Perhaps the CC, with its lower revenue streams, isn't a viable option for a French club but, SL is a different proposition.
The inclusion of Toulouse comes down to whether people want the game to expand and be strong in France or, whether we prefer to be insular, protected in our very own northern cocoon.
The French could of course be left to their own devices and in another 10,15,20 years we could all bang on about there being no decent opposition for England (or Great Britain) to play and what a poor international calendar there is etc, etc.
Of course there will be a direct impact on some clubs but, the way things are shaping up, it may be a straight swap, Toulouse for London.

Believe what you like Smokey, however, I do not need to make any figures up they do not affect Hull K R. The RFL however, and their French counterparts, are quite susceptible to the odd bit of propaganda and bull story. The choice is yours.

Having been there myself I would support your huge over-estimate of the crowd. There is clearly some politics involved here. For a 19,500 capacity stadium, we estimated 8-10K based on what we saw. For a revised (??) crowd of 14,800+ to be given is clearly taking the pee.

It was still a marvellous occasion though, despite a lack of local interest.

I saw the whole stadium during the match and 14,000 was my prediction. Both main stands were virtually full for a start.

Yep and look how that ended.

Do you expansionists never learn, how monumentally stupid and easily swayed are you sheep. How many paid anywhere near full price and how many would actually turn up week on week, get real.

Seriously you want to jettison a real club like Cas for a fantasy team like Tolouse - people on the VT, press and Redhall won't be happy until they have finally destroyed this great game.

Billy was being sarcastic Vasty. But I get your sentiment.

He said licensing is a good system that keeps clubs ' safe ' , this lying coniving,cheating licence system has damaged RL possibly beyond repair

Agreed. I predict that the sport will die within 18 months unless we bring back automatic promotion and relegation immediately. Also Catalans and London must leave Super League for us to have any chance of regaining the sport's former glory days of the 1970's.

The sports Glory Days will never return with or without P and R or licencing, most sports are witnessing the same, RL however doesnt have the numbers to lose any of its members, still 8/9 clubs will be sufficient to put together a team to lose to the Aussies every year

Good post. Lets look at it objectively (rfl ish...)...The English national team need a good strong French national side to provide similar intensity to state of origin, yeah right, its Catalans in disguise.
Support...a couple of students from leeds with a catalan flag.
London broncos, harlequins whatever, what have we got since Fulham...Louis McCarthy scarsbrook.
Also I did,nt realise Toulouse was the major central capital of everything that is going on in the world at the moment, no wonder fev, fax, leigh and Sheffield have,nt got a hope...

FYI, Cas had 3k at one game this year

In all seriousness i like Castelford, one of the best junior developments in tha game. Play entertaining rugby and great atmosphere at their ground.

However i can't see why Toulouse shouldn't be allowed in. They probably won't get 15k every game, but even if they get half that, that is a lot more than a lot of other heartland clubs. It will also help the French national team which will in turn help the international game which will make the sport stronger.

I also agree with Headhunter, unless we bring back P&R, the sport will be in a lot of trouble.

I was quite surprised with the low turnout of cas fans at the game on Friday night, their first game at home since may 5th and a little over 6,000 attended with a good two to two and half thousand from hull!

I think they have been OK - I wouldn't say they have been a revelation. After all, since their inception in 2006 they've finished bottom of the league twice and only a couple of seasons have they looked capable of challenging.

I think having one French team has been a good decision in the short-term, however, I think the ONLY way that France will progress as a national team is a strong domestic competition.

If Toulouse and Catalan can draw a TV deal playing in a professional competition like Super League, I am sure they will be equally drawn on a fully professional French competition along with sponsors.

It may take time but Super League is hardly a glowing blueprint for a competition. But aspiring French kids have only got Catalan as an option to showcase their skills. Imagine having 10 clubs to choose from across the South of France with real derbies.

I think the longevity of the game relies on strong domestic competition - not some ill-thought out plan to parachute random European clubs in to this competition.

Not necessarily Castleford. I'd rather see the RFL remove poorly run clubs that have previously cheated the competition by spending their cash on players rather than their tax bills. You know, like Wakefield.

Not necessarily Castleford. I'd rather see the RFL remove poorly run clubs that have previously cheated the competition by spending their cash on players rather than their tax bills. You know, like Wakefield.

If you're willing to invest the €30,000,000 needed to create a full-time French Elite competition then go ahead

I think he was taking the p*ss, fella.


So without any info whatsoever, you've made your mind up. Why get real when you can just bag any good news instead?


In what way are Toulouse a fantasy team? Last time I checked they've been around since 1937 - a whole 11 years less than Castleford.

Were Catalans a fantasy team too? Are Castleford more of a real club than them?

I could understand if someone was suggesting Paris again, or Edinburgh or Dublin. But Toulouse is an established RL area with a club that doesn't have a competition to meet its ambition. They aren't a pin on a map.

Catalans has been a smashing success in Super League. It has built a solid hard core of around 7,000 supporters, with a soft core of 1,000 - 1,500. It has built a player roster that enables it to compete at the upper tier of the competition. It has uncovered lots of French talent, from Thomas Bosc and Remi Casty among the now older players, to Morgan Escare, and Eloi Pelissier among the younger players. Most interesting it has developed a previously marginal mid-career semi-pro French Elite 1 player, Kevin Larroyer, into a top class Super League professional talent.

Toulouse has the potential to be even more powerful. This is because it has access to so much more than Catalans in terms of financial resources, and pools of playing talent and spectators. So long as it starts out with a good Australian coach, it can build a playing roster that will keep it off the bottom of the Super League table from the start, and within five years become a talent recruiting, high performance powerhouse. In other words, by 2020 it should be challenging Wigan, Warrington, Leeds, Catalans, etc. for the top spots on the Super League ladder. There is little doubt in my mind that Toulouse will become a Super League glamour team within a short space of time.

Won't removing us once do for you




I'm not against the idea of Toulouse coming in, if they are ready to do so.

Indeed, they're also older than Workington, Whitehaven, Sheffield, Doncaster, and of course London.

Somebody has drunk too much wine and eaten too much cheese

Or like Leeds did pre Caddick, or Bradford have just done or Hull KR or Huddersfield Barracudas or Hull Sharks (Lloyd days) Wigan after Maurice or Widnes pre Stobart or shall I go on....

...the problem with you and your ilk is your very short and selective memories.

Silly person

Yup I guessed that, should have been clearer

I think you'll find that Leeds paid their debts, unlike Wakefield.

Of course they did.