In various threads time and time again we see the same valid point crop up… That England don’t play enough competitive fixtures. This is because no European nation can compete with us.

I believe we found an answer in the exile matches… No they don’t quite tug at the spectators heart strings and yes it seems a bit gimmicky but England need to be tested mid-season full stop. We can’t expect to compete against NZ/Aus at the back end of the season after they’ve already had the anzac test.

I don’t think it should replace playing a French international but we should be doing both. Maybe using the French match as a warm up for the exiles game. These are a big 2 years for English Rugby League and we need to give ourselves every chance to reach the final of the four nations next year and win the worldcup the year after that.

That first game at Leeds a few years back was a cracker.

We need the games. We've only played 30 international games this decade! Wales/France/Scotland/Ireland probably fewer.

Why not have England V Exiles and England Knights v France ?
That way the senior international players get some time together and decent opposition and the French/Knights get some international experience too for the future.

We can then give players like Gale, Williams, Bateman, Manfredi, Percival etc to use examples, of playing in an International environment without just chucking them in.

Gidley
Vidot
Inu
Moon
Sio
Carney
Kelly
Simms
Aiton
Murdoch-Masilla
Pritchard
Taylor
Stewart

Minichiello
Toupou
Rapira
Falloon

Would make a competitive side that.

Why not play teams called SL Australia or SL New Zealand, at least that way you are giving the side we play some real identity which is where the Exiles concept fell down for me.Put SL Australia in green and gold strip, play the national anthem before the game, and watch how intense those boys will then go at it! Iv'e no idea how those sides would look BTW but a couple of tests against those 2 would be interesting.

You beat me to it. That's a cracking idea. Both games should competitive. The RFL should make sure our NRL contingent are available.

I agree England need a mid season work out. But i see a problematic stumbling block with the NRL based players getting a months leave for the showdown.

However its a great opportunity for fringe players to make a name for themselves and give selection headaches to Macbanana.

You're not going to get the NRL players here mid season.
The only way that'll happen is if they go to a consecutive 3-week break for SOO. But I really can't see them ever doing that.

I'd rather see us bring Yorks v Lancs back. I know it's not perfect but I think it's better than the Exiles concept. Plus it gets 34+ England players involved rather than half that.

Didn't players start getting miraculous knocks stopping them from taking part? The other issue is the NRL based players being unavailable, nearly half of the best England 17 when everyone is fit come from the NRL

To stop players having miraculous knocks we could make it an end of season thing or something like that. Thing about the England team being weakened I that the exiles aren't exactly top quality Australian or NZ NRL players either so both sides will probably be evened out in terms of quality.

I agree with HIM, bring back War of the Roses. It gives 34 players a chance to strut their stuff, but its got to be organised and marketed better than previous. If i'm honest being a Lancashire fan last time we didn't take it serious enough.

Deffo something I want to see back as well, marketed and organised properly we can make this our state of origin (obviously nowhere near the same scale and attendances of course lol) 1 game in Yorkshire, 1 in Lancashire and take one on the road as well, great tool to market the game!

bad idea.

the first game was great yes but it was a new concept which fans and players bought into. We all saw how the following games looked like extended training sessions. The lack of intensity was clear to see!

The best thing is for england to play france in a french city. Its not ideal but cant see anything else working.

If they really do wanna bring back exiles, make it available to all non english players. scots, welsh and french should be up for selection!

I'd certainly go watch a 3 match Origin series if it were taken seriously by everyone and used as a Test trial with a panel of selectors sitting after the 3rd game.

Tomkins/Hardaker
Burgess/Hall
Watkins/Shenton
Percival/Atkins
Makinson/McGillvery
Williams/Sutcliffe
Smith/McGuire
Graham/G Burgess
Roby/Houghton
Hill/Walmsley
Greenwood/Bateman
Farrell/Whitehead
O'Loughlin/S Burgess

McIllorum/Clarke
Savelio/Ferres
Cooper/T Burgess
Crosby/Singleton

Same here. I think a lot of people would. It would have an instant rivalry that you don't have to try and create and it has a purpose - to decide (or go a long way toward) the England squad.
Play it at the same time every year. Market it from the beginning of each season. Play the games on Friday nights over the space of 6-8 weeks.
Make it a condition of being in SL or the RFL that clubs must make their players available and that an England place is contingent on participation except for legitimate injuries.

Add in 3 or 4 mid-season England games v France & Wales and I'd be a happy man.