Toulouse 18 Cougars 22 Man of the match Jamel Goodall (Cougars)

I have every confidence on how this "super 8's" will end up for the Cougars.

Toronto we're on our way!

Toulouse away first up. Least amount of time for fans to book up flights etc.

Got to expect that from the RFL as we get the rough end of a lot of decisions they make. That been said finishing 6th in this league is poor so only ourselves to blame.

Fortunately I am a glass half full kind of person. Having travelled to Toulouse For the first game I am glad it is the first game and also that it is away. Get it out of the way and then focus on winning the rest !!
The reality of where we are this season statistically in the league gives us every chance of still qualifying for the play offs. We are only 3 points behind 3rd place , York ,who we have beaten twice already. We lost to fifth place with the last kick of the game and we got blown away early in the season by Doncaster/Hull, so I believe all these games are winnable now. However we are going to have to step up our performances in order to do this which has not really been forthcoming of late. Here's hoping.

Toulouse 48 Cougars 14

MOM - Rhys Curran

Clearly I have misunderstood the Super 8s concept, I'd assumed that the points accumulated through the season were zeroed for the super 8s competition, not too sure I see the point of it now!

The point is that teams are rewarded for their efforts, or lack of it over 14 league games.
The incentive is to get into the subsequent top five in order to still have a chance of promotion. The system is based on merit so what's wrong with that ?

The only one where points are actually returned to zero, is the bottom 4 of SL, top 4 of CC, because they've been playing different teams up till now. All others just carry the points forward.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with it per se. Just my understanding of it, we may as well have played everybody home and away then gone on to the play offs. Just my two penneth worth .

The home and away system plus play-offs would have made the season finish in about november, hence the truncated version I assume. Home and away plus p-o's would have been great with a 10 team league for example. I don't think the present system is perfect but given there are 15 teams it's not that bad in my humble opinion.