icon_smile.gificon_smile.gif You can't have a fast track system AND p&r.

How about a North American/Canadian League and a French League (haven't they already got one). Let's sort the sport out in our own country first eh Nigel.

Still going strong empty head ,answer me the question you always avoid is this the same Toulouse that imploded with less than 500 fans the last time?so what's changed now ,let's see if they get out the division there in and see how they go next year if they avoid the drop they will have done well oh have they any French players playing for them yet ?

By all means ' franchise ' , set the criteria and stick to it

But we know that doesn't happen

How ?

By avoiding areas where other sports are competitive, the London guise had to compete with the football giants of Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and the union equivalents of London Irish, Saracens, Harlequins. We created a a South Wales Team against the hot bed of Welsh Rugby Union, Salford really struggle for support against the likes of Man Utd and Man City.

Currently there are no "elite" sporting teams in the North East and the Midlands a 5 year plan should have been put in place to get clubs to Championship Level, the North Wales development should have been RFL financed properly to assist the future backers.

The only positive out of the 20+ years with London is that we did eventually get some super league quality players from the capital area. Maybe the RFL want 20+ years in France, Canada etc whilst our own domestic product eventually becomes a feeder league to the NRL, maybe the RFL are happy of the possible outcome that 90% of the England international side will be anonymous in super league because they are playing 10,000 miles away.

So much ignorance in one post that I barely know where to start...

For the record they get bigger crowds than almost all Championship clubs despite currently playing in a temporary home outside of Toulouse. Their squad (which knocked the Championship leaders out of the Cup incidentally) is majority French and the team that beat Keighley had an average age of 23 too. They're only going to get better

Oh sorry of course it's all an RFL conspiracy, send them back, develop Cumbria instead etc, etc,

So really , you like the rest of us , hasn't a clue

Edited for accuracy.

Thought I'd put a couple of Keighley Cougar v Toulouse game videos up for analysis and comments

Forum rules prohibit us from putting up links, so Google :

" toulouse olympique video channel " to find the summary 10 min version ; and if you're a die hard analyst the 2nd video with the full version.

Johnathon Ford and Greg White, servicing the left winger Kuni Minga were pulled from the field with 20 minutes to go, and the Bentley brothers were not playing. That's 4 international standard players out. The score sheet still ticked over.

One of the French players commented that they are at the business end of the season and need to take their game to the next level. Are they really that good ?

Can a 4th placed team/ iPro winners really be that bad, or was it that Toulouse were that good?

Are the likes of York, Rochdale and Doncaster going to stop them? What's your analysis of where they are at.

I would say they are better than Keighley. Whether they surrender against the likes of York and Rochdale is another matter.