THE sense of déjà vu cannot be escaped. Rugby league has been down the Twickenham and French routes before and failed, so what is different?
For one thing, Harlequins are not London Broncos and Catalans Dragons have established themselves closer to league’s roots in Perpignan, as opposed to Paris ten years ago, although none of that will prevent a state of nervous expectation at Twickenham Stoop at 3pm today, nor at Aimé Giral Stadium three hours later.
Big-name opponents, of course, will swell interest. St Helens are Harlequins’ first opponents and Wigan Warriors still elicit knowing nods among treizistes as the team to beat. At the start of its second decade and on the back of record crowds and television viewing figures, the Super League is embarking on its most ambitious expansionary phase, penetrating deep into the heart of rugby union territory.
Despite the sceptics, after 26 years, London’s peripatetic rugby league club — Fulham, London Crusaders, Broncos and now Harlequins — finally have a permanent home, outstanding facilities and a pastel-quartered shirt that has opened doors for them. No longer confused for an American football team, they are partners in the world’s most famous rugby brand, albeit one that stood in its snobbish past for everything league despised.
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So, sell-out, or new dawn? “Ten per cent love it, 10 per cent hate it and 80 per cent are willing to give it a go,” Nic Cartwright, the Harlequins RL chief executive, said.
Grant Mayer, Cartwright’s opposite number at the Dragons, is also in the conversion business. “There are people here who want to see what the fuss is about,” he said. “We’re confident that if we can get them here, we’ve a product they’ll want to come back and see.”
After four years clinging to life in Brentford, West London, and financial implosion last March, the five-mile journey to Twickenham since Ian Lenaghan, the Sports Café Group chairman, took over the club is more than symbolic. Their previous spell at the Stoop was a case of daggers drawn with their union landlords, who are now fully committed to operating the two codes side by side.
The Jason Leonard Lounge will be full, 15 corporate boxes have been sold for the season and “beer stewards” expect a busy afternoon from the 7,000-plus crowd forecast by Lenaghan. The club are cautiously hoping for a 5,000 average, with a third of 1,200 season tickets bought by the union club supporters, and hope to be in the black next year.
“The Broncos was a decent brand, but Harlequins opens all kinds of different doors,” Cartwright said. “We’ve sold corporate facilities to people who’d never have bought anything from the Broncos, just from seeing this place and what rugby league can offer.”
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Even though Catalans are playing at the home of Perpignan union club, the relationship is more strained. Harlequins have enjoyed a relatively smooth metamorphosis, whereas the Dragons, since their emergence from Union Treiziste Catalane, have dismissed Steve Deakin as coach for “incompatibility” with the players — Mick Potter, the former Bradford Bulls assistant coach, is the favourite to succeed him next week — while pre-season results have been distinctly unimpressive.
All will be forgotten if they can upset Wigan today. “Success is not just winning,” Mayer said. “It’s about creating awareness, bums on seats, attracting kids and families. There’s a league culture here, but it tends to be among the older population, who remember league when it was big here. We had a fans’ function and the average age was over 55.
“There’s a pride we must tap into. The reason union is strong is that it has had the field to itself. The sport is almost incidental to supporters who love to demonstrate their Catalan identity. We’re here to complement the union team. We just feel we’ve a better sport to show people.”
LINKS
TELEVISION: Sky Sports 1: Catalans Dragons v Wigan Warriors, live from 6pm today (kick-off 6.05pm)