London loss for the best

Richard Branson is set to walk away from the Broncos

By BBC Sport's Dave Woods

Rugby league has one of its best opportunities for years to make a meaningful move out of its heartland, and it is all thanks to the possible collapse of the London Broncos.

Confused? Well you shouldn't be.

The game's bigwigs have been wringing their hands and shaking their heads with the news that Richard Branson's love affair with rugby league is all but over and that Virgin are about to pull out of the Broncos.

It could be the end of rugby league having a professional presence in the capital, and with it go all the benefits of the sport having a vibrant, relatively successful club based in Britain's most influential city.

Their impact on the sporting psyche of London has been minimal

Dave Woods

But just a minute, what benefits?

Can you explain to me how rugby league's national profile has been boosted by the London side?

Media coverage in the south of England is as pitiful as it's ever been.

And not one sponsor of any national competition has come as a direct consequence of London Bronco's existence.

As for player development, forget it. Dominic Peters is just about the only player of any repute produced by the London youth system in 15 years of trying.

That is despite London being a respectable side.

They reached the last Challenge Cup final at Wembley, have finished high in the Super League table and produced one of the greatest ever international upsets when they beat Canberra in the World Club Championship five years ago.

Dominic Peters is a rare Broncos success story

Yet their impact on the sporting psyche of London has been minimal.

For a long time I was one of those who believed a team in the capital was vital, but not any longer.

That's not to say that moving the Broncos to Leigh, or even more ludicrously, York, would be a positive step. Quite the opposite.

No, here is a chance for the RFL and Super League to be bold and help take the game into a new sphere of popularity.

There have been nibbles of interest in taking on a franchise in Leicester and South Wales in the past, and now is the time to turn that interest into reality.

The game as a whole would not need to worry about more money being sucked away from the central pot.

In South Wales there appears to be an open affection for Rugby League in many quarters

Dave Woods

A new franchise would simply take from the TV funding what is already being taken by London.

A franchise moving to Leicester, or Swansea or Cardiff or even Gloucester, would be guaranteed a level of local interest never hinted at in London.

Those are rugby playing areas, albeit rugby union, but areas where running with the ball is already well known and loved by the local population.

Indeed, in South Wales there appears to be an open affection for rugby league in many quarters.

It may never replace the 15-a-side game in those parts as first choice sporting pastime, but it would be a welcome summer sport.

Other areas

Support and media coverage of that new franchise would therefore be naturally higher than the London side have had since the heady days of Fulham in the early 80s.

It is a shame it has not worked in London.

If it had gone to plan, then that would have been tremendous for the sport of rugby league.

But it is time to face the fact that roots haven't gone deep enough in the capital.

Instead the game should look at other areas to continue its drive to become a national sport and increase it's popularity.