exactly.The RFU don't scrap the winter tests against the SH teams who come over and more often than not wipe the floor with the NH.

This is just the problem with RL especially over here.we don't stick with anything, few bad results and people want change or things axing before it has a chance to blossom.

It is bad for the door if someone uses a crowbar to shove the hinges in one direction whilst someone else pulls the door in another.

The hit at the knees, when combined with one or two tacklers holding the body IS dangerous. If he wants to take him down then he needs to hit the thigh or higher to avoid the ball carrier being bent back over his own lower legs.

Agree with Smokey, BuckleyStreetWire and Biff Tannen on the series. We have to stick with it. Much like with the international game, we need more of these games not less. Both for exposure and improving our game on the pitch.

As an example, Leeds were featured on BBC one this morning. We barely get that much coverage on Grand Final day.

We have to stick with it, and improve our mentality to the level of the Aussies if we want to win.

There is definitely some merit in playing each other (Aussie v England) but, somehow it needs to have a more meaningful finale and to improve it's credibility, there has to be a defined winner at the end. Plus, play at the end of the season after the respective Grand Finals.
This would of course impact on the international fixtures so, perhaps go every 2 years, alternating with the 4 nations.

Absolutely correct!

We had Great Britain, now we don't
We had a top5 play-offs, then 6, then 8, now 4
We had promotion and relegation, then we had the licensing system, now we have p+r again
We had a World Cup then decided for some reason that a historical game going back 150 years doesn't need a World Cup and now we have the World Cup back again

And how long will any of these last as they are?

I think we've suffered as a sport because we're always chopping and changing and never sticking with anything. The World Club Series is a brilliant idea and should keep being an annual event; the Magic Weekend is brilliant and should remain; the new league system with the two leagues of 12 splitting down into the Super 8s should remain; the top 4 play-offs for the GF and the Million Pound Game should remain; we must always have a World Cup!...and let's stick with all this for decades to come so everybody in the world knows exactly what to expect with our sport.

There are still things we need to improve on: we need to bring back Great Britain, we need to sack off "I've got a try"/"I've got no try", we need to unify the laws of the game worldwide, we need to sort the scums out from being the joke that they are, we need to increase the salary cap... (I know it's ironic that I'm moaning about too much change and then asking for change by for me these things are a must) but once we've sorted these things out, stick with them all for decades to come.

Also the more games we play against NRL sides - unlike merely watching it on tele on Premier Sports where you can't get a full picture of what's going on - going and watching or even better playing against the Aussies will teach our coaches an awful lot and these things, even if only little things, should be implemented from week-to-week and then they are fed down the leagues over time, always improving our sport here.

Look at Argentina in rugby union (sorry to bring in that code!) - they were getting trounced in the early years of them being in the SH Four Nations (or whatever it's called) and now they're competitive in that and in all round international games. That would never have happened had they not been allowed to join that Four Nations tournament, or at least nowhere near as quickly.

We will improve as a league and sport in this country right down the leagues and to youth level the more we play the NRL teams.

I agree with that, though I don't see it needing to have too much of an impact on the international scene. Simply play the series in whichever country is hosting the internationals that year. So for 2015 play it say 2 weeks after the SL Grand Final. The Aussie teams fly over in time. Whichever of their players were playing for NZ can stay and join up with the NZ team, the rest fly home.

It's time the regular league made way for things like this and internationals.

Yes I agree let's keep a league system that's a lot more flawed than any other system we've ever had.

The NRL teams are just relentless. Batter you up the middle with low percentage plays making very few mistakes and then at the perfect time swing it wide and score.

bad decision for me. that's a no try

Agreed, but if we're relying on a millimetre of field to get us out of awful defensive reads then we're in trouble.

.....


Awful for Mickey Mac. Doesn't bode well for us both in this game and the domestic comp.

As I was saying, I'd scrap this nonsense.

Wigan's most important player has just broken his leg playing a meaningless friendly.

The NRL is light years ahead of us - I don't need my nose rubbed in it.

Pointless games arranged for Sky TV.
Come on Wigan give 'em a game (Leigh fan)

They are not altogether pointless. How can people improve unless they play better teams? If we could get to a stage of competing these games could be as big as state of origin.

500% better than last night, shame about McIllorum, but ultimatley thats sport