There is a fundamental point about Catalans. Although they are without doubt a successful club, and may cause a major suprise at the end of the season.
Would any other sport do as much as we have to help improve another country's national team.
I know that RL is all driven by TV money, however, in an ideal world, surely the French should be doing more to improve their own domestic competition and perhaps at some point have a competetive top flight league ?

And failed miserably.

TBH this is what as always rattled me about Catalan -- the reason behind allowing them into Super League.
It was supposedly to help the game in France and in particular help to develop a stronger French national team.The French national team would benefit from players taking part in a more intense competition than their own league.

The French national team has gone backwards.
The French Elite divisions have stagnated.

In isolation yes Catalans are a successful team.

But i dont believe their inclusion in SL has done anything to improve the game in France,at grassroots or National level.

No, of course not, the belief the rfl have is that it will improve the game at international level, which has so far not been proved right.
However what you must consider is that the Catalan experiment worked in a fairly short period of time, so was (arguably) worth it, now compare that against the length of time wasted on london, already over 30 years, and the undoubted length of time that is going to be waste in wherever in wales.
Wether or not anyone liked agreed or otherwise, Catalan has worked, clearly London hasn't and probably never will (just the shear length of time is testament to it being 100% unfair) and the likelihood of Crusaders being a success is looking very slight, no matter how much support they have received so far from the rfl, they are light years behind where the Catalans were at the same time, and so look to be a similar failure to London.

But how many french players that wasn't there at the launch in 2006 have come through to be regulars in the Catalans team? Theres not that many making it through. There are still too many overseas players in the key positions.

I agree, Catalans are successful and its a great place to spend a few days in the Summer. However, trying to force RL on the Londoners and possibly the Welsh, where RL isnt exactly a hotbed is similar to the Paris experiment.
I still think that if we wanted to expand the game it should have spread slowly and naturally from its core in the north of England.
Although Sheffield isnt exactly a million miles away (and the have been re-born), to force the merger with Huddersfield, just because they had a "decent" stadium was a mistake and in retrospect this was the begining of the contrived competition that we now have.
We might as well rub out the 117 years of RL history and plant a new team in each county, which is what the controllers of our game really want.

I agree, and that is possibly why the national team is making little progress, but i think turning out forwards and wingers is always going to be easier than world class halves.
IMO one team can do little to have an impact on national development at the top level, hell we have 12 english clubs in SL and england are getting further behind the top teams, which is why it could be seen as a bit of a waste of time or at least the argument for it could be seen as a bit of a red herring.

How exactly as the experiment worked?
Its been a total failure.
Catalans inclusion was to aid the development of the French game,by giving it more media exposure and a higher profile than what the French leagues have.
Add into that the players would be playing at a more intense level each week than the French league,thus it would help the national team and eventually give GB/England a credible Northern Hemisphere opponent.

The national team have gone backwards,the elite division teams are reducing in numbers,no success there.

Catalan has worked for Catalan and for Super League,but in no way shape or form has it done what it was designed to do.

Purely as a SL club, they have good attendances at home, are developing their stadium, they bring through plenty of players, their performances are developing they have made the play offs and a challenge cup final.
I'd say thats success, I agree with you in the French national team, but that is only part of the picture.

The only picture the RFL care about is the one they have got, Catalans having a strong season and playing well, are the bothered about the bigger picture, well i doubt it.

On the face of it the Catalans have been a huge success and the RFL will take all the headlines for it.

Not in anyway a dig at the French but thats how i see it.

They have a smaller pool of players to start with. If, as you say, the elite division teams are reducing in numbers (I have no idea - I'll take your word for it), then the pool will be reduced even more. Is it all because of the club mergers that formed Catalans? I honestly don't know - I'm asking.

Ahem

Never in any doubt