titoelcolombiano
First Grade
- Messages
- 5,359
It's pretty obvious you need an annual 2nd level tournament, one each in SH and NH. The equivalent of 6 nations and rugby championship in union. Staging ground for world cups. League sorely needs more competitive teams in the NH.
Wales, France, Ireland, England, (Lebanon?) in the north
Aus, NZ, Tonga, Fiji, PNG, Samoa in the south
You are right - a full strength Lebanon provides a bit more quality in the European Cup. I think if England played at full strength in the tournament it could encourage the other nations to do the same. The only problem with the European Cup could be an annual tournament though is that England would never get to play Australia or New Zealand regularly enough which is what they need.
The best answer to this that I've read on this site is probably an England seconds side but playing as the test side. The competition with a full strength Lebanon, France, Ireland and Wales could be pretty entertaining. England could then have it's top squad playing against Australia and New Zealand. It's complicated but a solution for our game at the stage of development that it is at. As the other Euro nations strengthen, it will force England to field better and better sides.