Ratch at fullback for England, Bert at fullback for the exiles. Plenty of motivation for Stefan tonight

Bert who?... at full back.

Hodgson

Terrible crowd, couldn't it have been played at a stadium that was likely to get a crowd?

Has to be said, England have looked very, very poor, though it was great work by the wire boys for the first exiles try.

And the England try

Without our lads there'd be no points in this game... Makes you proud.

And another...

This is awful......No atmosphere, no passion, what's the point??

If we really have to give England practice, then give them a week long training camp mid season, with a game behind closed doors between 34 English players as a trial....Showing this to a watching public just makes the sport look very, very badly followed, run and, most importantly, as a product, distinctly amateur.

Honestly, it's hard to argue that it's not run by amateurs. The RFL really don't know how to develop the game and I completely agree with you that it's making the sport look terrible, a yawnion forum I also post on, is laughing at the crowd and it's hard to argue against.

The RFL should really look at how SoO was developed and try to follow that model, but something needs to be done NOW to try and save this concept, because I think it's a good one, but with no one watching it, as you say, what's the point?!

watched about 20 mins of this farce...may as well play tick and pass..hows games like this gonna help england..bet the aussies are laughing there socks off..

No atmosphere
As we know partisan crowds create little atmosphere, look at when the small supported teams come to Wire, London and Catalans the atmosphere is dreadful.

Too contrived
Team mates become enemies...really, do they? They're all smiling and just going through the motions, i understand personal pride and the competitive spirit, winners always want to win even if it's crazy golf or air hockey but this game is shhhiiite and lacklustre.

Not enough quality
Both teams and one coach

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Plus i don't subscribe to the England v England Knights

Straight away that's the first team v the second so the result is almost decided before it even kicks off.
Which team do you support?
If the b team beats the a team what does that tell us?
If these are the back up players who coaches the sides, does Banana coach them both? If not they have the potential to show up the 1st team coach (just putting aside that it's Banana at the moment).

The only concept that'll work is one that draws a rivalry, doesn't exclude people (so forget Yorks/Lancs) and is also a way of seeing who can step up.

Dreadful game, i switched it off and i love this game [RL but good god it was just soulless, and compare that to SOO? 'kin hell i rather watch Wakey v Cas than this pap.

All this game goes to show is that England would probably lose to Australia's 4th or 5th choice side. International RL is, to all intents and purposes, a dead duck. Farcical.