You mean it didn't seem like a bad appointment at the time?



It did nothing for England RL then and has done nothing for it now, certainly hasn't done anything to spark any real enthusiasm for the international game in me which is a shame because I am a big patriotic flag waving type.

Ye that was played on a tue/wed night which made it a better effort from both sets of fans that day.

Although its a shame but when was the last time england got over 40k for a game in this country.

Mid 90's I think.

Yes that what i mean pre-SL when clubs crowds where not as high as they are today just annoys me why we play at 25k stadia we sell ourself short or over price tickets.

Good point, well made. Welcome on board

Maybe semantics but wasn't that GB not England? For me axing GB to replace with the four home nations was a mistake.

Why? The England team is basically what the GB one would be anyway and spliting up GB allows players from Ireland, Scotland and Wales to represent their countries.

I said it at the start and I will say it again, Steve Mcnamara being appointed coach of England is akin to Steve McLaren being appointed coach of England football.

To be honest there aren't many good British coaches out there.

Simply because by scrappping GB all we've done is create three weak nations whilst making the fourth weaker.

How are England weaker?

Maybe they're not specifically at the moment but they've lost the ability to recruit from the other three nations that they had in the past. Davies, Deveraux, Tait, Carney etc. Now granted England nowadays are strong enough to cope without pulling from the other three nations but once in a while there is a top class player from one of these nations like those named above and I don't see the point in wasting their talent representing three nations that can't pull a competitive team together when they can represent GB as part of a stronger union. So ultimately England may be weakened.

if we played as GB we could surely pick Richards-how good would that be

Actually I think he said in his interview with Brian Carney he wouldn't do what he (Carney) did in playing for GB. I thought it caused an awkward moment during the interview.

Pat has stated he wouldn't play for Great Britain.

Top man. Respect him for his honesty.

You are talking about a completely different era though, before RU went professional. The calibre of player that you are talking about from Wales, Scotland or Ireland no longer comes across to Rugby League. Since RU went professional the GB team has largely been the England team + Brian Carney, who retired a couple of years ago anyway. I really cant see how any player from Wales, Scotland or Ireland is going to make England stronger (and I am not talking about Australians who wouldnt have been considered for GB/England anyway or English born players who are only playing for these countries becasue they couldnt get in the England team).

Totally agree with that mate: Pat should be included in that btw. The GB has always been predominantly English players, but expansion purposes I think GB should have been kept. The other three are still a long way from producing three inernational teams IMHO.

Its a joke he has no qualifications or success to soeak of if anything he had took Bradford backwards

Hopefully then when he is sacked by the RFL (by Xmas probably) the only way for England is up.

Quote ="those were the days"Ye that was played on a tue/wed night which made it a better effort from both sets of fans that day.'" No it wasn't. It was a Bank holiday Monday IIRC. The Weds night game was the 12-12 draw when Lowes and Faz were binned for fighting. EDIT: - Was actually bank holiday Sunday wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... age_id=152

Quote ="those were the days"Ye that was played on a tue/wed night which made it a better effort from both sets of fans that day.'" No it wasn't. It was a Bank holiday Monday IIRC. The Weds night game was the 12-12 draw when Lowes and Faz were binned for fighting. EDIT: - Was actually bank holiday Sunday wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... age_id=152

England v Australia sounds like RU or cricket. Great Britain v Australia sounds like the real deal. I defo think for marketing purposes being England doesn't sell as many seat because it 'doesn't sound Rugby League'