Wasn't the inclusion of a French club in Super League supposed to raise their playing standards? If so, it clearly hasn't worked at international level. Quite the reverse.



If England... who play at Super League level standards internationally... wish to prepare and compete against Australia and NZ... who play at NRL level standards internationally... then why are they preparing for that by playing against a bunch of NRL has-been and never-was EXILE players who are currently playing at Super League standard level?

Nice footwork.



So, given we've established through experience that mid-season internationals between the two hemispheres are logistical nightmares under the current calendar, who should England be playing to provide them with the step up in intensity they need from regular SL competition?



Do we put the 4 Nations start back a couple of weeks and ask the ARL/NZRL to provide "Presidents XIII" type sides to play England in warm-up games? Fiji? Tonga? PNG?

So who SHOULD England play against then?



I can't think of any other opposition (short of playing the Aussies and Kiwis) that would give them a more competitive run out than tonight's Exiles team?

I'm so excited* about this international origin faux test dead rubber pantomime exhibition match I've just upgraded my WT tickets to a couple of seats in the North Stand.



[size=50Not really, I just don't fancy getting wet with a 6 year old in tow.[/size

Now, although I agree with you on the subject of disinterest in the Exiles game, I'm not sure this is all that constructive. If you reckon you could persuade the NRL to send a squad of 20 or so of their better players over here for a one-off game then good luck. So playing at a level that really prepares them for the Big 2 of international RL is not really feasible. I would argue that the Exiles team are a higher standard of individual players than you'd find in the French squad.



A more realistic goal might be to get the England players involved in some sort of representative fixture, and attempt to make that meaningful. A Roses match (or series) might do that. It might not, but at least I could make sense of the idea.



The only way the standards of Super League are going to increase is by increasing the standard of coaching and youth development. No magic bullet available.

I would have gone and wanted to but not paying £29 to sit in my seat when I can watch on SKY

Not me.

Sky+ it then watch it after I've watched Yorks lose to Lancs in the T20 game that's also on Sky.

For the same reason I don't go to the Boxing Day game - why should I pay top dollar for a friendly warm up game where they players know nothing is at stake?

Only if you consider running in a straight line as nice footwork. By SL standards it might be considered so.







What's been established is that an exhibition game played over four months prior to an international tournament cannot be considered as [i[u'preparation'[/u[/i. It's a stand-alone exhibition game full stop with it's own agenda which is irrelevant to the furtherance of international RL in it's entirety. Gimmicks do not equate to internationals. Who will be playing the roles of Arthur Beetson and Mick Cronin tonight in order to establish some staged Origin folklore from the outset?



Logistical nightmares under current playing calendars between the two hemispheres to the detriment of international rugby league was caused by the switch to summer rugby in the UK. Therefore the real solution is?

I'm playing tonight (not for the Exiles or England obviously). We have our first minis training tonight, then us old boys will knock lumps out each other. I won't even see the game on tele.



I will however, be at Gloucester on Sunday to see England Saxons play Tonga. I'd be willing to bet that more people will be at that game than the game tonight. I am not anticipating much of a quality game (the Saxons demolition of the US was accomplished with very little resembling skill or continuity of any kind), but there are two games on and me and the boy get in for 25 quid - some of which goes back to our club as we are Gloucester "partners". 50 of us are going from our club, the kids get to be mascots and we will train it and have a few beers.

Why should the NRL send a squad of 20 or so of their better players over here for a one-off game just to help us out? If England desire constructive and meaningful international preparation and have decided the optimal route for that is via an Origin concept instead, it might be a better idea to send the England squad over to Australia for two games and challenge QLD and NSW? That way, they'd definitely be playing against current NRL-standard players who they'll be facing in the Four Nations.

Jesus, it would be a bloody massacre. And thats just playing NSW.