rlhttps://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/RLP/Articles/2011/Dutch-aim-for-Super-League-in-Ten-Years-271211.htmrl



This is excellent news. I can certainly see the Super League of the 2021-23 licensing period shaping up as follows, with a 'Groningen Magic' weekend in early May-time:

Avignon Bisons
Bristol Sonics
Calder Crusaders
Catalan Dragons
Hull RL
Leeds Rhinos
Limerick Shamrocks
London Broncos
Manchester-Salford Reds
Rotterdam Spartans
St Helens
Toulouse Olympique XIII
Warrington Wolves
Wigan Warriors

Have I had something of a Life on Mars moment and woken up in 1995?

My only concern in that list is the use of the doomed name "crusaders".

The rest of it is fine. Nailed on. All of it.

Apart from the teams you've omitted, it looks good to me.

What about Welsh + Scottish teams?

Seriously? RL has a minimal presence in the Netherlands, there isn't a substantial domestic competition and they aren't even recognised as RLEF observer members yet. At least they are ambitious I guess.

I would expect the Welsh and Scottish teams to be building towards an eventual 'Celtic Conference' of Super League, to be integrated 2024-2026 alongside the Limerick Shamrocks and the Dublin Emeralds.

During the period I refer to, however, they'd be operating in a revamped Super League II competition:

AS Carcassonne
Cumbria Red Kites
Edinburgh Eagles
Fife Lyons
Halifax
Leigh Centurions
London Skolars
North Wales Crusaders
Sheffield Eagles
South Wales Scorpions
Vaucluse Faucons
Widnes Vikings

I think they'd get the nod as long as the finances were in place. They're part of a prosperous new territory for RL but have the advantage of providing a lucrative derby with Hull RL.

By 2024, I expect the following...

1. Widnes Vikings to merge with South Wales Scorpions and North Wales Crusaders to become Widnes Viking Crusader Scorpions.

2. Manchester Salford Reds to merge with Salford Lads Club to become Salford Lads Reds.

3. Edinburgh Eagles to merge with Fife Lyons and Cliff Lyons to become Sheffield Eagles who will then merge with Huddersfield Giants to become Huddersfield/Sheffield Giants before becoming Huddersfield Giants by 2025.

4. Hull and Hull KR to merge then split into Hull and Hull KR.

5. AS Carcassone and any other french fancy to be swallowed up by Catalan Dragons.

6. Limerick Shamrocks to merge with Junction 32 of the M62 and be called Castleford Tigers.

7. Rotterdam Spartans to financially fold within 12 months whilst Hull and Hull KR provide one way tickets on P&O Ferries to over half the Spartans players whose unpaid contracts were terminated.

8. Cumbria Red Kites to get the book thrown at them for breaching the salary cap in 2024, docked 6 points and a further 6 points in 2025. Thrown out and split into Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow to play in the Championship.

9. Wakefield Trinity Wildcats to replace every failed venture between now and 2024.

10. London Broncos to merge with London Skolars to become London Broncos with an increased merged average attendance of 2,854 by 2026.

The title is Rotterdam for Super League. I thought that might have scared you off

I can't see it. After all, I thought Hull KR's terrace didn't meet SL criteria?