Players from the other team wouldn't be able to be persuaded by international selection as that isn't the RFL's decision to make. If the ARL came out and said they would consider players that play in this game for the full test team, then maybe they would.

I'm sure some clubs' chairmen would be happy to see their players just playing club footy as well.

No, its England (or a version of the England side) playing a 'rest of the world who just happen to be playing in SL at this moment in time' team. I dont know anyone with a rest of the world passport. Though i expect it would be rainbow coloured.

So why does a Leeds v Wigan match get around 10k more than a leeds v some lower league side?

you think the Baa Baas or all star games are treated seriously? the Baa Baas pick a random amateur to play for them, in the NFL the pro-bowl is in hawaii and has different rules to normal, in the NBA is preceeded by dunk contests, and games of horse, These games are treated as what they are, showpieces, and events, a bit of fun.
of course i do, similarly i care when they play Australia, NZ, PNG or Fiji, or anyone in an international test. Im not interested in seeing them play a friendly series against a made up team cobbled together from the foreigners in this league/

Your right, it doesnt. It is contrived, it would be an event, a bit of fun, a trial and a get-together for the players, im not pretending it would be our Origin or a warm in intensity for international games.
then put them against Wales, Scotland, Ireland or France then. The England coaches could obviously be involved in an east v west game, the players are obviously getting together, and get to put themselves in the window for selection, 30 of them, rather than 17.

I can only ask why on earth you would think that?

thats not even close to being an answer to the question i asked.

so the best 30 english players plus the best 8 overseas players wouldnt put on a contest similar in intensity to the best 17 English players and the best 17 overseas players? do you really believe that?


England team mates playing against each other, for the shirt. Overseas players here for about 3 years on average is hardly the life long rivalry expressed by Origin when it sold itself as mate against mate, state against state.

I've fully accepted it is contrived. Im happy with that. Im not arguing it should be used to build us up to the intensity. It wont. Neither will an England v ROW 13. Nothing but closely fought internationals will do that.

As i said i didnt propose it as a means of getting players used to a higher intensity, to be our origin, a chance to try out tactics etc, because it isnt those things. None of the ideas proposed could be close to giving those things. So lets use it how we can, make it an event for the fans, let it get attention, get people involved, get people talking about the game, about whether they voted for Burrow or Brough, Tomkins or Pryce, Whether Kallum Watkins was the right choice as a coaches pick. Let the players get together, relax, get to know each other, play together against players trying to take their place, work with the England coaches and have some bloody fun.


an improvement in what way? that they are playing a team which is a bit better? Thats not going to prepare us for NZ and Australia any better at all. You are saying playing a team which would likely be comfortably the bottom team in the NRL, would prepare us for playing a team picked from all the best players in the NRL.

And when the England players say hang on, I earn about £3k a match here, there is a three match series here, plus the possibility of another 4/5 at the end of the season, plus win bonuses. Not to mention the inherent value in representing my country, are you going to pay me that extra £30k a year to make up for it? no? oh well id like a move to this club please, btw you have also ed of the RFL. and the overseas guest stars say hang on, i was getting £5k a match here, thats £15k you are stopping me earning, are you going to pay that? well that isnt what i came all the way over here for, I might look for another club in this country, but my agent will certainly contractually make sure you have to release any other players for this game if you want to bring them over.

The link in the OP stated that it was an SL-based Australian team. I would hazard a guess at them having an Australian passport in this case

I agree.
But in the meantime, do we just sit and wait and hope that things come together on the international pitch? Or do we try and find ways to improve their preparation as well? I'd go with the latter...


I don't think anyone believes it will magically bring us up to standard. I think it's a poor argument used by people that are failing to see that the England team are under-prepared and under-resourced and have to find different ways than the Aussies and Kiwis to prepare the international team.

We can sit and say we need to do this that and the other in the system all day long, but it takes YEARS to do, and in the mean time we need to be doing other things AS WELL (not instead of) to improve the international side.

It just does my head in when people constantly argue that this is the only thing we're doing to improve the national team. It clearly isn't.

You may aswell forget any form of siding like Yorks or Lancs and just have England A vs England B and pick the squad from that. Make the players fight for their shirt in full blown internationals by playing against players who want their shirt.

geez I can see England struggling against a SL overseas team. Not sure it will do much for confidence to see them get well beaten! Best hope is that the overseas team doesn't have time to gell or much to play for.