What about God himself? Beaver!!!! Steve Menzies

Dont think i'd be particularly bothered about this game, rather one of the lesser nations is given a chance.

Let's face it if smith coaches them they'll tonk us.

a chance at what?? getting hammered by 50+?


at least playing this 'other nationalities' team theres a chance we could get beaten...and thats the whole point of playing them

And hopefully improve them at the same time, meaning the fixture has a point.

This all stars game is a pointless fixture.

the media in australia said that about state of origin in 1980

indeed what nation wouldnt be pleased, proud in fact, to get the chance to earn 3 internationals against the big teams once ever four years, oh and world cup too. Its a wonder governments dont give more money to our 2nd tier nationals when they get the chance to play England, NZ, and Australia twice every four years, but only one or possibly two of them. The rest cant, they can just be happy playing against each other.

how will they catch up if they arent allowed to play us?

France lost their last competitive game against us 34-12 with an attendance of 11'529 in Doncaster. Something was building. Maybe right now it wasnt an Australia test for England, but who cares, France and Wales were benefiting.

Indeed sometimes the media gets things right and sometimes they get them wrong.

I still see this game as pointless though, dont get me wrong its nice in 'fantasy rugby' kind of way but the week could either be used to play a lesser nation and improve them, thus benefitting the international game more, or be used as a week off mid season to make player burnout less likely at the end of the season, which would also help the international game.

Cant really see it drawing the crowds in either.

increase the number of players in the SLE

This idea has in a way been tried recently though. GB played SL based NZ in 2006 at St Helens. I was there and there certainly seemed to be a decent turn out for it.

Playing an All Stars team certainly provides England with a sterner challenge than France and Wales. For those two nations to develop having those two nations play each other regularly would be better until they catch up to England's standards. Certainly a round robin between them and the Knights seems like the best idea to develop England and bring France and Wales on.

I would have thought the best idea for the England first team would be to have two teams, the Reds and Whites, loosely based on Lancashire and Yorkshire, play in a round robin with the All Stars. That way they're getting more game time, more players are playing at that level and there's more players with big game experience when it comes to full England selection.

Manu, puletua, morrison, lauititi, hauraki, elima imho of course its all subjective.

edit having said that solmona can win a game with a special play, but i think as all round players the above are better.

No club bias there then

Hoffman and o'donnell for a start.

The all stars would be as one sided as well as England get swamped!!!