Ireland isn’t part of Great Britain or the United Kingdom, but it is part of the British Isles archipelago. It’s a geographical name for all the islands in this series of islands in this archipelago.

The British Isles is not a political term. Take politics out of it and all these islands are still part of the British Isles archipelago, the name was given by the Romans not any British political fists. Great Britain was termed on the back of the name of the archipelago because it is the largest (the real definition for great) island of the archipelago.

So the term “British Isles XIII” is exactly what this team should be called if we want to include Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Bailiwick of Jersey and 6000 other islands, as they are all part of the British Isles.

We are a sport, not a political regime. I for one couldn't give a flying fiddle about the politics or history of Britain and Ireland in this matter....

In rugby league, it's Great Britain, and we wear the iconic jersey..... It's for English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish, and if an Irishman takes offence, he doesn't need to make himself eligible or support the team.

We are Great Britain RL, we wear our iconic white jersey with blue and red V... and that is THAT!

No, according to the recent articles, we are the British and Irish Lions, or Great Britain and Irish Lions, and the chances are the badge will again contain the words British Islex XIII.

As has already been said, we shouldn't include Ireland and put Irish in the team name and then treat them as if they are an irrelevance. That's arrogant and disrespectful.

Personally, I'd prefer if it was just Great Britain Lions (e.g. English, Scottish, and Welsh), but I don't decide the team name or the make up of the team.

Why thank you Manfred. I see the moderators at wwwTotalfacistrl.com haven't sniffed you out as an agent provocateur as of yet, but I'd steer away from being too obvious if I were you.....John and his ilk don't take kindly to strangers over there





Fair enough. It is your ball and you can play with it as you see fit, but the reality is that the only EU land border you are set to have soon is with the Republic of Ireland, so rather than beat your chest and bang your drum, I'd be taking a slightly more conciliatory stance and adding a green hoop on the socks and adding the "& Ireland" to the name....

...by the way, the 21st Century called and asked if you'd like to join it?

Not if it means every single thing has to have a political undertone....

It's Great Britain RL, if that doesn't include Ireland, so what, I couldn't give a rats whether it does or not, but we shouldn't change the name or the colours either way. Why not go the full hog and get rid of GB and just be the European Union Unicorns, but then that wouldn't be fair on the non EU countries, so let's be 'The Rest of the World Rainbows', but then that wouldn't be fair on the aliens, let's be the 'Universal Gender Neutral, Normal isn't Normal, Uber Snowflakes"...

Let's just quit international sport, it's just not inclusive enough...

spectacularly missing the point is an understatement.......In 1908 when the First Ashes tour took place, Ireland was part of Great Britain.....in 1922 Ireland left that arrangement after 700+ years of oppression, leaving behind 6 counties populated by English Protestants during the "plantation" of Ulster under James 1st some 410 years prior.....thereafter the other code refer to their side as both the British Isles and then the B&I Lions after this independence was gained.....why would an open and normally level headed sport such as Rugby League, that has led the way in inclusiveness deny an Irish mans right as a foreigner to be acknowledged as one?

Your John Bull bravado smacks of Jingoism and a slight tinge of right wing doctrine.......no matter the birth heritage of any of the players, if you're going to pick an Irishman it must be acknowledged in the name and the branding....

Then they should be acknowledged as a 'foreigner' by not being eligible for GB, though residency will get them in anyway. If they want to play for GB, they can, doesn't mean the name or colours need to be changed. They know the brand, they know the colours, if they want to represent GB, they can, if they're not happy with the name or colours, they stick to just playing for Ireland. Quite simple really....

It's like saying Australia should change their name to Australia and the Pacific Islands, and incorporate the red of Tonga, Blue of Samoa etc.... it's ridiculous.... if players choose to make themselves available for representation, then they accept the team they are representing...

The thing is where do you stop with this “Great Britain and Ireland” name? Because that doesn’t include the Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Jersey or Bailiwick of Guernsey. So should we be called “Great Britain, Ireland, Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey Rugby League” just to get every official bit of the British Isles into the name in case we ever have players from those places representing us?

Or should we just be called “British Isles XIII” as we have been for decades and decades anyway?

As I’ve said, the British Isles archipelago includes all of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and 6000 other islands. Great Britain is just the largest island of the archipelago.

Just don’t call us Great Britain, or Great Britain and Ireland because that doesn’t include everyone. Call us the “British Isles XIII Lions”. We don’t need to change the kit. The kit is the kit, it’s iconic and should be left alone.

We have the badge already:



We don’t need to worry about anything else.

Great Britain is the name of the island where the game is mainly played. Job done.

Absolutely, Great Britain is the name, the shirt is the shirt, like it or lump it..... if you wanna be a part of it (whether English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Pakistani, Indian etc etc), then be a part of it. If you don't like that not every country is represented by a colour or in name, be a part of something else, but we are Great Britian RL.

How many Scottish, Irish or welsh born players do we think will make the squad?

Regards

King James

we won't know until Wales, Scotland and Ireland announce their RLWC 2021 Squads