Toulouse Franchise bid for SL

[ParraEelsNRL]

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=147&ContentID=66023

Toulouse present bid to join Super League

3rd April 2008, 9:00 WST

Rugby league side Toulouse have officially presented their bid to become the second French side to play in the English Super League, club president Carlos Zalduendo confirmed today.

Super League organisers have decided to admit two more clubs for the period 2009-2012, bringing the total to 14, and will decide between bids from English clubs Salford, Halifax and Widnes, Welsh side Bridgend and Toulouse.

“We have met all the criteria specifications which were required of us,” Zalduendo told AFP.

“Our budget was estimated at around 4.8 million euros ($A8.28 million). We have also highlighted the possibility of using the Colomiers Stadium (in the Toulouse region) or that of Stade Toulouse (rugby union), while waiting for our grounds at Minimes to be increased in capacity to 10,000 places,” he explained.

“In addition we have been assured of the backing of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Tourism Office and the Toulouse-Blagnac airport who will be efficient partners in welcoming English supporters.”

The final decision will be announced at the end of July.

The only French club to currently participate in the Super League are the Catalans Dragons from Perpignan who have played four seasons.

TOULOUSE
AFP

I don't think they'll make it in this round, maybe better off waiting till 2012 to let Les Catalans grow some decent roots and gain more support.

I would hate to see them come in and fail, that would drag both French clubs down.

But you never know, it could have the opposite effect and really pump up French RL.

 

[The Tank]

I'm praying Toulouse make it.

 

[marv]

I'm praying Toulouse make it.

Lets hope they dont, they are nowhere near ready this time

Agree with Parra eels, let catalan grow even further, prehaps consolidate a play off spot instead of diluting the player pool of a side who hasnt finished higer than tenth yet.

Walk before we run springs to mind

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Lets hope they dont, they are nowhere near ready this time

Agree with Parra eels, let catalan grow even further, prehaps consolidate a play off spot instead of diluting the player pool of a side who hasnt finished higer than tenth yet.

Walk before we run springs to mind

Exactly, we need Les Catalans to be strong before putting another team in that "might make it".

 

[langpark]

They lost to Bradford 98-something overnight. I hate to say it but i think they're no chance now.

 

[screeny]

That result has no bearing on the strength of a SL franchise bid. Toulouse were missing 8 first teamers apparently.

 

[dallymessenger]

That result has no bearing on the strength of a SL franchise bid. Toulouse were missing 8 first teamers apparently.

i agree,

if they can achieve that budget as detailed, a strong squad wont be a problem.

i expect toulose in SL to be a much bigger club than peripgnan given the population of toulose is well over 1 million and it is a very wealthy city with lots of corporate support and their chairman has good links in the city

parra posting on TRL

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

i agree,

if they can achieve that budget as detailed, a strong squad wont be a problem.

i expect toulose in SL to be a much bigger club than peripgnan given the population of toulose is well over 1 million and it is a very wealthy city with lots of corporate support and their chairman has good links in the city

parra posting on TRL

I still say put them in next time, give Les Catalans a few more years to grow and give Toulouse at least another 4 years to build properly, there should be heaps more French players around by then who will have got more experience with the Catalans or other SL teams to build something from scratch with a proper local flavor.

parra posting on TRL

Yep, not as much as here though, too many union trolls running the joint for my liking, they seem protected.

 

[dallymessenger]

I still say put them in next time, give Les Catalans a few more years to grow and give Toulouse at least another 4 years to build properly, there should be heaps more French players around by then who will have got more experience with the Catalans or other SL teams to build something from scratch with a proper local flavor.



Yep, not as much as here though, too many union trolls running the joint for my liking, they seem protected.

on TRL, nah, ive gotten away with lots on there.

