London Skolars will be able to borrow Harlequins players on a regular basis after launching a new partnership with their Super League neighbours.

The two London clubs have reached an agreement with the Rugby Football League that will enable Quins players to join the Co-operative Championship 1 side on loan for a week at a time.

Under the normal loan arrangements, players are committed to moving for a minimum of one month as part of their initial spell.

"It's a win-win situation," said Harlequins coach Brian McDermott.

"Harlequins players that aren't playing first team every week will get valuable experience in a very intense and competitive environment and the Skolars get the use of some quality players every week."

Harlequins players Jamie O'Callaghan, Jack Graves and Rob Thomas played for the Skolars in their last match against Hunslet.

Personally im totally against all this plastic rugby league...proping up teams that are not gonna work out for years does nothing to develop the game. The whole farce that is Quins, Celtic, Toulouse etc ...you name it, is a joke. If the RFL want to help out they should look after the heartland clubs...i dont see anyone throwing players and money at poor Rochdale.


Thats my rant over for now!!!

So they have become a feeder club for the Quins then ,well that`s no surprise is it?

not feeder club. more of a second team.

i wouldn't necessarily tar toulouse, nor catalan, with the celtic and quins brush. That area of france is a rugby league hotbed

They've obviously been panned one too many times. What if they get relegated?

I get sick of saying this, but...........................

As a spectator, all I want is to watch my team (Leigh) compete with others, to the same set of rules. Surely, that is possible, isn't it?!

I know we aren't directly competing with Skolars, although next season...................................................................

I wonder what the RFL would do, if the SL clubs ever did vote for the rest of the rugby teams to be "feeder" clubs for them ???

Whether they voted for it is not the issue

That is would they be willing to ' pay ' for it

It's coming, I tell thee. And the clubs will agree to it to get the pay-off to save their skins.

Suprised nobody has mentioned the vote to drop the salary cap level for Championship teams next season.

I hope our club does not go down that road, I would hope we are strong enough to refuse a player simply to get him fit to play for a Super League team if he is no good for ours.

Que?

Look at it from the other side of things, and it's not as if the Skolars have tons of neighbouring clubs to loan players from, so it's only fair that allowances are made. Not to mention the fact that they're a self-funding club, and a damn fine one at that who have worked wonders in their bit for junior development down there.

I saw this in the League Weekly, isnt it being driven by one of the chairmen of a championship club?? Cant remember exactly who

Does it mean the [ilevel[/i will be dropped to a lower amount or [idropped[/i altogether?

From what I remember, im pretty sure whoever it was wanted a lower amount.

I don't even know what the amount is now. I thought there was a vague "flexible" cap based on various criteria?

I think it's 400k for us and £1.6m for SL. Yes lowering it would be sensible, that would bridge the SL gap

Catalans is but not Toulouse its RU territory.
I think one French team is enough as once the novelty of going there to see your team wears off people will stop going over from England.

As for the rule change its a case of the RFL will do and allow anyting that helps the 'expansion area' clubs.
Its just a constant pump, pump. pump of help for them, how much more help do they need??

The whole point of these clubs is to er - EXPAND the game.
Its hardly doing that by giving Skolars Quins players every week is it???

Look at this another way - oh Quins we are playing Dewsbury next week can we have some of your best lads who are not playing please to stop them getting 100 against us???

Here's a point didin't the RFL stop Leigh and Wigan doing quite a similar thing?