I agree entirely, the IRFL need to set down some rules in stone, it seems players can just pick and choose who they want to play for and when, particularly at world cup time.

I was referring to the apathy and negativity towards the France game from many on this board. No interest in international rugby league, given up an the RFL etc. Yet here we are a month later and the very same people are here criticising the very thing they claim they have no interest in.
If you didn't post a month ago giving your excuse for not walking down the road to see international rugby league on your doorstep then obviously none of this applies to you

Without a doubt. Folk on the Wigan board are doing exactly the same thing, but they're usually the ones who don't like things called discussions so I've given up with them.
It's an interesting one with a number of rugby league fans who on one hand are adament they have no interest in the 'farce' that is international rugby league yet on the other mock and deride every decision made by the England coach, RFL (in its international capacity) or Four Nations/World Cup failure.

Re Manu: the rules are transparent - live in a country for five years, you become a permanent resident and are eligible for international selection. It's the same in Cricket, Rugby Union and Athletics. Marlene Ottey runs for Slovenia. KP bts for England. Vainakolo plays for England RU (sometimes). It's similar in football, though they don't let players represent a second country once they've played a full international. There's also a nationalistic barrier in footy.... but would Almudia have let in that goal against the USA? We'd have finished top, had a last 16 game against Ghana, and gone into the quarters against Uruguay. And would English football be stronger had we made the World Cup Semi's? We've already weakened our international squad by dividing into 4 nations, while the Ozzies gladly recruit any islander who takes up residence in Sydney or Brisbane.

Re International RL: our game is dmonated by supporters of a particular club, rather than of the game per se. Fans WILL pay to watch Leigh/Wigan/Saints because that's where their allegiance lies. They are less inclined to watch England (or GB) because that doesn't have the same draw. Football is more similar to us (but ahs much bigger numbers and profile), whereas RU and Cricket put the International game at a premium. It would be great if we could adopt the national team with the same vigour we put into following our clubs, but that's very hard when top level international competition is limited to three major nations. There are development plans to change this, but its a long term project, and is work in progress.

I dare say many of the 'anti-RFL' voices would criticise Les Cats and Tolouse playing in our competitions, but the longer term benefit of having a competitive France are huge.... same goes for Scorpions and Crusaders and a strong Wales. Wait till there's a SL franchise in Dublin and Glasgow. Then, and only then, when we have a good five nations every year, we might start to fill an 80,000 seater stadium like kick'n'clap does, and might start to get the national press coverage that sport enjoys.