Toulouse Olympique

[Steve Slater]

Yesterday Toulouse should have been playing Fev, with home advantage and a mainly part-time team having to travel mid-week to France should have given them a slight edge. A win could have set them up for a top of the table clash with Leigh on 26th April, dependent on what would have happened between Fev & Leigh on 29th March? Who knows what would have happened at the end of the season but its a good bet that TO would have been in the run in?

To me they are going about it in the right way, and not going the boom or bust route. I have every respect for them and believe they would get there in the end apart from one caveat- If Toronto get relegated will they throw even more money about in order to get back in SL, and how long will it be before Ottowa and possibly more NA clubs are buying up all the best players? Expansion into North America will seriously jeopardise the chances of having two French clubs in SL.

[Harry Stottle]

5 minutes ago, Steve Slater said:

Yesterday Toulouse should have been playing Fev, with home advantage and a mainly part-time team having to travel mid-week to France should have given them a slight edge. A win could have set them up for a top of the table clash with Leigh on 26th April, dependent on what would have happened between Fev & Leigh on 29th March? Who knows what would have happened at the end of the season but its a good bet that TO would have been in the run in?

To me they are going about it in the right way, and not going the boom or bust route. I have every respect for them and believe they would get there in the end apart from one caveat- If Toronto get relegated will they throw even more money about in order to get back in SL, and how long will it be before Ottowa and possibly more NA clubs are buying up all the best players? Expansion into North America will seriously jeopardise the chances of having two French clubs in SL.

Said it before Steve, Fev are/were my favourite for promotion an expected loss because of the stupid league game - Fev being expected to travel midweek to France - will have no bearing, Fev would still finish in the top 3 and would have the opportunity to right the wrong of that fixture, plus the very noticable factor that come the 'big' games Tolouse just don't seem to be able to raise their game, I was going to use the word 'bottle' but I thought better of it.

[ATLANTISMAN]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Hi Paul thanks for the reply, I have said repeatedly North America will  not in the next 50 years produce SL players any quantity, the expansion excersize in that part of the world is more people watching, it will be a very long time before it is expanded in participants playing the sport.

London is an enigma it has proven the area can produce player's but does the public want a SL team the evidence by the support it attracts is negative, and watch the drying up of the talent the area produces, now that they have no development officers, The North East has yet to prove itself and I really hope it can do, France albeit it has an infrastructure has a very lot of work to do domestically, both their clubs in our leagues are reliant on overseas players to make up their numbers if they amalgamated both team's with French lads they would be barely competitive in SL, but I would much prefer empasis be put in France than across the Atlantic, France is presently with its infrastructure 30 - 35 years ahead of North America, it has the ingredients on the table to make a gourmet dish, America as not even done the shopping yet. Eastern Europe how do you suggest they are assisted? 

 

Hi Harry,

 

Thanks for the (Sensible) reply.I understand many on here wanting clubs here there and everywhere and at amateur levels I agree but at SL level we have to be realistic and sensible.

LONDON 

I have the feeling that London will start to slowing climb again over the next 1/2/3 seasons it will never be 10000 a match however 4/5000 is realistic with the right marketing which is in fairness  now happening (Or was until the lockdown) plenty of raw talent in London and their academy is doing well they even beat St Helens the other week.

NORTH EAST

I think that having NEWCASTLE THUNDER in SL is a far more realistic proposition than NA clubs lots of good local development work going on in the North East.

FRANCE 

I totally agree its a minor miracle that so many great players have come out of what basically is a small regional league played in small towns and villages and it needs to be nurtured and supported.

I did a survey of the decline of French players at the Dragons since the  end of franchising a couple of weeks ago on here it was staggering the drop both Mick Potter and Trent Robinson did a great job with the local French players sadly now its more about survival and being the top dog in town over USAP.

The regular tests in France at Toulouse and Avignon were starting to gain momentum but they pulled it the French need a regular proper international calendar v proper nations (Not made up heritage teams which means nothing) ENGLAND a regular mid season test in FRANCE and I would start to bring over teams like FIJI/SAMOA/TONGA/PNG their style of rugby appeals to the French.

