JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:
My dream is that hopeful Hull KR and terrific Toulouse can both beat witless Widnes and lowly Leigh and thereby replace those two teams in Super League.
It may turn out that hopeless Hudderfield, having been beaten in the Challenge Cup by swindling Swinton, could be worse than the other Super League stragglers, and lose its Super League place. I would be disappointed if that happened because the city of Huddersfield was the founding location of our game, and the club has a good stadium.
But the most important thing for the good of the game is that terrific Toulouse gets promoted to Super League, thereby giving more French players a shot at professional rugby league, and creating a local derby with Catalans. It will be hard this year, because the team is full of young inexperienced French novices. Next year that team will surely be stronger because of its 2017 experience, but next year it will be competing with the titanic Toronto Wolfpack, which will be the favourite for promotion to Super League. On the other hand it is just as likely that two teams could get promoted next year as it is this year.
Jean, much a I enjoy some of your expansionist banter (well sometimes), there wont be two clubs promoted this season, next season or, the season after.
however, what may happen within the next few years is, a return to franchising/licensing and that could allow Toulouse, Toronto and KR to compete in the top flight.
I've said previously that Big Nige and the other big boys from the RFL should be going along to Sky and getting a substantial increase in funding from them for having an expanded SL competition, which would allow for more clubs in the top flight AND increase revenue for all clubs.
I dont see the current structure being fit for purpose, if we are trying to expand the game.
There is still a real possibility of Catalan dropping into the middle 8's and that may be enough to make The RFL believe that the current structure isn't delivering whet they want.
