Toulouse into League One

[miguel de cervantes]

It's official.

http://www.to13.com/le-to-en-route-vers-langleterre/

 

[Storm13]

Don't know how this is going to work out but good luck to them and hoping for no repeat on the last time they were a part of the English structure.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

What's the point? Without franchising they will have to win through to super league with one hand tied behind their back.

 

[Evil Homer]

Good and bad news. On one hand it gives them a route to Super League, on the other hand it's a lower standard than they are currently playing at and surely reduces the chance of success even if they do eventually gain promotion.

 

[hutch]

Surely they don't have to lower their salary cap to compete?

And will the Toulouse Broncos be making the step up to elite?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Most elite teams would be better than C1 so you could have a Toulouse reserve grade side play in a stronger comp than the first grade side. The whole thing is becoming a joke.

 

[roughyedspud]

Waaahhooo a trip to toulouse next year...

 

[CC_Roosters]

Would many have complained if they got dropped into the championship imstead of league one? I am glad they are on the pathway to super league though. If it means a strange year in league one which they should be getting promotion from first time round then it will be a worthy sacrifice.

Any official word on how the cap will work for them?

 

[Rodney]

i hope both championship caps get a raise,
not much point in having P&R if your going to equalize everyone with the cap.

Not to mention the super 8s stage is going to be severely hampered if half is playing at almost double the cap.

 

[langpark]

Another thing I've been wondering; what will happen with the next season of Elite? Since it's still a winter league? Will they play half a season then make a switch? Or will they not take part at all and spend the next 8-9 months just waiting around for next season of League One to start??

 

[deluded pom?]

Waaahhooo a trip to toulouse next year...

That's the spirit 'spud. Given up on Oldham's chances of promotion already?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Another thing I've been wondering; what will happen with the next season of Elite? Since it's still a winter league? Will they play half a season then make a switch? Or will they not take part at all and spend the next 8-9 months just waiting around for next season of League One to start??

Why would they play half a season?
If they have a feeder team in the elite some of the players will play part of the season with that side and then move up to the top side... to play in a weaker comp.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Toulouse Broncos, the feeder club, will take part in the Elite.

I get the feeling it was british belligerence that obliged Toulouse to start out at League One level. The other clubs just didn't want them having an easy ride.

 

[langpark]

Why would they play half a season?
If they have a feeder team in the elite some of the players will play part of the season with that side and then move up to the top side... to play in a weaker comp.

yeah but the numbers still don't add up. Either way you'll have an entire squad doing nothing for the next 8-9 months.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

What do you think happened last time. Or when Catalans entered. They will have part of a squad playing in the elite, part will be new signings and, yes, there might even be a few who wont play for nine months. The club will actually have to ensure it has the depth to cover two teams come February. What certainly won't happen is Toulouse Olympique playing in the elite until February and then pulling out. Nor would the ffrxiii let that happen.

 

[langpark]

So I take it Broncos will now move up to Elite 1? And it will be filled by Toulouse Olympique players until the transition in Feb? I wonder who will move up to Elite 2 then to fill that void.

One other concern I do have too, is the financial strain on all these clubs that are full of part-timers. Their travel budgets will be at least double that of Super League clubs! This is how the 15-team comp will look in 2016:

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Perhaps TOXIII will sacrifice a few home games to the UK if only for 2016.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Perhaps TOXIII will sacrifice a few home games to the UK if only for 2016.

I would say some sort of travel compensation funds will be worked out between the rfl and league one clubs.

Either way i think regionalisation of league one in future years would be of benefit to all involved. Semi pro football is organised along a north and south basis at below the national conference so there is an example of a similar arrangement working. In L1 could be a east/west split which would give a good balance of promotion chasing and "expansion" clubs in each while halving the travel burden. Alternatively go north/south and create a playoff mechanism for the second promotion spot to the championship between the conferences.

I suspect next year there will be some sort of regionalisation of the fixtures at this level even if it remains as one ladder.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

If Canada gets in it will make Toulouse look like a stone's throw.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Well they're in, lets hope they can gain promotion.

Still don't know why the RFL and FFR XIII can't be honest and just say, "we want two French clubs at all times in the European Rugby Super League" and be done with it.