Quote: DemonUK "
We've had over 100 years to "sort it out" and we made a right "bollo..." of it, hence the move to summer rugby and "franchising".
What the sport really does need to do is, work out where it wants to be in 5, 10 and 20 years time and then achieve those aims but, sadly, it just doesn't have any kind of laid down strategy.
Instead it lurches from "quick fix to "quick fix" and the game is just about stagnant.
The Aussie are jointly to blame as, they couldn't give a damn what happens over here as long as they have their precious State of Origin series and just as we need a strong French team, they need the game to be strong over here.
Our game has to make a plan and stick with it and although you say that there can be a "fast track" system AND P/R, the two dont really go together and if the game is serious about helping France and Canada develop as professional Rugby League playing nations, there has to be some serious thought given to it or, both will fail AND we may harm the British game in the process.
Personally, I dont have an issue with replacing a British club with a Canadian and/or French club in SL but, ONLY if it will be for the longer term good of the sport.
The old Franchising system should have been the right "vehicle" for doing this, allowing for the addition of new clubs etc but, instead, the top flight was shrunk (due to "insufficient numbers of quality professional players"icon_wink.gif and to give the remaining clubs a bit more cash and this was plainly wrong for a sport that wants to expand the reach of it's top division.
We could wait for "organic" growth, from the grass roots up but, we are already miles behind Union and we do need a method if increasing the number of playing nations.
That will NEVER go away.
