ENG vs FRA

[East Coast Tiger]

I guess it's lucky the poms are so incompetent they can't get a test on home soil on TV. It means only 8,000 people on the planet got the see the latest proof that international rugby league is pathetic on so many levels. But it's OK. Toulouse will be playing against plumbers and students next year so things will start turning around for French RL.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

English clubs have english kids up snap up first..

English kids play french kids at all level every year.very close contests in the main too..they beat often too..

If French Kids are on par or just behind English kids, then why do Super League Clubs persist in signing has been NRL players? I just cant understand it?

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Absolute hyperbole. The past 12 months for international league have been incredible. Samoa emerged as the legitimate 4th team, New Zealand defeated Australia 3 times in a row, European/WC games are all in full swing.

It is such a rugby league mentality that after one result, a flogging of this nature that we all throw our hands in the ear and say "Everything's horrible!".

Not to make excuses for the French, but they were without 12 of their players and seemed to have been caught out by the English initial promotion of the test as a friendly. As they are in middle of European Cup, cant be blamed for resting a few of their players for that tournament.

And for perspective, this game was a bigger blow than the any game at the 2013 World Cup. It was an anomaly. International League wasn't over when Australia used to beat NZ and ENG by 50 points.

France and England must play against each other every year, preferably in France. It is the only way that France will eventually improve. We cannot seek to abandon any matches they may play simply for fear that there will be a 80+ scoreline. On their day, as we saw in 2013 QF, France are only 20+ points off England.

Can you tell me how far has Samoa come from 10 years ago? Wow they did well against the big three on the back of Australian and Kiwi players!! When Tonga played Samoa this year, only two players from the 34 where born in the nation the were representing!!!

'Our International Game' is really just Australia, NZ, England, Fiji, PNG and France - Realistically. I see Wales had 13 Welsh born players which is terrific.....but sadly Scotland, Ireland, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, USA, and Italy are just heritage teams.

In my eyes Wales, Fiji and PNG (Outside the big three and France) are the only Nations that are really developing from the last RLWC. And i am talking about Nations that could keep the big three under 80 points....

When we have a Nation that has a Semi Professional Domestic Comp, Good Juniors, One Professional club, yet they still get flogged by 80 points? And if the rumors are try about players not wanting to play...gee we are in trouble..

 

[roughyedspud]

Are the big 3 in the Federation Cup ?

Of course they are...

 

[Harrigan]

Today's training run highlights

http://youtu.be/tgxxCtQXrB8

 

[roughyedspud]

Looked quite slick..a good tune up for the 1st test

 

[adamkungl]

I think England have done plenty to help them, they brought in Catalans and now Toulouse are entering (via League One). What more can England really do? They also have the enormous task of improving themselves in order to catch the Aussies and Kiwis.

I am really disappointed in the Catalans and the way they seem to put all their emphasis and resources into signing Aussies rather than developing local players.

French have to take responsibility for themselves. There's no reason why they shouldn't have 50-100 players in top grade footy but there seems to be no will to actually improve the national team.

The whole attitude to the situation is appalling...how can a club side vs a national team get tv coverage 20,000 people...yet the home national team vs another national side get 8,000 and no coverage what so ever...

Its pathetic...

Maybe because one of these games had a hope of being close

This!!

Im sick and tired of here "england needs to do more to help france"

Its not our fault catalan fill their team with aussies,its not our fault toulouse failed first time around (we've actually given then another crack),its not our fault the french hire a shit coach , its not our fault the french backed out of the mid season tests which led to us playing the exiles instead....and its not our fault the french are f**king lazy and gutless!!!


After australia & england the french have the 3rd best domestic setup,its far more developed than kiwi domestic scene..

They have ALL THE TOOLS to be the 4th best nation by a mile..the reason they aren't is all on the french!!! Its no one elses fault!

Exactly. The will needs to come from France. Step one, a decent national coach that takes responsibility. Need to have a strong pathway from the very competitive youth rep sides, to professional footy, to the national team.

 

[RL The greatest game]

For Rugby League to thrive again in France they would have to over a period of time reduce the imports they have from the NRL to nothing. Getting rid of British players might be different due to EU law, but something needs to be done for the sake of French and international Rugby League.

 

[siv]

Of course they are...

Who represents Asia - Pacific ?

 

[siv]

After that score line - it would have been better that England played Fiji as originally proposed

France will now need to earn the right to play the big 3

They havent won a Euro Cup in the last 10 years

 

[East Coast Tiger]

They could win it this year. Most would say should.

Says a lot about the state of the game.

 

[roughyedspud]

Who represents Asia - Pacific ?

I suspect it'll either be the two finalist in a full scale pacific cup..or there'll be 2 smaller qualifying groups with the 2 winners advancing to the fed cup...

Same qualification process in europe to find another 2 qualifiers

Which then leave one spot remaining for a "world qualifier" from north america/africa/mid east...so someone like canada,usa,south africa,lebanon etc


And theres your 8 team federation cup

 

[CC_Roosters]

French have to take responsibility for themselves. There's no reason why they shouldn't have 50-100 players in top grade footy but there seems to be no will to actually improve the national team.



