Super League chairman “disappointed” at London Broncos snub as promoted teams’ chances assessed

The chairman of one Super League club has admitted that he was “disappointed” London Broncos didn’t earn promotion to Super League, claiming that rugby league must have a successful side in the capital if the sport is to “change the dial”.

St Helens’ Eamonn McManus spoke about the expansion to a 14-team Super League at the club’s fan event recently, explaining why 12 teams was a problem before giving his verdict on the promoted trio of York Knights, Toulouse Olympique and Bradford Bulls.

The major reason that McManus highlighted for why 12 teams was a problem was loop fixtures, as many have already noted, something he claimed was a “major failing in terms of integrity and finance”.

Explaining that in footage shared on SaintsTV, he said: “Just last season we played Castleford on August 2nd at home and August 22nd at home and people look at that and think ‘I’m not going to either’.

“We had Salford last year at home twice and were being accused of having an unfair advantage but people forgot we played Hull KR away twice, but we shouldn’t even be having these conversations.

“I was very much about getting away from that for those reasons of finance and integrity and there are two alternatives.”

Those alternatives, McManus revealed, were 10 teams or 14. For 10, he argued that the optics of shrinking in size would be “terrible” and it still wouldn’t end loop fixtures, meaning 14 was the only option.

St Helens chairman rues London missing out on Super League

The move to 14 teams saw Salford Red Devils relegated via IMG with Bradford Bulls claiming their spot, before York Knights and Toulouse Olympique earned promotion via application. As it happens, both those sides ranked as the next two teams on the IMG rating anyway and McManus is happy to welcome them to Super League.

He said: “The three teams that have come in are three teams in three cities in Bradford, York and Toulouse and we need more of that in out sport, that’s bringing in new investments.

“The people that are behind these are high net worth individuals that are ambitious and want their teams to succeed and going to 14 is growth.”

However, he did admit: “I was disappointed that London wasn’t one of the three, purely because I know the investors and I know the depth of the business plan.

“I’m sure that either next year or very soon thereafter, London will be in it because if we’re going to change the dial in rugby league, we’ve got to have a very successful team in London.”

As for what Super League will look like with three newly promoted teams, two of which are on half the central funding, McManus said he was “more optimistic” than others.

The St Helens chair said: “These (promoted) teams may struggle in the first season or two, you don’t come in and go straight to the top but that said, Wakefield did pretty good last year.

“I’m more optimistic than others on how well they can do and it could take two or three years for them to really become competitive but you’ve got to start somewhere and this year is the year to start, and I hope we go to 16 in years to come.”

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