Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 7:48 pm  

caslad75 wrote:

Biting ignored, blatant no try given, but forgetting the dodgy calls etc.. the simple fact really is that if Toulouse had anyone in their side with a brain they could have closed that game out yesterday regardless. 12 all, repeat sets, in front of the sticks and nobody took the 1 pointer and then they threw the ball into touch. Toronto go up the other end and take the 1. Toulouse then have the chance to grab a draw and again refuse the 1 in front of the sticks, instead putting the ball in the air. They are either stupid or someone had some decent money on the result.

Spot on pal. Iv'e just watched the game now after recording it. It was absolute madness from Toulouse for not going for a drop goal.

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:11 pm  

Had Toulouse won that game -- which they deserved to because of the awarding of a bogus try to Toronto -- they would have been in the MPG at a minimum. Now Toulouse have to at least beat Hull KR at home or Salford away, and perhaps both, to make the MPG. Toulouse winning one of those games is possible even if not highly probable, winning both is most unlikely, especially since Jackson Hastings will be back for Salford in the final game.

Toronto, especially if it beats Widnes next weekend in Toronto, has almost guaranteed a home spot in the MPG against either Toulouse or more likely London.

A shame for the game. We need Toulouse in Super League ASAP.

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:13 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Had Toulouse won that game -- which they deserved to because of the awarding of a bogus try to Toronto -- they would have been in the MPG at a minimum. Now Toulouse have to at least beat Hull KR at home or Salford away, and perhaps both, to make the MPG. Toulouse winning one of those games is possible even if not highly probable, winning both is most unlikely, especially since Jackson Hastings will be back for Salford in the final game.

Toronto, especially if it beats Widnes next weekend in Toronto, has almost guaranteed a home spot in the MPG against either Toulouse or more likely London.

A shame for the game. We need Toulouse in Super League ASAP.

Need is a very strong word, I would take any of the sides, providing they play and win fairly.

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:17 pm  

WakeyTrin1873 wrote:

And what’s your key word there?

“Maybe”

Toulouse could have maybe gone on to win the game, earn promotion to super league, win the super league, win the grand final and win the challenge cup. Just maybe eh?

Well replace my “maybe” with your “shouldn’t”

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:26 pm  

WakeyTrin1873 wrote:

Need is a very strong word, I would take any of the sides, providing they play and win fairly.

I say "need" because having both Catalans and Toulouse playing in Super League will do wonders for the game's popularity in the southwest of France. It will increase French youth participation and fan support, not to mention possible corporate support, thereby making the French playing pool bigger and ultimately the French national team stronger. That is not only good for the game in France, it is good for the game in the UK, because England will benefit from having a more competitive French national team to p;lay against each year.

Any such heightened growth in interest, participation and funding for French rugby league will create a new momentum for the game in France. It may even prompt some wealthy French men to invest in another French professional team, either from Avignon or Paris, or perhaps from both, to make a bid for Super League. That will be all good for rugby league.

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:32 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Had Toulouse won that game -- which they deserved to because of the awarding of a bogus try to Toronto -- they would have been in the MPG at a minimum. Now Toulouse have to at least beat Hull KR at home or Salford away, and perhaps both, to make the MPG. Toulouse winning one of those games is possible even if not highly probable, winning both is most unlikely, especially since Jackson Hastings will be back for Salford in the final game.

Toronto, especially if it beats Widnes next weekend in Toronto, has almost guaranteed a home spot in the MPG against either Toulouse or more likely London.

A shame for the game. We need Toulouse in Super League ASAP.

Your analysis is correct, and it's possible that Toulouse could lose out on being in the MPG on points difference. To do that though, they'd have to win one of their last two games because obviously finishing on 4 points isn't enough.

The Toronto try was a travesty, but TO had subsequent chances to win the game via a relatively simple conversion, and then an opportunity for a drop goal to win the game which they didn't even attempt.

We don't "need" TO in SL any more than any other team. If they do enough on the field of play then they'll be there regardless. I'm less convinced regarding TWP - the logistical issues of a team in the comp on the other side of the Atlantic were highlighted with the lack of a video ref for the TO game.

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:35 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

We need Toulouse in Super League ASAP.

You constantly roll out this sound bite but back it up with very little. Please, in your own unique style, explain why a second side from the south of France, that delivers no VFM for our mainline sponsor, or our #1 income source, our UK broadaster is NEEDED in the ESL?

Toulouse have a hardcore of 1,250 supporters who are dwarfed in numbers by the support of arguably one of the top RU sides in Europe in their professional era. They would deliver nothing other than a derby game for Catalan, although how a 200km journey is hardly a "derby". Soccer is #1 in France, but Union is a giant in the south of France and catalonia........so what else will Toulouse bring to the SL table other than a side of below standard frenchmen bolstered by pensionable Aussies.

I get it that you're a fan, but you need to explain your use of the word NEED........because you desiring it does't make it a pre-requisite requirement to have a second French side in SL......especially one that loses to 2 other championship sides in the qualifiers.

I'd argue that SL needs stronger heartland sides before it needs any more expansion. 7,000 freebies in Toronto to a beet festival isn't going to interest anyone in terms of sponsorship and neither will 4,000 in Toulouse when the union lot are getting 17,000 and winning the European Cup....

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:41 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

Well replace my “maybe” with your “shouldn’t”

You’re speculating, Toulouse shouldn’t have been thinking about drop goals and to prove my point with the bomb kick in the 79th minute, evidently weren’t!

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:48 pm  

WakeyTrin1873 wrote:

You’re speculating, Toulouse shouldn’t have been thinking about drop goals and to prove my point with the bomb kick in the 79th minute, evidently weren’t!

You’re speculating as well on the assumption that the following 60 mins following the MCB ‘try’ play out the exact same.

Re: Wolfpack Beat Toulouse in Toronto Thriller : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:51 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

I say "need" because having both Catalans and Toulouse playing in Super League will do wonders for the game's popularity in the southwest of France. It will increase French youth participation and fan support, not to mention possible corporate support, thereby making the French playing pool bigger and ultimately the French national team stronger. That is not only good for the game in France, it is good for the game in the UK, because England will benefit from having a more competitive French national team to p;lay against each year.

Any such heightened growth in interest, participation and funding for French rugby league will create a new momentum for the game in France. It may even prompt some wealthy French men to invest in another French professional team, either from Avignon or Paris, or perhaps from both, to make a bid for Super League. That will be all good for rugby league.

You're possibly right to a degree that it will increase interest in the game in the region, but stretching that helping to create to an improved French RL national team doesn't quite compute. To build a stronger national team, there needs to be a far bigger and stronger amateur and semi-pro setup supporting it all. One additional team in SL is a relative drop in the ocean if the underlying infrastructure isn't already there.

This is also why TWP are (imo) going to struggle in the medium term. Their model is based on wealthy benefactors with plenty of free tickets, with a lot of supporters seeming to spend more time in the beer tent than watching the game.

Btw, I might not agree with you, but that was a reasonably well thought out response. Please keep it in that vein and we can have some sensible debate here!