Ive heard the excusing about so called development in the 'home nations' (despite not one of them are technically sovereign countries), yet now we have players from outside England being selected for England.

Great Britain Lions is a strong brand with a well known image, kit colours of the famous red & blue vee. The RFL have failed IMO to market a pi$$ weak England identity.

GB represents the entire island not just a part of it. It has a strong heritage and a better chance of beating Australia than the St. George faux team.

The mockers will mock this, so what. I was brought up on GB Ashes tours. The RFL need to grow a pair and rightfully return something [ithey[/i have wrongfully removed.

I agree 100% and would love to see a Great Britain team again.

The England national team exists because of historical changes to funding of sports in the UK.

To qualify for grants e.g. from SportEngland, NGB's have to operate national teams - GB isn't a national team, so the RFL (and the game as a whole including grass roots), would lose massive amounts of funding.

AHh so its a political agenda by the government? Part of the planned destruction of the Union? Smelly rat poo.

Not a political "agenda"...Sport England fund English sport. Great Britain isn't England, so no funding for the game.

This is not a party political thing.

Funding issues aside, until we have players in the current Wales, Scotland & Ireland setup that would get into a British team, isn't this a moot point?

In fact, if we did start to get players of that quality in those teams, doesn't that just prove that it was the right thing to do in the first place?

Great Britain somehow just sounds stronger and bigger. It is unique, bring back the ashes to go with it.

What makes now the right time? why not last week, or next week, what has changed?

home nations play each other and france and at world cups.

GB play 4 nations and tours.

Its the obvious answer

Aye. Another obvious answer is to leave it as it is.

apart from the 4nations part, that is how it is.

But the 4 nations part would admittedly make a huge difference.

But as a team it's no stronger than England as its not like we gain someone of the calibre of Davies by combining the home nations

I agree that as a brand its more historical relevant and could be used for the four nations as long as Wales aren't competing

This.

we would gain a testing ground for around 80 players.

It's that time of the week again...

I'll just stick to ripping open the opening sentence as that's all I can be bothered to do. First point, can you point on your map of sovereign countries where it says "Great Britain & Ireland" for me please? I assume it must be on there for you to bring up the home nations not being sovereign countries? They are constituent countries though (well, Ireland isn't).

As for your second point, did this not happen under GB&I? I assume it didn't, as again you've brought it up as a negative. I'm guessing because they're called GB, there'll be some kind of difference to the recruitment policy of heritage players.

I'm hoping there is a reply. I would like to know why I should think GB is better to bring back than sticking with the home nations, but I'd like to confirm that these issues are exclusive to the home nations' existence first...