Several new developments would seem to strengthen the application of Toulouse for Super League as compared with previous years:

1. Toulouse are likely to begin renovation of their stadium in 2013, to bring it up to Super League standard.

2. Castleford and Hull KR are in financial difficulty but Castleford also don't show any sign of progress in getting a new stadium that will be of SL standard. (When Widnes application for SL in 2011 could not be resisted, Castleford and Wakefield were only promoted to SL for 2012 on a kind of probation because Crusaders dropped out. Since then Wakefield has made progress on a new stadium while Castleford has not).

3. Many SL club bosses seem to think that we have too many English clubs in SL because of the lack of sufficient English playing talent. (The new rising NRL salary cap in and the stronger Aussie dollar will make this situation worse, because fewer good NRL players will want to play in England so SL clubs will need more English players). Dropping one English club -- say Castleford -- for Toulouse will mean that the limited English playing talent can be spread among 12 English clubs instead of 13.

4. Al Jazeera Sports (Bein TV) is now a factor. It can televise both Catalans and Toulouse if Toulouse is in Super League, and if RFL schedules smartly, it can have a home game every week in France. Then AJS/Bein may offer some more money to Catalans and Toulouse if Toulouse is in Super League. Its coverage will certainly help Toulouse and Catalans get sponsors.

These new developments seem to me to make the application of Toulouse much stronger for 2015.

And there will be other advantages of course. If Toulouse is admitted to Super League then the game can be boosted in France in terms of more players and spectators and money. This will also help the French national team because with Toulouse in SL (1) there will immediately be more SL experienced players available for selection in the French national team (2) over time more French juniors will flock to rugby league because there will be two professional clubs they will have a chance to play for.

What standard is the stadium at right now? Similar to how Brutus was when Dragons got to Super League?

reasons 1 and 4 are worthwhile and good, there is some logic in reason 3 but i wouldnt place a lot of importance on it. Reason 2 is irrelevant.

Toulouse ground is a joke,they have around 250 fans and as for young players there teams was full of third rate back packing aussies.......so yep they are nearly ready for super league

All for having another French team in, would help Catalans too.

Think "Dewsbury with sun".

Nice people though and their owner/chairman Carlos is a gentleman with rugby league through his veins.

Should have happened years ago.

The other factor though is the possibility of the Super XIII getting off the ground, which is a potential alternative to applying for SL. A fully pro French league, or even one where some clubs are full time and others are semi pro, has the potential to totally change the game in the northern hemisphere. It might even rival SL one day and attract English players in bigger numbers, like the French RU does.

I am sick of saying this. Expansion works when you pick an area with a RL appetite and put money into it. Toulouse is a RU town. Always has been always will be, therefore an absolute waste of money and time. They couldn't put out a competitive team in the Championship and qualify on the field so the RFL had them withdraw so they wouldn't have to.

Nowhere near the standard of Dewsbury's ground. It only has one stand. Imagine Wakefield's ground with only the sitting stand. Small grass banking on the other three sides.

I'd have them in tomorrow. The more the merrier. Get KPMG to run their experts over the numbers first though. That way we can be sure that no nasty surprises occur once they win the license.

Good get rid of some more dead wood that linger in the SL as well.

Just a question....why do we need any French clubs?