What`s in a name ?

[deluded pom?]

England `A` .How ugly does that sound ? Why are we calling them an `A` team ? It`s not as if there is another England team playing at this time . I realise the G.B. team are preparing for the Ashes but that isn`t England .The lads who performed so well last night will be going home with momentoes of their great effort with England `A` all over them . They should be called England .They were in effect the best young players available outside of the Test squad. Another downside is if they go on to beat Wales ,what sort of impression does that give to a Welshman who may have a passing interest in RL but sees that his team have been beaten by an England `A` team ? He`s likely to think his country aren`t very good at RL and could easily lose interest. Even worse is if they go on to win the European Nations Cup . It`s just poor public relations in my opinion .

 

[expansionist]

I completely agree. the whole 'A' naming convention has gone overboard in my opinion. My concerns are twofold: firstly from the marketing appeal. What we are basically saying is 'the second best team from England'. what sort of a message is that?
My other point is though What happens next year? This year it is England A (as the first tier players are with GB) but next year there will the Tri nations coincide with the euro cup? If not there is no need for it to be England A.
Oh well once Ireland win this years comp maybe they will enter a full strength England..

 

[yakstorm]

I completely agree. the whole 'A' naming convention has gone overboard in my opinion. My concerns are twofold: firstly from the marketing appeal. What we are basically saying is 'the second best team from England'. what sort of a message is that?
My other point is though What happens next year? This year it is England A (as the first tier players are with GB) but next year there will the Tri nations coincide with the euro cup? If not there is no need for it to be England A.
Oh well once Ireland win this years comp maybe they will enter a full strength England..

It isn't a second best England side it is an age group England side, it is designed to be an Under 21's England side, however by putting 'A' instead of just U/21 means the team has the option to throw in someone like say Adrian Morley (for match fitness) if needs be.

It isn't the best England side, it isn't meant to be, it is meant to be the team of the future.

 

[In-goal]

i think they should be called the England XIII this way it dosen't sound second rate, and at the same time the XIII is likley to be droped buy the media.

 

[dimitri]

i think they should be called englad

they are the number one england side playing now

 

[The Observer]

when the RFU sent two national teams on tour this year, one to play in Aus and NZ, the other to play against USA and Canada in the Churchill Cup, they called them both England. If they can do that, then at the least the RFL could call this team England.

 

[joshreading]

I think in 94 Australia did a tour of Europe and obviously the team was the Kangaroos however another Aussie team went also at some time with the backup team as such and were simply called the Australian Emus.

Just give England A side another name.

Any suggestions.

England Knights maybe?

 

[dimitri]

england roses

 

[In-goal]

roses is a bit to close to the RFU as they have the rose emblem, i would run with England Knights i like that.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

What was the selection criteria for the side. Under 22's or something like that? If so why cant they simply be called the England Under 22's.

 

[deluded pom?]

What was the selection criteria for the side. Under 22's or something like that? If so why cant they simply be called the England Under 22's.

There isn`t an age limit as such but it`s an unwritten rule that it`s used to promote the international careers of the younger players in SL . If you called it England under 22`s then that would sound even worse to a neutral supporter . " Gee! Wales can`t even beat a bunch of English kids "
"A bunch of English kids won the European Nations Cup ,doesn`t say a lot for the rest of the teams taking part "

 

[Tidus_Raider]

True. However you cant have two teams from the same nation competing at the same time under the same name. That's just wrong in my opinion.

Next year will an English team will be competing in the Tri-series and Euro nations cup at the same time? If so they definately need to name the team something else. Also will the Tri-series have and England or GB team?

 

[deluded pom?]

There aren`t two England teams playing at the same time ,that`s the crux of my argument . The team involved in the Ashes series is Great Britain .The team involved in the European Nations Cup is England `A` .Next year I assume Great Britain will be playing in the Tri Nations and England in the European Nations Cup . If Scotland ,Wales and Ireland can call their teams without having to add a suffix to it then why can`t the English do the same ?

 

[dimitri]

thats what i dont understand

 

[Tidus_Raider]

There aren`t two England teams playing at the same time ,that`s the crux of my argument . The team involved in the Ashes series is Great Britain .The team involved in the European Nations Cup is England `A` .Next year I assume Great Britain will be playing in the Tri Nations and England in the European Nations Cup . If Scotland ,Wales and Ireland can call their teams without having to add a suffix to it then why can`t the English do the same ?

I get you now and I totally agree. If GB are playing the tri-series then there is no reason why the team can't be just called England. The 'A' sort of devalues the tournament and gives it an amatuerish feel which it shouldn't have.