Reading that there are doubts about the viability of Toulouse competing in the Championship due to covid restrictions that would require part-time players returning from France to self-isolate for 5-10 days. This would impact on the majority of Championship clubs who are part-time, which would mean players not being able to go to work for at least five days.
Unless Toulouse can base their squad in the UK, there seems little chance of them being able to fulfil their fixtures this year.
Shame they didn't get in to SL, could they play in the French elite league 1 for a season? They are favourites for the Championship title and have invested in the squad including signing a couple of Sanits players.
I am far from an advocate for expansion, quite the opposite, however it baffles me how moronic SL clubs really are. They back ridiculously absurd vanity projects in NA, yet less than a 2 hour fight away you have 2 french clubs, one who attracts 8,000/9000+ crowds and the other, who has the real potential to follow suit (Toulouse). The lack strategic planning for coherently linking SL with french clubs is preposterous.
Why is there are no friendlies between SL clubs and French Elite clubs, yes, I understand about the disparity in quality butttt surely it would be comprehensively improve exposure for the French rugby?
There does seem to be growing interest in RL in France. I understand that the French Elite League 1 is currently on a par with the Championship here. Maybe with SL in turmoil and reduced funding, Catalan and Toulouse may at some stage, see a brighter future in a growing French league?
In the meantime, Toulouse should be given the option of playing their home games here until the restrictions are lifted - not sure what the implications of covid restrictions here or in France would effect this - or let them play a block of away games, with home games later in the season when (and if) the travel restrictions are lifted.
You never know, a strong competitive French league and maybe growth into other parts of Europe may see the expansion of rugby league that has been talked about for years.
I was thinking Toulouse could play over here, but it would mean staying here for 2 months, and some of their players are part time, so I don’t think they would be able to take 2 months of work, plus they would have to find somewhere to stay, as hotels can’t accept guests, and if they could, it would cost the club quite a lot for the squad to stay here for 2 months. So I don’t think it’s feasible.
I think the only way they can play their games, is if they get the government to make an exception for RL players and don’t make them go into quarantine .
We are a bit remote from just how things are progressing in France but it sounds as if the Elite league is gaining ground, which is good to see if true.
It might be interesting, since Brexit, to see how RL in France behaved if a major sponsor arrived to back the game. I would think that both Toulouse and the Cats would be happier without the continual trekking north, provided that attendances in their France competition were on the rise and the French game grew. The SL could then expand with UK clubs!
The difference in standards shouldn't stop international games between top Championship sides versus top Elite sides, may be home and away at the end of season? The NRL played games against PNG, Tonga etc, simply to sell he game in those countries and look at the result!!! How many Championship players get chance of an international cap?
Looking at this now, it throws the championship fixtures in disarray. I know it is going to be percentage based, but not sure what the minimum number of fixtures to be completed are to qualify. Will championship be ruled as elite sport – my guess is yes, so it all depends on the french variation of that – France allowed the 6 nations but not club competitions so that probably means no. Toulouse could reverse a few fixtures and stay over here, but that would be a minimum of a month and as has been said part time players could not do that, we play them away on May 8th, think it is doubtful that french regulations will change by then, I think we will not play Toulouse this season in regular fixtures
With 90% of the league being semi-pro will this really be the case?
I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but hasn't this pandemic merely emphasised what a poor decision it was/is to allow 'foreign' teams (sic) to join the domestic competition.
Hopefully, it will kill off any further ideas of future expansion to other places such as Ottowa and New York.
It never did make any sense other than as some kind of pointless vanity project to try and convince everyone that there is a huge demand for rugby league, which, of course, there isn't.
The only outcome I can only see coming out of this will be a welcome rush of common sense and back to part-time RL for the majority.
I’m not a fan of the expansion because we could do with expanding it more over here before anywhere else. But the one thing I can say about the french teams is at least they have players in there squads from there own country where as the likes of Toronto and Ottawa they are just coming in and raiding every squad to make up there team
I'm an expansionist, always have been, and make no apologies for it.
Four trips across La Manche, and two over the Pond are on my CV, and loved it.
Nobody on the planet could've seen what was unfolding when Covid first started, and I firmly believe, had it not arrived, Toronto would still've been with us, but c'est la vie.
Whether Toulouse will be in our league, is still up in the air, coz they have a different government to answer to, but I hope they are. We're due there in early May, but I've all but given up hope of being there personally.
Stay safe one and all.
Spelly.