 

EASTERN EUROPE

Massive talent their it needs a proper international development fund to finance officers some form of levy on major matches might be a good idea more effort has to be made as well to engage with the government sports bodies from here (No disrespect to the locals doing great jobs but in many countries they are seen as freaks and anoraks) I remember a similar explosion with American Football 20/30 years ago which has all but now fizzled out (In fact the Russian league management at the top were the same guys)

 

Paul

 

 

[Davo5]

8 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Fair enough, I will read into that you don't have any input to give.

Toulouse are a great club,I really hope they make into Superleague very soon.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

9 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Hi Harry,

 

Thanks for the (Sensible) reply.I understand many on here wanting clubs here there and everywhere and at amateur levels I agree but at SL level we have to be realistic and sensible.

LONDON 

I have the feeling that London will start to slowing climb again over the next 1/2/3 seasons it will never be 10000 a match however 4/5000 is realistic with the right marketing which is in fairness  now happening (Or was until the lockdown) plenty of raw talent in London and their academy is doing well they even beat St Helens the other week.

NORTH EAST

I think that having NEWCASTLE THUNDER in SL is a far more realistic proposition than NA clubs lots of good local development work going on in the North East.

FRANCE 

I totally agree its a minor miracle that so many great players have come out of what basically is a small regional league played in small towns and villages and it needs to be nurtured and supported.

I did a survey of the decline of French players at the Dragons since the  end of franchising a couple of weeks ago on here it was staggering the drop both Mick Potter and Trent Robinson did a great job with the local French players sadly now its more about survival and being the top dog in town over USAP.

The regular tests in France at Toulouse and Avignon were starting to gain momentum but they pulled it the French need a regular proper international calendar v proper nations (Not made up heritage teams which means nothing) ENGLAND a regular mid season test in FRANCE and I would start to bring over teams like FIJI/SAMOA/TONGA/PNG their style of rugby appeals to the French.

 

EASTERN EUROPE

Massive talent their it needs a proper international development fund to finance officers some form of levy on major matches might be a good idea more effort has to be made as well to engage with the government sports bodies from here (No disrespect to the locals doing great jobs but in many countries they are seen as freaks and anoraks) I remember a similar explosion with American Football 20/30 years ago which has all but now fizzled out (In fact the Russian league management at the top were the same guys)

 

Paul

 

 

I've always thought the France should play England or GB every year in a 2 match Test series one being played on Bastille Day... play one game in the south of France and the other in Paris i'd suggest the  Paris La Défense Arena

 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

I see that Harrison Hansen will be back at Toulouse Olympique XIII in 2021, assuming play is possible.

[Lowdesert]

On 16/04/2020 at 13:07, ATLANTISMAN said:

Hi Harry,

 

Thanks for the (Sensible) reply.I understand many on here wanting clubs here there and everywhere and at amateur levels I agree but at SL level we have to be realistic and sensible.

LONDON 

I have the feeling that London will start to slowing climb again over the next 1/2/3 seasons it will never be 10000 a match however 4/5000 is realistic with the right marketing which is in fairness  now happening (Or was until the lockdown) plenty of raw talent in London and their academy is doing well they even beat St Helens the other week.

NORTH EAST

I think that having NEWCASTLE THUNDER in SL is a far more realistic proposition than NA clubs lots of good local development work going on in the North East.

FRANCE 

I totally agree its a minor miracle that so many great players have come out of what basically is a small regional league played in small towns and villages and it needs to be nurtured and supported.

I did a survey of the decline of French players at the Dragons since the  end of franchising a couple of weeks ago on here it was staggering the drop both Mick Potter and Trent Robinson did a great job with the local French players sadly now its more about survival and being the top dog in town over USAP.

