Crusaders withdrew their Super League application as late as yesterday. Just wondering if they'll be exempt from relegatiion from the Championship next season if they finish bottom?

Well my lovely house is built on sand with no real foundations and its still there since 1920 and the is no movement. So ner.

you'll think so when the Stockport/Manchester fault line moves you'll own a bungalow then

Can someone explain to me just how all this is somehow better than clubs fighting it out on the field of play (the very reason people are attracted to the sport in the first place) for a Promotion and Relegation ? ?

Whoever lost there Franchise would always really really struggle to survive knowing its a minimum 3 year sentance to the Championship.

What is the future for Crusaders now, how the hell do there fans feel after 1 move across the country and then 1 demotion , a shabby and shocking way to treat any set of fans, but these are generally new fans to the game !

Lewis has to answer questions about his leadership in the franchising process and for me his position shouldn't be assured without some explanation.

IMO P&R should be introduced from next season with minimum standards and this franchise 'farce' has to be stopped before it causes any more damage to the professional & semi professional clubs in Britain and France.

Where's Scooter when you need him, he knows how to provide the alternate viewpoint.

I've no doubt the Shorpe scooterist will be back with his spurious arguements to keep the franchise system going.
I did say some weeks ago, both on the forum and in a (published) letter to the Rugby Leaguer that, in effect, non promotion or relegation will be the death of RL below the wierdly named "SuperLeague". Leigh are not the only club struggling to attract a backer. Also we are the laughing stock of every other sportsfan in the country over this wierd franchising system - even County Cricket saw the benefits of two divisions with promotion and relegation. The proof of its value, as I said before, was the fantastic crowds at the end of the last soccer season where the battle for survival took place in three or four games on the last weekend or so, with large crowds. When will Red Hall ever learn? Believe me mates - never! Also why have Toulouse pulled out? Obviously because the team was unlikely to tick any boxes for the next round of franchises, but suddenly, now they are in Elite 1 in France, have started putting together their application for 2015 already, (RL Express this week) so who do you think will get the idiots vote then? It won't be Leigh. Fax or Fev, you can bet your bottom dollar.