1O,000

[audois]

The two Yorkshire clubs Hull KR & Wakefield who have each taken 3 French players from the Catalans recently- indicate some thing is in the air

But in the longer - things also say something. Ian Lenagan above all saw it. Wigan wanted to help the French from day one,.The first ever game at the rugby union club in Perpignan the Lancastrains where there. Twice two in Montpellier as well and who can forget Barcelona later

Lenagan was always there – and as well visited Toulouse to give them some help earlier

Today two of the Dragons players have been taken-up for next year - in Keighran and Chan

Still the Catalans have taken-up two tremendous players of the Wigan greats

- in McIlorum & Tomkins

[yipyee]

On 01/08/2023 at 20:39, ATLANTISMAN said:

And dont forget the name Gordon  

Was going to be Perpignan St Esteve Mediterranean until someone that I see in the mirror every morning when i shave convinced them that it was bonkers and CATALAN DRAGONS was born:)))

Would that be the candyman

[yipyee]

10k averages,  heralded by those who can and mocked bu those that can't.

Glad to see both Hull sides on the up as clubs. Will Smith get the plaudits he deserves ?

Be nice to see Bradford back and Huddersfield / Halifax sorting out their patch. 

That would just leave the needed merger in the city of Wakefield...

[tim2]

19 hours ago, Angelic Cynic said:

The Catalans club entered the English league which benefited from a broadcast deal.

Super League has never been an English League, from day one.

In fact, given the number of Welsh teams involved from the early 20th Century, there hasn't been an "English" league for about 120 years.

[Anita Bath]

A long period between 50s and 80s when there were no teams west of Offa’s Dyke, so like a good breakfast it was full english.

Or are you thinking east of the Pennines is the People’s Republic of Yorksher?

[Barley Mow]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

A long period between 50s and 80s when there were no teams west of Offa’s Dyke, so like a good breakfast it was full english.

Or are you thinking east of the Pennines is the People’s Republic of Yorksher?

But even during that period (and until relatively recently) the RFL was the governing body for RL in all of the UK and any professional club in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland would have joined their top level competitions - so it wasn't specifically English even when all the clubs were based in England.

It's slightly more complicated now with the RFL being the governing body for only England but with N Wales Crusaders (and W Wales Raiders) having full RFL membership. Catalans and Toulouse being guest members of the RFL's competitions.

The whole situation really does need clarification/amending - the Super League Europe competition is administered by the English governing body and even the 2nd and 3rd tier English body comps have non-English teams with differing membership status/voting rights.

Are the English governing body running English, British, Franco-British or European competitions?

The situation in Australia is actually pretty similar, with a New Zealand team in the Australian run 'National' Rugby League, a PNG team in the Queensland comp and a Fijian team in a NSW run comp.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Barley Mow

[Tommygilf]

3 hours ago, tim2 said:

Super League has never been an English League, from day one.

In fact, given the number of Welsh teams involved from the early 20th Century, there hasn't been an "English" league for about 120 years.

I'm sure if you asked the Welsh at various points throughout history about that they'd tell you it felt very much like they were entering an English League.

[Barley Mow]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I'm sure if you asked the Welsh at various points throughout history about that they'd tell you it felt very much like they were entering an English League.

Equally, if you asked Londoners at the various points when London teams were competing, I'm sure they would have said it felt very much like a northern (rather than English) league 

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Barley Mow said:

Equally, if you asked Londoners at the various points when London teams were competing, I'm sure they would have said it felt very much like a northern (rather than English) league 

Absolutely