After a detailed inspection of facilities and club environment by independent experts Catalans Dragons Academy just received the approval of Category One.

Category One includes the top 12 teams, four other clubs belong to category 2. The 16 clubs participating in the competition U19 Academy and its development program.

This approval, together with a development plan submitted by the club and regular inspections is awarded for a period of 4 years.

"After a long study of our application to integrate formally Academy U19 competition, the RFL has granted the right to Catalans Dragons appear in the Category One of the 12 best clubs in Super League. The visit last month of two independent experts allowed the RFL to appreciate the work of our club during this first year of adaptation. I thank and congratulate the Head of the Executive Board responsible for the file, Mathieu Khedimi and the project manager and coach of the U19, Thierry Dumaine. I do not forget all the coaching, the players and of course the parents that allowed the establishment of this first season. "Said Christophe Jouffret, CEO of the Catalans Dragons.

"We are very proud for the club to have successfully integrated Category One in the first year. This proves that in France, with means, rigor and values, we can manage to be as competitive as in England. The 10 years of the club will be celebrated under the sign of the formation and it is a success in so little time. The formation of Dragons will be built around the values we instill the past year in the U19 team : Humility, Respect, Honesty and Self-Sacrifice" welcomed Mathieu Khedimi, Executive Board Member in charge of the training.