Maybe because one of these games had a hope of being close



Exactly. The will needs to come from France. Step one, a decent national coach that takes responsibility. Need to have a strong pathway from the very competitive youth rep sides, to professional footy, to the national team.

To be honest i would like to see a proven coach from australia take on the french side as a long term project. Give him the authority to establish aussie style structures from the national team down to youth rep sides.

Im general we need the ARLC and RFL to take ownership of things like goverance standards across thr playing countries, get everybody on the same page and start diverting funds to the RLIF for central grants to governing bodies with goverance conditions and goals to meet.

 

[Foreign Legion]

france needs a wayne bennet/ craig bellamy to get the whole mess sorted

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

This training run was probably the worst thing to happen to England for this series. They will think that they are outstanding for flogging the French. Meanwhile, the Kiwis blew out a few cobwebs against a reasonable opposition.

Predict 30-12 for the first test. To the Kiwis. Poms not to force their way into the top two.

 

[roughyedspud]

This training run was probably the worst thing to happen to England for this series. They will think that they are outstanding for flogging the French. Meanwhile, the Kiwis blew out a few cobwebs against a reasonable opposition.

Predict 30-12 for the first test. To the Kiwis. Poms not to force their way into the top two.

actually the opposite....it enable us to fine tune our moves..

i read a match report from the leeds v kiwis game and it said the kiwis,apparently, struggled to cope with leeds "short passing game in midfield" whether that be outside,inside balls,offloads etc...which enable leeds to constantly charge upfield...


now if leeds can do that...england will rip NZ apart...


the scoreline looks right though....but i would'nt be surprised if we score more than 30

 

[deluded pom?]

All the Burgess brothers, Sam Tomkins, Graham, Joe Burgess, Cooper, Ellis, Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead ..and what does Super League get Back?

Does everyone down under think all four Burgess brothers were superstars in the SLE? Only Sam was a first team regular. Cooper average, Hodgson was OK but behind Roby in the pecking order. Barring Graham and Tomkins the average Aussie or Kiwi wouldn't have a clue who the others were. As for your list of players we get in return don't you find it odd that quite a few of them end up back in the NRL after being dismissed as past it and never wases once they come to Europe. Either the NRL isn't as good as you think it is or these players are better than you think they are.

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

actually the opposite....it enable us to fine tune our moves..

i read a match report from the leeds v kiwis game and it said the kiwis,apparently, struggled to cope with leeds "short passing game in midfield" whether that be outside,inside balls,offloads etc...which enable leeds to constantly charge upfield...


now if leeds can do that...england will rip NZ apart...


the scoreline looks right though....but i would'nt be surprised if we score more than 30

I watched the game. The Kiwis were rusty, but the result was never in doubt. Notwithstanding a lot of errors and dropped ball, it was just a matter of time before the Kiwis moved into second gear and won. Yes, Leeds had been to Vegas or whatever. But -- English teams have no stamina. Kiwis in test 1.

For the record, RLIF rankings:

1 (2) + New Zealand 949.00
2 (1) - Australia 941.00
3 (3) England 485.00

Yep. Top two.

 

[roughyedspud]

if leeds had fielded the same team that won the grand final you'd have lost and you know it lol


and yes top 2 well done...and it'll still be top two even when we whoop your asses 3-0 son...so what does that say about the rankings?

as for the stamina thing..a few years ago yeah you are right...but taken into account last years narrow loses in the 4nation..in the dying second iT was us in yours & australias 10m going for the win..we didn't run out of steam in the end..we ran out of time!

and when you consider ryan hall actually got his finger nail on the ball which would have won us the game...and when you consider in that kiwi game in dunedin when had a penalty under the sticks in the last 5sec..which if we'd have kicked it it would have been a draw..your lack of stamina crap holds no waters...AND WE DID THAT AWAY FROM HOME SUNSHINE!

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Does everyone down under think all four Burgess brothers were superstars in the SLE? Only Sam was a first team regular. Cooper average, Hodgson was OK but behind Roby in the pecking order. Barring Graham and Tomkins the average Aussie or Kiwi wouldn't have a clue who the others were. As for your list of players we get in return don't you find it odd that quite a few of them end up back in the NRL after being dismissed as past it and never wases once they come to Europe. Either the NRL isn't as good as you think it is or these players are better than you think they are.

The NRL is head and shoulders above Super League in every way......look at this years WCS results......players like Sam Tomkins who were 'Super Stars' in Super League were duds in the NRL...

And by the way the average Kiwi and Aussie wouldn't even know about Super League...i mean for christ sakes every NRL game is broadcast live.....with a couple of games around the world....Super League gets two games of coverage?

The fact the English players know if they want to test themselves then they go to the NRL..

Face it Super League is a place where unwanted or troubled NRL players go to..

Anyway im not getting into a battle about how shit the Super League is...i just want to know why Clubs rather sign has been or Troubled NRL players instead of you french and welsh kids...or take the hist and develop their own juniors?