In a radio interview, the French Federation president, Larrat, has confirmed the project of an application from the Stade Francais to a Super League licence for 2012. He also made clear that this project has the backing of the French Federation.

Just a minor quibble with that. How does a club that doesn't exist either win the NRC or appear in the Championship GF?

Is FrogRL Dally M?

Seems suspicious that the account is new

After the Celtic fiasco I wouldn't go near them with a barge pole!

you could say after the massive success of the last French club, they should be fully backed, using your logic.........

It would be better if the french have there own superleague instead of replacing an english club. If the RFL have a vision of 3 french teams and 2 welsh teams in superleague is this not the "death knell" of England internationally.

International rugby league is more important than just English rugby league.

Agreed, but the question still remains: why can't they have their own Super League with their own TV deal and have a fully professional league with Catalans, Stade Francais, Toulouse, Villeneuve etc.

It would not be able to get up to a high enough standard. It's better to build some teams first.

A French SL won't appear for at least 50 years IMO. If we can get five or six decent French teams and their national side competing and occasionally beating Australia, NZ and England regularly then it will have some credibility and therefore they can have their own competitive league.

English RL has only got two decents teams, why would the French need five or six?

if true then a good thing

the only way id be interested in paris now if someone with a big chequebook is behind it

otherwise all efforts should be on toulose.

english RL should act as an incubator for french RL

once RL in france gains critical mass, they should have their own SL and ESL look at other areas.

toulose will give the game critical mass in france in a way that LC wont.

i feel 4 - 5 French SL clubs would be the stage where they can form their own SL.

Go For it.

Toulouse, Widnes & Paris in

Hull KR out and 2 more teams in the League.

Easy peasy.

Shouldn't they be able to walk straight back in to the top flight ?

After all, aren't PSG merely 'suspended' with a view to returning one day ...

Oh goody

I thought we were talking about Paris not Toulouse? Remind me again how many turned up for the last Int played there? There screaming out for SL in Paris, no really they are!

It depends if Max Guzianni is behind it, he loves to spend a bit of money and have that french flamboyance that may attract people to watch RL like they do Stade Francais RU.

Id welcome another French team and also in Northern France it would be good for a holiday whilst there to and it could be a relativley quicker way of getting RL all over France by attacking the capital.

These opportunities dont come along very often. We arent in a position to start turning our noses up at them.

Stade Francais are an established RU club, they already have the structures in place we can ise for RL use. it is a name and a it seems it has the money.

Without seeing the detail no-one could know its potential for success, but if what needs to be there is there then give them a go.

There is the obvious problem of there not being a squad right now. But what i would rather see is them putting an academy in the academy league a year beforehand rather than some token effort to pacify the lower leagues.

as for a french SL. It will never happen. its goes against the point of SL which was always intended to be a international league over and above the established national leagues. All sports are moving towards more and more international competition and we would be going backwards to come forwards.

So how many and who are you dropping out ?

If this is true, i feel really sorry for Widnes. Toulouse and Paris up and Celtic migrate to Wrexham - 30 miles away. Someone's ancestors at the RFL were murdered by Vikings i reckon

however many need to and however many deserve to. And thats the ones who need dropping and who get promoted.

I think Toulouse have a great chance and so do Widnes, So if Paris do have what we need then we would be looking at 3.

Crusaders are obviously in a bit of trouble. They have 2 seasons to turn it around. If they dont and they dont look like doing it then they are obviously the first candidates.

Wakefields continued participation is almost completely reliant on their new stadium (and whatever you may think of that, currently they simply arent sustainable long term in Belle Vue) Castlford and Salford too

Hull KRs debts are worrying, as is the admission that they cant get their stadium up to a level that will keep them sustainable without outside help they dont seem very advanced on

there is also the option (dependent on tv rights) to expand SL by one or two if needs be

Such confidence

just because some french millionaire has chucked money into Stade Franchais and made them a success in union doesnt
mean they they could do the same at league.

If the Brisbane Broncos couldnt make London a success with there track record,what chance people with no real understanding of the sport miles away from the real league heartlands manage?.

I can see it now,this guy(max whatever) will tire of getting little reward for his outlay and will pull the plug in 5 years

if they are prepared to bankroll it, let them have it

toulose, paris and widnes in.

wakey out, SL 16 teams. If CC fail wakey get yet another chance

If the money is there ?