Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:08 am  

Dave Lister wrote:

I can see thousands of English supporters flocking to a ritual flogging of a dire Scotland side. And I bet the supporters of an Irish team full of half rate and semi professional players will be mad for a trip to Wales.

No, really.

Thankfully you're not the Ireland coach, who can pick the best players available rather than choosing to pick half-rate and semi-professional players.

Including a lot more Irish qualified players who would make themselves available if doing so wouldnt bar them from playing in top tier international competition.

Face facts, Rugby League is doing its best building on its strengths, the best players in the competition. This evenings game reflects that.

They werent the best players in the competition. There were better players who didnt play.

I find it staggering some people live in a fantasy world where they genuinely think a 5 nation format would be competitive, entertaining or financially viable.

There was a Wales v france game this weekend, it was 28-16, seems pretty competitive. I find it staggering some people are so obviously terrified of England winning a game or playing against anyone who isnt Australian, a Kiwi, or randomly, a nonsense of a team made up of players from both who arent in the NRL.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:32 am  

It's a shame France isn't stronger as that is the natural mid season game for England. Exile team is on borrowed time given the expected drying up of nrl imports in years to come.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:32 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

Thankfully you're not the Ireland coach, who can pick the best players available rather than choosing to pick half-rate and semi-professional players.

Who else is there to pick?

SmokeyTA wrote:

Including a lot more Irish qualified players who would make themselves available if doing so wouldnt bar them from playing in top tier international competition.

Such as who?

SmokeyTA wrote:

They werent the best players in the competition. There were better players who didnt play.

Because they were injured. What can be done about that?

SmokeyTA wrote:

There was a Wales v france game this weekend, it was 28-16, seems pretty competitive. I find it staggering some people are so obviously terrified of England winning a game or playing against anyone who isnt Australian, a Kiwi, or randomly, a nonsense of a team made up of players from both who arent in the NRL.

The issue isn't Wales and France playing each other or the other home nations. The issue is England are THAT MUCH stronger than the rest and putting 60+ on teams mid season will benefit no-one. It will demoralise the other nation. It will give false hope to England. It will get next to no interest. It just wouldn't achieve anything.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:39 pm  

^ Wot he sed.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:53 pm  

well i think lomax and brough are quality. besides it would be better to d this because it will improve our young player and will give us strength in depth.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 5:42 pm  

Wellsy13 wrote: Who else is there to pick? You want to dismiss all Irish qualified players as half-rate and semi-professional? Such as who? Dunno? 2010 man of steel maybe? Because they were injured. What can be done about that? No, there are better players in SL than those who played for the exiles who didnt play in that game. Maybe instead of listening to Wiganers moaning about his exclusion we could have seen Irish international Michael Mcilorum play for............well Ireland. Instead we saw St helens 29 year old Kiwi utility who is predominantly a fullback. Here is what Michael Mcilorum said about his switch from Ireland to England That will give McIlorum the chance to put himself in the frame to face Australia and New Zealand in the end-of-season Four Nations Series, a prospect that prompted his decision to turn his back on Ireland. “I don’t think my grandad will be too happy but, playing for Ireland, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play against these teams,” said McIlorum, speaking at a media day at the England training camp at Loughborough University. Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/ru ... z1y4eIKgCj The issue isn't Wales and France playing each other or the other home nations. The issue is England are THAT MUCH stronger than the rest and putting 60+ on teams mid season will benefit no-one. It will demoralise the other nation. It will give false hope to England. It will get next to no interest. It just wouldn't achieve anything. 32-18 was our last result against France, our last competitive game against France was 34-12. Those are, by any realistic measures, competitive games. The half-arsed mid-season tests we have deigned to give the French are no more representative of their comparative ability than our last mid-season test against Australia, or even the Kiwi's half-arsed mid-season tests against Australia. New Zealand havent won a mid-season test against the ockers for 14 years. In the mean-time the Kiwis have won a tri-nations, a 4 nations and a world cup. In RU Italy have won 9 of 65 games. The have lost 55 of 65 games. That is about an 84% loss rate. They have finished bottom 9 times out of 13, and not won a game at all, in the whole competition 5 times out of 13. They won 2 games in their first 6 years, yet they stuck with it, throughout the years without winning a game, they stuck with them after England put 80 points on them, they stuck with them after they conceded 228 in 5 games. Last year they beat France. The 6 nations is broadcast by Sky Italia. Let me know when they ink the rights contracts for Exilia.

