It depends how it's done. I'd suggest that Ben Jones-Bishop learnt a lot more in his year at Harlequins than he would have on the fringes of the Leeds team. In truth, a blend of reserv team rugby and a good loan system is probably the right balance but when Leeds' squad on the whole was on the younger side during the period of reserve grade leagues, there wasn't a huge difference between the A-team and U21s.

If the next few years start to show a trend that reserve teams generate better-developed players, then there's a discussion to be had but like I say, there's more than one way to achieve the right result.

Another interesting case from Leeds is Luke Gale. Left at around 18/19 he was never going to get in ahead of Sinfield, McGuire and Burrow in the foreseeable future around 2007 onwards. Had we been able to keep him until 23 he'd have spent up to 2011 just mostly playing reserve rugby against kids. Instead by 2011 he'd just finished his 3rd year as a SL starter at Quins. Had we had reserves at that time and kept Gale playing in that then he arguably wouldn't be a MOS or England international today.

Very few NRL U20's players make the 1st grade and hardly any do it straight away, but instead earn their spurs in the 2nd tier QLND/NSW Cup competitions......if we are seriously returning to 14 sides then I would instigate a mandatory U20's and Reserve Grade competition and directly link participation to the amount of central funding a club receives.

Taking the game forward isn't Wigan v Hull in some NSW backwater, but Wigan U20's v Hull U20's before a reserve grade game followed by the main event played in an 80% full DW stadium and part of a weekend that has all 7 games shown on TV Live with at east one other triple-header broadcast.

Wakefield v Toronto in front of 5k fans in a crumbling stadium is going to be of little interest to any North American Broadcasters....at least any of note.

Agreed, however you're in la-la land if you think there will be even a few hundred fans for the first game!
What actual % of that 80% are going to turn up at 4:00pm on a Thursday/Friday afternoon to watch an u20s game, how many of that 80% are going to rock up at 5:45pm, how about if that is on a freezing cold afternoon, how many are going to not bother because they can't bring their kids at that time or are simply still at work/have other commitments and how many would want to sit through 2 or even 2 matches concurrently when the perception is that those games are just the lesser teams. Even when it's virtually free you don't see more than a handful of fans watching the academy/reserve matches.
okay in the summer/warmer months on a Sunday you might get more take up but imagining that people will rock up in their droves to watch 3 matches concurrently and in significant numbers is utterly ridiculous. It doesn't even work when you give tickets away at £10 and there are 6 SL teams playing one after another!

it's not about the spectators......I've sat at Mt Smart with maybe 30 others watching the u20's and at best, 1,000 for the start of the vulcans......but the kids coming through get games, get time with their senior players.....and get better

We must return to licensing. We must bring Toronto and Toulouse into Super League, with a future option of adding New York and one out of Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Jacksonville, to make 16. Adding London would be a good idea as well if they can get additional sponsorship and a decent ground.

It is also imperative that lowly Leigh be kept out of Super League, because it brings nothing to the table in terms of new funding for the game, new fans, and new young player pools. Lowly Leigh belongs in the Championship, where it can compete with frightful Featherstone, shambolic Sheffield, hopeless Halifax etc.

You sound very very worried cappy.

I think you are mad, a few overseas clubs might work, but anything more than 2 or 3 will be a joke, fans will run out of money travelling.

If there are so many North American teams start a league in North America.

Personally, I think that's what will happen if RL takes off in North America. Why would the likes of New York, Boston, Detroit etc want to continue to mix it with minor UK towns and cities like Wigan, Hull, Leeds etc - who hardly sit comfortably beside major North American cities? However, if we remove the opportunity for the likes of 'lowly Leigh', 'frightful Featherstone' etc, to compete at the top table, presumably these clubs will die a slow, lingering death, leaving the Wigans, Hulls, Leeds's etc. to play amongst themselves in a 4/5/6 club 'UK Super League'.

The sad irony is that IF we do end up with 4/5 N American clubs that are able to play in SL, in time the situation will go in one of 2 possible directions.

Either, RL will be so successful over there that they form their own League or, there will be a Super, Super League with only 4/5 UK clubs competing.
We really do need to ask whether the latter of these is what ANY UK fans want.
At the moment we are being led blindly into a situation which will destroy the domestic game in the UK.
Call it a parting gift from the Fat Controller.

Maybe the solution is that existing SL/Championship clubs get their act together commercially. We have a league with 5 or 6 strong(ish) sides, the rest just make up the numbers, and that's why we have accepted and sought after outside investment.

Too many folk on here are eating far too much cheese before going to bed.

If we go to 14 teams what’s up with going to 16 or more sorry I do not buy their are not enough players for more their is a old saying if you build it they will come maybe they will

Ignoring the pathetic troll attempt, we must find a way of expanding into these exciting new markets whilst strengthening France and encouraging the heart beat in the heartlands. Surely folk can start to see why tow tens makes so much sense

My My JEAN, You're not well son, go and have a good sit down.