Moving forward. French teams in the U.K. leagues structure

[Cumbrian Mackem]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

St Etienne is the obvious choice for me, they should apply for next season’s L1. 

Haha!! You’re bagging my choice of Lyon and you choose st. Etienne.

[Cumbrian Mackem]

1 hour ago, Gooleboy said:

Probably quite a few.

Same goes for Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille pre and post WW2.

[Gooleboy]

2 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Same goes for Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille pre and post WW2.

The Leeds v Perpignan game was live on Grandstand!

[Cumbrian Mackem]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

How do I know?

I highly doubt it’s as many as they get now.

I remember watching French RL games on screensport in the early 90’s and can’t ever remember the Catalan sides getting decent crowds.

[Cumbrian Mackem]

2 minutes ago, Gooleboy said:

The Leeds v Perpignan game was live on Grandstand!

Happy days.

[Eddie]

17 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Haha!! You’re bagging my choice of Lyon and you choose st. Etienne.

I was only joking though! 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

11 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I was only joking though! 

I see.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

 

[welshmagpie]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Having been involved in French rugby league a lot (And attended over 500 matches not as many as Gordon:) and about to hopefully get involved in sponsorship again + initially helping the Dragons get off the ground I personally feel that 2 teams in SL is the perfect situation.After that the FRL needs a good strong local comp and it seems that is the direction its going, this season has been fantastic considering the pandemic situation.

If the elite can eventually foster 2 more clubs to make it 12 that will be perfect.

And forget all this big city talk French rugby league needs to be strong in the areas its already popular and has been popular.

* Toulouse in Super League

* 2 more clubs in Elite 1 up to standard Carpenters would be good as that would provide a local derby for Avignon + another club maybe in Provence 

* Le Reole or Tonniens would be a good call if they can get the cash together 

* I think Palau are struggling in Elite 1 and a strong Pia back would be excellent (All down to the maire)

* Regular internationals 

More french teams in the championship and championship 1 will dilute the Elite 1 and would be a disaster better to have French teams back in the CC again.

 

Paul

Interesting stuff Paul, I have a good understanding of French RL but admittedly not as strong as yours.

Why La Reole? A town of around 5,000? Is it due to the geographical location?

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Having been involved in French rugby league a lot (And attended over 500 matches not as many as Gordon:) and about to hopefully get involved in sponsorship again + initially helping the Dragons get off the ground I personally feel that 2 teams in SL is the perfect situation.After that the FRL needs a good strong local comp and it seems that is the direction its going, this season has been fantastic considering the pandemic situation.

If the elite can eventually foster 2 more clubs to make it 12 that will be perfect.

And forget all this big city talk French rugby league needs to be strong in the areas its already popular and has been popular.

* Toulouse in Super League

* 2 more clubs in Elite 1 up to standard Carpenters would be good as that would provide a local derby for Avignon + another club maybe in Provence 

* Le Reole or Tonniens would be a good call if they can get the cash together 

* I think Palau are struggling in Elite 1 and a strong Pia back would be excellent (All down to the maire)

* Regular internationals 

More french teams in the championship and championship 1 will dilute the Elite 1 and would be a disaster better to have French teams back in the CC again.

 

Paul

Here you go @Cumbrian Mackem and @Sir Kevin Sinfield - someone who knows what’s what in France. 

[Eddie]

38 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

 

I Google translated this - am none the wiser;

#XIII "We are working to apply for a place in League One within three years"

Not this debility yetMan facepalming The English Championships have no interest without a credible SL project behind. Without it, it's just screwing up the dough.

[ATLANTISMAN]

42 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

Interesting stuff Paul, I have a good understanding of French RL but admittedly not as strong as yours.

Why La Reole? A town of around 5,000? Is it due to the geographical location?

Well I am not saying that I am an expert its just my observations (I am from London not up north) and for what its worth I think that FRL has to without doubt concentrate on its current and original roots thats the beauty of it small towns like Le Reole/Tonniens/Villefranche/Salon/Cavillion/Carpentras/Cahors 2 of those in the Elite if they can put the money together would be fine.

Its like the UK they should really concentrate on their roots (And I would now count London/Newcastle as RL areas + Wales ) Oldham Rochdale Cumbria its madness not to support these areas look at the players they have produced over the years.

Toulouse would be an incredible success I am certain in SL however the talk of more French clubs is madness and will kill the domestic comp better to build it up and have French clubs back in the early rounds of the CC or + bring back an anglo French comp for the championship/championship 1 clubs.

