London isn't a Union stronghold. Most Union teams have had to ship out, and to be honest are mostly teams from wealthy suburbs or satellite towns. London's a football stronghold, although any city with the population of a decent-sized country, most of whom are drawn from every country in the world except the UK, is hard to categorize.

Toulouse is a rugby town. Whether it can manage RL and RU simultaneously is a matter of conjecture. Perpignan has managed that trick, and perhaps the French are less hidebound than we are.

could you afford to follow your team to another country every other week?

it isnt rocket science why they don't travel is it?

catalan imo have been an excellent addition to superleague and if toulouse bring more money and exposure to the game, like the heinekan cup in union does, then great!

history is history, we need to cement the future of the game

I personally think Catalan have been a good addition to SLE.

I have no problem with them, so what if they don't bring away fans? There are not many away fans in Southern Hemisphere RU, but it does not mean they are going to concentrate their game to NZ alone.

The effect of away fans can be negligible on the whole. Take out Wigan and Warrington and Saints would feel the effect on the sales. Take out any other team and the effect on Saints would be very little regardless of who replaced them.

I imagine the same is true in reverse. There are some clubs that do bring a good number of fans, but when measured against the home support the effect would be less than 5% on a match day.

Now for other clubs with a lower home base support those same number of away fans have a far bigger %.

So 500 away fans in a crowd over 10000. Adds 5%.
But in a crowd of 5000 it doubles it's effect.

The issue for clubs like London who are at a very low base to start with is that they don't get hardly any added extra.

So a team in Sheffield which has probably as many fans currently as London. Would get an instant boost when pumped up into SLE.

But I fear I'm drifting off point, for me SLE has to draw in a wider geographical base, for increased exposure for sponsors and to make it more relevant to the wider audience.

Why should a French team have to go through the British system to get into a European Super League? It makes no sense.

The French should have their own entry system. In fact, they should have their own exit system.

How did Cardiff City and Swansea City get into the English Premier League (soccer)?

they weren't ing fast tracked, that's for sure!

To improve internationally France needs more players playing in a FT set up. NZ has 100+ players in SL/NRL, France has ?15. Another team will add more depth and more opportunity.
If the Warriors were the only team in the NRL with NZ players and 1/3rd of their squad where Australians do you think the Kiwis would be as strong as they are?

Have you read what you just posted?

NZ Warriors are the only game in town in regards of pro RL. So, rather than whine, bitch and complain about unfairness and lack of "pathways", Kiwis get on a plane and get themselves picked, predominantly in the Holden, but more and more in the reserve and senior grades. Catalans are the only game in town in France.......yet we don't have hoards of French talent on show in SL?????
How would Toulouse being in SL change the situation in France? If France is such a ing hotbed of RL talent, then why aren't French players scattered about SL and the NRL? Why is it that Catalans are mid table with 60,000,000 people?
French RL doesn't need another SL team...it needs a proper domestic professional competition.

In my opinion if that's permitted in these "it's gotta be positive" days.

Where's this Wellington franchise?

You'd only have a point if Super League was meant to be an English league.

But it's not. It's a European league. It was designed as a European league. If we want expansion in Europe, we can't expect European teams to go through a British semi-pro league system. It would be near logistically impossible to get through. How many decent players are going to join Toulouse part time whilst working part time?

A Toulouse team thats competative could ultimately lead to a proper French League. A Catalan v Toulouse game would generate alot of interest, and two teams of French RL would generate alot more interest than 1. Its obvious really