Not moaning but

[barnyia 1,947]

He did a very good job too. Was funny hearing him and fages switching between English and French, you could hear riley was searching in his brain for french words. Funnily enough so was fages. When they got excited they both slipped into englsh. Excellent effort from riley and takes some balls to do it! It sounded like a normal conversation in our house english words in french sentences and french words in English sentences and one speking English and being replied to in french and vice versa! 

[Mr Frisky 1,225]

1 hour ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

8 of the Toulouse matchday 17 were French born players in their emphatic 70-0 drubbing of Widnes yesterday afternoon.

The cynic and realist in me tells me that sadly this number will again decrease even further if and when Toulouse reach super league. Is this and would this be acceptable for most RL fans especially those of us who are ardent expansionists??

And before anyone has a pop at me let me be clear that I support the inclusion of French teams into super league and the championship to the point that I’d love to see maybe another 1 or 2 French teams enter the championship from big major cities like Marseille, Montpelier or Lyon etc.

Take it you don't watch Football....

[Harry Stottle 4,509]

1 hour ago, Davo5 said:

Then you have no argument as a quota for only 2 teams wouldn’t be enforceable.

True, but under any circumstance to clubs playing in France many are calling for relegation to be removed for them, and enforceable for only two teams at present.

[Cumbrian Mackem 659]

1 minute ago, Scubby said:

Yet you want them to produce tens of SL players to win promotion and avoid relegation when the 11 English clubs in SL need 60 overseas players to fill their teams? Okay. You can't do proper development on a win or survive at all costs. If you could then Salford and Wakefield wouldn't be wasting their time on bang average imports.

Like I’ve already said there is a limited number of French players currently knocking about who could easily replace some of the average overseas talent in both sides.

[Cumbrian Mackem 659]

3 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Take it you don't watch Football....

I do. Why?

[Scubby 12,509]

13 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Like I’ve already said there is a limited number of French players currently knocking about who could easily replace some of the average overseas talent in both sides.

So you applaud Toulouse strengthening its squad with Lucas Albert and Tony Gigot then? You also understand the system requires them to win promotion at all costs? No one gives a #### who is in the 17 if they finish second in the Championship. That's the way things are.

[Cumbrian Mackem 659]

1 minute ago, Scubby said:

So you applaud Toulouse strengthening its squad with Lucas Albert and Tony Gigot then? You also understand the system requires them to win promotion at all costs? No one gives a #### who is in the 17 if they finish second in the Championship. That's the way things are.

Absolutely. I’ve been calling for their signature for ages along with the likes of Jordan dezaria before he signed a 1st team contract with the dragons.

[Scubby 12,509]

Just now, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Absolutely. I’ve been calling for their signature for ages along with the likes of Jordan dezaria before he signed a 1st team contract with the dragons.

I would love tonnes of French SL players. What I would love more is 100s of boys and girls in Perpignan and Toulouse picking up a ball and playing RL because they have an elite team in their town/city. It really doesn't matter who is in the first 17 - those days are gone. Are kids not wanting to play for Arsenal even though they maybe the only English accent in the dressing room?

[Cumbrian Mackem 659]

3 minutes ago, Scubby said:

I would love tonnes of French SL players. What I would love more is 100s of boys and girls in Perpignan and Toulouse picking up a ball and playing RL because they have an elite team in their town/city. It really doesn't matter who is in the first 17 - those days are gone. Are kids not wanting to play for Arsenal even though they maybe the only English accent in the dressing room?

Was does being the only English accent at Arsenal got to do with giving more French talent a chance to prove themselves at Catalan or Toulouse?

[Scubby 12,509]

8 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Was does being the only English accent at Arsenal got to do with giving more French talent a chance to prove themselves at Catalan or Toulouse?

Because if SL and the RFL actually embraced French RL and saw its potential instead of treating it like a piece of #### then we would have many more Theo Fages running around the other elite SL clubs and maybe in the NRL too. 5x more Kiwi born players sign on as juniors to the other NRL clubs than they do to the Warriors. French kids playing RL with Toulouse and Perpignan may dream of one day playing for Leeds or Wigan or Souths or Melbourne.

We want France to do all the leg work (and finance it) and then we have a go at them because the do everything they can to get up and stay up under P&R. Double standards.

[Dave T 18,911]

1 hour ago, Robin Evans said:

Plenty of room for both. Rugby league is too small to be exclusive. Yes, don't ignore the community game. Lots of players still graduate to the first team via that route.

Toulouse (to me) represents a much better international presence than TWP ever did. Its a big rugby city and easy/cheap to access. 

So.... let's develop TO for no other reason than I love it there!!

