Bears on parade: Kirwan SHS schoolboys let loose in City of Love

The day of glory has arrived for the Kirwan Bears, with a tour-defining match against the French National U19s team on Wednesday night. Catch up the tour and find out how to watch the big game.

The Kirwan Bears pose up at iconic locations around Paris during their 2025 European rugby league tour. Picture: Kirwan SHS

The Kirwan Bears will round out their European rugby league tour with a match against the French National under-19s team on Wednesday night (local time).

The schoolboys from North Queensland have spent the last two weeks visiting sites around England, Wales and France, with a highlight coming last week when the team beat the Warrington Wolves 24-12.

With more than a week to rest and recover following that gruelling contest, Bears coach Todd Wilson said his side was eager to rip into some Frenchmen.

“We have had a nine-day turnaround since our win against Warrington,” Wilson said.

“We have trained well in three different countries – Wales, England and France – the boys are ready and eager to play the French National U19 team on their home turf.

The Kirwan Bears pose up at iconic locations around Paris during their 2025 European rugby league tour. Picture: Kirwan SHS

“We want to be really physical and build on our performance in Warrington, we are focusing on controlling and building pressure with our kicking game.

“We know very little about them, however we know they beat the England Academy six months ago, therefore we are expecting them to be a really big challenge for us.”

Kirwan’s director of rugby league David Faiumu said the school’s first northern hemisphere rugby league tour had been a huge success from the players’ perspective.

“This trip has been about so much more than rugby league,” Faiumu said.

“The boys have visited some of the most iconic places in the world, learning about history, culture and each other. A good performance would top off a trip of a lifetime”

The Kirwan Cubs year 9-10 team are heading to Sydney to face some tough NSW competition. Jack Goodhew, Eti Samasoni and Malakai Martin. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Slightly closer to home, Kirwan’s year 9/10 team play the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs academy team on Wednesday evening after beating Manly’s under-16 side 48-0 on Monday as Ellisala Dau claimed man of the match honours.

The Bears take on the French National under-19s team overnight in Toulouse at 6.30pm local time (2.30am AEST).

The match will be streamed live on YouTube on the Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII – FFR XIII Officiel channel.

Originally published as Bears on parade: Kirwan SHS schoolboys let loose in City of Love