I'm not dictating anything mate, I haven't got the power.. You agree there isn't the interest in France especially as their team won't make the later stages. You talk about financial losses and of course they are free to crack on with a world cup anywhere they want.

But it's just another case of people who should know better dreaming of what could be for the game if it spread to new audiences, in new places where there would be new investors and new players. The problem with this approach is when they do these things like shift M62 clubs out of Superleague for overseas clubs, and shift the World cup over the France and away from England it damages the sport in the one place it has been successful for 125 years.

This chap who thinks it a great idea ought to do his homework and wake up and realise French Rugby Union has the RL game stuffed in France and no world cup will change that. He needs to wake up and realise that playing the World Cup here not only stabilises the game but gives it a major boost. It's as simple as that and frustrating these people can't see it.

While Rugby League is not as popular in France as England, it's a lot more well known that is in America. The American bid was always ridiculous, they didn't even have a proper league running and the sensible thing would have been to hold the test Test match before the bid was won.

The advantage France have this time is the event would follow the 2023 Union World Cup and 2024 Olympics for which a lot of stadiums, training grounds, hotels and transport will be upgraded. Often councils/governments want further events to justify the cost they have paid out. For example saying part of the Olympics Village will live on as a training base for the RL World Cup ticks a few boxes and helps keeps questions about legacy and waste of cash down.

No excitement for the barla league from me. But the NA league has potential and will be getting similar funding to the Championship.

1. Indeed, but moreso Rugby Union in France dwarfes Rugby League. In essence the idea is like pitting a corner shop against a supermarket. Do the organisers of the RLWC know anything about Rugby in France?

2. And so the RU world cup in France will merely consolidate Unions power and position over rugby league in France giving them the first go at using a world cup to further promote and expand Union in France. This means persuading people to choose RU over RL there....

Pro RL does not work in France, the one club with any substance has to use players from here, it has to play teams from here. The pretenders in Toulouse are not even set up to Catalans level. The game here produces players, it has far more fans and far more TV interest.

Substituting an English club for Catalans depletes Superleague

Substituting TO for another English club further depletes Superleague

Substitute Avignon for another English club and the SKY deal goes, then that will be be pro-RL gone in Europe, France and all.

Let's see who can actually debate the facts rather than just go on a wind up.

Not a bad effort for an April Fool.Struggling with the successful for 125 years,bit.Struggling even more with the problem of the world cup being held in the home of the original world cup finalists.



Struggling with the belief that rugby union does not dwarf rugby league in this sceptred isle,of yours.
Catalans do NOT have to use English players.
Super League is not depleted by having Catalans.
Toulouse are Not in Super League - ergo Not depleted.
It is impossible to debate with a xenophobic,misleading,repetitive individual who is consistently,and incessantly,factually wrong,and who will simply keep on repeating the same mantra on a daily basis and will not be dissuaded.

What's the bleeting problem, by the time this date arrives the EU won't let us in unless we pay Tariffs, France & Germany are well pi**ed off with us Brits, it's not going to happen with all the petty trade wars to come ???

Yet they are and will be more than happy to welcome tourists from wherever they come, be that England or Egypt and the English will be a desperate as ever to visit France and Spain etc.
The fall out from Brexit will continue for many years but, it wont and shouldn't effect events like this.

That doesn't mean that it wont be a test selling out the venues and having a successful tournament but, it will be easier than the world cup that is taking place later this year.
RL has to be more than England or Australia and it has to find new fans, players, sponsors and investors.

At least there is plenty of time to give it chance to succeed and it's up to those at the top of the game to make it happen.

Your back to just slogans



in 1908 Great Britain played Australia for the first time in London, in 1908 they played New Zealand in London. They quickly went on to play Australia in Newcastle, Birmingham and Edingburgh, all in an attempt to grow the game of Rugby League into something bigger and better than Rugby Union. They were looking for new fans, new players, new clubs, new sponsors in new parts of Great Britain and the world.

We've given expansion well over 100 years "to succeed" Those at the top have have tried to make it happen, dozens of new pro clubs have been set up in England and Wales over a period of 125 years from Ebbw Vale to West Wales, and Stockport to Blackpool....Nearly 50 of them. All failed.....

Soccer has professionalised big time and attracted major riches. Rugby Union has professionalised across not just England and wales but Great Britain Ireland and France.

