How long does London need to develop the game. 12 years on and there still getting crowds in the 3,000's.... I mean comon its not a small place London is it?

In the spring of 1994 it was announced that the Australian NSWRL side the Brisbane Broncos was buying the club, which would be renamed 'London Broncos'.

In 1996, despite not playing in the top flight, the London Broncos were selected by the RFL to be part of the new Super League on the basis that it was essential for the sport to have a high profile representative in the capital.

You have hit the nail right on the RFL head.

That is why the RFL promoted Celtic Crusaders. That is why Richard Lewis is looking at the possibilty of a second London club in the Olympic Stadium post Olympics.

That is also why they are gung ho for Toulouse, even though there are no Sky subscriptions legally in France. But Toulouse is advantageous for several reasons. Not only does it make the Super League look more international, more like the more popular Heineken Cup than the less popular Guinness Premiership in RU. It increases the player pool in France, which the French national team needs in order to become competitive, and hence makes the international matches more financially valuable for the RFL and the FFRXIII. The addition of Toulouse also enables the FFRXIII do get a better price for its TV contract, and thereby gets the FFRXIII off the RFL or RLIF begging bowl.

All of these arguments will apply to a Paris franchise, in spades. Do not think that Toulouse will be the last French club to join the Championship and later Super League. Having Paris in SL ups the value of the Sky, BBC and French TV contracts. It also helps increase the French player pool and the quality of the French national team.

one name:

Bobby Goulding.

Can you explain what you mean?

First off I’d just like to make a massive apology to Huddersfield fans for forgetting their club. It wasn’t ignorance but I purely forgot about you for a moment whilst I was writing all this down. I can see Huddersfield in SL in 2039 also if they crowd continues to increase along with other requirements.



The RFL have an unhealthy obsession with expansion as I think we all know. I can’t see the RFL ever letting go with London and will always push to make it second to football. The amateur scene seems to be flourishing up London but the fan base as you said is doing the latter.



Same can be said for Catalan Dragons & Celtic Crusaders really. Just that all three have diffrence paces of fitting into the on field and off field agenda. I think we all agree that if either of these three where a Yorkshire or Lancastrian team then they would have been dropped years ago. But its another rule for expansion clubs and another one for English heartland clubs.

If the French are serious about challenging at international level with NZ, AUS and Eng then they would have appointed a damned sight better qualified coach.

Bobby was a great player but has only coached Rochdale - hardly making him International coach material - especially with the suggested applicants.

OK, What the the quaility of the GB Squad. How many young quailty players come through the ranks of est English teams? But lets just kick them out so we can develop the game in Europe?
Shouldnt a competive sport be more important than SKY sports?

i think celtics position after 3 years will have some bearing on their decision. if theyre still picking up no points and attendances have dropped the whole expansion club thing will seem a lot less of a dream.

i really do hope they bring back promotion/relegation though, surely you all agree that without it both leagues attendances suffer, as well as outsider interest in the game.

Ideally with the way things are going by the 3rd set of franchises the SL will look like this:

Leeds
Harequins
St Helens
Wigan
Castleford/Wakefield (Depending on facilities/ average table finishes)
Sheffield
Gateshead
A Midlands team, possibly Nottingham
Edinburgh
Celtic
Tolouse
Catalan
Warrington
Huddersfield

RL in France will be preparing to add Catalan/Tolouse back to their improved, better marketted competition in 3 years time.

Bradford will have fallen behind Leeds/Wakey/Cas/Huddersfield and will drop out due to amount of West Yorks teams.

Leigh/Fev/Fax will miss out due to similar scenario's to Bradford.

Not saying this will happen but it would benefit the game no end.

hang on a second, you seriously think that one of the most sucessful teams of the lat 10 years be dumped out of SL while clubs like celtic are in? thats absurd