Catalans Dragons chairman Bernard Guasch unhappy with Super League’s direction

Catalans Dragons chairman Bernard Guasch has spoken to the media for the first time since his heart attack.

The French owner had been hospitalised after being taken ill, but thankfully he is now out and has spoken to the French media about the current state of Super League.

Guasch, who has revealed that the loss to St Helens in the Super League Grand Final in 2021 still haunts him, believes that teams were all surprised at the level of the crackdown by the referees and disciplinary panel.

“All the teams are surprised by all these rule changes that were made during the off-season and I think we are looking for a new Rugby League,” Guasch told L’Independant.

“I don’t know if we’re going in the right direction. We take away from this sport what made it a little bit original and strong. What made this sport a rugby like no other.”

Guasch also believed that such a crackdown is taking away the ‘charm’ of rugby league.

“All these English rules distort and remove the DNA of our rugby and I fear that our audience of connoisseurs and purists will come away from them and find themselves confused.

“This is what I fear for the months and years to come. We must interpret the game more intelligently and not punish brutally and violently as we are doing.

“What made Rugby League so charming is withering a little bit in my opinion.”