On the other hand, shouldn't expansion be there for the betterment of the sport (overall) and not simply to provide supporters with a holiday abroad?
And, without wishing to get personal ; isn't it exactly that kind of 'what's in for me' attitude from the administrator's and some of the clubs themselves - over at least a generation - that has prevented the sport from making any sort of meaningful progression.
On the other hand, shouldn’t expansion be there for the betterment of the sport (overall) and not simply to provide supporters with a holiday abroad? And, without wishing to get personal ; isn’t it exactly that kind of ‘what’s in for me’ attitude from the administrator’s and some of the clubs themselves – over at least a generation – that has prevented the sport from making any sort of meaningful progression.[/quote
I'd like to think that when we've travelled abroad, we were "spreading the gospel" of this great game.
I've mentioned many times that the Toronto fans love(d) RL, and were pulling in crowds some Super League clubs couldn't / can't muster. Is it fair that they should be denied a team because of the (serious I'm the first to admit) shortcomings of the Wolfpack hierarchy?
There's a very unflattering article in League Express today, highlighting some unpaid bills by the Canadian outfit, putting them in a very poor light, but it wasn't the fault of those thousands that turned out to watch 'em.
I honestly believe that ( I say again to mis-management) a huge opportunity to hit the North American market, has now gone
Toulouse don't / didn't need any introduction to our sport, as they were deeply ingrained into it anyway, but the target of SL football was obviously the lure to them playing in a British comp, and I hope their dream is fulfilled.
I've also been to Perpignan, and Avignon for World Cup matches, and whilst my mate (who now resides in Sydney) was living and working in Paris, I took in a couple of PSG's fixtures, and on all occasions, you could feel the passion the French have for Rugby á Treize.
Spelly.
A few travelling spectators travelling across the pond or wherever, hardly constitutes a strategy for expanding and developing the sport.
And, I also find it remarkable how a supporter of a team who have been spectacularly shafted and mis-managed over the years, and no longer play in the town, can in any way defend a pro-expansionist agenda.
If charity really does start at home, then one would expect the development of a strong competition over here, before offering an opportunity to others in a foreign land.
It really is that simple.
A few travelling spectators travelling across the pond or wherever, hardly constitutes a strategy for expanding and developing the sport. And, I also find it remarkable how a supporter of a team who have been spectacularly shafted and mis-managed over the years, and no longer play in the town, can in any way defend a pro-expansionist agenda. If charity really does start at home, then one would expect the development of a strong competition over here, before offering an opportunity to others in a foreign land. It really is that simple.
Shafted, and mis-managed we have been. I've said many times on here, that we only learned that Station Road had ben sold, after we'd played our last game there, which still leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of those Lions who were around at the time, but...........
I remain an expansionist. There's been plenty of failures I openly admit, with Cardiff, Nottingham, and Paris to name but three. However, SL is thriving in in Perignan, as two Wembley appearances prove, and not far away, Olympique have genuine aspirations to be dining at the top table very soon.
As regards Wolfpack, were they not exempt from Sky money when they started, and self funded? I've mentioned previously that (in my opinion) Argyle bit off more than he could chew, but he created a new band of fans, most on whom had prob never even heard of RL until it dropped on their doorstep, and it's they (again in my opinion) who, along with the unpaid players, and creditors, have been shafted without a team to support, and lost forever to the game I love.
I 101% respect your views on the scenario, and you're not by any means, alone in that train of thought, but we'll just have to agree to disagree on this occasion.
Stay safe mate.
Spelly.
Looking at this now, it throws the championship fixtures in disarray. I know it is going to be percentage based, but not sure what the minimum number of fixtures to be completed are to qualify. Will championship be ruled as elite sport – my guess is yes, so it all depends on the french variation of that – France allowed the 6 nations but not club competitions so that probably means no. Toulouse could reverse a few fixtures and stay over here, but that would be a minimum of a month and as has been said part time players could not do that, we play them away on May 8th, think it is doubtful that french regulations will change by then, I think we will not play Toulouse this season in regular fixtures
With 90% of the league being semi-pro will this really be the case?
The football national leagues were classed as elite – I am sure they are not all fully professional
Super League, Championship and League 1 are all classified as elite sport.
It's hard to see how they'll get round this Toulouse situation. I can only think that maybe they'll postpone their first two games (April 2 + April 18) and hope that by the end of April, there has been some movement in the quarantine rules.
If only they'd have put Toulouse in Super League instead of Leigh, none of this would have been an issue.