| FORUMS > The Virtual Terrace > Toulouse: the future of rugby league in France. |
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "WMDC only needs one club. The smartest way to have the whole area represented is by having a Calder United club, with its constituent components -- Wakefield, Castleford and Featherstone -- still in existence as feeders, in the Championship. That way we rationalise the competition, and avoid fans getting splinters in their bums by having to sit on the benches at The Jungle or Rapid Solicitors or Post Office Road. United Calder could afford a brand new stadium to replace the use of the constituent clubs' eyesores and bumsores.
Toulouse by cointrast will have a totally renovated new stadium, with perfect viewing areas, comfortable seats, lots of good food and drinks, and a metro station across the street to whisk you back to the city centre or to your hotel in time to prepare for your sumptuous French dinner.'"
If you're serious and not simply trying to wind up the locals then such a team would have to have Yorkshire somewhere in the title to even be remotely plausible. |
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Here's a challenge.
Given the current state of RL in this country, why should any child want to take up the game?
it will be easy to give reasons why not, but looking at the whole set up as it currently is, how do you sell the game and keep it at the forefront of people's thoughts when considering life choices.
That will not be easy but the game has to develop.
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| Quote: yossarian "If you're serious and not simply trying to wind up the locals then such a team would have to have Yorkshire somewhere in the title to even be remotely plausible.'"
Why would you need that ?
Everyone in Yorkshire knows that Calder Valley and river is in Yorkshire. The others in the UK or overseas who don't know can look up Calder on Google.
Meanwhile it rationalises several small adjacent areas into one club, and opens a spot for a more worthy club like Toulouse, Bradford or London.
There is also something to be said for uniting the two Hull clubs, but for now it is working OK. I would think that Widnes is really not adding much value to Super League. They should be dropped down if possible.
Anything we can do to make space for Toulouse, London and Bradford in Super League is in the greater interest of the game of rugby league, and its public profile, and its chance of getting national and international sponsors. |
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "Why would you need that ?
Everyone in Yorkshire knows that Calder Valley and river is in Yorkshire. The others in the UK or overseas who don't know can look up Calder on Google.
Meanwhile it rationalises several small adjacent areas into one club, and opens a spot for a more worthy club like Toulouse, Bradford or London.
There is also something to be said for uniting the two Hull clubs, but for now it is working OK. I would think that Widnes is really not adding much value to Super League. They should be dropped down if possible.
Anything we can do to make space for Toulouse, London and Bradford in Super League is in the greater interest of the game of rugby league, and its public profile, and its chance of getting national and international sponsors.'"
You do realise that there's no such area as Calder?
You do realise that The Calder Valley is nowhere near Wakefield, Castleford or Featherstone?
Calder Valley is at the other side of Halifax, it's probably closer to Salford than it is Castleford.
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| Quote: The Avenger "You do realise that there's no such area as Calder?
You do realise that The Calder Valley is nowhere near Wakefield, Castleford or Featherstone?
Calder Valley is at the other side of Halifax, it's probably closer to Salford than it is Castleford.
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I do realise that the Calder river runs through Wakefield and adjacent to Castleford and Dewsbury, which is the source of my term Calder United.
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "If you're serious and not simply trying to wind up the locals then such a team would have to have Yorkshire somewhere in the title to even be remotely plausible.'"
Why would you need that ?
Everyone in Yorkshire knows that Calder Valley and river is in Yorkshire. The others in the UK or overseas who don't know can look up Calder on Google.
Meanwhile it rationalises several small adjacent areas into one club, and opens a spot for a more worthy club like Toulouse, Bradford or London.
There is also something to be said for uniting the two Hull clubs, but for now it is working OK. I would think that Widnes is really not adding much value to Super League. They should be dropped down if possible.
Anything we can do to make space for Toulouse, London and Bradford in Super League is in the greater interest of the game of rugby league, and its public profile, and its chance of getting national and international sponsors.'"
So it is a wind up then.
