French Elite clubs in Northern Rail Cup next year

[bowes]

http://www.com1site.com/FFRXIII/actualites.php?a=256

The format doesn't seem certain but seems to have 2 groups of 5 and the winners playing off for a NRC spot (in knock out?) Not sure what the Lezignan already in means.

The Welsh club coming in I presume means the Scorpions, not sure why Ireland's suggested as Irish and Welsh domestic clubs are RU off season clubs and couldn't play at that time of year and would get thrashed, would far rather see clubs like Bramley in than them. irish clubs hardly ever even turned up for one off Challenge Cup matches.

Seems a good idea for French Elite clubs in to me as long as they have their own groups for travel cost reasons. Would be terrible if they tried to include Irish domestic clubs though. Also they only get 20 domestic games (18 home and away plus 2 extra fixtures) plus Cup so the extra 4 guaranteed is good.

Also in the news there Montpellier are moving up to expand the league to 10 teams with struggling St Gaudens linking up with Toulouse as their reserves (think playing matches at both)

[The Future is League]

http://www.com1site.com/FFRXIII/actualites.php?a=256

The format doesn't seem certain but seems to have 2 groups of 5 and the winners playing off for a NRC spot (in knock out?) Not sure what the Lezignan already in means.

The Welsh club coming in I presume means the Scorpions, not sure why Ireland's suggested as Irish and Welsh domestic clubs are RU off season clubs and couldn't play at that time of year and would get thrashed, would far rather see clubs like Bramley in than them. irish clubs hardly ever even turned up for one off Challenge Cup matches.

Seems a good idea for French Elite clubs in to me as long as they have their own groups for travel cost reasons. Would be terrible if they tried to include Irish domestic clubs though. Also they only get 20 domestic games (18 home and away plus 2 extra fixtures) plus Cup so the extra 4 guaranteed is good.

Also in the news there Montpellier are moving up to expand the league to 10 teams with struggling St Gaudens linking up with Toulouse as their reserves (think playing matches at both)

i was hoping that the TREIZE TOURNOI would return one day, but on the face of it this looks alright.

[bowes]

Actually seems like these French groups are a pre qualifier and there will be 24 teams in the NRC, 20 English plus South Wales and 3 French. Toulouse, the French champions and the winners of the French NRC qualifier tournament.

Seems like fixture congestion for the French team but if they can get over it it should be alright. There's been talk of Irish and Scottish clubs but that is clearly going to come to nothing

[Wellsy4HullFC]

http://www.com1site.com/FFRXIII/actualites.php?a=256

The format doesn't seem certain but seems to have 2 groups of 5 and the winners playing off for a NRC spot (in knock out?) Not sure what the Lezignan already in means.

The Welsh club coming in I presume means the Scorpions, not sure why Ireland's suggested as Irish and Welsh domestic clubs are RU off season clubs and couldn't play at that time of year and would get thrashed, would far rather see clubs like Bramley in than them. irish clubs hardly ever even turned up for one off Challenge Cup matches.

Seems a good idea for French Elite clubs in to me as long as they have their own groups for travel cost reasons. Would be terrible if they tried to include Irish domestic clubs though. Also they only get 20 domestic games (18 home and away plus 2 extra fixtures) plus Cup so the extra 4 guaranteed is good.

Also in the news there Montpellier are moving up to expand the league to 10 teams with struggling St Gaudens linking up with Toulouse as their reserves (think playing matches at both)

Some of the ideas I've heard floating around are having their amateur representative sides enter. Surely that would make them a bit more competitive?

[bowes]

Some of the ideas I've heard floating around are having their amateur representative sides enter. Surely that would make them a bit more competitive?

No because you'd still struggle to get 17 players from the Irish league to enter even between all the clubs. Still seems a bad idea to me

[Wellsy4HullFC]

No because you'd still struggle to get 17 players from the Irish league to enter even between all the clubs. Still seems a bad idea to me

That bad is it? Not even with some funding or sponsorship? Just seems like a good opportunity if they wanted to test the water.