Yep, I would absolutely support an expansion plan solely focused on awesome cities

My best RL memories are in Barcelona, Sydney, Brisbane, Edinburgh, Cardiff, London, Newcastle, Manchester, Perpignan and Warrington. 

All outstanding locations. 

[Robin Evans 5,140]

5 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Yep, I would absolutely support an expansion plan solely focused on awesome cities

My best RL memories are in Barcelona, Sydney, Brisbane, Edinburgh, Cardiff, London, Newcastle, Manchester, Perpignan and Warrington. 

All outstanding locations. 

Err..... ive just re-read your post. I'm sure it's just an oversight. But you appear to have misses post office Road from that list!

[Cumbrian Fanatic 1,455]

Personally I have no issue with Toulouse putting out the best team they can, wherever they are from, but as a comparison I notice that only 8 of the Hull team that beat Wigan in the Challenge Cup final are English born.

Edited May 10 by Cumbrian Fanatic

[Spidey 3,979]

OP has a point. Yesterday should be null and void 

 

[Scubby 12,509]

Just now, Spidey said:

OP has a point. Yesterday should be null and void 

 

Even 24-null would have been better than playing  

[Lowdesert 3,394]

1 hour ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

It’s a strange one is the current Toulouse squad as you’d expect them to have between 25-30 players perhaps??

but having said that I’m sure they could just promote players from the elite 1 Toulouse side when needs be.

I wouldn’t.  Which championship club has 30 players?

To be honest mate we’ve had all this ‘pick french’ as the imports are rubbish, with Catalans.  Reality is that very few other clubs even looked at those same french players who were available as, despite forum expert opinion, they haven’t been good enough.

If TO win promotion, expect even more imports until they can generate their own from the TO reserves or Elite clubs.

[Robin Evans 5,140]

6 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

I wouldn’t.  Which championship club has 30 players?

To be honest mate we’ve had all this ‘pick french’ as the imports are rubbish, with Catalans.  Reality is that very few other clubs even looked at those same french players who were available as, despite forum expert opinion, they haven’t been good enough.

If TO win promotion, expect even more imports until they can generate their own from the TO reserves or Elite clubs.

Fev had 30+ players I believe. Granted, some are now out on loan.

[Scubby 12,509]

3 minutes ago, Robin Evans said:

Fev had 30+ players I believe. Granted, some are now out on loan.

Yeah, not moaning but... how many still work down the pit? 

[Robin Evans 5,140]

2 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Yeah, not moaning but... how many still work down the pit? 

Don't get me on mining... a whole long thread more at home in the politics forum.....

When fev were the best eh?

[MZH 2,189]

36 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

Personally I have no issue with Toulouse putting out the best team they can, wherever they are from, but as a comparison I notice that only 8 of the Hull team that beat Wigan in the Challenge Cup final are English born.

Are you talking about the 2017 final, or this weekends quarter final? Either way you are wrong.

[Scubby 12,509]

1 minute ago, Robin Evans said:

Don't get me on mining... a whole long thread more at home in the politics forum.....

When fev were the best eh?

Too right, that period in the late 70s, early 80s when there were around 30+ born Fev lads running around in Division 1. It all started to change of course, and signing Andy Currier was the sober sign that the halcyon days were over!  

[Lowdesert 3,394]

8 minutes ago, Robin Evans said:

Fev had 30+ players I believe. Granted, some are now out on loan.

Indeed.  With other clubs paying their wages.  We have to ask, who would TO loan them out to in France?  

Who else is available on their doorstep?  Sam Moa at Lezignan, Damien Cardace can still play a bit, Pat Moran maybe.

[Lowdesert 3,394]

43 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

Personally I have no issue with Toulouse putting out the best team they can, wherever they are from, but as a comparison I notice that only 8 of the Hull team that beat Wigan in the Challenge Cup final are English born.

Not very good at this are you mate.

[Cumbrian Fanatic 1,455]

17 minutes ago, MZH said:

Are you talking about the 2017 final, or this weekends quarter final? Either way you are wrong.

Yes apologies my (extremely) bad maths, taking 7 from 17 and getting 8.

Just to be clear, I'm not having a go at Hull, just pointing out that other teams have a significant proportion of players born in other countries

 

 

[MZH 2,189]

4 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

Yes apologies my (extremely) bad maths, taking 7 from 17 and getting 8.

Just to be clear, I'm not having a go at Hull, just pointing out that other teams have a significant proportion of players born in other countries

 

 

Yes of course they do and I got your point. I'm just a pedant 

End of the day Toulouse (and Catalans) are professional sports teams that are there primarily to win. If they can benefit the French national team along the way then that's a bonus, and 6 extra French players playing regular SL rugby is certainly better than none.