I would go for France vs Wales.

Better competition than them both being hammered by England.

Plus seeing as it's being played in Leigh. No problem with Leigh it's just the RFL arent exactly making much effort to give the fixture more exposure and make it into the big game it should be.

So perhaps a stand alone weekend with England vs someone. France vs Wales and maybe even Ireland vs Scotland!

Give everyone a go.

Wales not good enough atm and "Exiles" - who would want to play for that side? Who would coach it?
I think it's a definite non issue for SH 4N matches, as England should play France that year. I think it would be harder to market and cost more to set up than an English Origin Series - which might be more useful for English player development tbf. Two match series, double headers with Wales-France as the undercard.
Playing "les blues" as opposed to France (eg France plus French sides' foreign players) would be an option, though I'm not sure that a France coach would want to swap out International players for a few ringers.

we have to get France up to speed and the only way is to give them regular tough games

have france play a ENGLAND 'A' side and have the full england side play the 'ALL GOLDS' made up of SL based kiwis and aussies.....simples,as the advert says.....

Can RL just stick with something for a while and let it build?

In years to come, the French will get a hellava lot better, there's money to be made if it is stuck with.

If Wales can play these two as well during the year, who knows what could happen in 5/10 years time.

Please, you started it a few years ago, stick with it for a while longer, it will pay off soon.

I agree France need to be playing the top 3 teams more often to improve. A second super league team would also make them a lot stronger. I think we should remember in the 4 nations we only won 34-12 with France winning at half time, so they can be competitive.

The question shouldnt be, should we play an all golds/all stars team instead of the french, but should we play them as well as the game against france. Where is this option in the poll.

Top answer

nope was thinking a minor nations and French select team so yea I will be primarily welsh and French but also open to the jocks paddies etc

Has anyone thought how this would be put together?

Firstly, why on earth would our antipodean friends WANT to play in this game? Surely they would love the opportunity for a free week mid-season, and I'm not sure how the RFL would enforce selection - make sure every overseas player has a clause in their contracts? Many of our Aussie "stars" are well past their best and would have no desire to face a full England squad in a meaningless game when they can get their bumps and knocks seen to.

Secondly, if England have an off day and get hammered by the SL-based Aussies, can you imagine the humilation and vitriol in the Ocker press??? They laugh at us as it is, all we need is their aged rejects to beat us on home soil and our fall from grace is complete.

No, forget it. Play France or Wales.

Kick off - 7pm.

England v France, 20 mins each way.
England v SL select, 20 mins each way.
Wales v SL select, 20 mins each way.
France v Wales, 20 mins each way.

?

Isn't this the point of the discussion, finding England a team to face who could mount a serious test to their qualities?

If they were to be beaten by a team of exiles, then I think it'd be a huge wake-up call to all concerned.

given the higher calibre of imports we've brought over to SL in recent season a exiles/allgolds...team would be a very serious challenge indeed...off the top of my head heres a 13

1. brent webb
2. scott donald
3. matt king
4. sia soliola
5. amos roberts
6. thomas leuluai or michael monaghan?
7. matt orford
8. mitchell sargent (i'm struggling for a another prop tbh)
9. danny buderus
10. mark o'meley
11. craig fitzgibbon
12. david fa'alongo
13. dallas johnson


very good side that imo

I'd rather see us continue to play France. The fact that you get a five figure crowd in Donny for such a game suggests its not such a bad idea.

If we're going to play an invented 'exiles' team, can we at least do it properly and follow the lead of lashings, i zingari, or duchess of norfolk's teams in cricket, harlem globetrotters in basketball (or barbarians in rugby union). I.e form a 'club' with some famous ex-players on the committee, get a "tradition" going and have this club send teams to play the odd game annually in France, Serbia, Malta, Lebanon or wherever (with weaker squad, of course). England v Barbarians in union somehow has a better ring to it than England vs a scratch squad of foreigners.

Bring back the Yorkshire v Lancashire comp (but marketed properly and make it clear that like the SOO in Aus its a big factor for international selection at the end of the year) and play England v France at the same time. The "top" players would be playing in Yorkshire v Lancashire and the "2nd tier" England players or youngsters would be playing against France.

Would be more chance of a competitive game v France, would give young future England players good exposure to internationals, and (if done properly) the Yorkshire v Lancashire comp would give us a stepping stone in between regular SL games and internationals, as many players seem to struggle with the step up at the moment.

France have got 4 teams through to the last 32 of the Challenge Cup

Thats just over 10 %

Perhaps one thing most people don't know is that Thomas Castagne, France RU outsdie half (and Saracens RU) played rugby league in France but had to turn to Union as there weren't any RL sides playing at a high enough standard for his talents in France.

Today, he would be in the Catalans side and boy would have he been good in League - another Stacey Jones.