This is where the cap on non-English players I think is bad for the game internationally. People say it's good for young English players, but it's not good for other nations.

We're seeing that experience in the big two competitions (SL and NRL) is doing wonders for the competitiveness of international RL. The more non-English and non-Aussies playing in those two respective competitions the faster we're going to have a really competitive international comp.

With an increasing number of French, Welsh, Samoan, Fijian, Tongan and PNG players in the two competitions it should only be a matter of time until they start being much more competitive with the "big 3"

Totally agree with you about having more French clubs in SLE,three should be the minimum target by the next world cup.

Theres no need to rush the Welsh again is there?.There are Welsh players all over SLE and that will continue to grow over the coming years.

By all mean help SWS and the crusaders to continue there devolopement on and off the field, but lets not ruin it again by interfering to deeply again.

I think France is going to be easier to break than Wales.

IMO too many teams in SL playing too many games, with no proper breaks to play any meaningful internationals makes it difficult to grow the international stage at the moment.

We also need all these players who have all of a sudden found Italian, Irish, Welsh and Scottish parentage to keep playing for their countries. You shouldn't be able to pick and choose your allegiance every other week... Then we can have a meaningful 6 nations competition, and proper tours for these teams too...

My point on the previous page, its no use having Australians wanting to just play in a WC in europe for a 5 week holiday, then return to bondi, never to wear the shirt again, by all means accept ' heritage ' as long as that heritage is not abused, if somebody declares they are Italian, then Italian they remain for all their career, and lets see the sport ( all of it RFL and NRL ) support these players in growing the sport in their chosen countries

Agree with most things put. The only time RL gets even half decent media coverage is for international games. Even the oft derided Autumn Internationals last year saw more media coverage and more people watching live RL than anything in the domestic season other than the Cup Final.
We desperately need to be on FTA TV in some fashion and the Cup (other than the Final) just isn't doing it anymore. The media and the "slightly interested" in "non-RL" areas aren't that bothered about Huddersfield v Warrington in a semi final or even a final really. But they will take note of England playing.

I've posted what I think is a good international 8-year schedule before, as part of that there should be annual comps both here and down under.
A 5/6 nations here of England, Wales, France, Scotland, Ireland & possibly Italy.
Same format as Union 6 Nations. Play each once. Top of the table wins. Max of 5 games. If necessary, play 2 games a week sometimes. So, for instance:
Sat - Round 1:
Italy v Ireland
Scotland v France
Wales v England - triple header @ Man City maybe? Or Elland Road?

Wed - Round 2:
England v Ireland -
Wales v Scotland -
France v Italy -

Sat - Round 3:
Scotland v England
Wales v Italy
Ireland v France

Sat - Round 4:
England v Italy
Ireland v Scotland
France v Wales

Sat - Round 5:
Wales v Ireland
Scotland v Italy
France v England

Would only take 4 weeks out of the calendar.
Much better than the Exiles games in my opinion. Especially if a GB touring side has been reintroduced for games v Aus and NZ, as that means players like Kopczak, Brough etc can play for the other nations and still be in contention for the Test Series.

The problem with that is that it puts off players from declaring for these nations if they think there's even the tiniest chance they'd ever be picked for Australia or New Zealand or England.

Which is why it is important that we play more internationals as a whole.

Players declaring for Italy Fiji or Samoa, Ireland, Wales and Scotland should be doing so in the knowledge that they will be playing 5-10 internationals a year with 1-3 of those against the big 3

I agree, but I don't think a hard and fast rule should be introduced until we've got to that point and developed the sport a bit.

I think there should be a 5/6 nations down under at the same time as here, of Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga.

For the sake of a few weeks in the schedule I think it'd be a massive boost to rugby league around the world. As long as we stick with it and don't immediately scrap it at the first sign of a little difficulty.

Out of interest, we have a 4 nations next year, who is the 4th nation gonna be?

Having a 6 nations tournament both here with England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France & Italy
Making sure we have a GB tour thrown in every once in a while so that the home nations players dont all hold out for England.
Also on the Southern Hemisphere having Oz, NZ, Fiji, PNG, Tonga and Samoa.

The next 6 highest ranking teams left also having regular tournaments.

There's an appetite for the game so lets do it.

Year 1. 6 nations Northern/Southern hemisphere
Year 2. 6 nations top 3 from each of year 1's tournaments in one hemisphere and the the bottom 3 play in the other hemisphere
Year 3. WORLD CUP
Year 4. GB tour.

I think that could work

Maybe a Northern hemisphere team v Southern hemisphere team as part of a tour