The Daddy

Yeah, there's no obvious solution to this. Every option has a downside

Might be the best solution in a difficult situation. But does this not go against RFL operational rules in respect to funding clubs directly and propping them up. As I understand things our governing body cannot own, finance or invest into a club. Correct me if I'm wrong

Toulouse as the 13th ranked club should be given 1st refusal and the opportunity to demonstrate that they can make it work. That's if the opportunity arises

Then what's the point of IMG gradings?

No, the IMG gradings place Toulouse as the next team to be promoted to SL. The process where Leigh were selected to replace Toronto was farcical, no transparency and no reasons given that justified them being included. It was a corrupt process with Leigh selected to pacify the clubs. It seems like you want to repeat this process because it favours Bradford and doesn't take into account IMG gradings, league positions or any other factors that are fair. It would be corrupt to repeat the same.

According to the IMG gradings they should be next.

Huge conflict of interest if Nigel Wood is a Bradford shareholder. Not to mention they're not the 13th placed IMG club or even the next best performing club based on last seasons results or even this seasons results. And that's before we talk about the state of Odsal. It would be farcical and corrupt if Bradford replaced Salford. Just, no.

Given their recent financial history they should never have been in SL this season

As I understand things Stade Blagnac is not in the city itself. The RU club are primary tenants and considering they may be in SL next year the capacity will be too small. From what I remember there's an athletics track too which isn't good for atmosphere. Blagnac is a non starter. Stade Struxiano has a lot of open space and undeveloped land so would be ideal for a new development. I think it's best to develop Struxiano and stay at the current stadium until that's done

Stade Ernest Wallon is being renovated to increase capacity to 25,000. https://actu.fr/occitanie/toulouse_31555/agrandissement-du-stade-ernest-wallon-a-toulouse-ou-en-est-le-projet_62398951.html According to the article, this could result in TO relocating away from the stadium. A French poster on the Toulouse forum on Rugby Forum xiii commented that Stade Struxiano would be an ideal location for a TO stadium. The club already use it as a base, including for youth team games and is ideally located with a Metro station, bars and restaurants.

Looks like the young hookers Guillon and Rodriguez will have to step forward and fill the void

How long can we expect Gahan to be out for? He's looked really good so far this season.

Shane Richardson signed Carney at Gateshead. Are they close? Did he tip Carney off? Carney also played at Newcastle Knights and I'm guessing he has connections over there

I do think they would need to recruit heavily to be competitive in SL

Not in France it is. French sports clubs get most of their income from local, city and regional bodies. This is one of the reasons why Catalan Dragons rarely have attendances over say 12,000 but are one of the highest income generating clubs in Europe.

Well the points you were making weren't brilliant. I really don't know what attendances you expect French clubs to get at Championship level. Catalan Dragons never got attendances above 1000 until they arrived in SL. Attendances are a good indication of support but for some people it's an obsession. They can only be judged after an extended period in SL in a covid free situation

They're nothing like Sheffield. Has Sheffield ever had attendances of 10,000 in the Championship? No Toulouse has twice for play off games. Actually not many Championship clubs do get the attendances of TO, so im not sure why they're being held to a higher standard. Toulouse has far solid investment and backing than Sheffield has ever had. What will decide the success or failure of TO will be an extended time in SL in the same way Catalan has, nothing to do with Stade Toulousain.

That's the spirit, turn everything into a negative

No Hunslet wasn't the curtain raiser

I like the way the club is chugging along right now. They didn't go out and make huge signings in the off season, they've opted to give game time to home grown players and so far so good. At this stage there is no obvious runaway team in the Championship, but based on the first few games if TO can keep their key players fit they'll be in the mix with the likes of Widnes, Barrow, Bradford etc. It seems at though they've made a big effort to increase their crowds and there has been an increase in matchday attendance so far this year which is positive and bodes well moving forward. The club posted nearly 6,000 attending at yesterdays game. The new president Olivier Dubiois has said in an interview last year that he is pushing for the club to play out of a newly developed 10,000 capacity stadium in the future. I'm in agreement with this thinking, the club played at its own ground Stade Minimes prior to its renovation being opposed by local residents, the atmosphere was great and capacity appropriate to the size of the club. Stade Ernest Wallon is a great arena but it's just too big for where Toulouse are right now. Only negative from the game was Calum Gahan being taken off, let's hope it's not a prolonged long term injury.

Watching the Toulouse v Hunslet game and the young player Romeo Tropis is doing very well

Installed some wooden seats apparently

That statement or article or whatever it was from Mcmanus is childish and embarrassing. It reads worse than a student newsletter, you would have no idea it was put together by a chairman of one of the country's national sports.

How many clubs do Swinton have underneath them? I'm doubtful that Oldham, Rochdale and Leigh have a large number of junior clubs.

Do the current set of Greater Manchester clubs have several junior clubs underneath them? I'm not talking about the ones in the Wigan area