There are conflicting visions on the future of Super League and whether French clubs should be in or out.
I HATE clickbait on the internet. Especially when it involves rugby league. I’ve learned to be very cautious with ‘thrilling’ or ‘exciting’ news about Catalans Dragons or Toulouse Olympique. So, on the internet, if I’m offered the chance to read how the Catalans Dragons could be knocked out of Super League, for example, I will firstly regard it as a late April fool’s joke or a way to attract the attention of the public to non-events.
I pay more attention to the work of genuine rugby league journalists such as Steve Mascord and Matthew Shaw. So when the former announced on his podcast that the RFL had organised a meeting on whose agenda was the future of French clubs, I started to become anxious. And when I found out that Matthew Shaw wrote a piece about the same subject, I became even more concerned. So, when the British journalist announced that some kind of rebellion was led by Derek Beaumont (ironically a man a with a name of French origin), Ken Davy and several Yorkshire clubs, I was starting to ask myself when the funeral of the French clubs in Super League will be, and, if, at least, Toulouse Olympique and Catalans Dragons will be offered to choose the colour of the coffin. And as the news was afterwards confirmed across the channel by Bruno Onteniente in ‘L’Indépendant, I had become very pessimistic and was waiting for the official announcement of the end of the French clubs’ participation.
Fortunately, that bad omen was counterbalanced by exciting news that the NRL could take up a stake in Super League (at the time of publishing the figure of 33per cent was mentioned) and rebrand the competition as NRL Europe, with two French clubs, the Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique. Phew! Also, the possibility to create an Anglo-French competition as some kind of second division. Phew again!
I am biased of course, but the NRL would be wise to get involved in European Rugby League now, and would be in a much better position than their British counterparts when Super League was created in 1996.
First of all, they would find a competition with two well established French clubs, and not just an offshore entity as Paris Saint-Germain was.
Toulouse Olympique, based in the third largest city in France, has a history, a very decent stadium to offer, the same as the most iconic rugby union club in France, Stade Toulousain, and is a strategic key to the southwest: an area steeped in rugby culture (even if it’s mainly a rugby union zone there). Toulouse is also an important industrial centre with some potential sponsors such as Airbus Industries (for example, the Australian company Qantas is a client of the European company and has partnerships with them). And of course, there are the Catalans Dragons, getting economically stronger season after season and who now got rid of their recurrent issue: the new 3,000 seats grandstand they will eventually get at Gilbert Brutus. Calls for tenders have been launched. Perpignan is a well-known name and city in Europe, and the personal link developed by Bernard Guash with the southern Catalans and Barcelona is an asset for medium term growth in Europe, potentially including access to the Camp Nou stadium as a possible place to relocate some games.
Plus, these two clubs are well connected with their respective local businesses, and if they receive aid from local authorities, they are less dependent than their counterparts in other sports. I suppose that you all remember that famous clickbait on the social media, which offered an apocalyptic vision about the financial state of Toulouse Olympique? Well, the Toulousains were not so much affected by the recent national budget crisis which led several local authorites to make some financial cuts this year.
Supporting French rugby league via these two clubs will be easier this time. They cover their own backs. They also learned to cope with an unfair financial competition; the obligation to pay their opponents’ travel expenses epitomises this inequity.
Secondly, media, which is the core problem of French rugby league will still be an issue, but much easier to bypass this time.
When Super League was created in 1996, the internet was not well developed in France, and digital media applications didn’t exist. You had to count on your good old telly, satellite dish, and mainstream media (paper press mainly) if you wanted your sport to be promoted. Or just if you wanted to know when or where you could see or watch the game of your favourite sport.
Paris SG XIII had also to face the ill will of the French media, and even the hostility of the famous sports newspaper L’Équipe. In 2025, the Catalans Dragons games are televised on the IP TV channels of that newspaper’s own group! Times have changed, and not by magic.
Of course, France Télévisions, the equivalent of the BBC, won’t spontaneously fly the Australian flag if NRL Europe appears in the European sport landscape. But is it as important as it would have been in the 90s? It may be unfair not to be covered by public broadcasting service but not as critical as in the past.
Younger generations now evolve in a constellation of various social networks, platforms and applications. And some French Treizistes already subscribe to channels that televise the code; to BeinSport, of course, but some also directly to ‘Watch NRL’. The NRL even has some fan clubs in France.
Toulouse Olympique and Catalans Dragons have learned to promote themselves through the hazards of the ill will of the French mainstream media.
NRL Europe would “just” have to calibrate their promotional policy. For example, they could put pressure on Beinsport so that this channel clearly promotes the code properly; they televise rugby league, their callers are competent and enthusiastic, but the Qatar-owned channel doesn’t advertise the code.
About the press, it seems strange ethically speaking, but some French newspapers or media (local private TV channels for example) develop partnerships with local sports clubs. Actually, you pay to be covered! NRL Europe would have to use this local tool at their disposal. By negotiating may be with the ‘La Dépêche du Midi’ group. That group, through its various local newspapers, offer a very fragmented coverage of rugby league; a few kilometres away and you lose the coverage of your favourite sport!
Given that the print media is not in good shape they will probably appreciate to have new resources; I don’t think that NRL Europe would ruin themselves in these partnerships.
If the NRL decides to play a role in Europe they won’t start from zero. They can benefit from the lessons learned through the mistakes made by Super League in terms of expansion and promotion and can count on an awareness of the NRL’s culture already present in a part of the French public.
I do hope that NRL’s interest in Super League will boost our game and that their involvement won’t be necessary to save our clubs from the short-term vision of some RL stakeholders.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 508 (May 2025)
