If not they have no chance of reaching super league.

Toulouse need to make a GF appearance in the next two years, as well as impress financially. It's a big ask, full-time or semi-pro.

But I believe that they will be full-time, or thereabouts (none of the players that they are looking to sign are semi-pro).

they are full time

Are you sure coz I've read somewhere that they intend to be part time in their first year and at some point in the future go full time.

They will not make SL anyway.

Lets face it, they WILL

Whether or not they reach a grand final they will be in Super League in 2012.

Depends on who they sign, so who is willing to sign for them. If they can get the players that will want full-time contracts then that's the way it will go.

Latest is that Maxime "too good for SL" Greseque will not be signing.

Carlos Zalduendo said in 'Toulouse mag' this month that they will be semi-pro again this year with a goal of going full-time. They'll have seven full-time employees in 2009. He also expects to be able to afford to enter a reserve time in the french elite next season, too.

He also said that they'll be running a travel club where french fans can pay 30 euros a month and pick a game in england to travel to and that they'll be putting on some special deals to encourage english fans to travel.

he indicates different in this article

[iMost treizistes Toulouse, hitherto semi-professional and had a job elsewhere, will now focus 100% oval ball. The coach and physical trainer will be full-time service club, sports director takes office. The Toulouse Olympique XIII plunges into total professionalism[/i

he also explains that they will be working on a budget of about €2million, which should easily be enough for them to be spending £400k (the NL1 Cap) on player salaries

It also confirms they will be fielding a team in the french elite, mostly made up of youth players as their reserve side

[iStatus astonishing

and four home games will be screened on sport +

[iAnd Sport + broadcast four games of Toulouse at home. This media exposure should not displease the club sponsors, including IFB, a financial company. [/i

rlarticle hererl

(It's worth noting that the current LER season in 2008-2008, so the reserve side in the LER will be next year).

Looking at the expansion of our game i think Tolouse are only in NL is too help them setup for SL. Once they are established like Catalans are i feel the RFL will start on another French club again to keep building the French game. Then say in 30 years time, a long time i know, their will be a french league that could match that of Super somewhat. I think that is the only way to improve our game internationally.

I reckon the league will do the same with Wales, Ireland and Scotland - In the next few years get teams into NL3 & 2 and support them in the move up the ladder to help them apply for super league in say 10 years time then help them develop their own leagues greater. The downside with this is that the leagues could be poorly followed with low skill from players.

Another option the RFL could take is too keep expanding the Super League to include around 20 clubs with say 12 from England and 2 from the four other countries. I think the amount of games though would take the toll on players with the add on of travelling further and would leave less and less time for international events like the WC.

Either option has its positives and negatives what else do people think will help the expansion of our wonderful game.

I bet all the Toulose fans are fuming at the trolling on their forum.

Not convinced that a semi-pro NL1 side will be able to enter a reserve side of Elite 1 standard, would be more realistic to enter them to Elite 2 and then move them up to Elite 1 when the first team get elected to SL, otherwise the standard gap's too small and their reserves will get crushed in Elite 1 (and it would be pretty offensive to the league to have the reserve side of a NL1 club in their national league)

But it wont be a reserve side for 3/4 s of the elite 1 season

They will use most of thier french NL players and then bring in the o/seas for the NL season