NEW RFL chairman Nigel Wood believes that the inclusion of French clubs in the British game must “benefit” both nations moving forward.
The future of both Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique has been one of the main questions put forward since Wood was appointed both as interim and then permanent chairman of the Rugby Football League.
The Dragons have already been forced to subsidise the away travel and accommodation of all Super League sides and officials making their way to the Stade Gilbert Brutus this season.
Former Catalans boss Steve McNamara claimed that the powers-that-be were “choking” both Catalans and Toulouse, and now Wood has responded.
“I’m told Leigh took 4,000 supporters down to Catalans, probably £1,000 apiece. That’s an economic impact of £4 million,” Wood said on Sky Sports’ The Bench podcast.
“So the inclusion of French teams creates significant economic impact. How much of that is actually finding its way back into the very club that made that happen at Leigh? That’s the challenge we have to get right.
“I keep getting told we shouldn’t build a club on away support and I keep having that kind of thrown into discussions – that’s entirely right.
“But at the moment, there’s an imbalance because you know full well that British supporters will go en masse into France, whether that’s the Championship club who is going to Toulouse or the Super League club who is going to Catalans. But the reverse doesn’t happen.
“So we have to find a way to work to the benefit of both the British game and the French game.”