One great thing I discovered watching the French LER Cup on internet TV is that the Carcassonne stadium has been renovated massively, with a new grandstand where once there was only a few benches, and the old grandstand on the opposite side is being extended. So my guess is that the stadium may be close to Super League capacity (12,000). It certainly looks 300% better than before.

Only problem is the running track, so it is not a rugby purpose built stadium. But still better than anything southeast of Toulouse and north west of Perpignan.

I hope some Leigh fans were there.

Widnes and Leigh should both get a franchise long before Toulouse. I don't think we need a second French SL team, building a strong French Super League would be better for the country's development in the long-run - how much must Cats spend on travel costs to the UK in a season?!

But they wont!!!

The French are a million miles from being capable of having 12 professional clubs.

Celtic were a million miles away from being ready for an SL franchise.

You guys should too actually.

Cougarmania could roar again!

Hey how about your beloved Quins today eh?! Whilst we played great, it also sounded like Quins were about under par.

I wonder what the rfl told toulouse they need to work on for 2012?

So are they seriously being considered for SL for 2012?!

One more away game the majority of English RL fans will get priced out of!

They won't. Toulouse are finding their true form after a lack of proper preseason preparation. They will be in Super League for 2012, and I fully expect them to thump Hull KR when the Estate Dwellers visit. Not that you will see any of it, seing as how you never travel further than you can bicycle.



You cannot build a Super League in France until you have half a dozen successful French teams in the existing Super League Europe. The money will not be there for a professional league in France until you have incrementally built new professional clubs via the existing Super League Europe. Working through SLE is the only way to create French professional clubs at the beginning.

You need at least ten clubs to have a professional league. Even if you assume that one French club is added to SL every three years, we won't get to six French clubs until 2024. Even then you have to have the finances, management and the junior and senior support structures in place at another 4 clubs to allow them to step up to the professional standard. I expect Barcelona to be part of the mix in SL as well within the next 6-9 years. But it still will not be possible to create an independent continental SL before 2024 at the earliest.



What is it to you? You and your club don't pay the costs.

I would take you more seriously if you bothered to attend Hull KR away games. But obviously you are not at the Stoop today. You are an armchair fan, the kind of fan that is not worth the time of day for any club.