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Super League France competition?

joshreading

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
1,720
Do you think this might be a hint for the coming of a French Super League competition? I personally think it could be done.

It is David Waite speaking:-

"I have always been supportive of expansion and if we can get a Super League in France that is competitive there is no way the international game is not going to improve.

Think - Toulouse want in, Villneuve, obviously UTC - are there maybe another 5 areas of France that would be interested? Even Italy, Russia, Spain? You could make it a conference of the wider Super League Europe
 

carlnz

Bench
Messages
3,860
That would be a dream if France had their own Super League...But who would fund it would be the problem...great idea though
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,891
Unlike the Warriors, the UTC inclusion does have the plan to get a full-time professional RL competition going in France. Whether that be called Super League or something else doesn't matter, but that would go a long way to helping RL grow at the international level.

There is a need for a third full time professional competition as a source of players, in recent times there has been too much of a dependence on Australia, though thankfully now the English game has grown to such a level it is true pool of good talent as well. A third pool of top quality talent only helps all RL nations improve depth.
 

Puig-Aubert

Juniors
Messages
218
joshreading said:
Do you think this might be a hint for the coming of a French Super League competition? I personally think it could be done.

It is David Waite speaking:-

"I have always been supportive of expansion and if we can get a Super League in France that is competitive there is no way the international game is not going to improve.

Think - Toulouse want in, Villneuve, obviously UTC - are there maybe another 5 areas of France that would be interested? Even Italy, Russia, Spain? You could make it a conference of the wider Super League Europe

The issue is the RL don't exist in Spain and in Italy.
Villeneuve is a too small town for a Super League club. I think a SL team in toulouse is possible.
 

Der Kaiser

Juniors
Messages
410
There are RL clubs in Marseille,Cannes,Lyon,Paris and think Bordeaux but they are so small and would need a big investor to come in and make them anywhere near the level of UTC.Lyon who are the only team from the cities mentioned above have scored 9 points for example in the first 3 games I believe in the top French league-hardly good is it!
 

carlnz

Bench
Messages
3,860
It doesnt need to be a super league comp...it just needs to go professional...and by the looks of it they get pretty good crowds now!! If Italy can get in it that would be great!! When France goes Professional they will turn into an International force!

Even if they start with four or 6 teams...that is better than no full time clubs!
 

Ari Gold

Bench
Messages
2,939
i can assure that Italy would be able to provide a SL side, they have over 50 players playing in French RL, and im sure these players woudnt mind coming back and playing for an Italian Club. Padova would be the team to represent Italy, every year when the plans are drawn up for a domestic comp in Italy they always have sufficient number of players and admin. willing to go play RL, so really there are no problems there. Lets not forget the Italian-Aussies that would maybe consider playing in this team, i know for a fact that Paul Franze would like to play RL in Italy. Jamie Russo is also playing in France, i reckon he would like to represent an Italian Club as well.

But hey guess what..... the only problem is money. and thats always going to be a problem for this French super league to get up and running.
 

Puig-Aubert

Juniors
Messages
218
robyalvaro said:
i can assure that Italy would be able to provide a SL side, they have over 50 players playing in French RL, and im sure these players woudnt mind coming back and playing for an Italian Club. Padova would be the team to represent Italy, every year when the plans are drawn up for a domestic comp in Italy they always have sufficient number of players and admin. willing to go play RL, so really there are no problems there. Lets not forget the Italian-Aussies that would maybe consider playing in this team, i know for a fact that Paul Franze would like to play RL in Italy. Jamie Russo is also playing in France, i reckon he would like to represent an Italian Club as well.

But hey guess what..... the only problem is money. and thats always going to be a problem for this French super league to get up and running.

No Italians play RL in France!!!!!!
 

Ari Gold

Bench
Messages
2,939
uh yeah there is......im not saying in the top french league......but believe me there is. I know there are a few players from Avignon (40% of pop are italian orgin) who play RL, and the Franchini brothers as well.....
 

In-goal

Bench
Messages
3,523
I would t hink this sort of setup is atleast 20 years away maybe more, the idea of Super League clubs in Italy and Spain though is a good one.
 

hgfds

Juniors
Messages
573
lyon seem to be better than last year they only lost by 7 this week and simply have to stay like the melb storm ,the challenge cup has to be a great positive for the french league if they can get a match in the larger cities of toulouse or lyon it should help their profile,toulouse appear to be stronger this year so lets hope they can do it.apparently marseille has a 3 yr plan to enter the elite comp and bordeaux is trying to reestabilish itself.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,891
carlnz said:
DO they get paid in the elite comp?

