Without a doubt "Land of Hope and Glory" should be the national anthem. That, or "Rule Brittania".....God save the queen is dated now.

I am as proud of being English as I am of having 10 toes. Both are happenstances of birth over which I had no control: it's not like they're choices I've made or achievements I've managed, to be proud of.

For some people though, being English is an act of choice: Chase, Reed, Heighington … they have got something to feel proud about. Or ashamed of. Or not all that fussed over. Either way it's an actual decision they've made.

On the broader issue - remember the good old saying: home is where the heart is. I'm equally happy if that is where someone lives, or where they were born or where their family roots are - and I see no problem with someone representing their home (where they live, where they were born, where their family hails from). I'm certainly not arrogant enough to presume that I can define what is and isn't 'really' English and enforce that on someone else.

You could have been more selective with your examples - Rashid was born in Bradford and Bopara in Forest Gate.

I'm proud to be English and rugby will never have an impact on that

And Pietersen, being an Afrikaans name, is spelled with an 'i'

Definitely...i'm English , why would i not be proud to be ....?

No worries - but i don't think players should be playing against England in June and then for them in November. Your lad Rangi for example, has played for New Zealand Maori, New Zealand A's & Exiles RL. It's just my humble opinion, but i don't agree with it. Pick one and stick with it or else it'll make a mockery of the "International" competition.

I get quite despondent with International RL in this country. For no other reason than the lack of support we seem to generate.

For me, International RL is the pinnacle of the game, filling Wembley with people makes sponsors stand up and say, ey up, there's some people interested in that game, lets get our name on it... not so much a CC final or a GF, but the papers/media really stand up for an international game.

An interesting thing was on the Stephen Fry show about language where he was quoting a guy that said he's a patriot, but not a nationalist, that when asked what that meant said, he loves his country (patriotism) but does not hate other countries.

This is so easily transposed to RL and the club first mentality that means we can't sell out LSV for an elite international tournament. We may as well disappear up our own backsides sadly! To see people come out and say there are only bothered about their club, their players being ok and not selected and that they'll not go to any games saddens me.

Ok, admittedly I do think that it should be GB with Eng and Wal, and Ire in a selection for GB&I play off to play in a trinations with Aus, NZ, Samoa, PNG et al.

Yes I am proud to be English and would love to be able to represent my Country at International level at any sport. However I get the distinct feeling that a number of professional RL players don’t feel the same and it is this that is having a damaging effect on the success of the England RL team and it’s ability to play in front of a sold out crowds on a regular basis.

Year after year we have players who are picked for International duty who drop out because of injury or because they need an operation. I have no problem with this happening when treatment/operations are needed as a matter of urgency, however the fact is far too often these are niggling injuries that players have played with for weeks and would continue to do so if they still had a chance of winning a Challenge Cup or Grand Final winners medal for their club. As I say, I don’t have a problem of players dropping out for genuine reasons but I do feel far too many players use injuries as an excuse for ducking the challenge of facing the Aussies and Kiwis.

I think most fans realise this also and are becoming a little sick of players attitude towards representing England. I remember saving up around £2500 in my late teens in the hope of going and watching GB tour Australia in 1996 and was gutted when that tour never materialised due to the Super League war, fast forward to today and I wouldn’t watch England if they were playing in my back garden.

I'd agree that this is frustrating but assume that their main employers, i.e. the clubs, pretty much have the ultimate say over when players are operated upon.

A fact that isn't lost on me, but most Aussies would run on broken glass and through a brick wall to wear the green and gold and would more than likely be supported by their club.

The fact is our players/clubs don't have the same passion for International RL as the Aussies do. With this in mind, it doesn't take a genius to figure out why we are so far off the pace and the general RL public don't get all giddy at the prospect of watching our National team play.

It's a real shame, but unfortunately true.

Eh? NRL clubs are notorious for withdrawing their players from international duty for ops etc