Toulouse imploding

[Lowdesert]

30 minutes ago, Scubby said:

First 4 home games in SL - Huddersfield, Warrington, Wigan, St Helens is no picnic either. They've been dudded by the fixture planners for sure.

Last 6 games - 1 at Toulouse.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

Toulouse still have 22 games remaining, they are only 2 points behind Wakefield and Castleford, they can still avoid relegation.

[kiggy]

2 hours ago, Scubby said:

First 4 home games in SL - Huddersfield, Warrington, Wigan, St Helens is no picnic either. They've been dudded by the fixture planners for sure.

Having to play St Helens 3 times is a bit unlucky

[Wellsy4HullFC]

18 minutes ago, kiggy said:

Having to play St Helens 3 times is a bit unlucky

London weren't complaining...

[Jughead]

On 12/03/2022 at 11:20, barnyia said:

The need for vaccination to enter stadium finishes on Monday, 

Not saying you’re lying but where have you seen that?

[barnyia]

I live here in France, from the 14th march you no longer need a pass sanitaire to enter public and private building, stadium etc, you only need a mask on public transport and in medical places,

Edited March 13 by barnyia

[DimmestStar]

Toulouse have a great chance on Easter Monday when they are at home to Hull kR.

The Good Friday derby game will take lots out of Rovers whatever the result so to have to immediately pack their bags and travel to France for a game on Easter Monday is a very tough proposition.

[Segovia Carpet]

On 09/03/2022 at 19:25, Agbrigg said:

It's a conspiracy! Wakefield and Salford those teams that are a disgrace to SL have concocted this deal between themselves to make sure Tolouse are at a disadvantage. 

However there is a plus side to this. If Wakey win just get some satisfaction that a well known poster on these forums will be really miffed.

Mr Brigg - Please explain why Salford `are a disgrace`?

[kiggy]

1 hour ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

London weren't complaining...

No one I know of in the club is complaining. In fact, happy to have a video ref for a game. Maybe London felt they were a bit unlucky too?

[kiggy]

53 minutes ago, DimmestStar said:

Toulouse have a great chance on Easter Monday when they are at home to Hull kR.

The Good Friday derby game will take lots out of Rovers whatever the result so to have to immediately pack their bags and travel to France for a game on Easter Monday is a very tough proposition.

I know, I feel the quick turnaround Easter weekend is tough for all the teams, especially those that have to travel to France. Luckily, or unluckily if you are a Hull fan, it's only one England team this Easter, as TO travel to Catalans on the Thursday. 

[RayCee]

Sylvain Houles remains upbeat, obviously he has to.

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/sylvain-houles-toulouse-avoid-super-league-relegation/

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

2 hours ago, DimmestStar said:

Toulouse have a great chance on Easter Monday when they are at home to Hull kR.

The Good Friday derby game will take lots out of Rovers whatever the result so to have to immediately pack their bags and travel to France for a game on Easter Monday is a very tough proposition.

Yup. I thought when that came out “why didn’t they send one of the teams from one of the pretend derbies over”, rather than us having played a real one

[Wellsy4HullFC]

6 hours ago, kiggy said:

No one I know of in the club is complaining. In fact, happy to have a video ref for a game. Maybe London felt they were a bit unlucky too?

I doubt it. They best Saints twice in the extra games.

[Agbrigg]

16 hours ago, Segovia Carpet said:

Mr Brigg - Please explain why Salford `are a disgrace`?

It appears my post went way over your head.

[DimmestStar]

On 13/03/2022 at 19:12, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

Yup. I thought when that came out “why didn’t they send one of the teams from one of the pretend derbies over”, rather than us having played a real one

Toulouse will also have the benefit of blank weekends in 2 of the previous 3 weeks due to them declining the invitation to participate in the Challenge Cup.

[JonNgog]

Kheirallah’s departure confirmed with a very abrupt statement:

Toulouse Olympique XIII formalises the early termination of Mark KHEIRALLAH's contract for serious misconduct, with immediate effect.

This announcement closes communications on this subject and the Club will not make any further comments.

https://bit.ly/3w7AgbB

[barnyia]

Written in the local Perpignan paper today that the Catalan have to pay the travel costs etc for referees and visiting teams in the cup, just as toulouse have to for every home super League game, so it looks like the agreement has  been carried over to super League for Toulouse

[nadera78]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

Written in the local Perpignan paper today that the Catalan have to pay the travel costs etc for referees and visiting teams in the cup, just as toulouse have to for every home super League game, so it looks like the agreement has  been carried over to super League for Toulouse

This sport's a joke. Let's just give up the pretence and only play games between teams who can get a public bus to one another.

[Dave T]

21 minutes ago, nadera78 said:

This sport's a joke. Let's just give up the pretence and only play games between teams who can get a public bus to one another.

To embed French teams I to the UK league a decision needs to be made on costs. Admitting a French team may incur a cost of say £500k to the game - no TV income covers that, it is a pure cost. 

