A French Double

Toulouse in action. Pic: www.totalrl.com

France was a force in Rugby League when it took to the code in the 1930s. After reforming post WWII (it was forcibly disbanded during the war) the game did well for a while but for various reasons declined over the years to the point where it is really struggling today. 

In a rare moment of forward thinking and enterprise, the decision to admit a club from France into the UK's Super League was made. This was first tried with a team from Paris, which was a short lived failure. The second time around it was in a region where RL is strongest and at a club with solid roots. The plan worked and the Catalan Dragons are still part of the SL competition. There is also a club in Toulouse, pushing hard for a place in SL and look well placed to achieve that. 

This season has witnessed an unprecedented event. The Catalan Dragons have for the first time won the league competition at the highest level in Europe. This after fifteen earlier attempts. On top of that, the club from Toulouse that plays in the Championship (Europe's second division) has also won that league competition for the first time. They joined in 2017 (5th), in 2018 3rd, 2019 2nd, comp canceled in 2020, and top in 2021. 

So what does this mean? The French media may have to start acknowledging the code's existence in the country. It puts the Catalan club in a strong position in the playoffs for its first grand final appearance. For Toulouse, also strongly placed going into the playoffs and if winning the Championship final, gaining promotion into Super League. Two French clubs in the top flight of European RL for the first time!

This will surely mean RL will have more credibility within the country. It will also mean matches between the two clubs each year, generating a local derby rivalry. At a time RL seems lost and directionless, something for Europe to build on as a genuine alternative to the naval-gazing NRL competition in Australia.