I agree with your statement bar the last sentence.

Clearly both must be done.

That is, (1) players in the other pro comps and (2) a redevelopment of the internal club structures in the Elite.

It is not a one or the other scenario...

Which is why I think personally Wales will be better than France come World Cup '13.
There's some cracking young welsh players in SL academies been picked up over the last few years. We've got a couple that, tbh, are going to be better than anything the Crusaders produce in the next 5.

I'm surprised more French layers are not playing in English teams.

Hopefully Toulouse get admitted and one day Paris, if they have the backing, and there will be plenty of opportunity for French kids to play at the very top. only then will the FRL national team be competitive.

Maybe the FRL should get some of the Sky money to develop the game in France or hold the French SL licenses and charge an annual fee for clubs wanting to be in SL?

France not strong enough? So says Phil Larder. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=447937

France not strong enough? So says Phil Larder. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=447937

To improve the LER we would need to see the Dragons and TO strengthen their LER sides into a top side in that competition. The issue is that as the number of good Frenchmen are available it is more profitable to launch another UK bid than to improve the LER - much as if there were more good Englishmen then there would be another SL side, not a better Championship. The only solution is for the top clubs to get so good that people start following the lower leagues - so Wigan getting so good that people start following Leigh and Widnes.
While the LER is struggling, their main advantage is that they run of pork-barelling from the local govt, so small crowds still allows them to function, whereas the championship clubs don't have that luxury.
Probably the best step for the LER would be to limit the use of exports, which should reduce overheads and improve french player development.