Don't you get it that we are in survival mode? Don't you understand that no SKY TV probably means the end to Professional RL?

The idea that you can put squads of players from here into French clubs, and remove English clubs from Superleague will [i"expand the game" [/i is a nonsense. You completely ignore that SKY don't want French clubs.

Of course several posters on here just keep the "wind up" going because that is all they seem capable of but your a thoughtful and genuine guy so why is it you seem to believe there are sports administrators capable of coming into our game and financially and professional player wise expand the game. Elstone has just resigned after another failure to find more money, head knocks will lead to less talent, and the French tests have been pulled for good.

Don't you see we are in survival mode not expansion mode???

It must be your selective amnesia.More clubs have folded and had more financial issues along the M62 corridor than anywhere else.
Soccer has attracted huge broadcast riches.Many,many clubs are in in serious debt.
Clubs in France seem to be doing quite well.
Perhaps their wealthy individuals are more talented than those in England.Perhaps they can attract better sponsors.Perhaps it is just an English disease.

Lmao. So because you and me can’t afford to travel abroad the World Cup should only be held in the uk? What about the other 350k world wide rugby league fans?

They could not all fit into the ground together anyway.

Oooh you bit

They'll all be off to watch Leigh, obviously

I think them Leythers look after their hard earned too much to be ripped off by them there frenchies over there.

Well, I am a Leigh fan from Manchester & I say bring it on !

I would make a special effort to get to France for a combined holiday & Rugby League World Cup fix. France for a RLWC has lots of value !

clown did I say I've no problem with it being held in France
You need to read and understand what I posted before you comment, try drinking less and post while being sober

You wouldn't enjoy it, the foods too rich for you and would bring you out in a rash, don't think they do tripe and black pudding and all the other delicacies likely to be found in Leigh

The bigger picture is still to try and develop the game in France (and beyond) and as with any business model, it's expand or die.
RL HAS to have ambitions beyond a slow lingering death or, what is the point.
Of course football and Union are massively in front of us and they will remain in that position for the rest of my life, no doubt whatsoever but, there has to be some ambition.
Many of Leagues failings over the 125+ years have been down to mickey poor planning and lack of finance.
The only way to improve investment into the sport is to appeal to a broader range of people and this simply wont happen while ever the sport contracts to the M62 corridor.
We have to have a clear strategy and prolonged effort to make it succeed.

The N. American experiment was bonkers, not for it's ambition but, purely from geographical constraints but, France is, at least, a more sensible and viable area to try and grow the game.
For the record, any new French side in SL should not be replacing any English club. They should be in addition to what we have and this should be part of the strategy.
Also encouraging The French to put more effort into developing their youngsters to a higher level.

1. RL of course has ambitions but no way of realising them, so it's left with doing what it's always done for the last 100 years which is to survive. Where did you get "expand or die" from? Our game hasn't really expanded in 128 years yet it's far from dead



2. If we have 12 English SL clubs and allow two French clubs to take us to 14 without "replacing" English clubs, do you expect the English clubs to reduce their share of the English TV deal and give that to the French? Do you expect the English club to share the English player pool with the French?

You clearly must do, because without them taking our players and our TV money they cannot compete, as they have no TV money to speak of and produce very very few pro-level players indeed. I don't understand what you mean by[i[u put more effort into developing their youngsters to a higher level.[/u[/i

They are up against the vast majority of talented young french lads choosing French Rugby Union and French soccer over League which is clearly a tiny game there far smaller than it is even here. If there were Superleague quality French RL players then they have had what, since 2006 to bring them through......15 years

There's only a handful..... RL has been dying a death in France and the top two clubs abandoning the French league to playe here and signing up players from here is not in any way "expansion" at all. Catalans and Toulouse are English/Aussie RL teams playing in an English league.

There was the return of the France.v.GB tests back in 2007 which created a chance for French players to become top class professional internationals but their best side just could not cut it. 15 years of Les Catalans has only seen the French game shrink further, yet people talk of Toulouse as "Expansion"........

Toulouse and Catalans have simply abandoned French RL to play here. That's the reality

In business terms, it most definitely is expand or die.
Yes, there can be managed decline but, this is more akin to lingering death.

