I also hold serious reservations about this exhibition game being staged and marketed as a genuine international fixture when it's nothing of the kind. I also don't understand what this game is supposed to achieve? Apart from conveying the message that France are no longer deemed worthy of playing international fixtures against us and that international RL is considered dead!

Therefore we'll copy the Australians (again) by arranging a fixture which is a merger of a few of their concepts... hey, we'll even include the term ORIGIN in there somehow... and we'll also get the fans to participate in this sideshow bollax by getting them to vote for player inclusions like they do down under for the Indigenous V NRL All Stars exhibition game.

I've always considered Australians as stuck firmly up their own @rses WRT their p[ii[/isspoor and arrogant attitude towards international RL, as their continued obsession with their Origin w@nkfest testifies over the years. However, I don't recall them ever deciding that GB or England aren't worthy of playing against them in the international test arena, despite the overwhelmingly uncompetitive nature of the vast majority of those fixtures.

I'd normally take issue with parochial types whinging and whining about their own club players inclusion in an international fixture jeopardising their club interests, but as this is nothing more than an ill-conceived exhibition game, they've got a point this time.

For the last few seasons a lot of fans have bemoaned the lack of any credible northern hemisphere opposition. The idea of having SL-based ANZAC players isn't new and has been floating round for some time. Personally, I think we should give it a go and see what happens.

It's easy to lament the quality of the England & Exiles squads and draw unfair comparisons with Australia and New Zealand, but I prefer to see the game for what it is - a serious challenge for England. It's certainly a step up from France.

The Exiles may beat England and our friends Down Under may well find that hilarious. So what? If you put aside your own club bias and ignore the effect on next week's SL round, does anyone seriously think that this game will not improve England RL?

We may be a million miles behind Aus & NZ, but we're not going to get any better running over Tony Gigot every June.

aGree with the above

Althogh I am worried kirkstaller is Paul Cullen as he is obsessed with gigot as well

Typical RLfans. Its the same people complaining saying whats the point its an exhibition game, as would be complaining saying whats the point in playing a one sided game against France

I'd prefer a roses series, and if france werent good enough for a one off international then there were 8 other teams at the world cup and they all ranked above France!
to be honest a one off game doesn't help the problem that England have producing a good performance every game of a tournament for 80mins, improving the domestic setup is required for that and that wont happen whilst it's not in the best interest of the clubs

Nail on head!

No matter how many times the supporters of this exhibition game argue the case, it will not make one iota of difference to their chances against Australia and NZ in five months time. Nor will such an exhibition game improve England as a competitive force against those two. England play at a level which is inextricably linked to the level played in SL which is simply not a high enough standard. Until SL standards improve, the national team ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

i would have thought regular get togethers would be more beneficial.
exiles by at least 10

Maybe I might just want to be entertained and enjoy
my night rather than worrying about if we can compete with aus and nz

You just failed the post-code test

An exhibition game ought to fulfil your appetite for entertainment then.

How I expect the exiles to line up
1 Brett Hodgson
2 Francis Meli
3 George Carmont
4 Matt King
5 Pat Richards
6 Rangi Chase
7 Thomas Leuluai
8 Mark O’Meley
9 Danny Buderus
10 Tony Puletua
11 David Fa’alogo
12 Craig Fitzgibbon
13 Louis Anderson
14 Kylie Leuluai
15 Josh Perry
16 Willie Manu
17 Michael Monaghan

David Faiumu
Steve Menzies
Glenn Morrison
Iosia Soliola
Brent Webb

If it raises a few quid and people have a good time, more power to them. I can't pretend I'm excited. It isn't on my doorstep (Wembley is nearer...) and it doesn't feel like a real match. I may look up the result if I remember, but I can't pretend I care. I'd prefer a Roses match/series. At least I understand that. This one feels like Fantasy RL made flesh, and it's weird.

For all Danny Buderus' soundbites, which he obviously has to make, I can't see why this match would matter a jot to anyone in the Exiles team either.

Details of the Exiles 18-man squad are below:
Danny Buderus (captain) (Leeds Rhinos & Australia), Thomas Leuluai (vice captain) (Wigan Warriors & New Zealand), Louis Anderson (Warrington Wolves & New Zealand), George Carmont (Wigan Warriors & New Zealand), Rangi Chase (Castleford Tigers & New Zealand), David Fa'alogo (Huddersfield Giants & New Zealand), David Faiumu (Huddersfield Giants & New Zealand), Craig Fitzgibbon (Hull FC & Australia), Brett Hodgson (Warrington Wolves & Australia), Matt King (Warrington Wolves & Australia), Kylie Leuluai (Leeds Rhinos & New Zealand), Willie Manu (Hull FC & Tonga), Francis Meli (St Helens & New Zealand), Glenn Morrison (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats & Australia), Mark O'Meley (Hull FC & Australia), Tony Puletua (St Helens & New Zealand), Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors & Australia), Iosia Soliola (St Helens & New Zealand).

No Menzies or Perry?! But Lealuai gets the nod. Did this bloke use to coach Leeds?

And New Zealand...Faiumu ahead of Monaghan for bench hooker too (I know Buderus has to be there as captain, so between those two).

I can only think that word must have come from Menzies & M.Monaghan that they didn't want to play, because that's the highest calibre overseas player in SL and the form overseas player in SL out of the side.

Was just looking through some stuff this morning, came across the teamsheet from the Sheffield Eagles v Australia game from 1994. Menzies is on it.

Was Keith Senior on it too?

I’m going knowing full well that this game will be nothing but an exhibition game. There will be no big hits, no big hit-ups, there will be no hard tackling at all, there’ll be no biff, nothing. Not one player or coach will want their players potentially picking up an injury in a pointless, mid season faux international.

I know that this game will be a diluted, poor imitation of an international but… it’s an international all the same, regardless however poor it is.

I’ll hopefully get 3 games in this weekend – makes me a happy bunny anyway.

That's the spirit!

.....And plenty of it will need to be quaffed to mask the fact that this game is an utter nonsense. One does have to despair for the international future of the game if this is the best the game has to offer.

Bring back proper GB tours down under with antipodean tours here.

Stick to the strengths and stop pretending the game can credibly field home nation teams.

was this your opinion of International RL this time last year when England walked passed an LER select XIII?

its a mid season run out for England, nothing more, nothing less.

It will be far more entertaining than the usual dross against France. Mind you that's probably what australlia think when they play us at end of the year.

Top and Bottom of it for me.

Whilst I don't disagree with your views on this game and the overall sentiment I'd like to know how you're going to organise tours when our seasons now run concurrently?

Easy. Get the Aussies to see the infinite wisdom of Summer rugby too ...although strictly speaking the North Queensland Cowboys wouldn't be able to participate



Tours would be a good starter to a season being completed prior to NRL and SL seasons. Clubs could still play their friendlies between test matches. Drop the W C C.