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.

At least back it up...who's better then?

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!!!

good....we need a mid season challenge....cos hammering france by 60+ is doing nothing for us....or france for that matter

not a chance ! the Catalan chairman would never release him (or any others)

We didnt hammer france by 60+ last time though did we? (or is my memory playing tricks?)

For me there was an improvement to france due to this game, they did seem to be getting more competative, but still in time honoured rl tradition we will dump the mid season international as it didnt work out straight away.

so england v anyonewithaforeignpassportthatfanciesago it is then

Squad: 25
Maximum from any 1 team = 3
Minimum from any 1 team = 1

Bradford - Kearney
Castleford - Chase
Catalans Dragons - Greenshields, Menzies
Harlequins - Randall
Huddersfield - O'Donell, Fa'alogo
Hull FC - Fitzgibbon, O'Meley
Hull KR - Dobson, Mason
Leeds - Cross, Webb, Buderus
Salford - Patten
St Helens - Perry, Puletua
Wakefield - Morrison
Warrington - King, Monaghan M, Monaghan J.
Wigan - Richards, Lima, Hoffman
Crusaders - Sammut

1. Webb
2. Greenshields
3. King
4. Monaghan J.
5. Richards

6. Chase
7. Dobson

8. O'Meley
9. Buderus
10. Cross
11. Hoffman
12. O'Donnell
13. Fitzgibbon (c)

14. Monaghan
15. Mason
16. Perry
17. Lima

Good luck England!

I for one would love to see that team take on England. It would be a brilliant contest!!