You are right about the return of the France v England tests but, was it ever possible for a French side with 15/20 full time players to compete with England ??
The answer here was that it should not be possible and again, I agree that if Catalan (and Toulouse) fill their side with "Aussies" and English players, the French side cannot improve -other than the few French Nationals getting some exposure to playing top level RL (against their SL counterparts).
There should be something in place to "encourage" those sides to include a minimum number of French Nationals in their squad but, as you know, this isn't as simple as it sounds and for certain, returning Catalan and Toulouse to the French National League, would reduce the quality of the French side still further. It certainly wouldn't improve it.

IF staging a world cup in France can boost their game, it is a positive step for the game, either in terms of paying fans, TV viewers or maybe, just maybe, more people becoming interested in taking up the sport. Not to mention investment opportunities for both the French game but, for the sport as a whole.

Staging the World Cup in France should allow investors and advertisers to see that RL is not just a "Yorkshire/Lancashire" small time sport. Even you must see that ?

Quote ="Donnyman" 2. If we have 12 English SL clubs and allow two French clubs to take us to 14 without "replacing" English clubs, do you expect the English clubs to reduce their share of the English TV deal and give that to the French? Do you expect the English club to share the English player pool with the French? You clearly must do, because without them taking our players and our TV money they cannot compete, as they have no TV money to speak of and produce very very few pro-level players indeed. '" People in Perpignan, Paris,Manchester and London,are thanked in the final paragraph,with regard to helping Catalans Dragons and their broadcast deal. They seem to have managed very well without any help from Elstone or any M62 club. https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ca ... -for-2021/ Strange how Sky TV have involved themselves when they just want ' English ' clubs.

Quote ="Donnyman" 2. If we have 12 English SL clubs and allow two French clubs to take us to 14 without "replacing" English clubs, do you expect the English clubs to reduce their share of the English TV deal and give that to the French? Do you expect the English club to share the English player pool with the French? You clearly must do, because without them taking our players and our TV money they cannot compete, as they have no TV money to speak of and produce very very few pro-level players indeed. '" People in Perpignan, Paris,Manchester and London,are thanked in the final paragraph,with regard to helping Catalans Dragons and their broadcast deal. They seem to have managed very well without any help from Elstone or any M62 club. https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ca ... -for-2021/ Strange how Sky TV have involved themselves when they just want ' English ' clubs.

So you would have less of an issue if the french sides were in addition to the existing 12 sides if we were to bring in say bradford or London 22 english sides and 2 french sides ?

Ignoring the argument of tv money it would be a better option than as you say just replacing a current side with Toulouse. I think that we are seeing expansion wrong and it's not about a club in America one in canada n maybe Spain if they all have to fit in to a league of 12 !! Rfl must now look to expand but in a more thought out manor. It should be to look at how to get to 16/18 sides without impacting tv money from sky or for a way in which clubs are not as reliant on the tv money. I would not be looking to increase the length of the season but to play more midweek games and less loop fixtures.

I dont mind the french clubs they are a nice weekend away add somthing different to the league. I think that if we have london york newcastle Toulouse widnes and bradford in super league in 10 years and all clubs are competitive and financially stable that is the expansion we should be aiming for.

1. There are countless businesses that have been established many many years who have adapted to changing times, so your just wrong there. Many of these businesses take pride in being established many years ago and use that on their advertising and labelling. Suggest you leave this one alone.

2. Suggest you cut out the "even you" crack as well, we have both probably lived through many World cups and they are great TV and they attract many fans and sponsors who do not normally watch RL but you know as well as I do when the tournament is over that's it for the part time fans and sponsors.

That's how every world cup goes it attracts many casual fans and new fans and business give it a look in, but none of this ever sticks.

Rochdale Hornets may be good for 600 fans, then the world cup gives them a Fiji game and they get 9,000 fans. Next home game back to 600. That's how it is, your arguing a principle that World cups bring in a legacy new fans, new money and new players in which down the years of our life time there is exactly ZERO evidence of this.

We get this every so often in any sort of "Expansion" e.g. this Billionaire has started a club in Toronto.....

They have a league in Burundi - the fact people aren't pointing to the opportunity of holding the word cup there is shocking in this day and age.

If we don’t get a Kazakh super league side soon rugby Union will remain dominant in Central Asia.