There used to be a Leigh District RL.

I agree with a lot of this, however I do think we have enough quality available for 14 teams. Toronto, Toulouse, Leigh, Fax, Fev and London have all shown over the middle 8's inclusion that they can build teams that can at least challenge. For me I think if we want to increase participation we need more opportunities for players to reach the elite level, having 14 teams means the pathway increases for players in championship to go SL and from league 1 to championship and cycle created. What going to 14 let's say with toulouse and toronto included means you have the opportunity to target player pools rarely seen. With an inclusion of a reserve league the opportunity to increase player participation is already increasing. There are plenty of other ways to improve the skill level including rule changes, intepreatations and coaching as well as teams not playing with busted players as they have nobody to step in.

IMO these two teams are wasted in the championship where 6 of the teams have no realistic chance or aim for SL, we should harness the growth of ambitious clubs and increase our profile and player pool. Short term standard would not neccasarily increase, but I think looking at things in 3 year cycles is pointless and gives us no long term strategy.

I also think funding across the board needs to increase ( i know this is dependant on sky ) but also clubs commercial aspect should be scrutinised. We as a sport are always cost cutting and looking at saving money )( see the lose magic example) we need to accumulate money and then have commercial acumen at club and game level to reinvest. I don't get why we are so bad at it across the game and if theres anything you can say Toronto do well is connecting with an audience.

I agree that we have a cluster of clubs in that "too good for the Championship, not good enough for SL" bracket. I think the M8s have shown that competition is there, but let's not forget that they're competing with the lower end of SL. Competing with the worst in SL shouldn't be the ambition - we ideally need to get back to a situation in SL where we have that "any given Sunday" feeling about it, and I don't think we will get that with 14.

Over the last few years, the average winning margin in SL has increased, and the proportion of games being won by one score or less has decreased (on both measures, the opposite is true in the Aviva Premiership). That is a big problem for me and it doesn't make a for a good spectator sport. You're right in that Toulouse and North America are potential new talent pools but, certainly in the case of Toronto, they are just that for now - potential. We have only just started to sow the seeds, and it will take time before we can harvest.

Until participation levels grow, and until we become less reliant on a handful of clubs to develop the bulk of elite talent, any attempt to increase the number of clubs risks damaging the spectacle, and that's something we can't afford to do in my opinion.

I agree.

However, having suffered through two recent cycles of failed long-termism at Hull KR, I feel compelled to highlight its dangers if a club loses sight of the short-term goals on which long-term success has to be based. No organisation ever became a leader in its field by deciding to be poop for a few years first. Now, in the absence franchising we wouldn’t have had the crisis of relegation, but there are other pressures. an underperforming team will eventually hit the bottom line, become unattractive to potential recruits, and beg questions about what a club really brings to the competition - in about three years (arguably the medium-term) that is likely to become seriously problematic, imo and second hand experience.

Clubs, generally, don’t focus on the short term because they are run by short sighted fools - they do it out of necessity. Franchising might alleviate that a little, but no system can realistically remove it altogether.

he reason for 6 was simply to make the play offs work. Which in my opinion gives more emphasis on the league below. In hindsight a top 4 play off would be best. I don't think 1 up 1 down improves anything anythings if you take this year the leagues would have been over by may. And this system is open to clubs spending unwisely in trying to achieve the treasured spot put clubs in more financiAl peril. Whatever criticisms people have of the middle 8's (and there anythingschieve re w few), it has bought the championship more into focus.

I'd happily go with your idea of the magic weekend. But given most grounds hold about 30,000 (which in many ways would be ideal). And the rfl prefer bigger stadiums the problems in many of these cities being able to hold it must be in question.

What are France's plans for RL, you have to admit that if you want to saturate SL with superstar laden French teams it isnt really saying much for your adopted country in terms of expanding the sport there.

In the words of good old Stevo; “it’s as simple as that”!

And it really is. I don’t know why the RFL make it so difficult.

Well it would be interesting to see the criteria, because based on anything like the previous franchise system I wouldn't think we have 14 acceptable teams

Until the game gets on its feet properly why not.
Rugby Union has no issues with multinational competitions only fickle RL types with head in sand syndrome.