"The club’s decision is especially disappointing given the imminent restart of the season. Our immediate focus is on getting the season back underway on August 2 and meeting the needs of our host broadcaster, Sky Sports."

They have to have another club in there is not Toronto (which I think it will be) otherwise the sky money is gone

Surely TW can't just come back into sl for the 2021 season and nowt said?

I agree with this.
The bottom line here is that although the covid situation is absolutely beyond their control, it's worth remembering that pre lockdown, they were already struggling to put a team out on the pitch.
The visa situation is a strange one too. Have those players really all been here for six months or is there a cop out to give them a "valid" reason to withdraw.
No other club would be allowed to do this and if the reports of them being ok to continue (mentioned in the BBC piece) as late as last Thursday, then, something isn't quite right.
As far as Fev taking their spot, they do seem to be the right option but, there will be complaints from other clubs if they were allowed to take TWP's spot this season and effectively have a free pass to play in SL next year ?

I doubt very much it will come as a great surprise to the vast majority of RL fans. Its a shame but you have to question the decision in the first place. With all the best intentions in the world by the owners and R FL it was in my opinion a bridge too far , Logisticaly a night mare . TORONTO received some great headlines and promotion for the sport but they will be well forgoton and sink in to insignificance over the next couple of months.
Surly before any such expansions take place in the future it must involve an area that can
1 sustain at leadt 50% of home grown talent.
2 offer an affordable transport link.
3 prove itself in the lower leagues before entering what should be the sports show piece.
I would go futher and base promotion and relegation over a three season period .

I am saying, as usual, you have no idea what you are talking about....
Please join us all at some point on planet earth.
The year is 2020 by the way.....

What a complete embarrassment our sport is. It's a complete shambles from to bottom. It's so unprofessional it should be amateur. What a joke rugby league as become, the people in charge couldn't run an egg and spoon race. Pathetic

I agree with the decision to allow Toronto into the "Eurpoean" RL pyramid being flawed. Something that Nigel Wood should shoulder most of the blame for.
Getting RL properly established in N . America WOULD have been a major coup but, the logistics, especially for a small sport are and have been quite ridiculous.
There has to be some sympathy for the current Covid situation but, the wheels were already coming off and they were looking nailed on for the wooden spoon.
Perhaps now would be a good time to think about just where the sport is going and what will be best for the long term good of RL (which should have been the case all along)>
Although many dont agree, I think that Catalan, on the whole, add something positive and different to the sport, as would Toulouse if they made it into SL but, there has to be a major re think over the N. American "dream" and if there is going to be RL played over there, "we" need a different plan, I dont think that it can be part of the Championship and / or SL.
Just on the 3 points that you made about homegrown talent, affordable transport and proving themselves in the league structure.
I dont know how ANY new club could achieve those things in the professional arena, especially the 50% homegrown talent.
Would "homegrown" be from the country that they were based in or more directly from within the club itself ?

I know what you are saying wrencat but surely any sustainable team must depent on a hime grown pool of players from the country of origin.
Im not sure but ireland used to have a RL presence run and coached by x uk based players.
I hinestly think the fans have been short changed on the exoansion issue. Scotlands been the venue for the so called magic weekend but no takers to join while rugby union thrives at a lower level.
Im no expert on expansion but would it not be better to concentrate nearer home in Ireland northern ireland and scotland.
Investors are obviously thin on the ground making the task more difficult.

The problem is that Canada operate a visa system that meant that many championship clubs couldn’t field their first team squads. I assume without the virus this would still be the case giving Toronto an unfair advantage if any players are banned from entry. The RL have had quite sometime to visit this problem and try to find a resolution.
The advantage of France is distance and that they have much less draconian entry requirements hence why players moved there rather than to the U.K. so no obvious advantage.

What other sport would put up with a member packing up at short notice and saying we'll be back next season (assuming things have improved for them I guess) and sadly I do believe the SL and the RFL will take it all in the name of expansion roll on New York and Ottawa could it get any crazier.

What other sport would put up with a member packing up at short notice and saying we'll be back next season (assuming things have improved for them I guess) and sadly I do believe the SL and the RFL will take it all in the name of expansion roll on New York and Ottawa could it get any crazier.

It was always fundamentally flawed.
Toronto tried to smooth the way by paying for flights and accommodation in the lower leagues, which can be spun in different directions.
However, for a sport that is short of money (pre Covid19), adding substantial costs to every club to play games 3000 miles away, just seems reckless but, Nigel Wood was taken in and off we all went on the N. American adventure.
The one certainty is that were this kind of thing to happen (inability to complete the season) in any other sport, the club would be docked points and relegated.
However, RL doesn't appear to be following this path and seems happier to hide behind Covid.
The integrity of the comp has been inevitably damaged, which weakens our ability to secure more lucrative TV monies in future.

I don't think it will after this.
It would be better to let them form their own league for a few seasons first before any other attempt to integrate them into our RL system.

Give them Toronto's share of TV money????? Toronto don't get any do they? I can't see Fev coming in with that deal in place!!!

Toronto,crusaders,bridgend ,Mansfield, Scarborough, gateshead why do we bother

I do think we should be tapping into areas such as the North East, the Midlands, even South Yorkshire (despite having the Eagles). Unfortunately, I think that requires a lot of hard work, patience and persistence which are alien terms to the RFL.

Wakefield do go into South Yorkshire at junior level, but again the other code dominates it.

Don't forget Southend, Carlisle, PSG.......................... etc etc

Plus Cardiff & Bridgend

Kent invicta any more ?

And Belle Vue Rangers, Broughton Rangers, Liverpool City, Blackpool Borough. Chorley, Huyton, Runcorn. I'm showing my age now.

Fulham

Oxford, Gloucester all golds, South Wales.
Springfield Borough,or Trafford Borough!
And right on our doorstep good old Bramley

Some great away day memories at Bramley Blackpool Scarborough Fulham Huyton. Also saw Cardiff play away at Doncaster with I think Steve Fenwick the blond haired rugby union international.

Hemel stags


What about JD's first English club!
Lancashire Linx