JM2010

So, how do open age and junior numbers compare to recent and more distant past. Has the amount of teams and players declined massively?

I've read several posts on here about the decline of teams in the community game. Recruiting and developing juniors is, IMO, the most important part of RL. Should the RFL be responsible for providing development officers, supporting community clubs, coaching in schools, creating new junior sides and expanding into new areas or should a lot of this be done by the local professional clubs? I think the RFL, professional clubs and the regional leagues should be working closely together to strengthen the amateur game. How this would work is is open for debate

Wasn't James Hassan born in the South of England?

How many teams will there be in the North East for the 2018 season?

Is there a Balkans Championship between the countries? I think that would be a good way to conclude the season. It could be played at the end of the Balkan SL

I think existing clubs should run touch/tag teams and 9s teams alongside their full teams. The local leagues or the RFL could help organise competitions /leagues.

Don't be a smart ######. You know why I included them

I understand some of the negativity but I think mid season tests should be played in your own hemisphere. England vs Ireland and France with maybe Scotland vs Wales and possibly Italy could be played mid season. NZ vs Fiji, Tonga vs Samoa and possibly PNG vs Cook Islands or Lebanon as well as Origin provides a lot to look forward to IMO

Yeah I think that including them in the British system would help the clubs grow and once the game in France is in a strong enough position they could have their own stand alone professional competition or a SL conference. If either of those could be achieved I'd like elite 2 to be used in the same way as League 1 has been for the French teams, with Italian and maybe Spanish teams entering and building to try and achieve promotion

I'd like to see a similar set up in the Western Mediterranean with Spanish and Italian clubs linking with the French league. Its great to see the Balkan SL expand. Hopefully each country can sustain a domestic league to run alongside this

I'd like to see the French eventually get their own full time competition but that obviously requires investment and substantial TV contracts.

I can see both sides of the argument but it's happening so let's get out and support it. The problem in the NH compared to the SH is that England are much stronger than all the rest. England winning every game easily would do more damage to the tournament than including the England Knights. Let's have this format until the end of the next World Cup, which gives regular international games for these nations and then reassess for the next WC cycle

I wasn't being critical of the halves I just think Australia's are better. There's plenty of players in the England side that I believe are better than their opposite in the Aussie side. I also think we missed O Loughlin massively as he comes up with some big plays on the fringes

Yeah I'm happy that something is happening really enjoyed watching some of the other nations

It's good that we've got a test series booked in and that's it's being shown on the BBC but I think a 4N would be a better idea. I'd run it slightly different than previous 4N as it would be for the 4 best nations, regardless of which hemisphere. A second tier 4N could run alongside it. If the Aussies don't want to play then it's the next best 4. This would be England, Fiji, Tonga and NZ. Just think it would add more excitement and variety than a 3 test series. The 2nd tier 4N could be Samoa, PNG, Ireland and one from France/Lebanon and Wales