Dave Craven: Time to make sure that potential for travel chaos is eradicated

That bold Super League proposal looks like getting the go-ahead and it is certainly an intriguing if potentially problematic way of developing the sport.

So, while we are on the subject, I am going to throw another idea into the mix which has completely nothing to do with promotion and relegation, raising playing standards or making games more competitive.

It involves nothing as deep-rooted or complex as any of those on-going debates but rather asks for simply a little common sense and foresight at little residual cost to anyone. The thing that has wound me up and, more pertinently, Castleford Tigers, is the apparent disregard shown to their supporters with the decision to switch the club’s kick-off time in Perpignan this Saturday.

Having forked out hundreds of pounds to travel over to France to see their club in action, can you imagine supporters’ reactions to hear – at only a week’s notice – that the kick-off had been brought forward three hours to 2pm.

Given the issues in travelling to Catalan it caused utter chaos. Depending on the time of year, there are no direct flights to Perpignan and so the trip often involves a long coach journey from Girona Airport in Spain.

In light of this, many Castleford fans would have missed the game and would have been completely powerless to do anything about it.

The RFL had agreed to the late switch at the request of French broadcasters who, unsurprisingly, have decided they would prefer to show the Heineken Cup final between Gallic powerhouses Clermont Auvergne and Toulon which kicks off at 5pm and creates an obvious clash.

The fact the sport is bowing down to rugby union only serves to add insult to injury.

Thankfully, after Castleford’s objections on behalf of their fans, a compromise has been agreed and the game will now kick-off at 3pm, hopefully giving those fans just enough time to reach Stade Gilbert Brutus.

A potentially costly gaffe has been averted but there is nothing preventing other French fixtures being prone to similar late alterations.

There is an argument, then, to say all Catalan kick-off times – away games, too, of course for supporters travelling the other way – should be set in stone and made sacrosanct to avoid such messy financial plights.

Given the cost of rail travel and hotels here, too, you could go further still and apply the same to London Broncos.

In fairness, the RFL does largely seem to keep disruptions to the fixture lists of these expansion clubs to a minimum, reducing the potential for such logistical nightmares.

But, as we contemplate drastic changes to the league structure, surely nailing this down should not be too problematic?

On the subject of that planned competition revamp, meanwhile, the governing body is offering fans chance to put questions to them in an online question-and-answer session today.

RFL chief executive Nigel Wood and chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer will be on the official website at www.therfl.co.uk between 12pm and 1pm.

Fans are invited to submit their questions both in advance of the session and during the live conversation by tweeting the official RFL Twitter account @TheRFL using either hashtag £AskTheRFL or £RLPolicyReview.

There are plenty of talking points about the plans but it is easy see to how it could breathe new life into the current system.

The likes of Sheffield Eagles, Featherstone Rovers and Halifax will certainly be keen as mustard for it to be passed as a way of helping them finally reach the sport’s elite.

And what about Toulouse...? A second French Super League club has long been on the agenda.

All the more reason for ensuring the scope for future travel chaos is eradicated for good.