The French v NZ game showed there is some 1/2 decent talent running around outside the Les Cats set up. Would that stadium be available to Toulouse if they come into SL? Looked a decent ground and obviously a reasonable capacity.

ps why wasn't the England v France game played in Perpignon? Seems strange that you would play 4 nations agmes and not have one in teh city where there is a SL club?

You reffering to the game in doncaster? Think doncaster earned the game from the decent turn out for the welsh game last year.

There will eventually be enough french players to have 2 SL teams, not just yet though.

The french RL organisation appointed a few new development officers a few month ago to try and double the amount of players playing the game at grass roots/youngster level. The results we will see in about 5 years with increased crowds and player numbers in the south of france.

Never made sense to me either. France v Australia is in Paris. Why? They already had when England visited in June.

do people in perpignan support french teams? they possibly consider themselves catalonian.

Toulouse and Paris are bigger cities, so better venues for big games. If the game in Toulouse had failed to attract the average home crowd of a Catalan match, then yes we might re-consider, but since the exercise is media attention and spreading the gospel, then take it on the road.

the keepmoat got the england v france game as the rfl wouldn't give the smc who run the kc stadium any leway with the international fixtures clashing with the football, thankfully with pearson back in charge, internationals will be back in hull in 2011

Awsome news, the KC is a fantastic venue, probably the best rugby league venue in this country.

The RFL made an agreement with Keepmoat a year or so ago to host games there, I think it was a three year deal, next year is the final year.

The wales friendly or the france game again. Personally I think it's daft having the France game there.

the plan is to play at a smaller ground like SGB but also at the ground you mention when required where the union side play

council will spend funds doing up the smaller ground if they get into SL

the RFL would be crazy not to include them next time, and lewis has shown he is the best RL administrator around

I wouldn't mind them in, I think long term though a french league is the way to go.

So who do you dump out ?

Salford, 100%.

Why not W1g4n or the Crusaders ?

wakey and salford for widnes and toulose.

if salford really do get their ground sorted then 18 teams.

i dont think 18 teams is good as you dont have the player numbers now for 16 and it will further dilute the playing standard.

but both widnes and toulose should be in next time.

yeah agree, but long term is 20 years plus.

i think SL can handle 4 french SL teams over time and eventually that will provide the basis for the french to have their own fully pro league and not be part of SL.

The playing numbers are less than NZ, do you see NZ having its own NRL in the future?

NZ should have a 2nd NRL side today. the only reason we dont is news ltd.

however, france had its own established league set up, and without vichy and union interfering would be a major sport today. all you are doing today is taking those roots and developing them rather than starting from scratch.

look what les cats have done in SL in their short time. Toulose business plan is actually stronger than Les Cats when they entered.

they have everything going for them

if lewis does bring them in and the NRL stays with 1 NZ team, it tells you how good a leader he is.

we need a club on the central coast, 2 more queensland clubs, another club in NZ, one in PNG and one in perth, plus we need to raise the salary cap by around $1 - $2 million per club, so we need lots more money dont we

toulose as a SL club would easily match Les Cats crowds. the city has a large population over 1 million, lots of big business and a rich backer. apparently the local vichy side arent as antagonistic towards league as the sc*m USAP are.

Why them , what exactly have they done wrong ? , any club being de franchised will be devastated and unlikely ever to build themselves again , how are all the clubs that missed out on the NRL doing in Australia , any of them doing well financially and support wise ?

Not enough money or players for 18 teams

Certainly, imagine if 13,000 started turning up like they did for the international, they would need a little bit of success though. That would be one great derby match though (even though they are quite far appart).

Yep thought thats what it was. Wasn't sure if it was a hand shake agreement or what.....

When did you become positive.
You used to be a right a$$hole on here, Barry must have made you seen the light.
Still say you're Albert in disguise


..No offence

sex and drugs have changed my outlook on life



plus with the nrl season over i longer get the frustration the final 6 weeks caused me

and f**k, take the p**s is so much fun anyway

They've got a long, long way to go before they reach that stage, though. The majority of people we spoke to during our four days there in April had literally never heard of the sport, never mind that they have their own club.