Catalans Dragons hand stalwart contract extension as presence hailed

Catalans Dragons have tied down off-contract French international prop Julian Bousquet on a deal until the end of the 2026 season.

His re-signing comes following heavy recruitment from the Perpignan-based club, with Harvey Wilson, Solomona Faataape and Toby Sexton all joining the club. He also follows Chris Satae in signing a contract extension, as their 2026 pack continues to take shape.

Bousquet signed a one-year deal with the club last season, too, but had an option to extend.

‘I’m very proud to extend my time with Catalans Dragons’

The 34-year-old forward joined Les Dracs in 2012 from French side Lézignan, and has since become a key player for the club. In his 13-year stint to date, Bousquet has notched 303 appearances in the Blanc, Jaune et Rouge and tallied 33 tries in that time too.

As a result, he also sits second on the club’s all-time appearance list, behind Rémi Casty.

In that time, he also helped the club win one Challenge Cup and one League Leaders Shield, as well as play in two Super League Grand Finals.

Commenting on his new deal, Bousquet said: “I’m very proud to extend my time with Catalans Dragons for another year. A big thank you to the club’s management and coaching staff for their trust.”

Also commenting on Bousquet’s new deal, Catalans head coach Joel Tomkins said: “Julian is an integral part of the Dragons squad and club as a whole. It’s fantastic news that he has decided to play on for another season.

He added: “I believe he is still in his prime and his presence in the squad will be huge for us next year.”

Aside from his time with Les Dracs, Bousquet has become a mainstay in the French squad as well. After making his debut for Les Bleus in 2011, he has won 16 Test caps, scoring one try along the way, and also featured in the 2017 World Cup.

He also helped them win the European Championship in 2011.

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