England V Samoa, may 2017

[roughyedspud]

The kiwis need a big mid season test,they need the money

 

[Pommy]

Well if it does happen I hope it's Saturday rather than Friday to allow fans to travel. I would be very interested in a weekend across the ditch for it.

 

[roughyedspud]

It'll most likely be on the Friday night so they can fit the Pacific test double header in on Saturday afternoon/early evening

 

[Coastbloke]

A NZ Origin would be handy too. The NZRL should just bite the bullet and organise it. The NRL would have no right to whinge about it..

 

[Pommy]

It'll most likely be on the Friday night so they can fit the Pacific test double header in on Saturday afternoon/early evening

You would like to think they would keep the invitational format so the 5 teams yesterday all still get a run out. Perhaps invite someone like Lebanon to play the Cook islands.

 

[adamkungl]

I reckon

England should play NZ x3 mid-season to coincide with Origin. The logistics are tough to work out admittedly.. but it needs to happen for so many reasons.
Annual Pacific Cup should also coincide with this and Origin.

With Australia playing no more mid-season tests, the post-season needs to be expanded.
Aus v NZ x3 EVERY YEAR with home games alternating Origin style.
In a WC year twice, once mid-year and once in a pre-Cup warm up Test.

 

[Pommy]

I reckon

England should play NZ x3 mid-season to coincide with Origin. The logistics are tough to work out admittedly.. but it needs to happen for so many reasons.
Annual Pacific Cup should also coincide with this and Origin.

With Australia playing no more mid-season tests, the post-season needs to be expanded.
Aus v NZ x3 EVERY YEAR with home games alternating Origin style.
In a WC year twice, once mid-year and once in a pre-Cup warm up Test.

I just don't think thats going to happen.
I would like to see this NZ test during origin weekend with a full team. Possibly playing other teams depending on planned post season games.
In addition I would like to see a UK based team play France mid season. Ideally it would be a full team but I just don't see that happening with the NRL clubs not unless Origin gets two solo weekends. Perhaps we could adopt the PM's 13 title or similar for this game to distinguish it from a full test team.

 

[adamkungl]

I just don't think thats going to happen.
I would like to see this NZ test during origin weekend with a full team. Possibly playing other teams depending on planned post season games.
In addition I would like to see a UK based team play France mid season. Ideally it would be a full team but I just don't see that happening with the NRL clubs not unless Origin gets two solo weekends. Perhaps we could adopt the PM's 13 title or similar for this game to distinguish it from a full test team.

Do other sports only count games as full tests if they have every single player available?
I'm sure Union and Soccer have to deal with tight arse clubs too.

 

[Pommy]

Do other sports only count games as full tests if they have every single player available?
I'm sure Union and Soccer have to deal with tight arse clubs too.

Union I haven't got a clue.
In football FIFA don't tolerate clubs pissing around with international call ups. Occasionally it happens to Australia because they organise friendliest and Asia has different international windows to Europe.
Let's face it if England were missing the NRL players it's a very different team, with an increased salary cap in Australia I only see that getting worse as well.

 

[jim_57]

Do other sports only count games as full tests if they have every single player available?
I'm sure Union and Soccer have to deal with tight arse clubs too.

I don't see why using mostly/only SL players for a mid-year England international would be massive deal. All countries/clubs/teams in all sports "rest" star players and try different combinations for when it really matters.

 

[adamkungl]

Union I haven't got a clue.
In football FIFA don't tolerate clubs pissing around with international call ups. Occasionally it happens to Australia because they organise friendliest and Asia has different international windows to Europe.
Let's face it if England were missing the NRL players it's a very different team, with an increased salary cap in Australia I only see that getting worse as well.

We really need 3 weeks off coinciding with the 3 Origin games and it needs to be co-ordinated with SL.

 

[Pommy]

We really need 3 weeks off coinciding with the 3 Origin games and it needs to be co-ordinated with SL.

It's not going to happen. What's in it for the SL clubs?
I would love it to but it just won't.

 

[adamkungl]

It's not going to happen. What's in it for the SL clubs?
I would love it to but it just won't.

What's in it for the NRL clubs when Origin comes round?

The game as a whole needs to treat rep football with more respect.

An eventual audience wider than the M62 is what's in it for the clubs.

 

[Pommy]

What's in it for the NRL clubs when Origin comes round?

The game as a whole needs to treat rep football with more respect.

An eventual audience wider than the M62 is what's in it for the clubs.

NRL clubs don't get much of a say though do they. That's just the way it is now, I can guarantee if Origin didn't exist and the NRL tried to implement it today there would be hell on.
We need to take baby steps and hopefully in the future we can grow a proper international calendar but it won't happen in one hit.

 

[adamkungl]

NRL clubs don't get much of a say though do they. That's just the way it is now, I can guarantee if Origin didn't exist and the NRL tried to implement it today there would be hell on.
We need to take baby steps and hopefully in the future we can grow a proper international calendar but it won't happen in one hit.

The RFL has done far more drastic things than a week off in one hit before.
Introducing finals, Super 8s, introducing licencing, re-introducing p&r via super 8s, cutting the amount of teams in the comp down, introducing international teams.

This year England went overseas WITHOUT a week off!
Maybe next year they can have 2 weeks off, 1 out here to play NZ and one with NZ incoming.

 

[Pommy]

The RFL has done far more drastic things than a week off in one hit before.
Introducing finals, Super 8s, introducing licencing, re-introducing p&r via super 8s, cutting the amount of teams in the comp down, introducing international teams.

This year England went overseas WITHOUT a week off!
Maybe next year they can have 2 weeks off, 1 out here to play NZ and one with NZ incoming.

Maybe, I hope so but I'm not convinced.

 

[adamkungl]

Maybe, I hope so but I'm not convinced.

Don't get me wrong, I believe it should happen but I have little confidence that it will

 

[Pommy]

Don't get me wrong, I believe it should happen but I have little confidence that it will

That's why I suggested a NZ/Pacific test with a UK based players France test. That doesn't seem to be an impossible or unrealistic target

 

[adamkungl]

Has their been any broad feedback on the RFL's livestream?

Did viewership reach triple figures?

 

[Godeangogogogo]

Superb 1st half followed up with an error ridden 2nd half. The forward pack laid the platform for the Gale and Brown to work from.

As I’ve said previously, I don’t feel McQueen and Heighington are any better than what Bennett already has at his disposal.

A few changes and I feel we’ll be good to go in October.

England
1. Stefan Ratchford (Hardaker)
2. Jermaine McGillvary
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Zak Hardaker (Percival)
5. Ryan Hall
6. Kevin Brown (G Williams)
7. Luke Gale
8. Sam Burgess
9. Josh Hodgson
10. James Graham
11. Mike McMeeken
12. Elliott Whitehead
13. Sean O’Loughlin

Interchange
14. Chris Hill
15. Chris Heighington (Taylor)
16. Chris McQueen (Walmsley)
17. Thomas Burgess