Fully professional league. National team games, weekly union programme and at least one live English Premiership game a every week on freeview. An attempt to run a Super 15 style competition failed badly but the game is going from strength to strength over here. The Catalan RL seem to have given up the ghost after only two years. The website hasn't been updated since July and I haven't had a reply from anyone at the CRL since June.

It's possible that's because the RLEF told the Catalans they wouldn't be recognising them as a national federation.

Kevin Rudd was interviewd over on the TRL forum and he said that they would not be recognising them. For a while it seemed like they would be, and the Catalans suggested it on thier website, but according to Rudd the EU informed the RLEF that it was no-go and the RLEF followed their advice. I think they were worried about ruining their chances of gaining funding from them in the future.

Quite correct Catalancs it seems to have totally fallen apart and USAP are steping into Barcelona something that they have wanted to do for years as i have stated on here before it saddens me to say it but i cannot see the Dragons going anywhere unless they get some serious investrment in the club and the investers from places like Barcelona Pujol and others will not get involved unless they have control which is something that BG and his friends will not give up again i am not knocking BG here his heart was in the right place and to take a village club to SL was fantastic however there has been a price and i get the feeling that there are also other reasons why the board do not want outsiders involved as well lets saythe lid would come off Hopefully common sense will prevail however somehow i doubt it

I doubt very much that that is the case. The Catalan rugby union have known for decafes that they'll never be able to play as a seperate enitity to Spain but continue to grow.
Haven't seen the Rudd interview but did get the copy of RL World where they interviewed Danny Kazandjian. Some good questions (including a couple from you) and interesting answers. I thought the answer regarding Catalonia was disappointing but sensible. The ramifications would be damaging to the sport and the last thing international rugby league needs is to get the backs up of numerous countries, not to mention the EU.

Danny Kazandjian! That was the interview, I must be getting old.

I think the CRL was different to CRU in that they were quite open in their desire to go it alone. That was how it looked from the outside anyway.

I agree with the decision to an extent, but I was still a little disappointed because I got the impression that things could have really kicked on quite rapidly if they'd been given the nod. I suppose the RLEF couldn't afford to get into protracted and difficult arguments with Spain and the EU. You only have to look at the double standards of FIFA over admitting Gibraltar because of Spanish pressure, despite less deserving 'nations' being allowed to take part in international soccer.

all interesting stuff and being totally ignorant of anything Spanish,could Barcelona or a regional team ,for example sustain a SL set-up ?

On the back of what? As it stands there is no rugby league in Catalonia.

No rugby league in Catalonia? Where is Perpignan?

when Warrington went to Barça in 2009 ,the game attracted 18150 people - where did these extra fans come from ? bearing in mind the average at the GB was about 8000ish in 2009.

Ther WAS rugby league in Catalonia at the time. I know for a fact that many rugby union players and followers went out of curiousity or ignorance with regard to there being two codes of rugby.

Hi guys, You can find some pictures about the new stand here : www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 1698612445 Enjoy

Hi guys, You can find some pictures about the new stand here : www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 1698612445 Enjoy

Looks very nice.

Some news photos available on www.facebook.com/DragonsCatalansOfficiel cheers

Some news photos available on www.facebook.com/DragonsCatalansOfficiel cheers