I'd go out and meet someone nice if I were you. It'll calm you down. |
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| Quote: The Avenger "Except that the Wakefield region isn't like any other region in that Rugby League is currently and historically first second then third before all other sports, which is there in my previous post if you care to read it with an open mind and without an agenda
The fans are there but like any region they're there in greater numbers when things are going well. Two seasons ago Wakefield and Cas were averaging around 8,000 each while Fev were getting about 2,500. That's 18,500 turning out to support the teams at a time when none of them were threatening to win the league or CC.
The players are there, in the U16s alone Wigan have 6 from the Wakefield area, Warrington have a couple, Leeds have quite a few, there's some at Huddersfield etc and that's not counting those at Wakefield, Castleford and Featherstone.
The area feeds a lot of players into the Youth system, if you're trying to say that's not the case then you're wrong.'"
That's convenient isn't it. Is the WMDC area unique in that the youngsters will only play if there are at least 2 clubs from the area in SL but they will also only play for other sides? Seems odd that you say kids in the area wouldn't be inspired to play by Leeds and Huddersfield then brag about how many of them play for Leeds and Huddersfield.
Also there isn't 18.5k in your figures. You have forgotten you have 3 sets of away supporters. It's also not a huge number. It's relatively small compared to other areas.
Btw, it's not an opened mind which would just accept your statements as fact. Just a dumb one. Just because you say WMDC is unique doesn't make it so. It just means you said it. |
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| Quote: SmokeyTA "That's convenient isn't it. Is the WMDC area unique in that the youngsters will only play if there are at least 2 clubs from the area in SL but they will also only play for other sides? Seems odd that you say kids in the area wouldn't be inspired to play by Leeds and Huddersfield then brag about how many of them play for Leeds and Huddersfield.
Also there isn't 18.5k in your figures. You have forgotten you have 3 sets of away supporters. It's also not a huge number. It's relatively small compared to other areas.
Btw, it's not an opened mind which would just accept your statements as fact. Just a dumb one. Just because you say WMDC is unique doesn't make it so. It just means you said it.'"
Aye, alright then ! |
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I can't see many lads from Wakey in their squad for 2015.
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "WMDC only needs one club. The smartest way to have the whole area represented is by having a Calder United club, with its constituent components -- Wakefield, Castleford and Featherstone -- still in existence as feeders, in the Championship. That way we rationalise the competition, and avoid fans getting splinters in their bums by having to sit on the benches at The Jungle or Rapid Solicitors or Post Office Road. United Calder could afford a brand new stadium to replace the use of the constituent clubs' eyesores and bumsores.
Toulouse by cointrast will have a totally renovated new stadium, with perfect viewing areas, comfortable seats, lots of good food and drinks, and a metro station across the street to whisk you back to the city centre or to your hotel in time to prepare for your sumptuous French dinner.'"
On what planet do you live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't you think that WMDC would have funded new stadiums if they had the finance. Eric the Hippo Pickles/ Call Me Dave/ The tory Nasty party have screwed WMDC and other northern councils with cuts, cuts, cuts and a Richard Cranium like you resurrects the old chestnut of Calder.
Have you any concept of the history, rivalry, passion and commitment of the supporters of the Five Towns RL clubs.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE YOU WILL SEE THAT A CALDER ................ IN WHAT EVER GUISE WILL NEVER SURVIVE.
Don't want to start the old story again but from my perception it seems like you 'champion' worthwhile causes if so, and with a Gallic theme, instead of pushing the cause of Toulouse, Avignon and perhaps in 2020 Aix-En- Provence you pursue the reimbursement of funds sequestrated from the financially secure French RL by the French RU in conjunction with the Vichy government in the 1940's then perhaps we would have successful, secure, viable and plausible French rugby league
p.s Merry Xmas |
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| Quote: Tigerade "I can't see many lads from Wakey in their squad for 2015.'"
No sadly there aren't. Only five. |
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I really think that France has a big future as a player in Super League and far from looking to split them as people have suggested, I think its SL's best option to build an English/French European league as a long-term aim. People are more and more for international competition and the success of Catalans Dragons is hard-nosed evidence that involving the French benefits the competition as a whole.
