That's a question I've been asked so often, I think it warrants it's own thread.

Why Paris then. Speaking to a very well connected friend of mine yesterday, it seems that Stade Francais want a Super League side playing out of Charlety and this was part of their charm offensive towards the game they've summarily ignored, at best, for 70 years. Hence scenes of Bernard Laporte, Nicolas Larrat and the Stade Francais chairman in deep conversation during the game.

I think it would have been better 2 years from now though, as a Paris side in the LER is unlikely for another 3 years, let alone a Championship or a SL side.

It is a good point that if the three aforementioned decide to go for it they could probably field an all-french side of union converts in the Championship in a couple of years.

If it's union converts they want, then the likes of Sonny Bill, Gasnier, Luke Rooney et al may be considered.

How far north does league reach in France?
Why exactly has it failed in the capital?

Lyon and a complete lack of interest.

Lyon's a big city. Is there potential for rugby league to grow and take off there?
Would it be an idea to concentrate on some of the bigger cities/towns with already esatblished rugby league clubs?

Lyon-Villeurbanne's struggles suggest it's a losing battle, at least at the current time, in the city.
Elsewhere, the story is much the same. Lyon, Mille, Toulouse, Bordeaux all have well-established clubs, but are dominated by other sports. Trying to establish those clubs in the wider firmament may be a better plan than to parachute a team into Paris with no roots. Tried before and failed, even if Stade Francais are backing it this time.

From speaking to people in Toulouse last week I got the impression there's definitely an appetite for rugby league in the city.

From what I'm hearing the Catalan Championship might not be going ahead next year. One of the Girona players told me of phone calls and visits from both the Catalan and Spanish rugby unions. Nothing strange in that you may say, but they were the first visits in a number of years.
Apparently there are plans to play a summer touch rugby tournament, which wouldn't allow time for the rugby league to take place.

Bastárds

Are you really surprised?
When something like this happens it always makes me think of the story of when the RFL sent a 'fact finding team' out to Morocco with equipment and balls. They set up a league and coaching school.
In true rugby league style it was forgotten about until three years later when the RFL went back to check on the progress of their project. Guess what they found when they got there. The players were using all the equipment, balls, shirts etc.... to play rugby union.

No. If I was then it'd make it look like I'd learned nothing from all my years, decades even, of watching the game.

Vichy Government as well, time heals though.

Sorry. Wrong twice, John.

Nantes has featured rugby league through the years, as well as Paris - both north of Lyon by quite a margin.

As for interest, rugby league has always been politically isolated by union in France. Why would it be different in the centre of power that is the capital?

Paris has also had rugby league teams over an extended period since the 1930s. Pre- the Vichy escapades of union, Paris was well represented in rugby league.

To this we will eventually return, if the public can again see the game as it did in the 1930s...viewing our product is integral.

In a nutshell, hence Paris.

In the past, yes, but not for many years. Clubs have come and gone with alarming regularity, PSG being just the last in a long, long line.
You could have pulled me up regarding Corbeil though - they're talking a good game.

More news about the proposed Stade Francais stuff in the local papers. Too tired to go through it right now - 'appen later - but it's [url=http://www.lindependant.com/articles/2009-11-09/laporte-le-stade-francais-a-bien-un-projet-super-league-74483.phphere[/url if you want a look. I'm slightly disquieted it about it.

I'm confused, they talk about SL in 2012, which can only happen in one of a few ways:
* Steal all the good Catalan players (and possibly lead to converting some to union)
* Run a SL side off a union academy side, or union castoffs
* Take all the good players from TO and take their place in SL.

I don't see this as a good idea. Now, 2012 for Paris to find a Championship side, backed by SF. That would be a different proposition entirely (though maybe 2012 for a Paris LER side, 2015 for a Championship and 2018 for SL would be more realistic).

On the other hand, this was interesting

So a "French" U20s side playing in the SL reserves comp, would this be in place of or in addition to the Catalans?

Isn't the best way for this type of project to go to establish a revamped, and rebadged - franchise based - French Elite League?

That way clubs like TO can develop without the costs associated with travel to the championship.

Perhaps 10 teams in quality stadia, possibly to incude Stade Francais?

No relegation to enable the building of infrastructure, and no "second teams." Rather than have UTC seen as a Catalans Dragons reserve, relocate them to a nearby city/large town with their own identity?

To add to the comp 4 groups of 5 with QFs, SF and a European Trophy Final between the French Elite and the Championship Sides?

Im totally pro French RL and ultimately would love to see the Dragons, TO and Stade in SL but serious work must go into the FFRXIII competition to underpin this and guarantee the future for French clubs and their players. Ideally French players need somewhere to go to make a living as a player at a club other than the Dragons.

I know the contributors on this thread are highly knowledgeable on French RL so apologies if the thoughts I have have been made before

Ps - no point putting this on the VT or you get some numpty tell you that Flatcap Rovers should come before foreigners because they've played the game for 3000 years!

I know you lot on here dont think that way!

Not sure what changes you are suggesting other than rebranding the Elite league? A full-time French league has to be the plan once there are enough teams, but that is a long way off.

The LER struggles to maintain 10 clubs, none of which are SL standard. If we could parachute a SF Paris side into the LER it would get us 10 clubs, ranging in ability from poor Championship 1 to average Championship side. TO showed us that even good LER sides cannot compete to Championship standard.

A French Super League is a great idea, but one that would require a number of French teams being at the right level, i.e. some top LER sides, some sides in the Championship and some from SL. If we got to that stage the decision would have to be whether Catalans want to move to a lowe rleague for a few years or stay in the top flight. Obviously 5 years down the line the French league might catch up with the British one...

If you wanted a French "Super" league you currently have possibly 4 clubs that could be in it, and that would be tenuous. While it can be discussed possibly it's 20-50 years away so too much could happen in the mean-time.

A franchise based league like super league rather than a promotion/relegation based one with salary caps and minimum standards I really mean

The LER is essentially a franchise system. They just lack enough sides that want/can sign up at that level

Instead, so I reckon

Is there a TV deal in place for the LER?

Hope you guys understand im not going with the line of sending french clubs back to a french league, just developing a solid french league from which clubs like a "Stade" could emerge and progress to Super League.

How do you think the weaker clubs could improve to level things out? Salary cap? Finance? Management?

Just if the RFL is serious about supporting the FFR XIII these are the relevant questions I suppose?

Which four are you thinking of?

No. Sport+ did take the Championship and Cup finals. Can't remember if Orange Sport even covered those last season