Toulouse to remain in Championship and push for Super League

Toulouse Olympique remain committed to playing in the Championship beyond the end of the current campaign, and will continue to work to put the club in the position of being able to apply for a Super League licence in 2015.

The French club could not apply for a Super League licence this year because they had failed to win the Northern Rail Cup or reach a Grand Final. Their stadium also did not meet the 10,000 minimum capacity requirement.

“We were not eligible according to the new criteria and didn’t meet the conditions concerning the stadium,” Toulouse chairman Carlos Zalduendo said, according to League Express.

“But the local council is in agreement to expand the ground to 12,000 capacity and we will seek to re-apply in 2015.

“[French Federation president] Nicolas Larrat still believes that French Rugby League needs two clubs in Super League in order to have a big enough pool of professional players for the France national team to draw on.

“In the meantime we are happy to continue playing in the Championship and want to carry on.”

The French Federation has though been of the belief that Toulouse should also maintain a presence in the French Elite 1 division as well as in the British Championship.

Whilst last season a compromise was reached with Toulouse loaning players to local side St Gaudens. That relationship is not set to continue this season though.

Toulouse’s position in the Championship therefore remains unconfirmed, but Zlduendo maintained that the issue was for the RFL and the FFRXIII to resolve.

He added: “It’s between the two federations to decide.”