French lessons serve Armitage well ahead of historic derby

Nearly a decade on from his relatively brief spell playing rugby union in France, Guy Armitage is back plying his trade across the Channel - but this time trying to help the Betfred Super League's newest club establish themselves in rugby league's top flight.

The former Toulon centre has featured in all seven of Toulouse Olympique's matches so far in 2022, having joined last year when a plan to play for Villefranche-de-Rouergue in the French domestic Elite Two Championship fell through after their season was cancelled due to Covid-19.

It has been something of a baptism of fire for Armitage, who switched to the 13-a-side code with London Broncos midway through the 2019 campaign, and his Toulouse team-mates after winning promotion though, with a 32-6 defeat away to Castleford Tigers last time out being their sixth defeat in seven games.

Strangely though, the two best performances from Sylvain Houles' side have come against Super League's top two; an agonising 29-28 defeat to Wigan Warriors and an eye-catching 22-20 victory at home to reigning champions St Helens. Those results alone give Armitage plenty of optimism.

"I'm loving being back in France," Armitage, who also spent part of his childhood in the country, told Sky Sports. "It's been about 10 years, but I'm older, I feel a lot more comfortable in myself and I feel settled.

"To have the opportunity to be playing Super League again - this time I'd say properly - and to be starting games and being involved in the whole process to see how it works is awesome. I'm grateful to be a part of it.

"As a group, we can feel we are getting better. At Cas, it didn't go to plan, but we can see we're improving every week.

"That Saints game was incredible and shows what we can do,