 

+ on other note London should be the focus for 2 internationals a year 

 

Paul

 

[Niels]

4 hours ago, Eddie said:

St Etienne is the obvious choice for me, they should apply for next season’s L1. 

St Etienne would be the best choice for me too.

It is also more appropriate for our game as it is considered a blue collar town as opposed to its rivals Lyon, who are white collar. 

 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

9 hours ago, Niels said:

St Etienne would be the best choice for me too.

It is also more appropriate for our game as it is considered a blue collar town as opposed to its rivals Lyon, who are white collar. 

 

Read somewhere that Arthur morgue was born in St Etienne. Would be interesting to know if he started playing rugby league in the town through schools or junior team or if he maybe moved to a different part of southern France that play RL?

Theres definitely no reason why St Etienne can’t be targeted at a grassroots level through junior clubs and school programs etc which is obviously less complicated and cheaper than setting up a semi-professional club.

[Eddie]

3 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Read somewhere that Arthur morgue was born in St Etienne. Would be interesting to know if he started playing rugby league in the town through schools or junior team or if he maybe moved to a different part of southern France that play RL?

Theres definitely no reason why St Etienne can’t be targeted at a grassroots level through junior clubs and school programs etc which is obviously less complicated and cheaper than setting up a semi-professional club.

Targeted by who though, who’s going to staff and pay for it? 

[Hela Wigmen]

1 minute ago, Eddie said:

Targeted by who though, who’s going to staff and pay for it? 

The make believe Rugby League expansion fairies. 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

7 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Targeted by who though, who’s going to staff and pay for it? 

Hopefully the FRXIII with funding from the  local government perhaps?

[Cumbrian Mackem]

11 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

The make believe Rugby League expansion fairies. 

They do a great job them guys.

[tms]

11 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Well I am not saying that I am an expert its just my observations (I am from London not up north) and for what its worth I think that FRL has to without doubt concentrate on its current and original roots thats the beauty of it small towns like Le Reole/Tonniens/Villefranche/Salon/Cavillion/Carpentras/Cahors 2 of those in the Elite if they can put the money together would be fine.

Its like the UK they should really concentrate on their roots (And I would now count London/Newcastle as RL areas + Wales ) Oldham Rochdale Cumbria its madness not to support these areas look at the players they have produced over the years.

Toulouse would be an incredible success I am certain in SL however the talk of more French clubs is madness and will kill the domestic comp better to build it up and have French clubs back in the early rounds of the CC or + bring back an anglo French comp for the championship/championship 1 clubs.

 

+ on other note London should be the focus for 2 internationals a year 

 

Paul

 

What's happening with  Villeneuve  P  as I recall didn't they along with Toulouse and the dragons apply for SL in 05

[Niels]

57 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Read somewhere that Arthur morgue was born in St Etienne. Would be interesting to know if he started playing rugby league in the town through schools or junior team or if he maybe moved to a different part of southern France that play RL?

Theres definitely no reason why St Etienne can’t be targeted at a grassroots level through junior clubs and school programs etc which is obviously less complicated and cheaper than setting up a semi-professional club.

Thanks, that's very interesting. I had a look at his page on wikipedia after reading your post.

There seem to be some good French players around at the moment led by Theo Fages of course. 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

3 minutes ago, Niels said:

Thanks, that's very interesting. I had a look at his page on wikipedia after reading your post.

There seem to be some good French players around at the moment led by Theo Fages of course. 

Indeed. Encouragingly a few of these happen to be in the pivot roles as well i.e. fullback and halfback. Players like fages, morgue and rogue. There’s also another talented halfback baptiste Fabre who’s currently injured to add to the mix.

I’d like to see robin brochon get a runout in the dragons 1st team and see if he can cut it at the highest level.

[The Daddy]

15 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

 

According to that tweet, Carcassonne are aiming to join League 1 within 3 years 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

46 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

According to that tweet, Carcassonne are aiming to join League 1 within 3 years 

Bad move for me all round.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

4 hours ago, Eddie said:

Targeted by who though, who’s going to staff and pay for it? 

I’m fairly sure if we announce a French club will be joining the Championship in 2023 plenty of French owners would be willing to invest into their clubs to get involved, it would also help to draw new investment to those clubs, let’s open it up to bids and have a look at how strong they are.

[Eddie]

2 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

I’m fairly sure if we announce a French club will be joining the Championship in 2023 plenty of French owners would be willing to invest into their clubs to get involved, it would also help to draw new investment to those clubs, let’s open it up to bids and have a look at how strong they are.

There’s nothing to stop French clubs applying for league one now, the reason they’re not doing so is because they don’t want to be in the English league system.