[Blind side johnny]

Actually seems like these French groups are a pre qualifier and there will be 24 teams in the NRC, 20 English plus South Wales and 3 French. Toulouse, the French champions and the winners of the French NRC qualifier tournament.

Seems like fixture congestion for the French team but if they can get over it it should be alright. There's been talk of Irish and Scottish clubs but that is clearly going to come to nothing

I'll leave my judgement until we actually see the structure of the leagues. However, the gates for the NRC have generally been quite poor so it will definitely be a loss-making exercise for these teams. I hope that they know that.

(Also, on a more pessimistic note, this still assumes that the 20 English clubs will still be in existence next year. I am not entirely confident that this will be the case.)

[bowes]

(Also, on a more pessimistic note, this still assumes that the 20 English clubs will still be in existence next year. I am not entirely confident that this will be the case.)

Yeah Blackpool and Gateshead seem very shaky. Skolars won't fold ever but wouldn't be surprised if they end up in the NCL some time after it switches to summer

[bowes]

That bad is it? Not even with some funding or sponsorship? Just seems like a good opportunity if they wanted to test the water.

Yeah it really is that bad, but they only offer 4-6 games plus playoffs so not surprising. An extra 4 games of being hammered's not enough to change that. There was a suggestion of an Irish winter league for off season Gaelic footballers, not sure if it is still happening

Scotland could get something together but would basically be Edinburgh Eagles/Napier University with maybe some of the forces players from Moray. They'd still ship 100-150

Edited July 5, 2010 by bowes

[audois]

Actually seems like these French groups are a pre qualifier and there will be 24 teams in the NRC, 20 English plus South Wales and 3 French. Toulouse, the French champions and the winners of the French NRC qualifier tournament.

Seems like fixture congestion for the French team but if they can get over it it should be alright. There's been talk of Irish and Scottish clubs but that is clearly going to come to nothing

A bit difficult to see the French finding space to organise their own qualifying group. On the other hand having a three team group of say Toulouse, Lezignan and say South Wales playing each other home and away sounds promising.

[jannerboyuk]

Yeah Blackpool and Gateshead seem very shaky. Skolars won't fold ever but wouldn't be surprised if they end up in the NCL some time after it switches to summer

Would that be a bad thing? Maybe the summer switch gives us a chance to develop a real pyramid (personally i think abandoning winter is a mistake but nevermind).

[bowes]

A bit difficult to see the French finding space to organise their own qualifying group. On the other hand having a three team group of say Toulouse, Lezignan and say South Wales playing each other home and away sounds promising.

They only play 20 leagues games plus cup and playoffs so shouldn't be too hard to fit 4 more fixtures (over 5 weeks) as they don't really play enough games

[bowes]

Would that be a bad thing? Maybe the summer switch gives us a chance to develop a real pyramid (personally i think abandoning winter is a mistake but nevermind).

No I agree. I think we should have one bigger franchised Championship division (restricted by criteria not a fixed number of teams) and have everyone else in a proper pyramid setup.

[audois]

They only play 20 leagues games plus cup and playoffs so shouldn't be too hard to fit 4 more fixtures (over 5 weeks) as they don't really play enough games

It looks like they're playing 22 games with 'two extra' games already. Full opening round all at Lezignan last week in September and and at the end in Avignon. May be at a push they could permit the return phase after Christmas the 'retour' double up as counting for Championship and NRL qualification.

[bowes]

It looks like they're playing 22 games with 'two extra' games already. Full opening round all at Lezignan last week in September and and at the end in Avignon. May be at a push they could permit the return phase after Christmas the 'retour' double up as counting for Championship and NRL qualification.

The 20 was including those games. Not really enough without the extra NRC cup games

[audois]

The 20 was including those games. Not really enough without the extra NRC cup games

Sorry I got the numbers wrong. As you say it's 20 in regular season. I cannot see though the attraction of say FCL-ASC going head to head again. They will play each other three times in the regular season and then there's the coupe and play offs. Plus FCL will be involved in the Challenge Cup too I understand. But the top couple of teams playing TO would create interest for sure.