Danny McBrough went back to Scotland after McNamara overlooked him

More like if Wigan changed its name to Lancashire Warriors or Whelley Warriors it would be the same team and fans but wouldn't have the same prestige as Wigan.

Lancashire Warriors

... I like it

You are Eddie Hemmings and I claim my £5

I love Rugby League and Internationals but the simple truth is, if England played every week I wouldn't go watching every week. I do for Wigan. Says it all really.

Wales 31-24 Ireland in Neath this afternoon. Followed game online and it sounded like a reet ding dong....


70 seconds to go. Wales have a scrum on Ireland's 40. Still 31-30

Full time at the Gnoll and the score is Wales 31-30 Ireland.
Defence is poor on both sides. Makes for a cracking game though.

I agree with this to an extent. I think for the benefit of the game it is better for us to go forward as seperate nations but in the current European cup there are only two sides with a actual team and that is France and Wales. Even looking at the Welsh side its still littered with English players who haven't made the grade.

Ireland and Scotland are simply shocking and are just patched up teams making up the numbers. I would rather see the Americans come and play against us, at least they do have an amateur league set up with actual American players rather than a made-up nation over here.

I guess that might be why I myself have never been as passionate about international RL as I have for Wigan. I haven't 'chosen' Wigan over England but I think since I have followed Rugby League we have never truly competed with the Australians it has lessened the experience and I guess I'm slightly cynical as well because International Rugby League isn't really in existence, its just three teams - hardly like football or rugby union.

I know that a few will point out that Rugby Union doesn't have that many competitive nations, but it has far more than we do so it's more of an achievement to win. I know others will point out that plenty of people born in one country go on to represent another in many sports (Ryan Giggs for Wales for example) but for me RL is far more a farce in this respect. Nothing is more pleasing than seeing English players playing in SL for me and if your a supporter from a nation like Scotland you don't want English born players like Danny Brough and Australians like the Henderson's playing.

Personally I'd rather see some of the players from the conferences playing in those national sides and if the game truly picks up pace include them in a World Cup - at the moment its farcical.

I really don't think it'd make one bit of difference if England RL won the world cup. The media still wouldn't be interested.

November - Atlantic Cup live and FREE on www.wearerugby.com Next Saturday, 2:30pm - France v Wales in the European Cup decider live and FREE at www.direct8.fr/direct

November - Atlantic Cup live and FREE on www.wearerugby.com Next Saturday, 2:30pm - France v Wales in the European Cup decider live and FREE at www.direct8.fr/direct

the fans don't take internationals seriously
the players (it seems in the past) haven't taken them seriously
but most importantly of all the RFL don't take internationals seriously

I'd like to think if we got trounced by the Aussies, the RFL will make Shaun Wane coach and do everything in their power to make the international game strong

I would like to see Maguire as the next England coach. He is probably the best coach in the british game so why not.

I just don't take international Rugby League serious since they split the home nations up.

The amount of players swapping and changing which country they play for is embarrassing. For example, there's an interview on the official Wigan site and Darrell Goulding says ''Well, I was going to play for Ireland before being called up for England....''. Sorry, but that's ridiculous. I can understand why they've split the countries but we're a long, long way off it actually working and maybe I'll treat internationals more serious once it starts to work.

I want England to win and I will pay to watch them but it's club before country for me.

It's something the RLIF really need to look at. Swapping and changing countries is just not acceptable.

Graham is the new skipper.

Let's hope he finds some professionalism and class.

I used to agree with what Rogues posted earlier. When we were winning everything in the 80s / 90s, I used to think I’d much rather sacrifice a CC or league title to see GB win a 3 match series (as was then) against the Aussies. I now realise that I took our success for granted and don’t think that, but would still love for England to win the 4 nations, sadly with McNamara at the helm, plus our lack of strength in depth, I just can’t see it.

Funny how Joel brings a competitive streak and aggression, but Graham brings a lack of professionalism and class.

Same old England . . . . .

I wouldn't want Joel as captain either, they both have the same problem.

Dont think I mentioned Joel....

The trouble is, there are only three (if we include England) top international teams in RL.

Then only a couple of other 'credible' teams - France and PNG - with their own nationals making up most if not all of the team.

I am sorry to say that all the rest is a sham. Hardly any players in the Welsh, Irish, Scottish (and other) international sides actually belong to those countries, and no qualification rules can disguise that fact. That makes it hard for those teams to have a real identity for the fans, however serious and committed their players are.

It is also true that players (as in the Darrell Goulding example mentioned) only play for the minor countries as a second choice, if not picked for one of the big three. So playing standards suffer.

I always found it cringeworthy, for example, to hear a player like Keiron Cunningham described (usually by daft Eddie on Sky) as a "Welshman." Is he eck as like, no matter how proud he may be of his heritage and how keen he may have been to play for Wales.

I know country-hopping occurs in other sports, including soccer, but it's nothing like as bad, or as contrived, as in RL.

Three top teams out of how many that actually play the sport? Compared to some other 'global' sports, that's a decent percentage.


Are you sure about Wales? I agree about the other two, although there are many countries playing with genuine bona fide players.


Agree 100%. It's a real bugbear of mine this. The RLIF need to grow a pair and stop players doing it. Unfortunately until the ARL/NRL show the RLIF some respect and the RLIF becomes THE world authority, it sadly isn't going to happen.

Is teh game going to grow in the Celtic nations by having ecah team as 90% Australian? We moaned and groaned about Fa'asavalu, so no chance the Celts will come out and support them.

Also can't believe we are wasting money on the Celtics, the RFL are slitting money 5 ways - England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France, would it not be better to just have GB and France, and split the money 2 ways??

Also agree in the GB>England debate, as a kid I wanted to play for Wigan and wear the white with a blue and red chevron of Great Britain. England doesn't bring out the same passion.