Yes i believe so

Could be 3. I think Meli, Soliola & Puletua are all in the squad.

Is Meli in there aswell - thought it was just Soliola & Puletua.....................

Oh well the more the merrier



That is dependant on all of the said 7 players playing, and if they feel they can play 2 games !!

There's no question they can call off the league game then?

The idea of the exiles match sounds ok in theory but in practice I fear it will be an exhibition match. Could well be that neither side busts a gut and it gives the England coach no more clue as to who can play under pressure as a game versus France would've.

How many players have dropped out of the exiles team so far? How many more will drop out after this weekend?

I hope I'm wrong but I think it'll be a predictable anticlimax. At £19 a ticket it's a bit pricey too for a new concept. If they'd made it £12 or £14 it might have tempted me a bit more.

If it's to work what we need is a big marketing push like the Aussies did with Origin back in 1980. Before then Origin games were lucky to get attendances of 2k but suddenly they got 30k. It also helped that the players bought into the concept and took it seriously. On that front we need someone like O'Donnell to flatten one of his club teammates to spice things up. That would show all that the players meant it.

Without that it'll just be like a half hearted exhbition game. I was at GB versus The Rest of the World in 1989 which was a mouth watering prospect when you looked at the teams on paper. On grass it was a bit of a training session.

But wouldnt St. Helens still be able to play the league game as they have a squad big enough to compensate ??

Or is there a rule somewhere stating otherwise !!!!!!!

Yeah, that seems to be the whole nub of the issue. As it's a glorified club game the RFL should have tried marketing it through clubs and offered people with season tickets reduced entry prices.

I used to like the Roses games but they didn't work as those that played for Lancs didn't seem to have as much pride in the jersey. When Peter Fox coached Yorkshire they were invincible.

Can't think of a sub-national concept that breeds the same rivalry as Origin that would work over here.

Roses games were quality for fans, it was great cheering on Yorkshire and the banter between fans! Now you mention it Yorkshire did seem to be more passionate about it then again maybe i'm just completely biased. WHITE ROSE, WHITE ROSE! Bring it back I say.

Ryan Atkins - dreadful down under last year. Would have given Welham a go despite being ginger.
Chris Bridge - average in a great club side. See Darryl Goulding.
JJB - done nothing for 2 years. Not big enough.
Jon Wilkin - how many times can he get thrown around at international level?

Would have picked McGilvary on one wing.

The disappointing thing about this squad is its predictability and conservatism.

He's picked players, as Tigertot, who have been tried and found wanting. JJB isn't going to ever be good enough to go up against the Aussies, and Ryan Atkins was in the RL press only this week saying that his form didn't merit being picked!

All in all not a squad to have me licking my lips in anticipation. I'd have sooner seen more of a blend, with some 'players for the future' given a chance alongside the experienced players. Foster and McGilvray are two obvious examples, but there are others.

Unlike some on this thread, I'm quite looking forward to this game. I think it has a bit of a novelty factor and I hope the players treat it seriously. Of course if some of the Saints players get bashed up then that's a bonus as well

I agree.

The England selections remind me of the days when the same old characters got selected regadless of their form. Seems Macca's no different to his predecessors.

I'd have been more likely to go to the game to see a few new faces like McGilvray, Lomax, Foster, Clark & Welham.

A Player is dropped after scoring [i[u[size=1504 [/size[/u[/itries on his last international appearance

Clubb seems to have sorted his defence out this year too but IIRC those 4 tries were against pretty poor opposition.

Standing tickets were £14. If you voted for the team, you got a discount code for a fiver off, meaning they were only £14. Well, £15 with the quid booking fee.

Going back to the days when we had Australian touring teams and most international games were played during the season (it's not [ithat[/i far back), there used to be a rule about clubs having more than (I think 3) players selected for international duty being able to call off league games which clashed with the international. I'd guess (but don't know) that the rule still applies, though whether this would apply to what, despite its international flavour, is really a domestic trial game is the point I was pondering.

Neither the size of the squad, not the number international players in it, made any difference to the club's right to call of a league fixture and virtually all clubs did.

Although you're spot on, even if they were allowed, could you see the Bulls/Saints game getting called off considering it's on Sky?

Suspect that may well be correct!

1 Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors and Wigan St Pats)
2 Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos and Oulton Raiders)
3 Michael Shenton (St Helens and Upton)
4 Chris Bridge (Warrington Wolves and Waterhead)
5 Tom Briscoe (Hull FC and Featherstone Lions)
6 Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos and Waterhead)
7 Richard Myler (Warrington Wolves and Halton West Bank)
8 Jamie Peacock (Leeds Rhinos and Stanningley, capt)
9 Luke Robinson (Huddersfield Giants and Siddal)
10 James Graham (St Helens and Blackbrook)
11 Jon Wilkin (St Helens and East Hull)
12 Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves and Normanton Knights)
13 Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan Warriors and Wigan St Patricks)
Interchanges
14 Michael McIlorum (Wigan Warriors and Queens)
15 Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves and Eccles)
16 Garreth Carvell (Warrington Wolves and Stanningley)
17 Joel Tomkins (Wigan Warriors and Wigan St Patricks)
Reserve
Jamie Jones Buchanan (Leeds Rhinos and Stanningley).

1 Brett Hodgson (Warrington Wolves & Australia)
2 Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors & Australia)
3 George Carmont (Wigan Warriors & Samoa)
4 Matt King (Warrington Wolves & Australia)
5 Francis Meli (St Helens & Samoa)
6 Rangi Chase (Castleford Tigers & New Zealand)
7 Thomas Leuluai (Wigan Warriors & New Zealand)
8 Tony Puletua (St Helens & New Zealand)
9 Danny Buderus (Captain) (Leeds Rhinos & Australia)
10 Mark O’Meley (Hull FC & Australia)
11 Iosia Soliola (St Helens & New Zealand)
12 Willie Manu (Hull FC & Tonga)
13 Craig Fitzgibbon (Hull FC & Australia)
Interchanges
14 David Faiumu (Huddersfield Giants & New Zealand)
15 Kylie Leuluai (Leeds Rhinos & Samoa)
16 Louis Anderson (Warrington Wolves & New Zealand)
17 David Fa’alogo (Huddersfield Giants & New Zealand)
Reserve
Glenn Morrison (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats & Australia)

Thought McIlorum was an Aussie?
Both team look strong, it has the potential to be a good game.

How come there is 4 from Wigan in England team? Thought it was limited to 3 from a club?

edit:

And 5 from Warrington? Why make a rule of 3 per club and then go and break it?

Atkins better than Bridge. Shenton did pretty well in 4N
JJB, been a standout this year. Does little wrong and lots of little things right
Wilkin, as above.

Fact remains, not enough English quality in SL. A situation manufactured, encouraged and tolerated by clubs and administrators.

No he was Irish but switch allignences to England like Brough did from Scotland. Based on them teams if the Exiles click I think we will lose.

I would have put Yeaman in for Shenton.