Who should fund that?  Because let's be honest here, if the answer is the existing clubs will foot the bill then the answer is likely to be no. 

I really don't think we should be shy about getting other people to pay for things. I don't think it is unusual for things like this, whether it is paying costs (the NRL has done it in the past) or whether it is things like huge franchise fees to join leagues. 

It should also be remembered that these costs are in effect a reduction from their central funding. 

[theswanmcr]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

To embed French teams I to the UK league a decision needs to be made on costs. Admitting a French team may incur a cost of say £500k to the game - no TV income covers that, it is a pure cost. 

Who should fund that?  Because let's be honest here, if the answer is the existing clubs will foot the bill then the answer is likely to be no. 

I really don't think we should be shy about getting other people to pay for things. I don't think it is unusual for things like this, whether it is paying costs (the NRL has done it in the past) or whether it is things like huge franchise fees to join leagues. 

It should also be remembered that these costs are in effect a reduction from their central funding. 

Yes but there has to be give and take and the benefits and costs shared.

Loads of UK fans rightly asking why they can’t see their team’s games in Toulouse on TV anywhere. But if TO weren’t paying all travel costs then that money could be spent on providing this coverage - like Catalans do.

So instead the UK clubs force the new foreign club to pay their travel, there’s no live coverage and many fans blame the new boys as they see no value in having another foreign team.

Its a vicious circle driven by short term gain as ever by SL clubs.

[Saint Toppy]

On 13/03/2022 at 15:51, kiggy said:

Having to play St Helens 3 times is a bit unlucky

Is it, I thought the loop fixtures were determined by how well you did the pervious season, so the newly promoted team were always going to have to play the best team in SL 3 times. Or put another way the top teams in SL have earned the right to have a slightly easier set of loop fixtures

[Dave T]

3 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

Yes but there has to be give and take and the benefits and costs shared.

Loads of UK fans rightly asking why they can’t see their team’s games in Toulouse on TV anywhere. But if TO weren’t paying all travel costs then that money could be spent on providing this coverage - like Catalans do.

So instead the UK clubs force the new foreign club to pay their travel, there’s no live coverage and many fans blame the new boys as they see no value in having another foreign team.

Its a vicious circle driven by short term gain as ever by SL clubs.

Firstly, I agree with the principle of sharing the risks and sharing the benefits, that would be my preference, but the problem with that is that the business case just doesn't stack up really, over 15 years in and Catalans can only get games on TV if they pay from their own pocket. Would any comp really choose to expand into a territory that delivers zero media income? 

It's too easy to make excuses for teams on stuff like this, Toulouse have been paying travel costs for ages, they now have access to increased funding (I'm assuming they have central funding here!), so they are far better off than last year. They will also get bigger crowds, and they will have bigger and better sponsors (again, assumptions, but the logic makes sense). 

So where have they spent the extra money? They have hardly improved their squad, and their operation doesn't appear to be much stronger. So they are probably a million or two stronger, but where are we seeing that? 

As I say, I agree with your principle overall, personally I'd charge an admission fee to the pyramid and then give equal rights, but the likes of Toulouse and Toronto made terrible decisions in their move from Championships to SL. Not everything links back to some modest costs. 

[Just Browny]

32 minutes ago, Dave T said:

To embed French teams I to the UK league a decision needs to be made on costs. Admitting a French team may incur a cost of say £500k to the game - no TV income covers that, it is a pure cost. 

Who should fund that?  Because let's be honest here, if the answer is the existing clubs will foot the bill then the answer is likely to be no. 

I really don't think we should be shy about getting other people to pay for things. I don't think it is unusual for things like this, whether it is paying costs (the NRL has done it in the past) or whether it is things like huge franchise fees to join leagues. 

It should also be remembered that these costs are in effect a reduction from their central funding. 

Dave, Super League clubs should be paying for their own travel. There should be a central pot - from sponsorship, final revenue etc - to support semi-pro and amateur clubs with excessive costs (which could just be a trip from Kells to Aldershot).

If Warrington drew Catalan away, Warrington should be paying their own travel costs, not Catalans. I don't mind clubs being admitted to SL (e.g. like a a Toronto) with conditions they need to meet to attain 'full entry/membership' over a few years, but I'm very uncomfortable with French clubs (or any other teams who come in and add value to our competition) being constant gastarbeiter - liable to be chucked out on a whim.

Edited March 16 by Just Browny

[Tommygilf]

24 minutes ago, Dave T said:

To embed French teams I to the UK league a decision needs to be made on costs.

That is the critical point here. What are we?

De facto were an English League with guest clubs.

De Jure we are a European League that primarily relies on the RFL for infrastructure (refs etc).

Grey areas come about any time clubs from outside the traditional northern heartlands are proposed, even if within the UK. See comments on travel to Glasgow from 70 years ago and Cornwall more recently.

The fact the above is so ad hoc and not solid isn't a good point of strength for the game.

[dealwithit]

Travel costs should be paid for centrally. If the RFL permits foreign teams entering, it doesn’t matter what league they play in — the travel costs are covered.