Who says the lower leagues are dead? We finally have proof they're not.

All season Sky Sports have been broadcasting one game a week from either the Championship or Championship 1 on a Thursday evening. It has generally been the most anticipated game of the round from either league that has been shown. As a result, the enjoyment from watching the Championships has been unprecedented. Take the Grand Final as an very good example of what I'm talking about.

While the skill factor is not as high as that in Super League, the level of commitment and desire to succeed in what is becoming a very creditable and unique competition. Due to the high skill gap between the Championships and Super League, for many players winning this competition will be the highlight of their careers. With increased exposure on Sky Sports, the best may indeed end up playing at Super League level. However, due to the attitude of Super League clubs insisting of producing their own players, which is more cost effective, only a handful will ever move without being part of a club's successful license being approved.

But the problem for the RFL is the capture the public's imagination that the Championships are indeed a creditable competition. Having cut off automatic promotion and relegation (something British sport must have for it to be accepted in this countries sporting society, apparently) then an outsider sees the leagues as nothing more than a feeder competition and a graveyard for ex-professionals. This is an obstacle the RFL needs to overcome for attendances to grow and for both Championships to thrive in the local communities. Only after successfully targeting local areas can a club become ambitious because the communiy is the foundation to growing attendances and regular supporters.

French rugby league - part three.

Part one was PSG. Part two is the successful Catalan. Now part three sees Toulouse being entered into the Championship, and exempt from relegation. Which you would have to say is a good thing considering they have been thrashed 70-0 in their opening game against Widnes the other night.

I never saw the game, nor have I yet to see highlights, but from various sources across the country that did see the match it appears Toulouse have a lot of work to do to really compete in this league.

What does baffle me though, the exemption of relegation from the Championship. I can understand why Catalan got exemption from relegation out of Super League. The difference between the two is massive, but surely the difference between the Championship and Championship 1 isn't that different. Attendances may drop but not that significantly in France I would have thought. The money would be similar from Sky and other TV deals in France (if any exist.)

Unless they are exempt so they can be given an all access pass to Super League in 2011. Theres one to ponder for a moment.

How will Toulouse playing in the National Leagues help the French or British games?

Toulouse will take part in National League One from the beginning of next year meaning there will be two French teams playing in the professional British Rugby League pyramid. Although no word has been spoken from the RFL, the official Toulouse Oympiquie website has in fact came out and said that the club will accept the RFL's invitation to play in a revamped 11 team competition with the first game to be played in March 2009 (supposedly after the Northern Rail Cup group stages are over).

This will see National League fans given the chance to experience what Super League has been doing for almost the past three years. What I think the RFL are missing is the fact this may not have the same impact as that of the Catalan experiment. Away fans are few and far between in the National Leagues with very few making the effort for fixtures on the other side of the pennines. How will they react when given the chance to go to the fourth largest city in France?

However, things may be different on the other side of the pitch. How will the attraction of playing in the second tier of British domestic Rugby League appeal to the Toulouse public? Will we see smaller versions of enthusiastic Catalan supporters, or will there be one man and his dog and the seventy year old die hard fan turn up for every home game?

But contrary to if Toulouse would have been in Super League, I can't see this side making as big of an impact to what the Catalan club has become. In fact Catalan have nothing to worry about gaining a new neighbour into the British system. They're in completely different leagues and should for the next three years be helping each other out as best they can.