I would love the Crusaders make it work in Wrexham be great if they can finish in the top 8 but maybe a top 10 would be more realistic.

I would sooner have a Welsh team than another French team in SL

250 is pretty good going, considering Toulouse got 850 for their home game yesterday. Removes all 'on field' criteria for their next application and once again renders the whole franchise process a joke.

I have to agree. The RFL should just forget the whole 'franchise' applications because they evidently don't stick to them. If they did Widnes Vikings would have got in last year.

I'm all for expansion and for trying to 'spread the word' of our great game, but not at the expense of certain clubs. It makes a dull atmosphere when you have an empty North Stand. I like many people would love to see Widnes or Leigh back in Super League or any Lancashire teams for that matter.

Salford are a team that I think are going nowhere. They have a poor squad and that is reflected in their gates. They've been unlucky that some of their best players have left them, but they have not replaced them. They are a team under serious threat. Crusaders RL are getting their act together. Les Catalans have always been strong (just might need a different coach!). As for Harlequins I'm not sure. I can never see them getting healthy attendances like I can with the Crusaders and Les Catalans. We've tried and tried, but it's just not working.

Who were Catalans prior to Super League? UTC? Be interesting to see what crowds they were getting before they came into SL.

I think it'd be great if Toulouse could get a SL franchise up and running. The game really needs to expand out of it's heartlands.

For some reason though it's struggling for recognition outside the north - how 'Quins haven't taken off I'll never know. Yes they're deep in union territory, but that code is absolutely dire. League is so much more entertaining, I'd have thought people would have got over their snobbery by now and gone down to support 'Quins.

The sooner Toulouse come in to Super League, the sooner we can get shut of both them and Les Catalans to spearhead a new French league, that will benefit the international competition no end.

The Aussies need to do the same thing with NZ, and later, PNG.

Suits me.

Not seen this mentioned in any reputable press yet. When they say "according to newspaper reports", they mean speculation in 1 newspaper, not an official press release.

I'll wait to see the official story emerge.

No they dont

League in NZ isnt strong enough and never will be for a full domestic league. If you think the south of England is union heartland then try NZ.

Get Barrow in! Went to the Challenge Cup game there last season and there was a cracking atmosphere

Martin Saddler has posted the following on VT:

The RFL has now issued a press release stating that Toulouse do indeed have to reach the 2010 Grand Final to apply for a 2012 Super League licence.
An RFL official told our correspondent Mike Rylance that they didn't have to, but it seems that the RFL got it wrong.

Widnes fans are asking him if Toulouse have also apologised for saying they knew this to be the case 18 months ago - he hasnt yet responded (probably becuase he can't).

What an utter farce by the RFL.

If I was Widnes I would insist on a truly independant audit of any franchise decision.

Id take any cumbrian team, it would be great to have regular trips up there.

A mate of mine (Wakefield fan) went to the The Allotment (GPW Stadium) on a corpo Friday, he got into a conversation with Mr McManus, who hinted strongly that Toulouse will get a franchise, much to his dismay apparently. He reckons that the RFL are blinkered into thinking that they can push into new markets to the detriment of the loyal fans of teams like Leigh, Widnes and the Cumbrians.

The game needs to grow, simple as that. If short changing teams like Leigh and Widnes is the cost of it then sadly that's the case.

widnes stuffed toulouse 70 points plus . There is only one of them two teams deserve to be in SL

Leigh?