GB Lions Tour 2019

[roughyedspud]

I don't know why this is such a huge talking point. In my time on here I've noticed most British posters are quite supportive of the PIs using heritage players, why shouldn't GB/Eng follow the same policy?

These guys are more British than the Rangi Chase's and Faasavalu's of this world aren't they?

Why don't we have the same policy for origin then?

 

[Matua]

Why don't we have the same policy for origin then?

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by this and who 'we' are in this question.

 

[Coastbloke]

IMHO why not select Ben Flower, Elliot Kear and Matty Russell (2 Welsh and 1 Scottish born player and all with ESL experience) and play them in the Tonga and PNG matches and there's your GB..

For those with a better insight than I, are there any other Home Nation born players that could suit?

 

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/six-dark-horses-for-the-2019-great-britain-squad/

 

[roughyedspud]

IMHO why not select Ben Flower, Elliot Kear and Matty Russell (2 Welsh and 1 Scottish born player and all with ESL experience) and play them in the Tonga and PNG matches and there's your GB..

For those with a better insight than I, are there any other Home Nation born players that could suit?

They aren't good enough..

 

[roughyedspud]

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by this and who 'we' are in this question.

The royal "we"....

 

[Pommy]

IMHO why not select Ben Flower, Elliot Kear and Matty Russell (2 Welsh and 1 Scottish born player and all with ESL experience) and play them in the Tonga and PNG matches and there's your GB..

For those with a better insight than I, are there any other Home Nation born players that could suit?

Scotland have World Cup qualifiers

 

[Pommy]

Countries with fully professional competitions exploiting the heritage and residential rule leaves a bad taste.
Countries that would otherwise not be able to field a team does not.

In your opinion of course.

 

[Coastbloke]

They aren't good enough..

I'm not that sure the Oz heritage players are either?
Those 3 at the top of my head seem to just as good and legitamises the concept?

 

[Springs09]

They aren't good enough..

Good enough for what? To win a couple of one-off games?

They'd be fine.

 

[Walter sobchak]

The royal "we"....

“The editorial.”

 

[adamkungl]

In your opinion of course.

Of course.

Mind you, I can't work out why any brit would want extremely mediocre aussies playing for their national team just because they are allowed to by the rules.

 

[roughyedspud]

I'm not that sure the Oz heritage players are either?
Those 3 at the top of my head seem to just as good and legitamises the concept?

I've said for years we won't beat Australia by picking Australians who and good enough for Australia..

And picking players just cos they are actual Welsh or Scottish born doesn't legitimise the team...they are token players...the idea a few months ago was the GB squad will use a quota system..something like 18 English players and then 3 each from Wales,Scotland & Ireland...if they go with that then it's not the best GB squad we could put together...and a waste of time

 

[adamkungl]

I'm sure old Wayne knows a thing or two about Rugby League more than anyone here, but I still can't help thinking the NRL bias creeps in with these selections.
Like in what universe was Chris Heighington a test quality player at age 35...or ever

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

IMHO why not select Ben Flower, Elliot Kear and Matty Russell (2 Welsh and 1 Scottish born player and all with ESL experience) and play them in the Tonga and PNG matches and there's your GB..

For those with a better insight than I, are there any other Home Nation born players that could suit?

Because they would be token selections! FFS!

 

[Matua]

The royal "we"....

You still haven't provided an explanation - what do you mean by that comment?

 

[Coastbloke]

Work with me guys..
I need 4 Home Nation players..!!
Look, again my humble opinion, I would rather have those 3 I mentioned even if they aren't at the top level ESL or NRL conditioned. Just play them for the 'lighter' games. It HAS to be better than 2nd rate Aussies. I'm not going argue to the ends of the earth about it. I'll leave that to others, but that's my 2 cents..

 

[Springs09]

Work with me guys..
I need 4 Home Nation players..!!
Look, again my humble opinion, I would rather have those 3 I mentioned even if they aren't at the top level ESL or NRL conditioned. Just play them for the 'lighter' games. It HAS to be better than 2nd rate Aussies. I'm not going argue to the ends of the earth about it. I'll leave that to others, but that's my 2 cents..

No. Any Scottish, Welsh and Irish players are not good enough for this Great Britain team which will be a joke without any Scottish, Welsh or Irish players.

 

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news...ngDkkD7nA0Gp7i0TLJ-ps44AxwoQQ24Zg5ZHmWzqjxff0

MAL Meninga wants to return to Saints with his Kangaroos in autumn 2020.

The Australian head coach, who guested at Saints in 1984-5, has indicated to England boss Wayne Bennett that he has had discussions about bringing the tourists to St Helens for a midweek game in the middle of a three-match test series at the end of next year.

Still a hero in town after those 31 games in the centre in which he helped deliver the club’s first silverware in seven years, it seems Meninga retains a soft spot for the club.

None of the details, however, have yet been confirmed.

Bennett, speaking at a Great Britain press conference at Saints today, said: “I was speaking with Mal the other day and he said he was keen to come here to revisit the Kangaroo tradition and play some midweek games, more than just the three nations we did in the past.

“That would be exciting stuff, with the World Cup the year after.

“Mal played here (St Helens) for a period of time in 1984 and he said he had talked to the owners here about the possibility of playing a game here next year.

“They will play the Knights as well, which would be great for them too.

“There would only be two or three games, but that is all you would need to make it like what it used to be.”

 

[adamkungl]

Mal is so full of shit.

The same Kangaroos that won't even give GB a game while they're over here is apparently gonna play games against club sides midweek. Yeah righto Mal.

The bloke talked up bringing back the glory days when he was appointed but under his reign we are in the midst of the worst ever era for Kangaroos appearances.


And if it does happen, I can't help thinking what a waste it is.

St Helens v The Kangaroos would draw a crowd, for sure. But it would be the worst kind of backwards nostalgia trip to play club sides instead of France or Wales, or instead of entering a team in the Oceania Cup.
There's limited calendar space available for test matches and we don't need this kind of meaningless game coming back over actual internationals.