Wellsy13 wrote: Who else is there to pick? You want to dismiss all Irish qualified players as half-rate and semi-professional? Such as who? Dunno? 2010 man of steel maybe? Because they were injured. What can be done about that? No, there are better players in SL than those who played for the exiles who didnt play in that game. Maybe instead of listening to Wiganers moaning about his exclusion we could have seen Irish international Michael Mcilorum play for............well Ireland. Instead we saw St helens 29 year old Kiwi utility who is predominantly a fullback. Here is what Michael Mcilorum said about his switch from Ireland to England That will give McIlorum the chance to put himself in the frame to face Australia and New Zealand in the end-of-season Four Nations Series, a prospect that prompted his decision to turn his back on Ireland. “I don’t think my grandad will be too happy but, playing for Ireland, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play against these teams,” said McIlorum, speaking at a media day at the England training camp at Loughborough University. Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/ru ... z1y4eIKgCj The issue isn't Wales and France playing each other or the other home nations. The issue is England are THAT MUCH stronger than the rest and putting 60+ on teams mid season will benefit no-one. It will demoralise the other nation. It will give false hope to England. It will get next to no interest. It just wouldn't achieve anything. 32-18 was our last result against France, our last competitive game against France was 34-12. Those are, by any realistic measures, competitive games. The half-arsed mid-season tests we have deigned to give the French are no more representative of their comparative ability than our last mid-season test against Australia, or even the Kiwi's half-arsed mid-season tests against Australia. New Zealand havent won a mid-season test against the ockers for 14 years. In the mean-time the Kiwis have won a tri-nations, a 4 nations and a world cup. In RU Italy have won 9 of 65 games. The have lost 55 of 65 games. That is about an 84% loss rate. They have finished bottom 9 times out of 13, and not won a game at all, in the whole competition 5 times out of 13. They won 2 games in their first 6 years, yet they stuck with it, throughout the years without winning a game, they stuck with them after England put 80 points on them, they stuck with them after they conceded 228 in 5 games. Last year they beat France. The 6 nations is broadcast by Sky Italia. Let me know when they ink the rights contracts for Exilia.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:13 pm  

Just an idea. A triple header of rugby, hopefully it would increase the attendances.

Knights v Wales
France v Exiles
West v East ( Roses/Origin/Current club)

3 game series. 1 East, 1 West and 1 in france.

Definitely worth £20. It would be difficult to find 3 weeks in the calendar, however if the league was cut down to 12 teams it would certainly be possible!!

Yorkshire/East

Eden
Hall Atkins Yeaman Briscoe
McGuire Brough
Crabtree Haughton Peacock
Westwood JJB
Bateman

Burrow, Ablett, Carvell, Lynch

Lancs/West

Tomkins
Charnley Goulding Watkins Riley
Lomax Briers
Morley Roby Mossop
Hock O'loughlin
Sinfield

Mcllorum, Prescott, LMS, Blythe

The west v east would take priority over the knights. After picking my east v west teams, this could be the knights team. Still strong enough to beat wales.

Hardaker
BJB Ratchford Bridge Broughton
Smith Gaskell
Bailey Lunt Clough
Clarkson Farrell
Flanagan

Ferguson, Cooper,Hodgson, Harrison

France would have a tough game against the exiles but not as tough as playing england.

I just think that whatever the RFL do, fans just are not that interested in rep rugby like the aussies are with state of origin!! Even if it was all 3 games + both days of the magic weekend + CCF + GF for £100 I dont think people would come on mass!

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:28 pm  

EHW wrote:

the problem is that fans to the West of the Pennines do not feel any real association to "Lancashire" as an entity. For a start there are no clubs in Lancashire, and most fans do not live in Lancashire.

Fans from clubs to the East of the Pennines sing "yarrrrkshire yarrkshire" at club games - fans of Wigan, Saints, Warrington tend to laugh at them for doing so.

Really? Do Saints fans see themselves as scousers then?

We all know the traditional boundaries of Lancashire and there is plenty of pride in the red rose on this side of the Pennines. The roses cricket games are always intense, competitive matches. I live in Eccles and take great pride in the Lancashire County Cricket Club. There are many reasons why an English state of origin will not get off the ground but lack of association to the west of the county aint one of them.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:40 pm  

Let's get away from creating an origin game.

Its a special game that we can't create over here just like you couldn't in New Zealand.

The best game mid season would be France away from home. End of season England should be playing NZ. NZ want test football so forget Australia and build something with NZ instead.

Re: english state of origin : Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:54 pm  

Think the concept just needs time to bed in, origin took a while to get support in Australia and look at it now. I appreciate that it was a poor game and weather was horrendous but given time I think it will come good and people will start to follow it. Like the 5 nations idea too, but having the England knights compete in that to stop it being just an England whitewash every year.
I also think it would be cool for England to do a tour of southern hemisphere one year and play 5 matches against PNG, NZ, NSW, Queensland and Australia.