I think it could be done without affecting SL. As it seems likely we will drop down to 12 clubs, that means 2 less games freeing up 2 weeks. The exiles game was on a free week this year so we would only need to find 2 more weeks to hold a 5 nations.

Yep, that notion is what I wish could be cemented in rugby league. As I said, clubs will just have to manage without a few top players for a couple of weeks.
With the end of season internationals, I think a set programme would help. The GB tours provide incentives for players to still play for the other home nations. And I think adding another team to the 4 Nations will expose another nation to top class rugby more often and also give the current 4th Nation a chance of winning a game too.

As for the annual mid-season comp, I understand England will walk it to begin with but give France a guaranteed schedule and the opportunity to build I have no doubt they can become competitive in time, the same goes for Wales. But they're not going to without regularly playing England. See Italy in union.
It will be a tad harsh on clubs but the clubs will ultimately benefit from the higher profile RL will eventually get. Plus if SL is reduced by 2 clubs that's 2 weeks free, so there's only 2 more weeks to be found in a 5 team, 4 game comp.

Spot on, we need to play more international RL. Club RL wont improve our image and get the wider public involved. Mid season we need to have a dedicated weekend of international RL. England could travel do under for a text against NZ or OZ. France vs Wales. Ireland v.s Scotland. Fiji v.s PNG all at one weekend.

The Exiles game is yet another RL gimmick that does not work. It fits in perfectly alongside, Ref Cam, Club Call, the "advantage rule" and London Broncos.

Id like to see a three game series mid season compromising of England RL vs England Knights. All England eligible players should be made available, including those in the NRL, and we play our strongest 17 vs our next strongest 17.

The benefits here are that you have a strong first 17 being pushed by another strong 17 who want a spot in the first 17 come world cup time. Your fringe England players are getting a solid 3 game series to see how they fair at the highest level. For me, its pointless playing England Knights vs A.N Other nation for them to win convincingly then be out of their depth when they called up to the England team.

Nah, it's even more of a gimmick than Exiles. England v England? Nah. I'd rather Yorkshire v Lancashire was brought back than that.

Same crop of players so why not? the representatives playing in the nrl would need to be available though In my opinion.

The home nations thing needs to happen but it probably needs more time, money and effort than the RFL (or RLEF or whoever) can afford to put in. It's a long-term project that rugby league is ill-equipped to deliver.

Money is a huge problem as far as I can see. The England v Exiles game is a gimmick, but if it was a gimmick that made money it's all good. I can't see how the economics work of an international that attracts less than 8k fans and no other gate money coming in to the top-level of the game all weekend.

Perhaps if they were to stick the the Exiles format, there could be a game on the Friday against the Exiles and a game on the Monday against a 'Barbarians'-type side made up of French/Irish/Welsh/Scottish players. One each-side of the Pennines.

Got to be the War of the Roses..and each side gets a couple of wild cards to choose anybody developed in other areas (eg London,Wales etc).

If marketed properly it would take off, and if the players did their bit...thunderous tackling by club team mates on each other.

What started all the State of Origin rivalry?...Big Artie giving Mick Cronin a clip. Danny Moore and John Hopoarte going hammer and tongue,..examples of mate v mate!

Lets be perfectly honest here, none of the options suggested on this thread would be any better than what we currently have

The answer? , dont know, it really is a difficult one to call, we are as a sport what we are, and that is very much a regional club based sport that is constantly changing things searching for credibility, maybe stop changing things and we might become more credible

Is there enough Aussie talent playing in SL to maybe form an Australia 'select' team? They could play in the green and gold and it would mean more to them than a fake exile team?

Just a thought

What was noticeable last night was that the team spirit within the team was much improved on previous England teams in the past. There was no inclining of the "Leeds players not liking St Helens players, who don't like Wigan players" that dogged the last WC squad. Some of that must surely be down to the players spending more time in camp and to that end, I think Exiles has served a purpose that Yorks / Lancs never did or could.

The fundamental problem is the talent pool of players in Europe. Aside from small pockets of England and France, RL is not played by the quantity and standard of players that are needed to create competitive teams in Ireland, Wales, Scotland or anywhere else in Western Europe. That leaves England / the RFL with two options for competitive opposition; either travel to the Southern Hemisphere to play Australia / NZ / PNG, or make up an opposition. One is a logistical nightmare, the other is full of flaws.

Until the game grows significantly outside the north of England and south of France, there isn't going to be a strong, credible opposition to England within Europe. It's a long-term campaign which will require a lot of long-term commitment, perseverance and investment. Unfortunately, the game doesn't have the cash to invest, it doesn't have a good track record when it comes to perseverance and large sections of the supporter base won't accept 'long-term' projects. It also leaves open the question as to who England play in the meantime and, unfortunately, the Exiles is the best option available at this time.

is that your whippet I hear barking?

That will never happen though, the distance is too much for a Mickey Mouse game and it would not be a Test match so the NRL Clubs are never going to even consider it.

Get another French Club into the SL and persevere in building France as a worthwhile opponent.

There is more to this than simply trying to create a decent team for England to play. It's about trying to develop the international game as a whole. To do that teams need to be playing regularly.