Is that question for me ? I didn't say they should.

Toulouse are currently being awarded 20 - 0 or 24 - 0 whitewash wins for refusal to play in France, therefore those will count as played & won, Toulouse will benefit from the awards not suffer.

Well why bother to start an argument then? The only thing that would be derailed is Superleague if the "expansionists" manage to blow the SKY deal. Perhaps you can turn your fire on far more repetitive duff arguments about how replacing English clubs with overseas clubs will take the game forward and "expand it"?

Or maybe you want to censor me because you don't have any counter argument yourself? Anyway up to you if you want to get sucked into a Fantasy Euro league.

How often have you rolled this one out and yet, there was a sky deal with both Toronto and Catalan in SL (2 non English clubs).

At the risk of "doing another lap", Sky are bothered primarily about filling their channels and selling advertising.
If they really want to increase their subscriptions, perhaps they could find a way to prevent so many UK viewers from getting their stream from "abroad". This would increase their subscriptions way more than promoting Fev or Halifax.

Don't get sucked in people, we have been through this before.

Leaving the SKY requirement for at least 10 English clubs unbroken. SKY did not want to prevent the game expanding.

The only problem here was Toronto expanded nothing and Catalans merely shipped in an Anglo Aussie side whilst the French game continued to contract.

No TV deals came in either.

I don't think SKY are naive enough to believe either TWP or Catalans were in the end ever expansion. This is where you and SKY differ

If I’m wrong, then I don’t mind being corrected, but my understanding is, U.K. teams which have part time players, don’t have to travel to France due to travel restrictions, A team must complete a minimum of 16 games to qualify for the promotion playoffs. At this time, there is no way of knowing when part time teams will be allowed to travel to France, possibly not before the season ends, There are only 13 home games, how can Toulouse qualify for promotion on the 16 game rule if their main competitors refuse to travel to France. I know the RFL made the rules, and in fairness you can’t blame clubs for exploiting such a silly rule,

There was me thinking Sky aren't the least bit interested in how the sport expands or contracts.
There was me thinking they started off in the 90's when Paris were parachuted into the elitist breakaway league.
There was me thinking Sky gladly remained silent and showed Catalans for many years - and showed Toronto.
Now I learn Sky are happy to show 10 English clubs and are not against the sport expanding.
It's an education on here.
Seems Toulouse are expanding in stadium capacity with a new stadium deal...

I could also be wrong, the way I have interpreted what has been read or said is that Toulouse will be awarded a win for any home game that is not played when the away team refuse to travel, if that is correct & no home games are played in France then they will be guaranteed a 100% home win record. Toulouse can't afford to decamp to England & play all their home games here (source - the Full 80 minutes).

Hopefully the French debacle is over soon & Toulouse get to play over here, they often play a good brand of rugby.

It’s only been discussed for about five pages. Toulouse were awarded a 24 point home victory over London when they refused to travel as they are a full time team and were obliged under the operational rules to go. London will also face a punishment - probably a fine from the RFL.

The games against Widnes and Featherstone are being postponed as part time clubs are not obliged to travel and in fact probably wouldn’t be able to field a team as players couldn’t afford to take time off their other jobs to isolate.

They have another 8 home games (excluding those above) all against part time sides which creates a massive headache. This is where the win percentage requirement comes from as they are likely to lose more and may not be able to re-arrange them all. However, for a club to qualify for the play offs they have to complete 70% of fixtures ie. 16 matches. If no team travels to Toulouse due to COVID travel restrictions they end the season on 12 games (11 away games plus 1 home game awarded because London didn’t travel) irrespective of their win percentage they would need to re-arrange at least 4 of the postponed hole games.

Hopefully travel restrictions are lifted sooner rather than later.

EDIT: only the Widnes and Featherstone games count as postponed the others won’t count if restrictions aren’t lifted.

So yeah if no one goes Toulouse can qualify for the play offs but they have to win their away games.

It looks like their fellow French club could assist them. Could be confirmed as early as the weekend 7/8th May https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/to ... mpionship/ Now Toulouse have signed yet another French player. When will they ever learn? https://www.to13.com/a-la-une/linternat ... gne-au-to/

It looks like their fellow French club could assist them. Could be confirmed as early as the weekend 7/8th May https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/to ... mpionship/ Now Toulouse have signed yet another French player. When will they ever learn? https://www.to13.com/a-la-une/linternat ... gne-au-to/

Lot's of talk about a 10 club Superleague come 2022, how do you feel that will affect the Championship play off's?

