GARY Fawcett has welcomed the proposed structural changes in League One next season – but is hoping Cougars will be back in the Championship by then.

British rugby league’s third tier will increase to 15 teams and adopt a Super League-style mid-season split, with club chairmen and chief executives approving the decision at a meeting last week.

French club Toulouse have been offered and accepted a place in the division, with teams playing each other once before the top eight break off and play each for a second time.

Meanwhile, sides that finish in the bottom seven after 14 regular season matches will play off for their own prize – much like the current Championship Shield.

The split is designed to produce more competitive matches in a division currently defined by its north-south divide.

All of the bottom six sides in this season’s competition are from the southern expansion areas and are well cut adrift of the play-off places.

There have also been a number of lop-sided scorelines as a result of the gulf in quality, but the mid-season split is likely to result in the northern teams – and perhaps Toulouse – all playing each other towards the end of the season.

Likewise, the teams in the south would generally be playing for each other at the business end and would have something meaningful to play for.

The change would likely cut down the amount of travel clubs face over the course of the campaign – or at the very least compensate for the introduction of a team in the south of France.

Cougars chairman Fawcett said: “Whereas we've no wish to be in League 1 next season I think the planned revamp for next season in that league, with the impending inclusion of Toulouse and possibly others as rugby league seeks to strategically expand, makes sense.

“Managing travel costs as well as the impact on our players time on a weekend is of paramount importance for all clubs but especially for those in League 1 where the travel distances and costs can be greater than for the other professional leagues.

“For our game in South Wales last weekend we stayed overnight and a coach and accommodation does not come cheaply.

“To help the club I am very proud to say that the players contributed towards their own accommodation.

“I don't believe that you would come across commitment like this in any other professional sport.

“Furthermore, the leading Welsh rugby union side Llanelli Scarlets made their training facilities available for us to train in on Saturday evening.

“This was very generous of them and shows how much sports are able to help each other.”

Yet Fawcett admitted the long trek to south Wales took its toll on Paul March’s part-time outfit, who host Barrow at Cougar Park on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

He added: “The weekend was a very long weekend for all concerned as we set off from Leeds at 8.30am on Saturday morning and returned there at midnight on Sunday.

“It's not an ideal format and obviously has adverse impacts on home crowds and running costs.

“Despite the new and improved revamped structure next year these issues will continue at some level so I sincerely hope that we avoid them and are performing successfully in the Championship in 2016.”

Meanwhile, the iPro Sport Cup will return next season after making its debut this term, with North Wales Crusaders beating Swinton in the final at Blackpool at the Summer Bash weekend.