International Window.

[Springs09]

As soon as Australia A or England Knights are there it becomes a reserve grade competition.

Cook Islands in the Pacific 6 Nations and Italy in the Europe 6 Nations if Australia and England think they are too good for everyone.

 

[siv]

Maybe Malta should play Euro Cup

 

[roughyedspud]

Any other nation that could play instead of the Knights? Serbia? Russia?

For me the likes of Serbia,Russia would play in a comp a grade below

 

[roughyedspud]

As soon as Australia A or England Knights are there it becomes a reserve grade competition.

Cook Islands in the Pacific 6 Nations and Italy in the Europe 6 Nations if Australia and England think they are too good for everyone.

When all the heritage players for Scotland,Ireland,italy, Lebanon etc don't turn up those nations effectively put out their 'A' teams!

 

[Last Week]

For me the likes of Serbia,Russia would play in a comp a grade below

What is the benefit of those nations playing the Knights? It's suddenly not a competition and just a training program with the Knights involved.

There's a place for the Knights, and Emus alike, just not in competitions.

 

[Last Week]

When all the heritage players for Scotland,Ireland,italy, Lebanon etc don't turn up those nations effectively put out their 'A' teams!

Those nations are still trying to pick their best teams possible. The Knights aren't.

 

[roughyedspud]

The knights are picking the best players available to them..

 

[roughyedspud]

What is the benefit of those nations playing the Knights? It's suddenly not a competition and just a training program with the Knights involved.

There's a place for the Knights, and Emus alike, just not in competitions.

Its not my concern what other nations get out of playing the knights,they just need to concentrate on beating them,which no one has ever done yet,even Samoa got tanked by 50 by em...

What concerns me is that we,England,have a core group of 30-35 test ready players!,as I've said many,many times..it's not a coincidence that England RL looked at its best,towards the end of macnamara reign,when we had the knights,training camps,overseas camp etc..all that's gone,we need it back asap.

 

[Pommy]

Its not my concern what other nations get out of playing the knights,they just need to concentrate on beating them,which no one has ever done yet,even Samoa got tanked by 50 by em...

What concerns me is that we,England,have a core group of 30-35 test ready players!,as I've said many,many times..it's not a coincidence that England RL looked at its best,towards the end of macnamara reign,when we had the knights,training camps,overseas camp etc..all that's gone,we need it back asap.

Wasn’t the last england Knights game in 2013? Long before the end of his reign.

 

[roughyedspud]

And England played their best ever RL in 2014 @ the 4nations and beat the kiwis in a series in 2015 a good number of the players in 2014/15 came through the knights in 2011,12 & 13..the progression is clear..

Yes the knights haven't played since 2013...as a result we end up with what happened in the last 4 nations, chucking Luke gale and a 32 year old kev brown in against Australia not knowing if they where upto it...and they weren't..

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Putting B teams in is an utter disgrace and disrespect to the other teams and the game as a whole. Ireland has already flagged their opposition and the rest should tell them to f**k off too. Put your proper team in or nothing at all. Ireland is already England B anyway and Scotland shouldn't even be playing until they meet minimum standards.

 

[Last Week]

Its not my concern what other nations get out of playing the knights,they just need to concentrate on beating them,which no one has ever done yet,even Samoa got tanked by 50 by em...

What concerns me is that we,England,have a core group of 30-35 test ready players!,as I've said many,many times..it's not a coincidence that England RL looked at its best,towards the end of macnamara reign,when we had the knights,training camps,overseas camp etc..all that's gone,we need it back asap.

Ok, so you're not interested in other nations developing nor are you interested in the game developing credible international competitions. Got it. So long as England get better.

You don't sound any better than the Australian media.

 

[roughyedspud]

Ok, so you're not interested in other nations developing nor are you interested in the game developing credible international competitions. Got it. So long as England get better.

You don't sound any better than the Australian media.

Other nations will develop by playing better teams..the knights!

Hope this helps you understand...what other nations do to develop their pathways is their concern..England also needs to develop their pathways too..

Can I ask you a question? If the RFL said they are only going to pick a England team made up of ESL players,to play Euro nations..is that OK?

 

[Perth Tiger]

Christ if it helps some nations delicate sensibilities don't call them Knights. There is nothing to say that a national team can't be competing in two simultaneous competitions. Just call them both England and let the team playing the Kangaroos pick first.

Until the other teams can at least get close to beating the second team in a full competition mode (i.e. not a friendly) they can't complain to much.

 

[adamkungl]

I'm not inherently against England or Australia entering a 2nd team in simultaneous competitions, but I don't like how they then aren't considered full test matches.

It IS disrespectful to the opposition, it effects crowds and media coverage (look at the annual PM XIII game which isn't even televised). You're basically asking tier 2 nations to provide a training run. IF England Knights or Australia A did lose one of these games, it would be dismissed as a practice game. The opposition wouldn't gain any ranking points or respect.

If England (or Aus) want to enter a 2nd team in the regional championship:
1) They must play as a full national team. Scrap the 'Knights' 'PM XIII' 'Emus' identities.
2) The matches must be considered full test matches
3) They must not pick anyone with dual-eligibility for other competing nations.

Otherwise the whole thing descends into pointlessness. Better off holding Pacific and Euro Cups without the tier 1 nations than letting them enter as non-Test teams.

Look at it this way. Consider a Pacific Cup with Aus and NZ entering as development squads.
How can you have a comp where PNG v Tonga would be considered a full test but in the same comp Australia A v PNG is a friendly?

 

[adamkungl]

Back on topic to international windows

I'm a fan of an NRL 3-4 week pause but it's a long way off.
That it's even being discussed is encouraging.

If you have 3-4 prime time internationals each weekend + SOO we lose nothing in terms of media coverage.

Another option I'm coming around to is to play a Cup-style knockout during this time to keep the NRL machine rolling without impacting the season.

 

[Springs09]

And England played their best ever RL in 2014 @ the 4nations and beat the kiwis in a series in 2015 a good number of the players in 2014/15 came through the knights in 2011,12 & 13..the progression is clear..

Yes the knights haven't played since 2013...as a result we end up with what happened in the last 4 nations, chucking Luke gale and a 32 year old kev brown in against Australia not knowing if they where upto it...and they weren't..

lol no they didn't, they nearly got beat by Samoa and got ran down by a very average Australian side that had just got smashed by NZ.

Its not my concern what other nations get out of playing the knights,they just need to concentrate on beating them,which no one has ever done yet,even Samoa got tanked by 50 by em...

Yeah Knights beat Samoa...just before England lost to Italy. Maybe the Knights should play in the full comps if they are that good. They do better than the first team.

England should be playing one full competition against European sides each cycle. Your excuses for not wanting it are the same as when Australian supporters don't support the World Cup because it's one-sided. Not only do the European nations deserve to be playing a Tier 1 side in competition, but England should be preparing for the 2021 World Cup (1m spectators) by selling these games as legitimate internationals the same way they did in 2013. A Six Nations with England along with tour games when the big Pacific sides visit should have Ireland, Wales, France, Italy, Lebanon etc selecting their best sides in between World Cups, instead of the usual 4-team European Cup where the squads are about the strength of Wales in this tournament.

Everyone has been saying we need more tier 1 v tier 2 games each year but so far we have exactly what we had in 2015, a couple of mid-season tests, a NZ tour to England and Australia taking a year off. So no growth at all.