it is a case of 'when' and not 'if' as long as the ground renovations are completed - if these measures are in place TO13 will make a formal application to join the SL

Various SL chairmen plus regular visits from RFL officials are not coincidental

it's not a done deal but the RFL recognise the huge potential in Toulouse, a rich city with big potential backers, bigger than anything in the UK at the moment

the reason they left the Championship was because of the reality of trying to make a bunch of semi pros like Fax or whoever compete on an equal footing which was impossible due to travel & work committments - it's hard enough for the Catalans but they have proved it can be done if the club is full time pro

Playing Devils Advocate here, can you see why that rule regarding application for clubs outside the UK might wind people up?

I would have thought RL franchises would be governed by the same laws as normal franchises? They are in America arnt they? Serious question BTW.

Quote: Greg Florimos Boots "I would have thought RL franchises would be governed by the same laws as normal franchises? They are in America arnt they? Serious question BTW.'" we are not in America fortunately... anyway, what constitutes a 'normal' franchise ? the RFL is a law unto itself and can threfore move the goalposts accordingly

Quote: Greg Florimos Boots "I would have thought RL franchises would be governed by the same laws as normal franchises? They are in America arnt they? Serious question BTW.'" we are not in America fortunately... anyway, what constitutes a 'normal' franchise ? the RFL is a law unto itself and can threfore move the goalposts accordingly

Are they investing their money in Toulouse at the moment?

No, because we don't have franchising, we have a licensing system.


So because someone doesn't like something they can just make stuff up?
Actually yeah, I can see that, RL fans have been doing it for decades.

Anyone but Leigh for me. Like many on this thread I'm getting well and truly fed up with SL

I'll tell you what. Why not let Toulouse try again in Championship 1 which is more their level and at least work their way up to SL honestly, if they can.

I, for one, am sick of hearing you preaching the "potential" of Toulouse. London is a massive city with loads of rich "potential" backers, far more so than Toulouse, but they still aren't putting their hands in their pockets, are they?

As a matter of interest, are you French or an ex-pat Aerospace employee who desperately wants a local SL team?

I couldn't agree more. After the latest episode in the Bulls debacle SLE should be declared morally bankrupt.

yes, of course - loads of local businesses are involved but the big boys in aerospace etc are being lined up for SL funding
Toulouse had it's own mini Harrisgate type affair a few years back due to bad judgement and had to pay out a tidy sum to ex employees which knocked the club back - they managed to rebuild over the past few years with the help of these sponsors plus better management

wll FM, it's a pity your RL logic isn't as flexible as your excellent musical tastes...

there's no point putting TO13 in the Championship - the experiment failed due to the uneven playing field - I would love to see the Fax players & coaching staff have to lose one or two days pay from their regular jobs then travel to France every other week and still try to maintain a decent level of form - it can't be done other than being full timers.

I don't 'preach' - just tell the truth as I see it and based on what I know having followed the saga from the start

London isn't a RL heartland - Toulouse is despite having a top RU side and a decent football team - as I said in a previous message, RL isn't the main sport in Perpignan but the Catalans have managed to build a decent following from almost nothing - even you have to give credit for that

as a matter of interest i'm French & British with a family eiter side of the channel - i'm a Saints fan since the 60s and Toulouse is my nearest RL team which is THREE AND A HALF HOURS DRIVE from my home so i'm not a 'local' by any means - how many times in a season do YOU do the seven hour round trip to watch RL ?

FWIW I would prefer that TO13 remain in the LER - it's great entertainment and I reckon SL could ruin my enjoyment of the game the way it's going but the RFL, gawd bless 'em seem intent on expanding to a second french club and I reckon Toulouse has more 'potential' than the other candidates

For someone who doesn't want fax in SL you do spend a lot of time debating the pro's and Con's of other teams either in or being elevated to Superleague.....I think you should just 'fess up and embrace your bitterness.

Same for me with Fev. Stay where we are and when the current house of cards tumbles they will still be there, essentially solvent, to carry on.




Yes, the 'experiment' that anyone with a modicum of intelligence could predict the outcome of.

So we are agreed then, the likes of Halifax, Leigh, Featherstone can stay in a semi-pro league with a smaller cap, fewer facilities and play each other in a league they are more suited and everyone can be happy doing so, and the bigger clubs can be in the pro league, with a higher cap, more demand in facilities and play each other in a league in which they are more suited, and everyone can be happy with that.

No more whining about how unfair it is, no more complaints about how the RFL wont promote certain clubs, we all agree some clubs are championship clubs, some SL and we can move on.