'Come to France': French captain puts a call out to NRLW stars

French captain Elisa Akpa has urged NRLW stars to consider an off-season stint in France as she waits to learn the outcome of a recent trial in North Queensland.

Akpa, who trialled with the Cowboys before returning home for Christmas after two years in Australia, welcomed the move by Warriors pair Tyra Wetere and Felila Kia and Eels recruit Jayde Herdegen to Catalans.

Other Australian and New Zealand players have expressed an interest in playing in the Northern Hemisphere during the NRLW off-season and Akpa encouraged them to take up the opportunity to play in France.

The 2025-26 Elite 1 Feminine competition is played from November 15 until March 31 and while they wouldn’t be paid as much as in the NRLW players could stay fit and enjoy the experience of living and playing in France.

At the same time, the NRLW stars would lift the standard of the French competition and be role models for younger players in France.

“I was so happy to see that the three girls from the NRLW were playing in France and I’m sure that it is a great experience for them,” Akpa said.

“We are never sure if players want to come here to France, but we would be very happy to have some more Australians play in France.

I say, ‘come to France’. The French girls are very keen to have them.

“We have got a lot of young players, and we want to keep them in rugby league and try to attract new girls to work with them, so for them to be able to learn from players in the NRLW would be amazing.”

Akpa has spent the past two years in Australia, playing for Wests Tigers in the 2024 Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership before moving to Canberra, where she played in the 2025 Katrina Fanning Shield competition.

Before returning to France, the prop was invited to a trial in Townsville on December 13 with the Cowboys.

“They messaged me and I said, ‘if I am good, I will come back’. I said I would go back to France and we can talk after,” Akpa said.

“Definitely, I would come back out because I am so passionate and I want to show the French girls in France what is possible.

“It would be good to have more French players playing in Australia. We used to have Perrine Monsarrat, who came on a development contract with the Roosters, and Lauréane Biville before that, but I was here alone.”