Noves wants Top 12 league

Toulouse coach highlights his wishes for league to be reduced

By Emma Bird.   Last Updated: February 6, 2012 5:01pm

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Guy Noves: The Toulouse coach has expressed his ideas for a Top 12 league.

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Toulouse coach Guy Noves has called for the French Top 14 to be cut by two teams to allow players to better adapt to professional rugby.

"I don't think a Top 16 can allow French rugby to progress. "
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There is speculation that the competition may actually grow in the coming years, though that is something Noves is dead against.

"I would prefer a Top 12 because we're looking for dates everywhere," he said in reaction to rumours that the National Rugby League, which administers professional rugby in France, could soon discuss a proposal to expand the league to 16 teams.

"I don't think a Top 16 can allow French rugby to progress.

"I don't understand at all what's behind it or I hope not to understand all of it. Be it for the France national team or clubs, we are continually looking for dates; not to squeeze in games but to allow everyone to prepare, recuperate and learn modern, professional rugby."

Noves said that he paid no heed to the fact that Biarritz and Bayonne, two of French rugby's so-called big names, were currently occupying the two relegation places in the table.

"I remember that Beziers (with 11 league titles between 1961-84) dropped out of the elite and I'm not sure many people moaned about it.

"It's the course of history. Clubs that have gone down over the last few years would be within their rights to say: 'Why do we save them when you did nothing for us?'"