No, that's still one international






You’ll see players pulling out of international fixtures when ever they’re played- it is indeed a tough old season.

France gain a place in the international calendar from it; their only fixture against Big Three opposition this year





It's up to Steve McNamara ain't it. He picks the team.

Flying those guys over makes an important point about the prestige of the international game.





I can’t agree that a mid season fixture doesn’t aid preparation for an end of season series. The players get to know each other’s games and the coaches get to see what they’re working with but the main point here is that it’s not all about preparing England for the inevitable thrashing against Australia. In that regard, there’s an element of urinating in the wind there what ever we’re doing with the England team. Playing these games- however one sided their outcome may be- helps to develop an international programme. This is essential for the future growth of the game in my view.

rlPeacock backs all-star clashrl

[i"I'd like to see us play a Rest of the World team in mid-season. I think it would be exciting and get lot of people there.
"Why not give it a go? We're always trying new things in rugby league. It would be something different in the middle of the year.
"But let's make sure we still play France. We still want to play France but you've got to give them an opportunity to get their best team out there."[/i

you need to stick with this game against france hold it in france next year give france a warm up game against ireland/scotland or wales or a pacific island side. the french players need to be pumped up about the match and believing they can do it sports pschyology is an amazing thing.

look at the kiwi's under brian mclennan won the tri series after being the easy beats the year before. then mclennan leaves and some genius gets gary kemble to coach and theirs a large number of injuries and poor mamagement and kiwi's got thrashed by kangaroo's 56-0 in 2007 and lost series to england and only just scraped home against france. then 2008 kearney and bennet take over new management team and they bounce back to win the world cup final against the kangaroo's.

france needs depth(this will take time), sports psychology, probly a better coach no offence to goulding but at this stage the guys just learning his trade as a coach. play with a lot more pride an passion, luck when it comes to injuries, a warm up game to get combinations right and a home test! do those things and im positive they can bounce back in the next year or two

I think thats a damn fine idea.

Fair enough. A game for England against some select side would do nowt for me, but they can do what they like so long as proper internationals aren't dropped for it.

England need France to be strong and for that reason alone every attempt should be made to have stand alone tests every year for a genuine trophy, one that captures the true spirit of the game in England and France.

As soon as France are pushing England and beating them then maybe the English will have a chance against the Aussies.

I know this much, France will beat England before the English win a series against Australia again.