Former Hull KR trialist lands deal with Championship heavyweights
Mathieu Pons has signed for Oldham.
Oldham have completed the signing of former Hull KR trialist and French winger Mathieu Pons on a deal until the end of the season.
Pons has been playing in the French Super XIII with St Gaudens – but has also spent time in the Championship last season with Halifax Panthers.
He began 2024 on trial with the Robins but failed to secure a deal. He came to Rovers’ attention after scoring 10 tries in 14 games in his maiden year in France. And now, he has returned to England with Oldham after signing with Sean Long’s side.
He goes straight into their squad to face Featherstone Rovers in the 1895 Cup semi-finals.
“I am really excited, this is a huge opportunity for me to come here and play for Oldham,” Pons told Roughyeds TV.
“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.”
Pons arrives hot on the heels of another Frenchman Eloi Pelissier, with the hooker having made his debut against Toulouse on Saturday.
“It is good to have someone who knows the competition in England to help me get with the team and play. I used to know him as a player and I’m excited to have a French mate here in Oldham,” said Pons, who can run the 100m in a lightening 10.9 seconds.
“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 speciality when I was young was the 100 metres.”
Pons will be part of an Oldham side looking to reach Wembley for the first time in their history this weekend, with victory against Rovers enough to take them through to the final of the 1895 Cup.
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