All that tonights game proved is that JJB,Wilkins et al are not worthy of playing at International standard.
So maybe McBanana stumbled unexpectedly on some fortunate news.

How about England U21's vs England Retired Select XIII? Or "Ex-Scotland Wales Eire NZ v an Always been England side?

Or, how about we stop cocking about and get back to regular SL matches? The International game is dead on it's bottom. The Aussies don't care and we can't beat them anyhoo. Any interest we had in the Int'l game died when GB became extinct and the Aussies stopped touring.

We tried it for 2 seasons, if we gave up on everything that wasn't a succes in that amount of time we'd probably have no game at all.. It wasn't great but the crowds were OK, and because of the history and rivalry it could've been a real success. You can't expect every new concept to be an instant success, it takes time. SOO was first played infront of 25k crowds, now every game is pretty much a sell out.

What about the younger players though? They should've been trying to prove their worth and show why they should be selected above some of the more established (so called) 'failures' but most looked like they couldn't be d.

I get what you're saying but come on that match tonight was awful. I also don't understand the obsession with everything origin and the fact that because it works in Australia means we must copy it. Aussie rules football is very popular over there but no one here gives two hoots.

If we must have a mid season International then play either France/Ireland/Wales and build the International game over here. Let's face it, with the new tv deal down under we will be light years behind them for many years, so forget it. Try and aim towards an eventual competitive 4/5 nations and even if the quality isn't the highest, if the games are close and intense (which will take a while) then people will watch. Hell we might even get someone to sponsor the thing.

I don't disagree the intensity wasn't what it should be and I don't necessarily think we should go back to a county of Origin, and I too don't share the fascination with everything Aussie (including SOO), I just think we dissmiss experiments as failures without really giving them a chance to grow.

You have got to have a contest that people have a side to support, we have that with the Exiles. England v Knights is nothing other than a trial game and no one would pay to watch it.

Exactly.

The Exiles concept is a good one imo but the RFL need to a - stop trying to market it like SOO and b - put something in place that stops the England players pulling out left right and centre. Playing one match on a stand alone weekend would have been enough imo. We can build it up to a 2 match and then a 3 match series when it takes off.

SOO is a trial game for the Aussie team.

Just play one test against france away on a weekend.

England will get more intensity from that game. Also I want an explanation from the RFL on why they turned down a tour to New Zealand this year?



It use to be. Them days are long gone!

We do need to do something on the international scale IMO. The state of origin is a three game test where full teams are fielded on every occasion. England exiles is a two game test where on the second test we rested a handful of the best players and got beat by the exiles. Absolute pointless game for me unless your going to play a nearly identical team to the one we will use against the Aussies and all blacks.

But people have a team to support. People from NSW support NSW. People from QLD support QLD.

Who would you support if England played England? I'd personally find it difficult to want England to lose.