I'm glad there is little representation from Leeds as I hope we will see some extra benefit from this pre-season.

But I will still be supporting the players who do play (from my armchair) no matter how futile it will probably be

erm No. I want every England team (regardless of sport) to win every game. I am however realistic enough to understand our place in the International game, so I "expect" us to win the game against PNG and that's it.

Quote: sgtwilko "i want england to win but its got hammering written all over it!!! i just hope this can brings the lads together! kiwis by 20 to 30'" Probably. And the result the last time we played New Zealand in Wellington was? news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 127364.stm

Quote: sgtwilko "i want england to win but its got hammering written all over it!!! i just hope this can brings the lads together! kiwis by 20 to 30'" Probably. And the result the last time we played New Zealand in Wellington was? news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 127364.stm

Rugby League - yes but other than that I am completely indifferent except for England RU where I actively support England's opposition (from my comfy armchair)

This thread just about sums up some of the complete idiots that come on here these days. Hang your heads in shame if you do actually want England to lose.

Spot on. Just like I hope when Leeds lads are in it, we're the only ones on the score sheet.

I have little or no emotional connection to England RL and blame the RFL for it. Their attitude towards international RL is "wishy washy" at best. The media coverage is woeful, the lack of serious games is pointless, and the scheduling of mid-season friendlies, actually make that... the existence of mid-season friendlies is ridiculous.

I got an email asking why I didn't attend the France match. Pretty simple really...
1) It was a no contest.
2) It was a friendly no contest. Which makes it even more of a no contest. At least if it was to qualify for something there's more likely to be a game to watch.
3) Most importantly of all... I was in London watching us play Quins. If you're wanting fans to attend the match, and are going to schedule a mid-season friendly without shutting SL down for the week, at the very least try and avoid kicking off at the same time as a competitive league match. Jesus! It doesn't take a PR & Marketing degree to figure that one out does it?!

International RL is just all a bit "shoddy". Hence me only caring if Leeds, whom I actually have an emotional connect to, are involved.

Looking at the bigger picture, I hope that every player does well in this tournament whenever their Australian, Kiwi, Papa New Guinean or English. After all it’s the best of what our sport has to offer at this moment in time.

However I’ll be supporting England because I’m English and I’ll be leaving club royalties behind. I think the whole ‘not wanting James Graham to succeed because he doesn’t play for Leeds Rhinos’ is childish at best.

Good luck to them all IMO and let the best team win!

Another alias?

Alright so if England do get there backsides kicked and return home not making the final do you really think people will look to the loss of McGuire, Sinfield and JP as major factors....?
If they are been proper Englishmen then yes, they will look for every excuse under the sun, its the English way.
But in reality it would be the same old outcome for the annual international tournament. We're not good enough. Besides some decent halves when fit, the back line is a joke.

The question appears to be should Leeds fans still support England RL now there are no Leeds players in the side?

As questions go it's not very testing ...... is it?

Some of my best moments watching rugby league have come when I truely considered certain (normally despised) Wigan/Hull/Widnes players as one of my own.

Times change, dominant club sides change but supporting the national side (whether GB or England) remains constant just as my support didn't increase when extra Leeds players made the squad, it made no difference come gameday.

But it's not the RFL's fault that there is no decent competition for England within 10,000 miles. I think it is important that the players involved get together for friendlies occassionally and Wales/France and the nearest we have available to a decent opposition

A trip to the lunatic asylum that calls itself the Virtual Terrace come international season would see that one-club to$$baggery is a disease that infects the entire RL "community" with equal virulence.

Please don't take that as a suggestion that you should visit the VT though, I would feel responisble for any mental damage inflicted on yourself.

I suppose my view is laced with rather large amounts of bitterness and jealousy if I'm honest. I kind of don't want to admit it possible to beat the might Oz without any of our boys. The harsh facts (if you're a Rhinos fan) is there's only JP who'd be 100% in the team if fit.

I think all this talk of McGuire missing out through injury has only really come about since his injury. Do we really think he'd have started over Tomkins? I very much doubt he would've.

I'm chuffed to bits Sinfield isn't playing. He really needed the pre-season with Leeds. He would've been picked in the squad yes. But in reality how much would he have played? He have gone all that way, done all the training, played a few halves, not settled, not found a role for him, got knocked about, come home and only have the negative effects of the tour as memories.

Sinfield is very much the Frank Lampard of RL. World class for his club, just can't find a role suited to his talents internationally. The only way to do that would be to shaped the England team like the Leeds team specifically for Sinnie, which a) just wouldn't work against Oz and b) pile mountains of pressure on him and if he so much as misses one pass, the whole failure of the team is on his shoulders (as it is at Leeds!).

What about a Super League based World XIII??

Surely that would be competition? Briers, Leuluai, Gidley, Buderus, Richards, King?