Licence to thrill

Angela Powers checks out the candidates for a Super League licence come 2009.

The new Super League licensing system is set to transform rugby league as we know it from next season and beyond. Promotion and relegation has been removed and from next year places in the top flight will only be awarded to teams who successfully apply for a licence. Clubs are required to meet a certain standard and in July we will learn which teams have been granted licences to operate in Super League for the three years beginning in 2009 Over the next few weeks, Boots 'n' All will be taking a close look at the clubs competing for a place and up to 14 of the 19 clubs who have applied are expected to be successful. See how your club fared by clicking on the link below...

CLUB	LICENSING GRADE	STORY LINK
Toulouse	B	Click here
Catalans	B	Click here
Wigan	B	Click here
Leeds	A	Click here
Hull KR	C	Click here
St Helens	A	Click here
Celtic Crusaders	C	Click here
Hull	A	Click here
Featherstone Rovers	C	Click here
Bradford	B	Click here
Widnes	B	Click here
Leigh	B	Click here
Huddersfield	B	Click here
Salford	B	Click here
Castleford	C	Click here
Warrington	A	Click here
Wakefield	C	Click here
Halifax	C	Click here
Harlequins	B	Click here

Here's how the criteria are calculated...

Facilities

Teams will get one point for having a stadium with a capacity of 12,000 or more.
Another point will be awarded if the ground meets the standards of a premier competition in the 21st century.

Attendances

A point will be awarded to clubs with an average attendance of around 10,000 spectators.
Another point will be awarded if stadiums are operating at 40 per cent capacity.

Finances

Teams will receive a point if they are solvent.
Another point is up for grabs if their turnover is more than £4million.

Player Strength

Teams earn one point if they are considered to have made a contribution to the competition - that means averaging a place in the top eight over each of the last three seasons.
Another point is available to clubs who make a contribution to home-grown player development. That means at least eight members of a first-team squad of 25 should be discovered, trained and developed in this country.

Salary Cap

One point is on offer to teams who have not committed a major breach of the salary cap in the last three seasons.

Geographical Expansion

The final point goes to clubs who don't have another rugby league club within a 20-mile radius.

Total Score

8 or more points - A Licence
5 or more points - B Licence
Less than 5 points - C Licence It is thought teams who achieve an A or B Licence will be awarded a place in Super League, while those who achieve a C Licence will undergo further scrutiny before the RFL decide who makes the final cut.