They do, its a semi-pro competition. Usually its an alright part-time wage, and for a number of players they get accomodation and a car to use for free for the season.

If the French could secure a good competition sponsor, and maybe from their better TV contract they are negoiating, full time might not be out of the picture in the near future.
 

carlnz

Bench
Messages
3,860
That would be great! I would rather watch French play league than the Super League....

Like I said before..they should start with a six team comp and work from their...and from what you guys have been telling me, they get pretty good crowds at the moment!
 
Messages
3,590
robyalvaro said:
i can assure that Italy would be able to provide a SL side, they have over 50 players playing in French RL, and im sure these players woudnt mind coming back and playing for an Italian Club. Padova would be the team to represent Italy, every year when the plans are drawn up for a domestic comp in Italy they always have sufficient number of players and admin. willing to go play RL, so really there are no problems there. Lets not forget the Italian-Aussies that would maybe consider playing in this team, i know for a fact that Paul Franze would like to play RL in Italy. Jamie Russo is also playing in France, i reckon he would like to represent an Italian Club as well.

But hey guess what..... the only problem is money. and thats always going to be a problem for this French super league to get up and running.

I was just about to ask the same question . Where do you get this bullsh*t 50 from ?
Please stop Bullsh*tting on here mate .
There's not even 50 Italians rugby union players playing in France .
 

Ari Gold

Bench
Messages
2,939
k maybe not fifty.....but there would be enough players to field a super league team. You may not know it but there are is a decent amount of players from Italian origin playing in the french league, especially near the Avignon area.
 

rugged

Juniors
Messages
2,415
Why don't they just set up a French super league team with the addition of lots of expat Australians, some English people (or British) that can't get a go in SL yet?

If there were some sort of international board they could sponsor something like this for the good of the game and then it would inspire a grass roots comp.....maybe.
 

markstan

Juniors
Messages
215
The idea of a French Super League is quite good maybe not so much French but probably more central European SL with a greater proportion of French teams + players. Not saying it will eventuate but supposing it does there must be a team in Paris, Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon.

My stance is that Personally i think a team in Luxembourg would be ideal, could draw a decent number of spectators from the surrounding region. Luxembourg being the banking capital of the world you could probably at least get bidding for sponsorship amoung any companies?

others to consider Brussels, Strasbourg, Frankfurt heaps of companies, Cologne Massive potential huge surrounding pop within short distance plus big city.

further South There is even more Potential a Swiss team? any one of Basel, Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, or Geneva could possibly support a side. Switzerland has plenty of companies and money, not sure though on laws cos there not part of the EU. As far as Italy is concerned either city of Milan, Genoa, or Turin would be fine all have industrial companies if i remember correctly so potential sponsorship.


Other places in France personally would like to see a team in say Chamonix would be pritty good in front of Europes tallest mountain would be pritty cool, Monaco also would be ideal lots of companies there , if not Nice Cannes, or St Tropez, must have 1 in that region. Elsewhere possibly a team in Nantes or Rennes in the North west. Possibly also a team in Limoges, or Bourdeaux. Maybe even Andorra have money and they've got a good expat community and am pritty sure they have a Union competition there?


Basically the 4 French cities Luxembourg, 1 of the other Nthn teams Mentioned, 1 Swiss, 1 Italian. Riviera, 1 N West France, 2 South France, Chamonix (option)


So Possibly around 12 teams if it's going to be Professional thats realistically where the teams are going to have to be otherwise it's not going to get the funding. Basically it's dependent on at least a tv Audience which is what sponsors will look for. Unfortunatley realistically you wont get sponsorship for some of the current sides in the top French division they must be overlooked if sponsorship can be obtained elsewhere. This model proposed of course would only be acceptable should sufficient Sponsor money be attained.

The only problem one might have to overcome is getting some players from Italian German and even French Union Sides to make it work better. Would need some initial outlay but depending on things after 1-2 years you could tell if generally it would be finnacially succesful and League Beneficial.

I know it's very brief please dont tear me to shreds.
 

Atticus Finch

Juniors
Messages
19
I think David Waite meant "a competitive Super League TEAM" in France. Anything else at the moment is a pure pipe dream. Let's walk before we run.
 
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