I refer people (including Vastman) to the post at the bottom of p3 again

I thought it would have been much closer than it was and Toulouse will certainly have to improve, I thought their number 8 was excellent by the way.

Lack of preparation seems to have played a big part and that is down to the coaching team at Toulouse, but given they are in the Championship for one reason, to qualify for SL, what does it matter if they get a few spankings early in the season this year?

I'm sure that the travel does not help them away but they will benefit from other teams suffering the same problem when they play at home. I just think that inevitably the rugby will suffer. What's the point of a team that is artificially strong at home and artificially weak away?

Widnes looked pretty useful from 1-17 and next weeks fixture against Halifax certainly looks tasty.

Toulouse will struggle away from home all year (improving as they go along) but they have the biggest home advantage in the league (overtaking the cumbrian clubs), which again will imrpove as the season goes on and the weather gets hotter in Southern France


I wouldn't worry too much about them yet

Toulouse will have to improve by some way, but did anyone really expect them to arrive as a fully-developed side? That was never the thinking behind their inclusion in the Championship. Hopefully, they will develop in the same way that Catalans have.

Otherwise, Widnes looked a good side – sharp and disciplined, and producing some good attacking play. And it was good to see young players being given their chance. Hopefully, Paul Cullen will continue that policy.

There are certainly regular posters on here who have been bulling up French RL, how strong it is and how gifted the players are, so yes, I think that quite a few people were expecting them to arrive as a fully developed team.

In fact it is quite insulting to the rest of the Championship that they haven't.

Yeh I was called patronising for suggesting that they may struggle to make a final in two years with players picked from the LER.

Thread tidied again. rlvoicirl

Fantastic result, absolutely superb!

Wonder how poor Albert must be feeling?!

Its 1 game. Wigan have lost games by a similar score in SL and noone (well not many people) have called for them to be booted out of SL. I seem to remember Wakey losing by 70 to the mighty Broncos too. Its only 1 game people. Judge after 10 or 20 games, not after 1 game against the best team in the league who have had loads more preparation.

ill repeat what i said before that was strangely deleted, i would guess by someone being a little overzealous yesterday,

i have seen leeds beat Saint Helens, and Wigan by 70 points, i have seen Bradford beat Hull by 70 points in the play offs, and Salford by 60 points, this wasnt proclaimed as the death of RL in these areas, and it wasnt anything more than a poor result, thats all this is for Toulouse,

Toulouse will take a few weeks to adjust to championship rugby, but they will adjust, they will take at least a year to figure out a process which works for them away from home but they will find it, and they do have talent, and some players who have already proved themselves to have sufficient quality at that level

if at the end of the year they havent are still losing every game in a similar manner then its something to worry about, but while it is a one off result, away to the team which most likely will win the league, it isnt,

and im pretty sure i saw leeds put 70 points on wakefield in 2005, im not sure certain people argued that as proof of anything,

So Toulose losing has nothing to do with Widnes skill and defence.

I dont think that's what he's saying at all. Youve missed the point.

Of course it does, just like TO having played 1 compettitive match before the game will have had an effect.
We should expect TO to improve, but by the end of the season the players will be knackered from playing at a higher level and will drop off again.

If they have the same experience in the Championship as the mighty Dragons had in SL (flogged in first year, cup final the next, finishing 3rd the year after) then it will be a success.

Maybe I did but the way I saw it he was saying Toulose got 70 put on them because they were not used to the chamionship and give them about 5 matches and they'll be ripping it apart.

I remember posting the contrary - that as TO has to make a final in two years in order to apply for SL in 2012 they are very unlikely to make it to SL in the next round.
Then again I'm happy with one French club in SL and one in the Championship, I think it provides a good pathway to SL for french players and allows the Catalans to play a top side as opposed to experimenting with juniours. I'm happy with TO being our feeder club.