Bingo!

Why not an actual, proper lions tour,

GB playing Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, PNG, in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and PNG, with a three match series against the Kiwis and if they want a game against a PI select side.

I can see the complaints about the amount of matches the players need to play, but take a 40 man squad and give everyone a go. 8 games over 6 weeks, would give a great boost to the game in the PI's and im sure the players wouldnt mind too much

what about PNG, how do they prep for the WC?

I was responding to roughyeds post.

Instead of a Four Nations down under with PNG,replace them with a Rest of the World 'Select' team ? ie a composite of Froggies,PNG,Jocks,Taffs & Paddies etc with Iestyn or Bobbie or A N Other as coach/selector ?

next

At least a Select ROW team would provide more credible opposition than the dross served up by PNG or any proposed southern hemisphere mix !

Come again?

A Rest of the World side containing players from PNG, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Fiji, Tonga, France, Samoa and Cook Islands will better against Australia, New Zealand and England.

The Pacific Islands have as much in common as Jamaica, Barbabos, Guyana, Trinidad, Antigua etc, all of whom have domestic competition but combine to represent a "made up country" who have given a far greater contribution to their sport than the individual parts would have been able to.

Wouldn't mind seeing us play a 4N against NZ, Pacific Cup winners and Euro Cup winners completely based in NZ. Could make an interesting tournament.

Failing that, why not a tour of the SH nations? Eng, Fra and Wal fly down under. Take a huge England squad so they can get a number of games in.

5 weeks down there, schedule something like:
Eng vs Samoa
Fra vs Tonga
Wal vs NZ
Fiji vs PNG

Eng vs Cook Islands (mid week)
Fra vs Fiji (mid week)

Eng vs Tonga
Wal vs Samoa
Fra vs NZ
Fiji vs Cook Islands

Eng vs PNG (mid week)

Eng vs NZ (1st Test)
Fra vs Samoa
Wal vs Tonga
PNG vs Cook Islands

Eng vs Fiji (mid week)

Eng vs NZ (2nd Test)
Wal vs Fiji
Fra vs PNG
Samoa vs Tonga

Wal vs Cook Islands (mid week)

Eng vs NZ (3rd Test)
Fra vs Cook Islands
Wal vs PNG
Samoa vs Fiji

Austrailia don`t control the game, they never have...Father xmas told me so many years ago, about 1970....and then it went tits up....Skippy sprouted balls and the rest is history.

All things considered, it may be appropriate if Oz withdraw. It's for the overall good of the game.

We are lowering the tone, both on the field and off...

lets just get its right



there was never a 4nations planned for 2012....so australia have'nt withdrawn from anything!


either england & NZ will play a 3 game baskerville series

or

england & NZ will invite 2 more nations to play a 4nations...

its all down to which idea will make most money......and a blindman could see a baskerville series would trump a poormans 4nations

Don't forget that the French are desperate for more international fixtures after the big success this year with good crowds and tv exposure. Not having anything else scheduled for them before the 2013 World Cup is a real setback for France. And who's to say a Wales/NZ game couldn't pull in a few quid?