French Playing Numbers - less than 3k

[SteveM]

http://www.totalrl.com/index.php?showtopic=204549&st=20

Apparently in March 2010, "there were 7474 registered players of all ages who regularly take part in competition and belong to a club. Of these, only 2291 were open aged players. That is the sum total of regular senior players in France. Compare that figure with the 16200 currently registered with BARLA."

This was taken from Totalrl.com. Is RL in France on the verge of extinction?.

 

[jim_57]

This was taken from Totalrl.com. Is RL in France on the verge of extinction?.

No.

 

[Heritage XIII]

No, the high growth in French rugby league is coming in the juniors who make up a huge % of RL numbers. Already there are numerous new junior clubs sprouting up to encourgage school kids to move onto clubs. With French govt funding 16 new regional managers, the numbers will keep increasing.

The French RL have also set up keep academies to provide pathways for these juniors. As we see results when French juniors play the likes of England and Wales, they win. They are also very competitive againt the Roos & junior Kiwis.

So when you have growth in juniors, that is a good sign. Now they need more pathways at senior level like Toulouse and Catalans provide. Hopefully in the next few years we'll see senior numbers grow.

Kind of makes you think how pathetic French rugby union must be when they sign French league players. But it's the same old story-large numbers but pathetic quality that pervades union

 

[SteveM]

The trouble is ,as with most of England, most kids playing a couple of hours of tag at school are not playing the game at the weekend. The ones who really want to play, can't because there are no league clubs in their area.

The other issue is that tag, is not rugby league, it is tag. It may be more similiar to league than union but it's presented as a generic form of "rugby" and these kids are just as likley to go to a union club as a league club.

Have as many development officers as you like, if there are no clubs to play for then these kids are lost to rugby league.There is no rugby league infrastructure of any sort in most of France.

If any decent players are discovered I would be think they would head to a union club as it is a national sport.

French RU clubs are always looking for cheap players who can fill squads and play bit parts during the long season. RL International ozzie and French players are ideal.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

French RL has survived Nazi occupation, Vichy government bans, theft of all of its assets, the denial of its right to even call itself rugby league, years of poaching by shamateur union clubs, more modern poaching from pro union clubs, its own poor administration and lack of success at club and national level. I don't think it's about to shut up shop now.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Onya Steve.. continuing to keep it real :thumn

The board is so much richer for your presence....

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

This coming from a bloke who swore with hand on heart that there was not 1 single team based in Paris, then ran away for 4/5 months when it was pointed out to him that they have their own division.

Good 1 steve, any more info?

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

lol, Steve reminds me of the sort of moron from outside Australia looking at the NRL table and seeing only 2 teams with Sydney in their name, thus Sydney must only have 2 teams in the NRL :lol:

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Heritage XIII is on the money.

RL in France moved foward with the Dragons, it should do so again when they once again hit some form, the stadium upgrade is finished and if Direct8 show some fidelity with their braodcasting. I do think they need to stand on their own two feet one day rather than tagging along in the SL, but this would require some serious venture capitalism at a time when Europe is heading into tougher times.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Steve

 

[bowes]

While those figures are correct the game certainly isn't dying, it's never going to be huge but it will survive. Once the juniors start coming through there will be enough talent for a 2nd SL side (not necessarily Toulouse) but a 3rd would be a long way off and a French SL impossible.

Even if there were just 1000 players a sport wouldn't die off if juniors came in whereas a sport of 20000 players could die if they were all in their forties