Quote: happyjack "Why would you want a French team in the English super league at the expense of an English club, what exactly will the French players assuming there are any bring to the game over here, Les Cats have proved that without Aussie and English players they could not survive, surely it would be simpler for the French to develop the game over there instead of devaluing our league.'"
They can't develop the game over there as it's pretty much swamped by Union. Count the quality French pro players in 2006 against the number now, half the original Catalans was French now check the Catalans French players who are first pick for SL and it's more than halved again. Look at how many overseas player Toulouse have, they have few first pick French lads even in the Championship, so if they strengthen for Superleague then out most of them will go.
The whole reason Les Catalans and now Toulouse persevere in the English system isn't anything to do with "expansion" their abandonment of their own Elite league has further weakened contracted and isolated RL in France. What if say Wigan and Saints went to join the Elite? Would that be "Expansion"
of course not
The refusal to allow Toulouse to take the 12th. place in Superleague recently and the inclusion of Leigh may have been a very strong signal that the French experiment may be coming to an end. Superleague is looking like it will reduce to 10 clubs. For those on the wind-up Mr. Ken Davey will have no doubt already pencilled in Toulouse and Les Catalans for SL 2022, before he's even pencilled his own club in. Recent wind up's prophesise that 2022 will be a good time to bring in Avignon.
That may leave Fartown, Leeds, Hull, Wigan, Wire Castleford and Warrington as the only English clubs in Superleague.
But I am sure in time Villeneuve will displace Castleford, the latter being an old pit town near Leeds.