2 of the mods though are involved in ru - one of a ref and one plays both rl and ru.

ive had a fair go on there

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Well I think Toulouse should get in, both because I think they will meet the criteria and because in my opinion they are ready and deserving. Finances are my biggest concern (and that goes for any club) because as long as they are sound the rest will look after itself in time. Given that their finances seem strong and the fact that they will have three years to build, I believe they and the game will only benefit from inclusion in 2009. One thing is certain for me, they will be better off in 2012 having played three years of SL than if they remain in the LER and enter in 2012.

I also don't think they will affect Catalans. They are two different markets. They may be competing for players to some extent but there are enough to go around and the salary cap will ensure neither can dominate the other in the player market. In fact I think their inclusion will benefit Catalans. A local derby would be great for both clubs and the addition of a second club will only help to build media and public awareness/support for the game, which benefits Catalans and the French game in general. Two clubs must surely be attractive to TV networks for example. They could broadcast a home game every week.

Two clubs with at least 10 French players each in their 17 each week means France could pick a fully professional Test side who are used to playing a high standard of footy week in week out, not to mention the other players will get a run irregularly. Catalans have given about 25 French players a chance to play in SL who almost certainly wouldn't have got that chance otherwise. Toulouse's introduction would only increase that number. It has to be good for the French team and the international game in general at a time when a Quad Nations is on the horizon.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

Interesting article on Toulouse's bid on the RFL site... puts the loss into perspective...

http://www.therfl.co.uk/challengecup/news_item.php?id=10297

McNamara supports Toulouse

Bradford Bulls coach Steve McNamara was full of sympathy for Toulouse after the injury-hit Frenchmen were on the receiving end of a club record score.

The Bulls ran in 17 tries in a 98-6 romp in the fourth round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup at Odsal, beating their previous best result, a 96-16 Super League win over Salford in 2000.

Bradford’s victory margin equalled their 92-0 win over Workington at the same stage of the cup nine years ago while Iestyn Harris kicked 15 goals from 17 attempts to break the club record set by Joe Phillips in 1952 and equalled by Henry Paul eight years ago.

“You never like to see that sort of scoreline but we just had to get the job done and we did,” said McNamara.

“Obviously they are doing it tough at the back end of their season but they tried their hardest.

“We made some errors if you want to be critical but I thought our players conducted themselves well throughout the game.

“The most important thing is getting through to the next round.”

Full-back Dave Halley scored four tries and loose forward Glenn Morrison and winger Semi Tadulala both grabbed hat-tricks as the Bulls booked their place in Tuesday’s fifth-round draw.

The embarrassing scale of defeat will do little to help Toulouse in their bid to land a Super League licence for 2009 but coach Thierry Dumaine pointed to a big injury list and an end-of-season fixture jam.

Toulouse lost to leaders Lezignan in the last match of the regular season last weekend and were beaten in the domestic play-offs by St Gaudens on Wednesday night.

The French league had refused Toulouse’s request to have Wednesday’s game put back a week and they lost another five players to injury in that defeat.

“We are disappointed with the score but some of our best players are injured and we had a young side out,” said Dumaine.

“We knew it was a big step up and I just told my players to do their best. We are not conditioned to play 80 minutes at this level.

“If we were to come into Super League, 75 per cent of the team would change and we would have a professional structure.”

 

[crimpo]

I don't think the result last night affests their bid - though a 'miracle run' in the competition would have helped them and that now isn't happening.

Unfortunately I think there is very little chance of Toulouse's bid succeeding. There are still folk out there saying that we have to wait and see on the Catalans! Obviously home gates over 8,000 and a CC Final aren't convincing.

With two places up for grabs Toulouse look a distance behind Salford, Widnes and the Crusaders in the pecking order. I suspect it'll be Salford and the Crusaders - since we currently don't have SL teams in either Manchester or Wales - but I'm usually wrong on these things.

I hope Toulouse are realistic about their chances this time - like some of the other clubs involved the experience of putting the bid together and assessing their weaknesses and strengths can be made to be a positive for them when 2012 comes along.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I think people are forgetting there is a set of criterion in place to help decide the franchises. Forget "wait and see with Catalans" forget "they don't want two French teams" or "Sky don't want French teams". On the criteria Toulouse will score well, well enough at least to make the top 14. Therefore if SL does expand to 14 they will make it based on the criteria. The RFL is not going to set a criteria and then ignore it. They may look at other issues beyond the 10 points they have set out, but that is not likely to affect clubs that have cemented a place in the top 12 and I think Toulouse is a very god chance of doing this.

