Admittedly that helps, but you can overcome that providing you have people (players, fans, governing bodies) who are prepared to embrace new concepts and make them work for the good of the game. Besides, Yorkshire v Lancashire seem to have quite a decent rivalry in cricket.

The Aussies have made a success of origin, and the USA has done likewise with 'allstars' East v West games in basketball and ice-hockey.

Unfortunately when it comes to English rugby league, the answer always seems to be that it can't be done. No one is interested. Nothing will work. There is always someone trying to put obstacles in the way.

I would have expected to find RL fans on here chomping at the bit for an origin style game. You know, something, anything, where you can all turn up in your thousands and show the rest of the country what we're missing.

I thought the idea of the thread was to discuss the team and not the event?

I'll have a (probably v.poor) go

1 e. kear
2 duport
3 baile
4raguin
5 richards
6bosc
7briers
8 casty
9 rinaldi
10 ferriol
11 elima
12 finnigan
13 mounis

14 brough (int. hooker)
15 boyle
16 james
17 mcarthy

squad players- henderson, grix, beswick, ambler, stacul, thomas

I'll have a (probably v.poor) go

1 e. kear
2 duport
3 baile
4raguin
5 richards
6bosc
7briers
8 casty
9 rinaldi
10 ferriol
11 elima
12 finnigan
13 mounis

14 brough (int. hooker)
15 boyle
16 james
17 mcarthy

squad players- henderson, grix, beswick, ambler, stacul, thomas

Now I'd say 3-7 would definitely compete well with England, and some of the forwards would do well as well. Would definitely try and fit Fakir in there somewhere though. Pat Richards could be devastating at international level with some decent playmakers and good centres. Still, merging a few of the other European nations into one team shows that there is still a pretty big lack of depth (even with heritage players).

Because for players participating in Yorks/Lancs there are England places up for grabs dependent on your performance, whereas if you're already in the England team it's not as pressing a concern. Plus there is the Yorks v Lancs rivalry anyway which can be exploited. And there is an incentive for BOTH teams. What is the incentive for the "overseas" team? If they're in SL the Aussies and most of the Kiwis in the team aren't going to be picked for their national sides anyway.


But they've already got an England place by this point, whereas Yorks v Lancs is to determine the England places, plus how do we know it'll be a competitive team? How will it be any more competitive than Yorks v Lancs? And you're only seeing the form of 17 players instead of 34.



Their reputation would still be on the line, of course it would, and it would determine IF they got an international call-up in the first place. No their form wouldn't necessarily carry over, but if that player has a problem transferring his club form to a rep side then that probably means he wouldn't carry it over to the national side either. It's not quite inclusive, but technically Qld v NSW isnt either and since the only other contenders for England selection I can remember in the recent past are Gardner, LMS, Purdham & Clubb I don't think it's a massive issue. Hopefully, eventually other regions will take part.

I simply don't see the benefit of getting an England team together to play 1 game against a falsely created side who have no incentive to take part or to win the game. A 3 game series between 34 Englishmen vying for 17 international places has a much better shot at improving our national team in my opinion.