welcome to the club

[steadygetyerboots-on]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

[StevieTheTV]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

This :clap:

[gateman]

with the fixtures this weekend I would put my money on a Toronto v London million pound game, but there again I must be one of the worst tippers on this forum

[StevieTheTV]

If the results go this weekend how i think/hope they will,

Leeds to beat Toronto by 3 scores. Toronto end up on -1 points difference.
Toulouse to beat Salford by 1 score. Toulouse end up on +6 points difference.
Hull KR to beat Widnes by 3 scores. Hull KR end up on +23 points difference.
London to beat Halifax for 4 scores. London end up on +14 points difference.


I think the table will end up like;
Leeds 12pts
Hull KR 10pts
Salford 8pts
London 8pts
Toulouse 8pts
Toronto 8pts
Widnes 2pts
Halifax 0pts


I think at this moment, Toulouse would bring more to SL than Toronto as outlined by Steady earlier on. Plus, it would be interesting to see how Argyll and Perez deal with the disappointment, would they reduce funding / walk away??

[Hepworth7]

How sick would you be Stevie if all those results went the way you're predicting,get down the bookies fella!Just a case of if the Whinos turn up against Toronto.

[noxandrattles]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

also if fixtures work out right could mean a week in south of france to see 2 games

[steadygetyerboots-on]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

also if fixtures work out right could mean a week in south of france to see 2 games

How did I miss that?! Ring the RFL!

[Squaddie86]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

also if fixtures work out right could mean a week in south of france to see 2 games

How did I miss that?! Ring the RFL!

If only the RFL (Or more accurately, Super League Europe) had the kind of intelligence to organise the fixtures so teams play Tolouse and Catalans away in subsequent weeks...

Itd be incredibly easy to sort, would cut costs for teams, and allow travelling fans (particularly in the summer months proper) an opportunity for a bumper holiday - oh and give a potential extra revenue stream for clubs partnering up with travel companies.

But this is the organisation that has ditched the best part of the 8s (the middle 8s) and kept the worst part (meaningless loop fixtures)... so such thinking won't even cross their minds.

[Spanishtiger]

Unfortunately very true squaddie

[HuddsTigers]

One point I disagree with is that it would cut costs for clubs. Surely it would be more expensive.

Teams fly out on one day and come back the next mostly. If you play teams back to back, it would cost teams more in hotel costs including players and support staff. You also have to hire out training facilities. Then add on to that travel costs from Perpignan to Toulouse.

It’s much cheaper for the team to fly out, come back and then fly out again the following week.

[ERG2012]

One point I disagree with is that it would cut costs for clubs. Surely it would be more expensive.

Teams fly out on one day and come back the next mostly. If you play teams back to back, it would cost teams more in hotel costs including players and support staff. You also have to hire out training facilities. Then add on to that travel costs from Perpignan to Toulouse.

It’s much cheaper for the team to fly out, come back and then fly out again the following week.

Fair point HT however what about player welfare and tiredness?

Surely if the RFL joined up the writing and spoke to the French clubs/travel operators and tied in with a big hotel chain they could get a rebate to swell the coffers, fans get a better rate for their jollies and the hotel get more exposure through a new market

Then again there's BREXIT and they are French....

[HuddsTigers]

That's upto the clubs how they want to handle that. However, it could be argued that a 2 hr flight from Manchester to Toulouse is no different to sitting on a coach going across to St Helens on the M62 car park.

The point about hotels/travel operators is an interesting one. It could be that some travel organisations do offer tie ups for fans but for them to do it, it's whether a) they have capacity and a need to fill it; and b) whether they would gain anything back from being promoted to UK audiences.

It could also inconvenience some fans. Toulouse is over 2 hours from Perpignan too, which I don't think would benefit fans especially since a lot base themselves in Spain in Lloret. But Catalans Sports Tours may be able to do something in regard to that.

These loop fixtures are going to be a Royal pain in the backside. Could end up being 4 trips to France if Toulouse get promoted.

[old cas lass]

That's upto the clubs how they want to handle that. However, it could be argued that a 2 hr flight from Manchester to Toulouse is no different to sitting on a coach going across to St Helens on the M62 car park.

The point about hotels/travel operators is an interesting one. It could be that some travel organisations do offer tie ups for fans but for them to do it, it's whether a) they have capacity and a need to fill it; and b) whether they would gain anything back from being promoted to UK audiences.

It could also inconvenience some fans. Toulouse is over 2 hours from Perpignan too, which I don't think would benefit fans especially since a lot base themselves in Spain in Lloret. But Catalans Sports Tours may be able to do something in regard to that.

These loop fixtures are going to be a Royal pain in the backside. Could end up being 4 trips to France if Toulouse get promoted.

Yeah but you have to get to Manchester airport first.
Meaning travelling on the m62 and maybe sitting there for ages, that’s before the 2hr flight even sets off.

[Laner57]

Good point. Well put. But like everything it's all about money.

[The Fox]

One point I disagree with is that it would cut costs for clubs. Surely it would be more expensive.

Teams fly out on one day and come back the next mostly. If you play teams back to back, it would cost teams more in hotel costs including players and support staff. You also have to hire out training facilities. Then add on to that travel costs from Perpignan to Toulouse.

It’s much cheaper for the team to fly out, come back and then fly out again the following week.

Nothing to prevent the clubs still doing that is there??

The fans would stay for the week's holiday but the players could still go in and out same day for both games.

[tigerfeat]

That's upto the clubs how they want to handle that. However, it could be argued that a 2 hr flight from Manchester to Toulouse is no different to sitting on a coach going across to St Helens on the M62 car park.

The point about hotels/travel operators is an interesting one. It could be that some travel organisations do offer tie ups for fans but for them to do it, it's whether a) they have capacity and a need to fill it; and b) whether they would gain anything back from being promoted to UK audiences.

It could also inconvenience some fans. Toulouse is over 2 hours from Perpignan too, which I don't think would benefit fans especially since a lot base themselves in Spain in Lloret. But Catalans Sports Tours may be able to do something in regard to that.

These loop fixtures are going to be a Royal pain in the backside. Could end up being 4 trips to France if Toulouse get promoted.

looks like if they keep to there odds and evens loop fixtures which i think is what was meant in the piece i read this morning we will play saints in next years magic weekend

[Burratha]

Nothing to prevent the clubs still doing that is there??

The fans would stay for the week's holiday but the players could still go in and out same day for both games.

That could possibly disrupt the players even more - as there's travelling home from the first fixtures, and then getting ready to go back out there again only a few days later.

[TT Tiger]

For me it’s strongest team possible if any has a niggle or is a bit tight rest them. Let them worry about the fire we are going to bring. Also I think it’s a great shot of getting this St. Helens away monkey off our back, that said I wouldn’t mind losing this 1 if we go on to win the 2 after that. We are back where we like to be we are the underdogs the pressure is different it’s on the other side. We can beat any of the sides in the top 4.