Never in doubt for me, by far the best chance of a team staying in SL from the six available.

Depressing decision for me. We just don’t want to even try to shake of the northern game for northern people stereotype.
Richard Osmans house of games other day, someone described Darts as a northern game only for Richard to say Rugby league is the a northern game. Even Darts looks more progressive and international than us.

I think this is the best decision, no other team would be able to get close to bridging the funding gap. Hopefully they'll get relegated and replaced by someone like Toulouse, London York or Newcastle in 2021

A depressing but slightly inevitable choice. It looks to have been judged primarily on who might be able to put a competitive team out next year and they were by far the best placed for that given who they already have on their books.

In a proper franchising situation you'd have thought they wouldn't have got the nod but this process wasn't that.

But I'll be honest, I hope they go straight back down again. Leigh is one of those away games, like Widnes and Salford, which are ones I'd happily skip and I honestly can't see what benefit to the game or its sponsors or its future growth comes from promoting a second club in Wigan to the top flight.

My two'penneth is, Im ok with Leigh coming in, from a logistical and practical view I can see why they got the nod and fair play to them.

I really hope we have gone back to York, Fev etc and told them exactly where they have failed and what they need to do to get in.

These teams need to be put on notice that this is what they need to achieve and help is given to expediate this.
For me if you have 3 or 4 teams in the championship capable of stepping up within the next two years then we could potentially look at the franchising model again and up the number of games home and away and doing away with the ridiculous lopsided fixture lists.

Brought in to ultimately displace one of the clique of dog Waggers?
At least Beaumont appears to have a modicum of ambition

If only, there's teams in SL some of whom have been wagging the dog for years.

Agree with that. It’s time they made a future proof plan and stuck to it.
I’d really like to see likes of York come in over the next 2 years.

Completely underwhelming. Most other teams in the running had more to offer the wider game. Leigh strikes me as a short term quick fix.practically every other option offered more long term

Please explain,and elaborate why.

Toulouse off further expansion and the opportunity to grow the game further in France, with the opportunity to have a competitive French national team
Bradford are a big name in the recent past. Have the potential to draw big crowds and be a top team given time.
York offer a slight expansion into a different area, albeit not exactly fra from the heartlands. It's also a new team, a new approach and a new away day for fans
London have always been a strategic team to have in the capital. The team isn't any great shakes. It opens up potential new fans and players in a large city.
Featherstone don't offer much, but at least they're a new team, and the team that finished runner up to Toronto last season, though propped up by Leeds reserves.


Leigh just don't offer anything unique. They are a small town in Lancashire, just like 4 or 5 others.

Never mind the French, it's here that matters. Catalans are full of British/Aussie players with no intention to develop players. How do you get to have a competitive French team with that set up?

Past and potential with no stadium.

The rest of your post is B $h!t without any facts,just maybe's,and potentials.

Leigh have just been admitted into SL unanimously because they fill the best criteria the game requires. I suggest you go and check out why Leigh was chosen,and come back and tell me that you don't agree, and why.

What exactly will Leigh bring?

Do they offer potential of big crowds? bringing sponsors to the game? Do they have a fantastic youth system? Are they in an area that offers expansion and growth? Do they offer uniqueness that could attract potential TV companies to come to the sport? The answer is no to all if those.

They offer a nice stadium, a historic name and a town with a very good amateur set up. Is that enough? Clearly it is for the people who made the decision.

They get relatively decent crowds, and have an owner willing to back them. As much as want another expansion club SL, bringing them in with the conditions SL and the other 11 clubs would probably do more harm than good for their long term prospects

Given that they get £800k less funding and have little time to prepare and put together competitive team, I would suggest that they are there to ensure others don't get relegated. cynical I know but that is how SL is run.