 

[marv]

The RFL is not going to set a criteria and then ignore it. They may look at other issues beyond the 10 points they have set out, but that is not likely to affect clubs that have cemented a place in the top 12 and I think Toulouse is a very god chance of doing this.

Why do people keep thinking we are using the 2012 Criteria for 2009

http://www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/about/page.php?areaid=193

](*,) ](*,)

 

[East Coast Tiger]

So the 10-point criteria is for 2012? What the hell are they using to decide 2009 then? Seems like it's just going to be a straight choice by the RFL. If that's the case no club is assured of getting a place.

 

[screeny]

Agree with ECT about the criteria issue. In fact, I would only be worried if on-field results were a part of the selection criteria. To my mind they should be the least important factor after the financial/development/stadia issues.

I hope Toulouse get in now. Think how far French RL has come in the last three years: they're posting increases in playing numbers, increases in clubs, the national team is participating well against bigger nations and the federation is accruiing more sponsorship due to increased TV exposure.

Toulouse would accelerate these advances again mant times over. When I compare the choice of having somewhere like Widnes with Toulouse I just laugh as to me it's a no contest, and I mean that with the greatest respect to Widnes, it's just that you have a small English town in the middle of lots of other clubs against a major industrial city in a strategically important part of the world for the sport.

 

[dallymessenger]

http://www.totalrl.com/fansforum/index.php?showtopic=45428

started a thread on TRL after seeing this here.

note Cliffs Spracklens comments. he is the expert on French RL.

he says that touloses franchise application is stronger now than when LEs Cats were accepted into SL a few years back.

toulose has a population over 1.5 million and many wealthy companies like airbus there.


when it comes to criteria they will be meeting all of them better than some current sl clubs

 

[dallymessenger]

Why do people keep thinking we are using the 2012 Criteria for 2009

http://www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/about/page.php?areaid=193

](*,) ](*,)

its very similar.

as this quote shows :

Clubs applying to join the 2009 Super League competition will be assessed against the following four areas:

• Stadium facilities.
• Finance and business performance.
• Commercial and marketing.
• Playing strength including junior production and development.

The fact that certain clubs applying for a license potentially may not have played in Super League before will also be taken into account.


the chairman of the club said the franchise application met every point needed to which the rfl will examine

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Agree with ECT about the criteria issue. In fact, I would only be worried if on-field results were a part of the selection criteria. To my mind they should be the least important factor after the financial/development/stadia issues.

I hope Toulouse get in now. Think how far French RL has come in the last three years: they're posting increases in playing numbers, increases in clubs, the national team is participating well against bigger nations and the federation is accruiing more sponsorship due to increased TV exposure.

Toulouse would accelerate these advances again mant times over. When I compare the choice of having somewhere like Widnes with Toulouse I just laugh as to me it's a no contest, and I mean that with the greatest respect to Widnes, it's just that you have a small English town in the middle of lots of other clubs against a major industrial city in a strategically important part of the world for the sport.

I agree with all that screeny, but I'm worried they aren't ready yet and it could drag both French clubs down if they are put in too soon.

I can see the positives and they are massive, but if it goes wrong, it could be the last straw type thing with French RL.

 

[dallymessenger]

I agree with all that screeny, but I'm worried they aren't ready yet and it could drag both French clubs down if they are put in too soon.

I can see the positives and they are massive, but if it goes wrong, it could be the last straw type thing with French RL.

why would it though

toulose is far enough away from Peripgnan not to get the same fans so i cant see how it will impact on cats other than maybe losing some players.

les cats are in favour of toulose getting in now.

plus a strong toulose club will help les cats get stronger from 2009 on.

realistically cant see much chance of it hurting them