Isn't the State of Origin system is based upon which junior club you first played with. That is why they show the name of each players junior club when they give out the line-ups.

Saxons vs Celts is a great idea. Add in France, too.

As has been alluded to, LMS, Clubb, Griffin, Tomkins and Henderson were all born in the south of England. The first three came through southern clubs. That, remember, was in the days before the southern Performance Pathway was created - it now matches the structures in the north.

This old chestnut again?!

Yorkshire/Lancashire isn't the best way forward. It doesn't get enough interest and excludes everyone outside the North.
Lancashire isn't even the county of any SL clubs anymore. How are people meant to get behind a team that represents an area that ceased to exist 40 years ago?

England vs Exiles is the best way to go for top level trialling. It involves the whole country, it will be a higher quality game and it will give the team a chance to gel together.

I think however that an Roses type game, given its history, could have a place in the game, but just not at the top. Why not have it as a double header with the Exiles game, using the best players not selected for England, and use it as a trial game for those not in the squad. The Knights will destroy Ireland most likely, so it won't exactly be a decent trial for them. It also kind of undermines the international game if test sides are getting destroyed by reserve teams.

Next year, if we have this rep break again, I'd go with:
Double Header on the Saturday evening featuring England vs Exiles / Yorkshire vs Lancashire (or North West if we want to be a bit more up-to-date whilst also including the Cumbrians).

France vs Wales on the Saturday night.

Scotland vs Ireland on the Sunday.

5nations mid season tournament, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France. GB play in 4 nations and tours. Home nations in World Cups.

The exiles, as a concept is a nonsense and undermines any semblance of having an international game in this hemisphere.

What about about England vs England Lions? I believe the NZ RU team have something similar (Probables vs Possible's I think)

It is based on the Club where you first play grade footy, as you say those Clubs are listed under their names at the start of the game

Are there any current SOO who arn't representing the State of their birth?

There have been several over the years.

In the Current squads, Inglis was born in NSW.

Surely though if you were brought up in NSW you'd have no desire to play for Qld?

I know I wouldn't want to play for Lancashire just because I played my first junior game there.

It would depend on what age you moved I guess.
Most young players are just happy to get a Rep spot with any team.

Peter Sterling was born in Qld but moved to NSW at an early age, he probably felt ok playing for the Blues as he spent much of his life brought through the NSW rep teams.

British SOO:- You play for the area you start your professional career, to make it tasty have Yorkshire against the rest, Lets face it everybody hates us Yorkies & we think that there are only two types of human! Yorkies & those who wish they were.

edited for accuracy

GMBC??

I was actually born in Singapore, to Wigan parents and then brought up in Wigan. If it goes off where you're born my local pro RL team is North Queensland Cowboys and I would have to play for Papua New Guinea!

Lancs:

Tomkins
Charnley
Goulding
Watkins
Riley
Briers
Lomax
Mossop
Roby
Morley
Hock
Hansen/Tickle (Depends if Hansen would be eligible)
O'Loughlin

Hill
LMS
Farrell
Tickle/Patrick

Yorks:

Eden
Briscoe
Cudjoe
Atkins
Hall
Pryce
Brough
Crabtree
McIlorum
Peacock
Westwood
Ablett
Wilkin

Clark/Robinson
Carvell
Bailey
Kirmond

I like the idea of the Saxons/Celts thing.
Only issue I have is that I'm pretty sure the majority of English SL players could qualify for both teams kind of cancelling out the rivalry.

What are you basing your selection on? If it's birth then Mossop is from Cumbria and LMS is a Londarner

you would think that this simple idea would have been implemented already.

It is so obvious it is untrue.

So obviously dreadful, yes.

TBH i think you talk our your ar$e for nothing other than effect.

you are one boring, boring man

Yorkshire vs Everyone else.



They think they're so good, time for the rest of us to prove they aren't.

I can see thousands of English supporters flocking to a ritual flogging of a dire Scotland side. And I bet the supporters of an Irish team full of half rate and semi professional players will be mad for a trip to Wales.

No, really.

Face facts, Rugby League is doing its best building on its strengths, the best players in the competition. This evenings game reflects that.

I find it staggering some people live in a fantasy world where they genuinely think a 5 nation format would be competitive, entertaining or financially viable.

Include everyone for a 3 game cup
Based on where you're born.
Wests, Easts and Exiles

Eligable for Exiles born out of UK and Ireland

Eligable for Wests born in

[uWests[/u

Cumbria, Lancs, Cheshire, Gtr Manc, Merseyside, Staffs, Shrops, Derbyshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Bristol and Avon, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Oxfordshire, Northants, I-O-M, WALES, IRELAND

Eligable for Easts born in

[uEasts[/u

Northumberland, Tyne Wear, Durham, Cleveland, N. York’s, W. York’s, S. York’s, Humber, Lincs, Nott’s, Leicestershire & Rutland, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Kent, Gtr London, Herts, Bedfordshire, Surrey, W. Sussex, E. Sussex, Bucks, Hants, Berks, I-O-W, SCOTLAND, CHANNEL ISLES


Rangi Chase would then play for the Exiles again BUT doesn't remove his eligability for England as it's 3 teams just based on where you are born.

A player born in say Germany but lived in England most of their life although he may have an English passport speak with a Yorkshire accent and not know a word of German would still have to play for the Exiles, but again still eligable for England.

Easts v Wests
Wests v Exiles
Exiles v Easts

Is that your way of getting Tomkins to play for the Easts?

What a complete load of rubbish. You must have spent 5 minutes writing that, and I wasted 30 seconds reading it. Do you genuinely believe that is a good idea? Incredible.