Fantastic. Considering once upon a time we were considered the club that "bought over the hill aussies for a pay day"

It's very interesting that it got little mention on Friday or Saturday. Saints starting pack included four overseas players and they had seven in their team.
Wigans starting pack were all British and five of the six have come through their academy.

RG, that is the pertinent point, The 2 SKY dummies over dramatise the fact that the game is full of aussies and aussie coaches yet when there are games with a large UK contingent of players and now coaches absolutelky Jack is said about it

But 4 out of our 7 first choice backs aren't British. Does it matter if all Saints were all in their pack? Both teams have too many.

I agree, but the point I was making was that it was ignored by Mick and Montmorrency, whereas last year they were fawning over the Saints youngsters.

To be fair Wiggy & Stevo did commend us for having an all British coaching set up.

I agree with RG. The fawning over Saints last year was way over the top.

I wouldn't say that 4 was too many. If it was a choice between quality players like Pat, Carmont, Finch and Tommy and homegrown players who aren't up to the same standard, I'd choose the overseas players every single time. Our academy system has come on leaps and bounds over the past 10 years and it should be applauded as it will continue to churn out quality homegrown players.

I'm not saying I wouldn't have them over their British equivalents, but to have a higher percentage of our backline to be Foreign than British, at one of the best clubs for youngsters, shows our problem at international level.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not one for eradicating Aus/NZ players from the game at all, just something about the backline this year that I think is disappointing. I like all the foreigners that are part of the 4, just think it would have been better served having a british HB to replace Deacs, for the long term and the short term (to have Tommy at hooker).

I think you'll find that Sam Powell, Logan Tomkins, Matty Russell and Joe Mellor will all get game time this year.

I'd love for us to have an English backline as it does seem the international game is becoming more and more back-dominated. I guess our hand will be forced next season anyway with Carmont retiring (probably!), and Tommy and probably Finch moving on. Personally I'd like to replace them with two home grown players and a top quality import. I think our international game is improving and having more homegrown players in SL can only be a good thing.

IMO Harrison Hansen is a foreigner, having been born in Auckland, New Zealand and also played for both New Zealand and Samoa.

Having said that 5/6 British in the starting pack is better than most in Superleague.

Hansen also has a British passport and has played for England, and if you use your logic than Saints had eight foreign players in their team on Friday.

IMO he's not British, he just happens to be someone who acquired a passport. I agree he did play for England at academy level, but turned to New Zealand and then Samoa, and who knows by the end of is carrier he might also have played for Uganda, Mexico and Russia.

As for eight foreign players in the saints team, I can name 7 but I am struggling for number 8.

Nathan Ash is from New Zealand, but I don't count him as he has come through their academy from being about 15, just as Hansen has been at Wigan since he was 13.

Aged 17 if you believe Wikipedia, so therefore he's a foreigner in my book.

Do Wigan allow their players to continue playing at their Amateur Clubs, because I'm pretty sure I played against Hansen when he was about 16 at Folly Lane?

I think it would depend on whether he had been offered a professional contract at this point. If he hadn't, then he would be allowed to. If he had been, then he I doubt he would have played.

My first recollection of Hansen was about 10 years ago in a very good Wigan U17's side that won the Grand Final by a big margin v Hull.
Also in that side was Kevin Brown, David Allen, Bob Beswick, Bryn Hargreaves, Paul and Andy Ballard and the outstanding Chris Melling.

I always had high hopes for Allen. Whenever I saw him play he always seemed to have a bit of class about him and reminded me of Sculthorpe.

Danny I presume!

No. He seemed to have really good feet for a back row forward. I was later told that his head wasn't right to fulfil his potential.

Yeah, copped a drugs ban about 5 years back, didn't he?

Nuff said

Yeah but he's back at Widnes now.

Rangi Chase played for England. That doesn't mean he's not a Kiwi.