Still a poor England side in places though. We have an abundance of good 2nd rowers and i think ellis should be at centre instead of Bridge

Just listening to it on listen again and he was spot on. Shame more 'fans' don't know the exact situation and circumstances.

Ive said that!! Bridge isnt and never will be international class!!

Bridge is by far Englands most gifted centre.

He's having a stormer for Wire this season.

Wonder who the British players are that Sam Burgess was talking about. Moves to the NRL in the not too distant future according to him on GMR.

My thoughts exactly. The football is nothing to do with my decision not to go, in fact it would make me more likely to go just to avoid the footy.

If the teams had been more equally matched (either, as you suggest, by playing a stronger side than a weakened France, or by McNamara including more "prospects" instead of the usual suspects), I'd probably have gone.

If we drew Whitehaven or Leigh in the cup would you go?

Yes.

I'm quite happy to admit to being a Wigan supporter first, and England second.

Even though the teams wouldn't be equally matched?

It’s not the same situation.

The cup serves a purpose this game doesn’t.

There is nothing riding on this game at all and we won’t learn anything from it.

What's your problem? Geoff's a Wigan fan who would watch them play anyone but wants a good chance of a real contest when it comes to internationals. Is it that hard to comprehend?

Yep - I won't willingly miss any Wigan game, first team or reserves (finances permitting), no matter what the opposition. I just don't feel the same about England/GB.

Not trying to defend that, just saying that's how I feel, and that's where my priorities lie.

And as I said to another poster who isn't going, that's your perogative and you're more than entitled to it.



He'd have probably gone if it had been more equally contested. Whether you think the game serves a purpose or not isn't the question.

Some fans ( not nesscairly Catalancs here btw) simply see this game as black and white. You go because you are and England fan and support England no matter who they play.

Many like myself are purely Wigan fans and it’s gotta be something really special to make me go to an RL match when Wigan aren’t on show and England vs France isn’t a good enough reason.

I’m the first to admit I’m not majorly patriotic and I’m although it’s good to see England do well it doesn’t hold the same regard as what watching Wigan does. The games I’ve been watching England play in have been based on A-Location and B-Who they are playing. I went to the four nations games as I wanted to see the excellent Aussie RL players play and not because I’m a diehard England supporter.

Exactly. Nothing wrong IMO in weighing up the pros and cons then making your decision. In my case, we where going to have a box at LSV but trying to get info was like trying to get blood out of a stone. ATEOTD we said "stuff it" and will watch it on TV. If we were playing the Aussies it would be a different matter.

[url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/10/06/11/RUGBYL_England_Nightlead.htmlCould this be the last England v France mid season international?[/url

I hope not. France need the games and the competition and Rugby League desperately needs to do all it can to get a 4th major RL playing nation. France are always going to struggle with one Super League club and if they get any injuries they are always going to struggle. They need a 2nd Super League team to get any better internationally because as things stand they cant even put together a fully professional 1-17 never mind have any depth to choose from.

Schedule the Catalans v Crusaders game for this weekend and have France v Wales instead. The rest of Super League can carry on as normal and all the folk moaning about the game at Leigh this Saturday wil be happy.

Which is pretty much what Tony Smith suggests in the article linked above, and I tend to agree.

You have to agree it woukld be more competitive. I'd say France and Wales are on a similar level and it could be alternated every year, Perpignan/Toulouse-Wrexham-Perpignan/Toulouse.

And who'd attend this match?

About 500/600 max.

Sure, but the main aim wouldn't be to draw the crowds, but to improve the second-tier teams.

Meanwhile, England are freed up to play a "rest of SL" side, which would be both more competitive, and, I'm confident, would draw a much bigger crowd than we'll see tomorrow.

If France, featuring 10 or 11 Catalans Dragons players, played at Gilbert Brutus and Catalans had the week off I reckon more than 600 would turn up, but hey! maybe you're right.

Crowds may not be the main aim but the French or Welsh Rugby League couldnt afford to lose thousands on such a game either, which they would with such small crowds. It is hardly going to improve French RL either playing against a poor Welsh team and never getting the chance to play against any of the bigger nations.

England against GB based New Zealand team a couple of years ago was as big a walkever as any England V French game and the crowd wasnt much better. I doubt throwing in a few Aussies is going to improve things too much. I also dont see how Englands only competitive Northern Hemisphere fixture being against a made up rest of SL side is going to improve international RL.

How poor are Wales exactly?

France v Wales and if England really do need to play a mid season game they could do worse than playing a Super League side including players who didn't make the England team.