Irish Super League franchise on the cards, say impressed Leeds Rhinos

RUGBY LEAGUE IRELAND (RLI) chiefs have welcomed news that the Leeds Rhinos are pushing Dublin as a venue for a potential Super League franchise.

The Rhinos, in Ireland for a pre-season training camp, have been impressed with the standard of the facilities arranged for them by RLI, who already run an amateur competition in this country.

Dave Southern, chairman of RLI, said: “We need to look at it in a holistic manner. Why concentrate on just Dublin? Throw it open, let us look at Limerick, Cork or Galway. But this is not a short-term issue — this is a long-term plan. It wouldn’t happen overnight.”

And he is confident that the sport would develop a strong support base.

“Who would ever have imagined that ice hockey would have taken off in Belfast with the Belfast Giants? It is a valid question, sure, but everything has to have a start somewhere. We are not getting excited right now. It is a long-term plan.”

Rhinos assistant coach, Francis Cummins, a former Ireland inter-national, said: “I have been to Dublin before with the Ireland team and played here with Leeds in the Charity Shield prior to Super League, but this trip has been a real eye-opener.

“The facilities at Dublin City University are as good or better than most that teams in Super League will train at and I would say that, if there was a Dublin team in Super League, it would be an ideal base.

“I know a lot of people watch Super League on TV over here but if they had a team they could go watch on a regular basis — it would be fantastic.

“Rugby league has got games at the Millennium Stadium, Wembley and Old Trafford this season and, if they were looking for an alternative venue, Croke Park is an incredible stadium.”

Super League are expected to adopt a franchise system in 2009, and Cummins believes Dublin could emulate the success of French newcomers Catalans Dragons as a popular venue for away fans.

“The trip to Perpignan has become a real event for supporters and people are planning whole weekends away around the game. If you had a team in Dublin, it is so easy to get here from the rugby league heartlands that I am sure thousands of fans would come across to see their side in action.”