I just feel Internationals should be played as part of a tournament at the end of a season,not halfway through it.

Exactly


A mid season game isnt really ideal when the majority of players come from one club. Unless both clubs get knocked out of the challenge cup early and have a few weekends free.

France should try and play both England and Wales at the end of the season before the four nations starts.

So is 'State of Origin' pointless too?

I don't think so.......

We'll be in Perpignan in 3 weeks.... come on you Giants!!

well said !

any game is pointless mid-season if the club risks losing players for a few games , especially in SOO where it really is ferocious stuff !
play these games at the end of the season - seems a perfect way to round off a season.

sorry Yettner,meant to say - look forward to seeing all you Giants fans again in Perpignan but this time,try to make some noise ! Last year you lot were the quietest visiting fans of all the teams,even Quins who only bring a handful down. !

bon voyage

I disagree mate, we are supposedly a summer sport you could make the argument our internationals are played in the dead of winter and look like the bit of the season we forgot!


What would be better would be properly a properly organised international calender.




Regardless of when the games are scheduled you would still have the problem of all the players coming from one club, its something France will just have to deal with until Toulouse (and the Dragons) are in good enough shape to both be in SL.

And to both of you guys, my main point is not to do with when the games take place but what happens when they are played, the 4N aside, Frances results have been pretty dire, the euros, the world cup, mid season friendlies. It hasn't mattered, when they have played, they have underperformed.

People seem to think that a half strength French team, blooding kids like Barthau well before his time and them getting flogged by England is somehow good for the game.

.....the fact that the french national team which obviously has to come from the Catalans predominantly are at the mercy of the president of Catalans aka the little fat dictator who refuses to let some of his most presious players turn out for france in fear of injury.
The french youth are coming through and though will never be able to compete with the mighty England (or Wales !) will improve.The TO & Catalans youth systems are doing ok and I believe in three to five years france will have a very decent squad of players.

France should be able to compete with Wales, in France were looking at players whose first sport is RL.

I'm not sure it's safe to assume but you would think most Welsh players first sport is RU. I's sure I will be put right if not the case.

Anyway, France always do well in "A" or age group internationals, I think there is a lot to be gained for France playing against 2nd tier nations, especially as, if you say BG isn't happy about releasing his best players for mid season freindly's. Which TBF is something which happens between all clubs and countries, it's just much more concentrated for France.

Players like Gaush Jr, Gigot, Barthau, M Simon, Pala maybe Maria, Larroyer e.t.c It would be a tough game against say Scotland, Ireland or Wales with the added extra of it being a full international, not an age or "A" game.

tbf - the france v wales game was a one-off - just like Wires v Catalans you would expect Wires to win 8 times out of ten ? Same applies to france v wales IMO - Wales played well but france badly underperformed on the day probably taking the welsh for granted...

quite agree that the french could make up a decent team to compete with Scotland & the like without touching the so-called big names at Perpignan.Without really thinking about it Barthau,Guasch,Maria,Larroyer,Pelissier,Wynn (eligible in june),Simon,Bentleys,Ormeno etc even Worth will be eligible soon.

yet virtually no one on here, your good self included, complained when England were spanking France in June. The only voices raised cane when it was proposed England play someone other than France mid-season.

Aren't England pencilled in to play France as a warm-up game before the Four Nations?

my main concern about mid-season internationals is for the health a safety of players who are released for these games and the consequences it may have on their clubs pushing for the play-offs and beyond...
no,sorry mate - I was quite vocal on certain sites about the likes of Sam Tomkins playing for England one day and then Wigan the next,which actually happened if you recall.It was one heck of a risk don't you think ?
I think the idea of an England 'B' against France or any other euro team would be great but at the end of he season...

You would never find me complaining about regular international fixtures. Yes, it places undue demands on one club when it comes to the French set-up, but better that than no internationals at all. International football comes first. Meaningless friendlies against made-up sides do not.

England playing The Exiles is far from pointless and meaningless. England will get a much sterner test against the best antipodeans in Super League. You could argue fir it being at the end of the season, pre-Four Nations but then you run the risk of players getting injured and missing the tournament.
Look at the interest already generated. I personally know of eight people who are going to watch them game who had no interest in watching England hand the French their backsides at Leigh.

I dont know, not heard this before if they are but hopefully your right

You still haven't explained how it is not pointless or meanlingless.

So I don't think it's pointless.


For many people watching their country play is never meaningless. I'd hazard a guess that for the majority of players the opportunity to pull on the white of England is far from meaningless regardless of the opposition.


Why don't you tell us why it IS pointless and meaningless?

Because he's in a hissy that England aren't playing France.

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It's pointless because until England increase both the size and quality of the player pool, no amount of gimmick matches are going to enable them to compete with Australia. It's meaningless because one of the sides involved is a nothing team that represents nobody, and the other side is an international team that is playing in a non-international match. Even if you want to claim that it's not pointless, there's no way you can attempt to dress it up as a meaningful match.

Hi sanjulien, been to France (and Perpignan, and my cousin and her family are French and live in Vendee!) many many times, mostly on a motorbike, but first time to a game in Perpignan - booked an extra night in Hotel de France tonight, so hope we have a good trip, my son is really looking forward to it.

You are playing well, here's to a good game!! But not too good!

Please post here where to go after the game, there seems to be quite a few of my friends coming over

Cheers

Steve

it can be a meaningful game for Steve McBanana to see how his 'best' players shape up against a bunch of second-rate atipodeans,but what would it prove at the end of the day ?
I think it's a match made more for SKY than the development of English international rugby.
Basically,it's pie in the Sky.
Even if Sky & RFL etc insist on this sham,it should be held at the end of the season as a showpiece to mark the end of a campaign,not in the middle where serious injury could be caused thus depriving potential play-off contenders of vital players.
Just witness what happened to Adrian Morley in a sham warm up 'international' last autumn a well as Michael Shenton in a real interntaional down under.Didin't Luke Robinson also sustain injury down under ?

hi Steve

are you down for the Hull game this weekend ?

how are you getting down to Perpignan ?

Hotel de France is in the centreso it's well placed to discover the delights of the City

Stayed there for Catalan's first SL game. Very nice with very friendly staff.