Will Catalans Dragons be exempt from relegation?

[Highway1]

With the new super league structure coming into effect soon, will the Catalans Dragons and prospective french clubs be exempt from relegation, just like the rule in 2006-2008?

 

[parraparraparra]

they should be

 

[Evil Homer]

No.

 

[hutch]

If they get relegated you can wave goodbye to French rugby league. They should be exempt, along with Toulouse!

 

[CC_Roosters]

If they get relegated you can wave goodbye to French rugby league. They should be exempt, along with Toulouse!

Not so sure. Imo if there are 2 French clubs in the structure after it is implemented then it takes off the relegation pressure where they feel it threatens the sport. Making them immune would alienate fans and clubs who are vulnerable to relegation. make them immune only to relegation to championship one is the only step I would take.

The fight for a top 8 spot is going to be very interesting. Leeds, wire, Wigan and huddersfield are at the moment the standout clubs. The rest are interchangeable down the ladder.

At least clubs with ambition to join the elite and say to investors and sponsors there is a direct route to super league join us on that journey. Hopefully this is the difference in more television money and gets the likes of by sport interested even if just to push up the price.

 

[Wilson1]

Having them exempt from relegation will just not work. What do you do if they come 9th? Do they just play in the top 8 anyway and the team who comes 8th during the season may still get relegated?

The Catalans are the only team in a country of 60 million. If they are so bad that they get relegated then rugby league in France is already dead. France survived without a super league team for many years. In fact France have hardly made any international progress despite having a team in the Super League compared to when they didn't. If Toulouse are good enough then they can work their way through the tiers.

 

[southernairliebird]

Agree with Wilson1. Super League will go nowhere if we keep having exemptions.