Interesting to note that an RFL delegation is in France this weekend meeting the big French powerbrokers this weekend. Toulouse, Catalan and FFR XIII.



The FFR XIII have scheduled a press conference in Toulouse next week, so hopefully good news is imminent.



See below extract from an article on the FFR website:





The English governing body (RFL) visiting this weekend

Nigel WOOD, RLIF President and RFL Chief Executive will make an official visit to France from the 27th February to the 1st March.

He'll be accompanied by Jon Dutton, Directory of Projects and Planning.

The schedule for the weekend :

- Friday 27/02 : Meeting with Carlos ZALDUENDO, President of FFR XIII

- Saturday 28/02 : Meeting in Perpignan with representatives of the RFL, the FFR XIII, the Catalan Dragons and Toulouse Olympique XIII, following a consultation between the Catalan club and the English governing body, after attending the Super League fixture between the Dragons and Warrington Wolves and the Pool A match between St Esteve XIII Catalan and FC Lézignan XIII.

- Sunday 01/03 : Meeting with the Toulouse Olympique XIII management, including a presentation of the renovation/reconstruction project at stade Arnauné (13,3m euro) before travelling to Carcassonne the AS Carcassonne vs Toulouse Olympique match (which will be live-streamed). They will then return to Manchester in the evening.

If you can get Toulouse for SL from that then I can read that Salford will win every competition this season from the same information.

if they want in



start form championship one and earn there way!



can't alter the new league format now

Indeed a licensed system was a better way to introduce teams into the top flight. Toulouse, and Catalans, will have to now suffer the same consequences as the other teams playing in SL/KPC. No protection or three years grace from relegation.

more than happy to see them in SL if they earn it the way every club below has to.

Yep, 4 clubs gifted franchises, only 1 still standing, tells it's own story. British fans are not American or Australian, anything ersatz or manipulated immediately alienates fans here!

If Toulouse has proper financial backers they should be allowed straight in. Sod who it offends, NONE of the clubs in the Championship are worthy of a place in Super League and if Toulouse are properly backed they should be allowed in.

If they have the backing then it should only take them only 2 seasons to come through the divisions the correct way and take their place on merit shouldn't it? its only one season of cruising through championship one, then get a SL standard squad together (if they have so called backing) make the top 4 in the Championship and prove themselves by beating the bottom four of SL and gaining entry the proper way.Not too much of a hardship for a Strong club surely?

If salary cap was equal then yes. But reality is Toulouse will not be able to build a team to get promoted due to the unequitable salary cap farce. This farcical p&r model was contrived to appease fans who feel you need promotion, without any real risk to the SL clubs the RFL is investing millions in every year.

It would certainly be a brave Person to bankroll a new club under the new structure.

Any Championship club that is lucky enough to gain promotion from the "relegation league" will, more than likely, be fighting for their SL survival the following season.



The new structure all but kills of the potential to expand the game, and although the RFL were incapable of making the franchise/license system work, it was the right model

for expanding the game.



Unless Toulouse are fast tracked into SL and protected from relegation, they would be crazy to "gamble" on SL



The lack of forward thinking from the governing body is truly awful and bordering on reckless.



Having another French club in SL would be an excellent idea and would certainly help the game in France and they would need time to succeed. However, their inclusion will of course mean that life becomes just a little bit more difficult for some of the "heartland" clubs.

Starbug posting here ,



The current Championship salary cap allows for a full time squad to be assembled , it is the full time aspect that is the important factor , not specifically the amount , I expect at least 1 team to get promoted this year by defeating a SL club along the way , removing the old argument " yes but the promoted club would lose to the relegated club , and then just swap players with it "



However I also wouldn't have any issue with the Championship salary cap being set at what any club can afford , and if a Toulouse were in a position to spend up to the SL cap , then fine , let them do it , although no doubt it would be a mostly Australian team IMO

Does everyone realise Catalan was introduced before franchising and before P&R was scrapped!



Toulouse can easily be introduced into SL due to a precedent already being set.

But it's not simple p+r any more so there is no precedent. How would a relegation exemption work? You have to finish in the top 3 of the Middle 8? Where would that leave the "million pound game"? Or would it become 3rd vs 4th? Is it fair a team can finish 3rd one year but get relegated just because Toulouse is involved in the middle 8? And what if Toulouse finish 4/5 in the middle 8 - would they still play the million pound game for a meaningless result? Too many variables to condition for with the middle 8 system imo.



If Toulouse want to be in SL, let them fight they're way up like everyone else. The door is open for it to be doable (in theory at least).

peoples head will explode if toulouse gets fast tracked and 3 year exemption from relegation. buts thats the only real option, and i believe another french side is a must and a plan needs to be put in place for them to come in in 2017. with a year (2016) in the championship to prepare.