They are not Champions, they are Cup Holders.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-leagu ... challenge/ The RFL said in a statement: “We have been surprised and disappointed by the uncertainty over the Catalans Dragons participation in the 2019 Challenge Cup, which surfaced just before Christmas. “We have been in discussions with the club since then, and will continue those discussions to search for a solution.” The RFL, which reported a loss of £2 million in its last set of accounts for 2017, is still seeking a Challenge Cup sponsor after Ladbrokes failed to renew its backing.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-leagu ... challenge/ The RFL said in a statement: “We have been surprised and disappointed by the uncertainty over the Catalans Dragons participation in the 2019 Challenge Cup, which surfaced just before Christmas. “We have been in discussions with the club since then, and will continue those discussions to search for a solution.” The RFL, which reported a loss of £2 million in its last set of accounts for 2017, is still seeking a Challenge Cup sponsor after Ladbrokes failed to renew its backing.

The RFL is inept. I appreciate there is a money issue but they could/should be using the Challenge Cup to push the expansion and development agenda. Brilliant that RS Belgrade are in this year and shocking that Toronto, Toulouse and Cats aren’t involved but why not expand it and invite other teams from countries that are developing the game? The only condition should be that they can afford to travel. It would be great publicity and a great chance for these clubs to measure their progress against some of our top amateur teams. As it is, the RFL should be pushing Millom (the oldest amateur club in the world) Vs RS Belgrade all over the main stream media but I won’t hold my breath.

The playoffs and grand final are a 4/5 game competition, sometimes less

your show attributes of becoming an RFL employee, supporting the brain dead idea of bringing in teams from abroad but your asking them to travel over and now doubt will be in favour of that £1/2 million bond.

what your asking is for an international competition which I have now problem with but we need to leave the Challenge cup as it is and set a new one up if that's the case, expansion where are the boundaries do we stop a aussie side applying

Snowie, if you’d read any of my previous posts you’d know that I think the 500k bond is the lamest idea of all the lame ideas the RFL have had recently. I’m simply saying that the only financial guarantee needs is that clubs can raise the funds to travel abroad if/when they’re drawn away from home. Exactly the same as for any other team really. As regards boundaries - you tell me. Should Toronto be in? If so why not a team from Jamaica? No, not an Aussie team - that’s hardly development.

I'm against the french being in never mind toronto, its british league if they should sort they own league out, If I had my way catalan would be out of super league

Since the inception of Super League, it's a European League.
I dont know where the iead originally came from but, the idea (with London and Paris) was probably to persuade Sky, that Rugby League wasnt just played along the M62.
Paris went pop (along with other expansion clubs) but, whether we like Catalan in the comp and I certainly think they add something different (as well as it being a great trip ), I do think that they help "us" sell the game, both to broadcasters and sponsors and its bloody ridiculous that any side, especially a super league side, should have to come up with a bond.

The clowns that run our game could just as easily say that any club with an average attendance should pay a bond to be in the cup.

Catalan were invited to be part of our league (and cup) and they should be trated the same as everyone else and the double standards and hypocrisy of inviting Red Star into the cup and using the publicity, whilst at the same time making it impossible for Toronto, Toulouse and Catalan is just plain laughable or, at least it would be if it wasnt such a mickey poor decision.

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... ts-2432403 I think it's stupid in that regard," Lenagan told reporters at the Warriors' pre-season media day. "I think it's a poor decision and I think it's an ill-thought-out decision, to be perfectly honest. "Attendances being down at the Challenge Cup is not a Catalans-based problem. Those attendances have been diminishing because of poor marketing and poor promotion of the cup as a whole.   "The attendances during the cup aren't great, so we have to - through the RFL - address the Challenge Cup problem. Stopping the holders entering the cup unless they pay a premium is not the best decision." Catalans, who on Tuesday announced the departure of the club's chief executive Christophe Jouffret, have asked the RFL to reconsider its demand . The RFL is also seeking a new sponsor for the Challenge Cup after the deal with Ladbrokes ended last August.

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... ts-2432403 I think it's stupid in that regard," Lenagan told reporters at the Warriors' pre-season media day. "I think it's a poor decision and I think it's an ill-thought-out decision, to be perfectly honest. "Attendances being down at the Challenge Cup is not a Catalans-based problem. Those attendances have been diminishing because of poor marketing and poor promotion of the cup as a whole.   "The attendances during the cup aren't great, so we have to - through the RFL - address the Challenge Cup problem. Stopping the holders entering the cup unless they pay a premium is not the best decision." Catalans, who on Tuesday announced the departure of the club's chief executive Christophe Jouffret, have asked the RFL to reconsider its demand . The RFL is also seeking a new sponsor for the Challenge Cup after the deal with Ladbrokes ended last August.

So nothing to do with the 30 rounds before hand that have got a team into that position no?

So Catalan are to defend their title but its not reported whether the RFL has back down www.rlnews.co.uk/reports-catalan ... p-in-2019/

So Catalan are to defend their title but its not reported whether the RFL has back down www.rlnews.co.uk/reports-catalan ... p-in-2019/

Our game is dead on its feet struggling to gain any recognition at all, why? Because of attitudes like yours. There is now a concerted effort to grab control of English union clubs,reported to be in the region of 200 million, why? Because there is a vibrant European competition as well as the international programme that is well established & you want to retreat back to the M62 corridor? Between your vision & the inward looking Aussies we are killing this game.

turn into a world league then as and see how your money lasts, how stupid are you