Toulouse: the future of rugby league in France. : Wed Dec 17, 2014 4:07 pm
There is now only two weeks left before the RFL Chairman Nigel Wood issues a response to Toulouse's request to be allowed to join the RFL's Championship division in 2016. The President of the French Federation Carlos Zalduendo gave Nigel Wood until the end of 2014 to give an answer, so as to give Toulouse the chance to develop its team and infrastructure in time for 2016. This will be a crucial decision for French rugby league, because without a second full time professional French club there will be no discernible improvement in France's competitiveness in international rugby league. Entering the Championship will give Toulouse the chance to fight its way into Super League, and thus give a boost to the development of the French national team by (a) generating more juniors from a wider catchment area that exists around Perpignan --- Toulouse metropolitan area is over one million people, as compared to the entire area around Perpignan which has only 300,000 people -- and by (b) creating more full time professional openings for French players. That will be true even if Toulouse relies upon 6-8 foreign players in order to compete. The more French professional players there are, the more chance of quality French players in the national team.
Having two French clubs in Super League will also intensify fan and media interest in the game throughout southwestern France in particular, by creating a local derby twice each season. Toulouse has already been given the green light by local municipal authorities for the redevelopment of its existing small stadium into a 10,000 seater. The stadium is conveniently located across the street from a metro station.
Nigel Wood has stated at the end of the World Cup that the international game has to be developed, with more competitive teams, for the general health of rugby league. If he is to be taken seriously then he must say yes to Toulouse's request.
