949 (a friendly) and in 1951-52 to engage Cardiff during their short lived stint in the Northern Rugby League
After Hull had won the Rugby League Championship in May 1956
a European Club Championship tournament was organised for the respective champions and runners-up to compete for on a home-and-away basis
so Hull visited Albi and Carcassonne in November 1956 and the visit was reciprocated at Easter 1957
Albi secured a 19-19 Draw which was the only point Hull conceded
Hull were on the brink of achieving the unprecedented feat of winning every league match in the season
there was a final match to play – against runners-up Hunslet
but not before a player’s holiday in France where they took on a regional side in Tonneins
The Challenge Cup draw in 1984 took us to Ninian Park
Cardiff to take on the short-lived Blue Dragons
and a team from Auckland visited The Boulevard as part of a British Tour in 1987
We would move into a new Millenium before foreign opposition faced us again outside of the cyclical tour games against Australia and New Zealand
as the Kiwis provided the opposition in the final game on The Boulevard in October 2002
Hull first encountered Catalan Dragons in a pre-season friendly in January 2006
Hull have played at four different venues on their travels to France; Stade Aimee Giral and Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan
Stade de le’Amitie in Narbonne and at Stade Meditteraneo in the wonderful town of Beziers
was the memorable occasion in Wollongong and Sydney in February 2018 when Hull and Wigan played the first-ever Super League match outside of Europe
before meeting NRL opposition in the form of St George Illawarra Dragons in a friendly clash at the ANZ Stadium
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ticket & match info and video content from the Black and Whites
It all starts with a launch night on Thursday
Betfred Super League club Leeds Rhinos are set to launch their first-ever women's team
who will bid to compete in the Women's Super League in 2018
The Leeds Rhinos Women's team will be an Open Age side (for players aged 16 and over) and will play at the University of Leeds' Sports Park
some of their fixtures will also feature as the curtain-raiser game ahead of Leeds Rhinos' Super League fixtures at Headingley Carnegie
The Leeds Rhinos Women will also be aiming to add an Under-19s side to the programme to keep more young girls
said: "Leeds Rhinos are totally committed to supporting the growth of Rugby League amongst women and girls and it's so good to see so many currently playing the and we hope the creation of a potential new Super League team will encourage even more to play."
Recruitment for the team will be led by Leeds Rhinos Foundation
who work extensively in Leeds Primary and Secondary schools
to deliver coaching workshops with over 1,500 girls
Leeds Rhinos Foundation's women and girls development officer
will be heading up the Leeds Rhinos Women's team as programme co-ordinator and thinks the venture is something that will benefit the city of Leeds
The Rhinos Women's RL team launch night will be on 21st September. Email lois.forsell@leedsrhinosfoundation.org for details #LeedsGirlsCan pic.twitter.com/MpeArtXBqU
She said: "Leeds Rhinos Foundation now engage with more girls and women playing Rugby League in Leeds than ever before
so for us to offer an opportunity and a pathway for them to play for our own team is something that will help the women's game grow even further
"We firmly believe that the introduction of a Women's Super League team in Leeds will enhance our women's and girl's development programme
we are very proud to be affiliated with the Rhinos and we believe that having a club with their success and history behind us will inspire more girls to get involved in playing and we hope to be a team that young girls aspire to play for
just as boys dream of playing for the Rhinos."
Women interested in playing are invited to a launch evening at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on September 21 in the Pavilion
where they will be able to find out more information on the new team
This will be followed by taster sessions and try outs which will cater for all women interested in either having a taster of Rugby League or aiming to excel further within the sport
From 6.30pm - Launch Evening. Headingley Carnegie Stadium
6.30pm-8pm - Leeds Rhinos Women Taster Session
6.30pm-8pm - Leeds Rhinos Women’s Under-16-19s Try Out
6.30pm-8.30pm - Leeds Rhinos Women Open Access Try Out
To find out more about the Leeds Rhinos Women's team, contact lois.forsell@leedsrhinosfoundation.org
Enquires: enquiries@rfl.co.uk | 0330 111 1113 (Mon-Fri 10-4pm)Ticketing: ticketing@RLcommercial.co.uk | 0844 856 1113 (Calls will cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge) GameDay Support: gamedaysupport@rfl.co.uk
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