Parramatta Eels' Bevan French matched only by Israel Folau as home visit sparks try-scoring spree

July 3, 2016 - 4:05PM Adam Pengilly

While one Parramatta winger went home and no one knew if he would return, another also slipped back to some familiar surrounds and barely anyone batted an eyelid.

The Eels' speed sensation Bevan French – whose modern day equal is only Israel Folau through a rookie's start to their career – spent a rare few days off watching his relatives play junior football in Tingha in the lead-up to a stunning display against the table-topping Sharks on Saturday night.

Sensational: Eels winger Bevan French scored three tries against the Sharks. Photo: Mark Metcalfe

It was all while the Semi Radradra saga gathered momentum, but the Fijian's 20-year-old wing partner had a far more low-key way to soak up the Eels' bye.

"I went to see the junior Tingha teams and watched all my relatives out there playing," joked French, whose blazing hat-trick took his tally to seven tries from just four NRL games, matched only by code-hopper Folau since the turn of the century. "I saw all the little kids and it was fantastic and it was good to get home and see everyone."

French's famous relatives Nathan Blacklock and Preston Campbell have been sounding boards, but even they weren't blessed with the raw speed of the Eels flyer who announced his arrival at this year's Auckland Nines.

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur hinted at the time he would keep the ace in cotton wool this season, but after only a handful of National Youth Competition games French is being groomed as Roosters-bound Michael Gordon's long-term replacement at No.1.

"[Gordon] is very helpful," French said. "Every training session we do a few extras together and he's very good with my positioning and things like that. Personally I'd like to play fullback, but now I'm just starting off on the wing and starting to get a feel for the physicality.

"It's started off pretty well with seven tries, but it doesn't feel too good to get three tries and not come away with the win. The transition has been good and I'm feeling confident out there. There are still a few things to work on.

"[Arthur] just said, 'keep working hard in everything you do'. He's very, very tough on me, but he brings the best out of me," French said.

Only Folau, who was an immediate hit as a 17-year-old debutant for Melbourne after scoring in his first five games in 2007, has the type of try-scoring heroics to match first-year star French.

French can tie Folau and the Storm's freakish Suliasu Vunivalu – who has 16 tries in just 10 games this season – as the only rookies to score eight tries from their first five games if he can touch down against the Roosters on Friday night.

Replies

Earl Grey July 3, 2016 at 9:15pm

Incredible, considering the spine Folau played with compared to ours..

Does this feel like Hayne 2.0 to anyone else?
- Stevo > Earl Grey July 3, 2016 at 9:17pm
  
  I'd like to think he's the French 1.0 and he's far more open and modest then Hayne will ever be
- Poupou Escobar > Earl Grey July 3, 2016 at 9:23pm
  
  He's not a shadow of Hayne at the same age, and will certainly never be as good, but that also means he'll never cost a fifth of the salary cap. He will always have a better team around him than Hayne ever will.
Cranky Brad is here!!! July 3, 2016 at 9:16pm

So good to read something actually positive once instead of all the depressing crap. Hopefully frenchy has a killer career and he stays a one club man. Got so much potential to be a superstar in the game. Well done frenchy keep up the hard work.
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 3, 2016 at 9:34pm

He'd catch fire.
Outrunna July 3, 2016 at 9:49pm

I was really impressed with the way French sidestepped and swerved past Barba whilst running at pace for his third try.
He shows amazing balance and speed. Alot bigger than i had imagined him.

If he puts on 5kg he will be unstoppable
HH - Love You Iongi Time! July 3, 2016 at 10:14pm

His pace and balance reminds me of a younger me. From Amour Park this afternoon younger me.
est_88 July 3, 2016 at 10:41pm

Forget his tries, the two most impressive things in last nights game for me were the bomb he refused through two sharks players and that leg chopper on wade graham!! If he had better defence inside him last night we would of won that game easily
- est_88 > est_88 July 3, 2016 at 10:41pm
  
  Defused*
- Frank The Tank > est_88 July 3, 2016 at 11:26pm
  
  Agree with all your points.