I can see the play off's being fine as long as people accept that they are primarily to decide the winners of the Championship and this time probably not to decide who goes up 2022.

Now let’s put this right. They cannot travel as they are not Full-time. Only Full-time elite clubs can travel. It’s in the RULES.

Good question notwithstanding Superleague's announced major restructure may ignore the RFL rules anyway.

I'm puzzled why full time Championship clubs can travel to France but not part time. All the games are played at weekends so why.

Quarantine.When the part-time players return they will miss work days.

Again if clubs have budgeted or spending £750k on player wages they are classed as full-time. Only Elite professional clubs can travel..

Hope that helps.. To be honest I’m sick of posting it.

Thread tidied up..

1. It's in the operational rules so therefore, London were in the wrong and the Part Time teams do not have to travel whilst there are travel/quarantine restrictions.
2. This may be unfair on London, who are only professional due to the need to pay full time contracts to their players, who otherwise would either go north or switch to Union.
3. Point 2 is a moral issue that the game needs to address, but the reality is that "them's the rules"
4. David Hughes has yet again played a good hand badly. All he needed to do was say that his players weren't comfortable flying to a country in a total lockdown and the RFL were in a corner. Instead, he took the moral high ground which carries no weight and will now see him fined as well as the team losing points (they'd have been smashed on current form anyway....-24 was a gift)

I hope Toulouse go up and they can become the stooper leagues problem.....recruiting players from the relegated SL side and importing more Aussies whilst doing little for the game in France.

A. David Hughes is in direct communication with Ian Lenegan who is at this point looking to undertake a full re-organisation of Superleague. Lenegan's 2022 Superleague may have 20 places for ambitious clubs under the new SKY deal, more than enough room for Mr. Hughes to join. Therefore I guess that Mr. Hughes won't be paying anyone any fines but referring them to his solicitors, and as for the points? What is their value?? What does he care?

B. I think we are at a point where Superleague is taking charge of professional RL in this Hemisphere. TWP, Toulouse, Ottawa, Catalans, New York etc may well be considered by Superleague in terms of their value to the game here which will include their ability to develop quality professional RL players and attract TV deals. Some internet fans like to tell us their value is having clubs in Major cities known across the world.........well that must make London Broncos first pick even in their eyes?

Given the ruling only affected London and Leigh - when the decision was made - it was totally unfair it should have been the rule for everyone and the London game postponed like the other two. I get there are only 2 free weekends (subject to 1895 cup) but a domestic game could be moved to midweek to make way for a third fixture in France.

It does seem to have been a badly thought out rule but I guess the clubs all agreed it before hand. The law of unforeseen consequences though might come back and bite someone on the bum

When it was made the clubs were expecting Leigh and London to travel with them being full time with the Widnes and Featherstone games postponed and played when the latter stages of the challenge cup were on. Then it was expected travel restrictions would be lifted (people maybe wouldn’t have to quarantine for so long) to allow part time clubs to travel at some point. With new variants their home games are looking like a right off now. Tbh I think the clubs were a little naive on this one.

I expect London’s punishment will be quietly shelved or suspended and rightly so.

Quote ="Maccbull_BigBullyBooaza"When it was made the clubs were expecting Leigh and London to travel with them being full time with the Widnes and Featherstone games postponed and played when the latter stages of the challenge cup were on. Then it was expected travel restrictions would be lifted (people maybe wouldn’t have to quarantine for so long) to allow part time clubs to travel at some point. With new variants their home games are looking like a right off now. Tbh I think the clubs were a little naive on this one. I expect London’s punishment will be quietly shelved or suspended and rightly so.'" Was it not until the month of March that it was confirmed London Broncos would travel to France? If so,Leigh Centurions had been promoted by then. https://www.totalrl.com/ward-happy-for- ... in-france/

Quote ="Maccbull_BigBullyBooaza"When it was made the clubs were expecting Leigh and London to travel with them being full time with the Widnes and Featherstone games postponed and played when the latter stages of the challenge cup were on. Then it was expected travel restrictions would be lifted (people maybe wouldn’t have to quarantine for so long) to allow part time clubs to travel at some point. With new variants their home games are looking like a right off now. Tbh I think the clubs were a little naive on this one. I expect London’s punishment will be quietly shelved or suspended and rightly so.'" Was it not until the month of March that it was confirmed London Broncos would travel to France? If so,Leigh Centurions had been promoted by then. https://www.totalrl.com/ward-happy-for- ... in-france/

I think we've exhausted this thread

OK, then before we go and the thread is expunged can I just say good luck to the Broncos in Superleague next year.