They do things on another level to a lot of our clubs commercially and professionally and also get a lot of backing from local and regional government unlike our clubs. In short, they can make our competition bigger and better. See the following videos and imagine some of our clubs efforts...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-KdaJcPRI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwhel2p1wv8
I agree with a lot of your sentiment Jean but you must remember, these clubs and communities you berate are Rugby League. They formed our game and are part of our identity and to see you belittle them is sad. I'm fully for expansion but I go and watch Leigh now and again and love the fact that i'm watching a club that's been around for 100+ years and represents all the good things our game has to offer.
Rather than have the expansionist vs flat-cappers debate, I firmly believe the two ideologies can co-exist. I do think however that the massive potential of French city clubs would leave some of our establishment clubs for dead if it was realised. It needs to be made reality through the right means and not by replacing established and solid RL clubs. |
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I really think that France has a big future as a player in Super League and far from looking to split them as people have suggested, I think its SL's best option to build an English/French European league as a long-term aim. People are more and more for international competition and the success of Catalans Dragons is hard-nosed evidence that involving the French benefits the competition as a whole.
They do things on another level to a lot of our clubs commercially and professionally and also get a lot of backing from local and regional government unlike our clubs. In short, they can make our competition bigger and better. See the following videos and imagine some of our clubs efforts...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-KdaJcPRI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwhel2p1wv8
I agree with a lot of your sentiment Jean but you must remember, these clubs and communities you berate are Rugby League. They formed our game and are part of our identity and to see you belittle them is sad. I'm fully for expansion but I go and watch Leigh now and again and love the fact that i'm watching a club that's been around for 100+ years and represents all the good things our game has to offer.
Rather than have the expansionist vs flat-cappers debate, I firmly believe the two ideologies can co-exist. I do think however that the massive potential of French city clubs would leave some of our establishment clubs for dead if it was realised. It needs to be made reality through the right means and not by replacing established and solid RL clubs. | |
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| Quote: tenerifeRhino "I for one am dreading the new structure and how anyone at the RFL thought it would be a good idea.
The every moment matters tag line is a total fallacy. We will have plenty of "meaningless" games. And all the new structure is doing is degrading the SL brand by including a farcical middle 8 which pits 4 FT super league clubs against 4 PT championship club and in doing so destroying that competition.
Games in the top 8 will be pointless if your club don't have the points to get close to the top 4.
It all just beggars belief.'"
Well most of that post shows your total ignorance at whats going on in the game. Not going to bother explaining what I am pointing at in your gobbldygook. |
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| Quote: "I do realise that the Calder river runs through Wakefield and adjacent to Castleford and Dewsbury, which is the source of my term Calder United.'"
Welcome back Maurice!!!!
Don't forget about combining Warrington and Widnes and call them the Cheshire Cats or whatever it was he wanted to call them. |
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Anyone who thinks British Rugby League can afford to even consider the loss of more top flight teams for another expansion experiment needs their head examining. And then hitting with a brick.
The WMDC area is absolutely key to RL, one of the areas strongest in RL tradition. Don't make the mistake the RFL have too often and disregard that, or take it for granted. Once lost it's never regained. Remove teams from the top flight and interest begins to wane. Dangerous for a largely regional professional sport.
I am absolutely 100% for Toulouse developing into a Rugby League powerhouse. But do it properly, organically. Not by shoving them into British competitions and hoping the fans will come. Develop in the schools, develop local corporate links and partnerships, let a chain of youth teams develop to feed to senior team. Build the next level of fan base, funding and tradition and then think what comes next, including the move to full time.
Ideally this is done while a strong French league is developing. Laying my cards on the table I don't want another French team in SL for reason stated above: British RL simply cannot afford to lose more top flight teams (and by extension, fans). I want France to thrive, but diluting the British pool and chucking in a team of a couple of French players and numerous Antipodean journeymen is not the way to go.
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