The regular tests in France at Toulouse and Avignon were starting to gain momentum but they pulled it the French need a regular proper international calendar v proper nations (Not made up heritage teams which means nothing) ENGLAND a regular mid season test in FRANCE and I would start to bring over teams like FIJI/SAMOA/TONGA/PNG their style of rugby appeals to the French.

 

EASTERN EUROPE

Massive talent their it needs a proper international development fund to finance officers some form of levy on major matches might be a good idea more effort has to be made as well to engage with the government sports bodies from here (No disrespect to the locals doing great jobs but in many countries they are seen as freaks and anoraks) I remember a similar explosion with American Football 20/30 years ago which has all but now fizzled out (In fact the Russian league management at the top were the same guys)

 

 

Barring the 1st year with Waite and MP, Mick Potter and Walter's had less french players than anyone so nothing staggering at all.  Robinson had 2 good years and finished 4th 2 years running (could be wrong but I know they were in the play offs) and Freyssinou carried around 20 French in the Cats squad for around his 6ish years.

The lowest theyve had has been with Steve Mac, the year they won the CC  so the french players debate doesn't stack up at all.

[ATLANTISMAN]

2 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

Barring the 1st year with Waite and MP, Mick Potter and Walter's had less french players than anyone so nothing staggering at all.  Robinson had 2 good years and finished 4th 2 years running (could be wrong but I know they were in the play offs) and Freyssinou carried around 20 French in the Cats squad for around his 6ish years.

The lowest theyve had has been with Steve Mac, the year they won the CC  so the french players debate doesn't stack up at all.

Have you checked the number of appearances made LD that tells the true picture.

I posted it around 3 weeks ago.

 

P

[Lowdesert]

13 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Have you checked the number of appearances made LD that tells the true picture.

I posted it around 3 weeks ago.

 

P

From memory, as I am in the end of the world, the number of frenchmen in the squad under Mick/Waites, Mick, was dropped to 17 in a squad of 30. It increased  to 21 under Robinsons 2 years and was maintained, until his end, by LF.  Dropped to around 15 under Steve Mc.

Does that tie in with what you have? 

The issue of having less frenchmen in the side being responsible for their form, barring the last 2 years, hasnt been the problem.  That has been down to the quality of players overall.

They certainly do need to get more french players in the team, but of the right quality.

[ATLANTISMAN]

1 hour ago, Lowdesert said:

From memory, as I am in the end of the world, the number of frenchmen in the squad under Mick/Waites, Mick, was dropped to 17 in a squad of 30. It increased  to 21 under Robinsons 2 years and was maintained, until his end, by LF.  Dropped to around 15 under Steve Mc.

Does that tie in with what you have? 

The issue of having less frenchmen in the side being responsible for their form, barring the last 2 years, hasnt been the problem.  That has been down to the quality of players overall.

They certainly do need to get more french players in the team, but of the right quality.

Hi LD I will send you over the figures its makes interesting reading.

The problem for the Dragons has not only  been the end of franchising and coaches not wanting to take the risk of drafting in French players however IHHO it goes deeper than that there is a strong element within the CD of wanting to be top dog in a small pond (Perpignan) and putting one over USAP the local Union club who after being very successful have literally fallen off a cliff:) the club under DW/MP and TR certainly put more locals into the 17 on match days and the potential was there for more to be drafted in.

What does not help as well is French players being offered substantially lower contracts (But I will leave that for another day) 

P 

 

[Lowdesert]

21 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Hi LD I will send you over the figures its makes interesting reading.

The problem for the Dragons has not only  been the end of franchising and coaches not wanting to take the risk of drafting in French players however IHHO it goes deeper than that there is a strong element within the CD of wanting to be top dog in a small pond (Perpignan) and putting one over USAP the local Union club who after being very successful have literally fallen off a cliff:) the club under DW/MP and TR certainly put more locals into the 17 on match days and the potential was there for more to be drafted in.

What does not help as well is French players being offered substantially lower contracts (But I will leave that for another day) 

P 

 

OK.  Look forward to it.