Just amazing how someone talking out of his hat can get such a reaction.
My day was 'made' by the owner of a local bar telling me he'd open up early tomorrow to make me breakfast and watch State of Origin.

why are FCL 'more deserving' ? - they would probably have more problems logistically at least than TO13.The travelling costs would cripple them just as it has TO13 and their facilities are well inferior to that of TO13.The TO13 catchment area is vastly superior than FCL with a potentially much greater potential fan base.The fans will turn out if the team is even mildly successful at TO13.But all who have seen the problems grow within the camp this season know that a return to the LER is the only option.
Toulouse will be back (or maybe another Paris attempt) bidding for SL status in a few years so they have time to regroup and sort themselves out.Playing in the LER will be a millstone removed from their shoulders problem is,with most of the current players leaving TO13 will only end up as a mid-table LER outfit at best and the standard of french RL will not be improved that much.
I konw one promising young french lad,and he is not alone who had applied to join the TO13 'Academy' whilst attending Uni in Toulouse but hs now scrapped the idea and will go to a northern Uni and play within the Championship set-up.Good for the uk,bad for france

How is that bad for anyone? The more French players at English clubs the better.

how's that helping the LER standards ?

how is losing players like Craig Cook & the like from france helping to improve the level of french RL ?

france needs to the better quality players to raise the game at all levels,witness the aussies etc at Perpignan,surely that has to be the way forward,if you want the french national set-up to improve that is ?

jammy barsteward Jon !!!

If French players are playing at a high level and improving as players then that can't be anything but good for France, regardless of where they are playing. Obviously in an ideal world the LER would be a full-time league equivalent to Super League, but even then if French players are signing to English clubs then that's good news. The more French players playing at a high level, the better. Not sure what Craig Cook has to do with anything I've posted.

I thought the rfl payed travel costs?.

no,the RFL only pay the visiting teams expenses - TO13 pay their own travel/accommodation costs which seems to put them at an immediate disadvantage,n'est pas ?

Now you've gone and done it.

Link ?

Do they?

Your 'ideal world' being the SL by any chance ? most of the SL are struggling to survive,SKY money and all.So don't start talking about full-time pro leagues being the objective.There are not many european leagues in any sport which are not losing bucketfulls of dosh just to call themselves full-time professional FFS.
What's the point of french players playing in the SL or C/C1 ? They are needed in france if the LER is to get stronger.
Why Craig Cook ? well,he was named as hooker of the year in the 2010 Championship team which makes him a pretty decent player in my books.Whenhe first arived at Toulouse he looked great but slowly but surley the coach has dragged him down to a level which is totally unrecognisable to before.The coach,single handedly has destroyed the team & the club - thank you Gilles Dumas....Players like Craig,Josh Lewis,Ged Corcoran and Darren Nicholls are what any team who are looking to improve need to be signing.The overall level will soon improve if the coaching & training is right.
Leigh is the perfect example of how to turn things around on the field.

[sizeTHEN STAY IN FRANCE AND DO US ALL A FAVOUR !!![/size TOXIII are pathetic and do not do enlish teams that travel out there any good what so ever IMO.

blimey,wondered how long it would take you to put in your twopennies worth - yes,quite agree TO13 ARE pathetic and should stay in the LER until the powers that be decide the time is right for SL acceptance.It's best for the club,best for the RFL and best for narrow minded anti-expansionsts such as yourself.
Looking forward to the LER this autumn but will miss many of the good overseas players who will have jumped ship.Sad to see Tisseyre go to Union,he is a fine player and would have done well in the Championship içn the uk.Many other promising french youngsters also will ply their trade with other clubs like Kevin Larroyer plus of course some of the better aussies who deserve to play at a higher level IMO.

Hmmm....