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Union Treiziste Catalane are a French rugby league club. They were formed as a merger of the famous XIII Catalan and St Esteve. They are also known as UTC or 'The Catalans'.
They were selected ahead of Toulouse and Villeneuve to enter
Super League (Europe) in 2006 under the name 'Perpignan'. It is hoped that they will form the backbone of the national team. The club has as its target that 75% of the players will be qualified to play for France.
Whilst the Paris based team in the first Super League was a failure, it is hoped that UTC will be a success. Part of the Paris problem was that both codes of rugby have their stronghold in the South of France while the North of France is more soccer friendly. Another problem was that players were on loan from French league clubs and had to play for their own clubs as well.
To ensure that UTC have the best French players available to them French rugby league has decided that they can sign players from other French clubs without paying a transfer fee. They have also been promised that they will not be relegated from Super League for three years even if they finish bottom.
Many believe that UTC will be joined by other French clubs in the Super League though the whole idea of expanding into France is not without its critics among the supporters of British rugby league clubs.
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