That's what Catalans do, they have 11 major imports and add to that the half dozen real quality French players for their first team squad, with the rest of the roster being the very best young french lads of potential. Morgue shows up well and he's in, which has been great to see.

Thus Les Catalans have established themselves as a major French SL club that is a conduit for the relatively few talented French players their game produces. Sadly it leaves Toulouse no quality French talent to sign (Casty is of course retiring).

Catalans presence in Superleague has become very much a plus for the game, and this is despite the number of top French players reducing since 2008 when a Catalans first team side contained Raguin, Bosc, Pellow, Casty, Munis, Duport, Kattabi, Olima, Guisset, and Fakir .......

Catalans Dragons and the reduction in quality french talent over the years leaves Toulouse nowhere to go really in terms of building a second French Superleague side, and a season of defeats will do nothing to boost interest in the grass roots game there either. You cannot say look what catalans have done and seriously predict Toulouse can do the same.......

No it can't be? can it? Your not......................Snowy said you weren't?

Ive again no idea who you think I am, but I repeat...I post here as orbageman and I don't post on trl.
You are an anti expansionist zealot.....you really are

I hate people that post stuff just to wind other people up.

Toulouse were expected to bring a tv deal? (WTF Leneghan has to do with dictating rules who knows)- Wakefield and castleford promised a new stadium 10 years ago and we are still waiting..... Toulouse have at least another 5 years grace then. Some clubs are developing young players better than others regardless of their position in the table. Some without an academy at all, many championship sides are developing excellent part time players some going onto SL. What about all the homegrown leigh players in their side ....... erm. Where's the parity here?

It speaks volumes that you talk about Lenegan letting in Toulouse. Lenegan hasn't "let them in" he's Wigans chairman - not the chairman of superleague, and is strongly against SL rejoining with the RFL. in reality what he thinks about Toulouse in SL is worth just as much (or little) as every other club owner!
And please note, I'm not belittling Fev and Leigh AT ALL I'm just pointing out the rather bizarre expectations that many fans put on a team that happens to be outside of the UK. Expectations that don't match those put on those other clubs either currently already in SL or who potentially could be. other than the fact its a club outside the UK there is no reason for this - so could the reason just be xenophobia because i cant see any other rational argument

I respect your opinions. Not sure why the old academy card has to be
played? Is this solely a M62 corridor thing? No it’s not. The M62 corridor is supported by community clubs. You can’t have an academy without it. So let’s stop the hype of academies.

The current situation with Toulouse is they have contracted players into next season. Without paying them off they can’t buy. Would you like the rules changing to accommodate that?

That highlighted in bold is exactly the reason why we cannot expect too much of Toulouse. Lets be honest, some of their players are getting on a bit, and whether we like it or not, SL week in and week out is a completely different beast.

Good luck to them though. they will need it. I just hope the game in general gets the break it deserves and gets people week in and week out through the turnstiles in all divisions because lets be honest, all we did last year was polish a turd ! It was a terrible season !

I appreciate how hard your job is and how subtlly some people will appear to post normally then fit in a personal attack on someone's favourite club or on that person themselves. (as you can see above in the post that deliberately names me to get that reaction......)

So do you mind if I report that??

"Xenophobia" being the deliberate wind up

Lenegan was the Chairman who opposed the RFL with the backing of the big clubs, that led to those clubs taking over Superleague and taking over negotiatons for this next TV deal and also taking most of the SKY money.

Lenegan and his fellow chairmen assumed the final say on letting "guest clubs" joing Superleague.

The RFL didn't step in and say "we are in charge" Wood and Rimmer just let them do that...............

Any idea then why it appears that they have hamstrung themselves putting everything into promotion?

Well it looks like straight back down, albeit London Broncos with a team that didn't look strong enough to compete, got close to avoiding the drop the other season.

I'd guess Messrs Beaumont and Koucash will appreciate having all this off season, and all next year, to plan for building a team that can stay up once promoted.

The reason I brought up the academy is because posters are claiming that Toulouse have to
Bring a tv deal (which a UK based team isn’t expected to do)
Bring supporters (which makes little difference to one game a season and is pretty irrelevant)
Develop french players (whilst uk based teams aren’t expected to do the same re academies)

Regarding you last point No RL “rules” could be changed to accommodate that. It’s nothing to do with rules and everything to do with employment law!!!!
We do t know what the players contract states. There could be a get out clause that states in the event of promotion the contract may cease. And why can’t Toulouse buy out contracts if that’s what they want to do - as I’ve said it’s nothing to do with rules and all to do with employment law and details on contracts.

Have you not noticed the drop in standard of Super League sides?
The financial situation?
Perhaps how good a coach Houles may be in contrast to other Super League coaches?
Let us all know how strong the Leigh Centurions squad may be; once they fill out the numbers.
They won't be relying on dual registration by any chance? Not a M62 club,surely?