Championship high flyers sign former Hull KR trialist

One of the Championship’s top clubs have signed a winger who had a period on trial with Super League leaders Hull KR.

Oldham, who sit in sixth but are just two points off the top, have signed French winger Mathieu Pons who spent time with Hull KR at the start of the 2024 season.

The Roughyeds were expected to go well in 2025 after a very strong recruitment cycle that saw former Super League players such as Josh Drinkwater, Iain Thornley, Gil Dudson and Adam Milner, among others, sign.

However, they’re arguably exceeding expectations with Sean Long’s side sitting just two points from first despite only being promoted to the division this season.

That’s despite a spate of injuries among their backs to players such as Thornley and former Hull KR winger Kieran Dixon, prompting them to bring in outside backs such as Nene Macdonald and Ben Davies, with centre released from St Helens in order to make the move to Boundary Park.

Meanwhile, Hull KR have signed Oldham’s centre Jumah Sambou for the 2026 season in a deal confirmed earlier this year.

Oldham sign French flyer who trialed with Hull KR

Oldham have now confirmed the signing of another outside back with Mathieu Pons arriving on a deal until the end of the season. The 23-year-old has previously played with Championship side Halifax but was most recently playing in his home country.

Pons played for Saint Gaudens who finished ninth in the recent Elite One campaign and after the end of the season in France, he’s made the switch to join Oldham.

He will be available to play for the Roughyeds in Sunday’s 1895 Cup semi-final against Featherstone, becoming the second Frenchman to arrive in as many weeks after the signing of Eloi Pelissier last week.

Announcing his signing, Oldham revealed Pons’ trial with Hull KR came after a campaign that saw him score 10 tries in 14 games and they’ll hope he can bring that form over to England.

Speaking on his move, the 23-year-old speedster said: “I am really excited, this is a huge opportunity for me to come here and play for Oldham.

“This is a really good club with a lot of history and a big team this year so I hope I can help them to win a lot of games and the Cup.”

Oldham revealed that their new recruit can run the 100 metres in a blistering 10.9 seconds, something that is sure to strike fear into defences around the league and Pons admitted his speed ia a key strength.

He said: “The game here is more aggressive in defence and attack. The English mentality is to give everything on the pitch and the Championship here is better than the one we have in France so I am pretty sure I am going to improve.

“My strengths are my physicality, my speed, my jump and my power. I carry the ball hard, I like to run with the ball and my specialty when I was young was the 100 metres.”

We’re delighted to complete the signing of French winger Mathieu Pons on a deal until the end of the season.#rugbyleague

— Oldham RLFC (@Roughyeds) May 13, 2025