When Huddersfield, Widnes and Hull KR were removed from the top flight, interest did not wane. They got fewer spectators in the lower division but that was because the lower division was of a lower standard and poorly promoted. The fans remained latent or dormant. When the team finally made its way back into the higher division it actually bounced back into Super League stronger.

Merged clubs can work in retaining support at the top level, as we have seen in the NRL with Wests Tigers, and St George-Illawarra.



When Catalans were "shoved" into Super League the fans came in huge numbers. The Catalans crowds went from 1,000-1,500 in the French Elite, to 7,000 - 9,500 in Super League. No reason to doubt that Toulouse would emulate that success, and perhaps exceed it.

Toulouse would not play Super League with just a couple of French players. It would have to have 13, or preferably 15, with just 8 Antipodeans, most whom would not be journeymen --- as we see at Catalans (Pray tell which Antipodean at Catalans is a journeyman?).

All of them and at all the other clubs as well.

I'd love to know where these mythical "13, or preferably 15" French players at SL standard are going to come from.

strawman argument. They will come from improved jnr programs and more opportunities for French Jnrs to participate in FT training.

Where will they play if they got admitted?

A second French team is a must in my opinion, a French derby would create interest amongst casual fans in France I would think and maybe get more people through the gates. Somewhere that never seems to get mentioned for a team is Avignon, last 3 France games there got 14,500, 17,000 and 17,500 fans in so even if only half of those went to the local team it would still be a decent average at Super League level.

Hey how about a league of 12 French teams based in France, now there's an idea, then we can lose this Europe rubbish, French teams bring nothing to the British game. Only my opinion

European Super League?!

Not if super Nigel (saviour of this country to the hard of joined thinking) and the rest of his UKIPers get their way

Its always funny to see the fans of some non-descript small northern club decrying les Catalans and the French as 'bringing nothing to the game' as if their tiny club which is barely even heard of in the small pit-town it inhabits brings in all the money and the visibility and the players.

There are probably 6 clubs (including Les Catalans) who bring something meaningful to SL, the rest are only there because they either have a rich owner or have been the best at signing the cast offs from the big clubs and journeyman overseas players.

In fact that's one of the problems the game has

Why is it then that clubs like the one you claim to support are forever in areas where "small northern clubs play" hoovering up the better youngsters on scholarships? . If they didn't do this maybe the clubs you continue to mock wouldn't have to relay on signing your clubs "cast offs" to fill their squads?.

You will never admit it but all the current clubs in this country need each other in some capacity. As for this thread i don't have a problem with Toulouse if they made it to the top table providing they achieved it on the playing field and put strong foundations for R.L in the city for the future...and not like P.S.G did.

Because we play in a competition, teams compete with each other. A pro club doesn't lay claim to a player just because they may have lived near them at some point.

Toulouse will never make on the playing field because the playing field is entirely set up to protect these small northern clubs, who if you believed them have somehow never been given a fair crack of the whip. Even though the ENTIRE GAME is set up for their benefit and the rules we have, from the Salary Cap to quota's to the league structure are there to protect small northern clubs.