Nigel Wood makes incredible Leigh Leopards financial claim

RFL chair Nigel Wood has sensationally claimed that Leigh Leopards fans injected £4 million into the Perpignan economy during their trip to Catalans Dragons last month.

Six years after leaving the RFL as chief executive, and being paid a significant six-figure sum to do so, Wood saw his permanent return to the role of chair rubber-stamped by clubs earlier this month.

He has been tasked with carrying out a strategic review into the support, with polarising opinions on his return.

Among his biggest supporters has been Leigh owner Derek Beaumont, and the Leopards supporters have now come to the forefront of a discussion surrounding Catalans’ involvement in Super League.

LRL RECOMMENDS: Why there is no Super League disciplinary on Monday as delay explained

Nigel Wood makes incredible Leigh Leopards financial claim amid French debate

Back in June, Leigh recorded a 26-12 victory at the Stade Gilbert Brutus in front of a crowd of 9,134.

Appearing on the latest episode of Sky Sports’ ‘The Bench’ podcast with Jenna Brooks and Jon Wilkin, Wood was quizzed about the future of French clubs in the British game.

Catalans and Toulouse Olympique are currently forced to pay for all of the travel costs incurred by UK-based clubs and match officials heading to Perpignan.

Wood said: “I’m told Leigh took 4,000 supporters down to Catalans, probably £1,000 apiece. That’s an economic impact of £4 million pounds.

“So, the inclusion of French teams creates significant economic impact. How much of that is actually finding its way back into the very club that made that happen at Leigh? And that’s the challenge we have to get right.

“I keep getting told we shouldn’t build a club on away support. I keep having that kind of thrown into discussions. And that’s entirely right.

“But at the moment, there’s an imbalance because you know full well that British supporters will go en masse into France, whether that’s the Championship club who is going to Toulouse or the Super League club who is going to Catalans.

“But the reverse doesn’t happen, so we have to find a way to work to the benefit of both the British game and the French game.”

LRL RECOMMENDS: Power Rankings – Championship and League 1 clubs soar as Wakefield Trinity enter top 10