Bennett wants a return of the mid season international

[The Daddy]

But which one though?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/36642157

[jim_57]

Well a game Vs Exiles isn't a "test"...

Has to be France, annually.

[The Future is League]

Well a game Vs Exiles isn't a "test"...

Has to be France, annually.

And played in France.

[Oxford]

Bennett wants a return of the mid season international

 

Just the one what a disappointment! :(

[The Future is League]

Bennett wants a return of the mid season international

 

Just the one what a disappointment! :(

The only other game England could play apart from France that would be viable would be against the exile's team.. Somehow i can't see Super League clubs being happy with their players playing 2 midweek internationals in the season.

[DoubleD]

Be interesting to see how they fit this in the already overcrowded calendar

[Sports Prophet]

Australia to reduce SOO to two games and replace the third with a test alternating against NZ or England.

[Hvy wg]

the 8s system. Back to play home, play away system. 

Internationals before, during and after the comp. 

Baitieri, who is France's captain and has been playing internationals since 2010 only has 14 games! Casty, since 2004 (!) has 19. One of the reasons international game is struggling is because there are too few games. 

[Mark S]

I would be happy to see SL go back to playing home and away with a top 4 play off. This should free up time for more internationals.

[Lowdesert]

The only other game England could play apart from France that would be viable would be against the exile's team.. Somehow i can't see Super League clubs being happy with their players playing 2 midweek internationals in the season.

But SL Clubs are happy to allow their own players play more and more club games?

Anything is a start. If they won't listen to Bennett, who will they listen to?

[Farmduck]

Well a game Vs Exiles isn't a "test"...

Has to be France, annually.

Yes and, as an Exilestani, I didn't get very enthused about it anyway.

[JoneslessBishop]

France next year, then if clubs can cope with a mid-season test, add NZ in 2018 when one SOO test will be played at the weekend so the NRL will break, freeing up NZ and England's OZ based players. Will be plenty of momentum to build the interntional game after the World Cup, so could be a great opportunity

[Dave T]

The only other game England could play apart from France that would be viable would be against the exile's team.. Somehow i can't see Super League clubs being happy with their players playing 2 midweek internationals in the season.

They were just a few years ago until the RFL and Steve McNamara did a half-assed job with it, playing the 2nd match with a 2nd string, wearing the 2nd string kit. It got the crowd it deserved and was scrapped.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

England v Europe 

[Scubby]

England v England Knights in Dubai - 2017 only.

 

It would allow England to combine their NRL/SL players and also give Bennett a good look at England's top 40 players. If we gave a clear week in the schedules would also give an opportunity for club's star players to get a break from the club grind and go into camp. Dubai would also cut down the travel for NRL players and make it more likely they will be released by NRL clubs.

[Oxford]

###### the 8s system. Back to play home, play away system. 

Internationals before, during and after the comp. 

Baitieri, who is France's captain and has been playing internationals since 2010 only has 14 games! Casty, since 2004 (!) has 19. One of the reasons international game is struggling is because there are too few games. 

This is a disgrace and RL needs to up its game!

I would be happy to see SL go back to playing home and away with a top 4 play off. This should free up time for more internationals.

Well, whatever you do reducing the number of games is a priority.

[Hvy wg]

In France, the guys from Union had a decent idea. Basically, any player recently called for an international game has a specific maximum number of games he can play at club level. There are 14 teams, home and away game, play off games and H Cup and they play the Six Nations and multiple tours in the year. 

So there is no need to cut the Challenge Cup for us. Top 4 play off + Challenge cup + 5-6 Internationals/year. 

[jim_57]

In France, the guys from Union had a decent idea. Basically, any player recently called for an international game has a specific maximum number of games he can play at club level. There are 14 teams, home and away game, play off games and H Cup and they play the Six Nations and multiple tours in the year. 

So there is no need to cut the Challenge Cup for us. Top 4 play off + Challenge cup + 5-6 Internationals/year.

I'd often thought this a good idea, limit the amount of club games a player can play during in the regular season to reduce burn-out. The clubs would have to use their squad depth and rest players and let them go when they are selected for Mid-season internationals.

[jim_57]

Whilst I'd love a mid season equivalent of the 6 Nations, it's not really feasable at this stage. I think to start we could work with tri series and knockout tournaments, played worldwide on the space of 3 weekends.

Euro Championship - England, France, Wales

Euro Tri Series - Ireland, Scotland, Italy (or next ranked European team).

Pacific Cup - Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG - knockout tournament.

Atlantic Cup - USA, Canada, Jamaica

New Zealand V England - 1 Game

Pacific Challenge Shield - NZ V Pacific Cup Winner - 1 Game

Add a few extra games for any teams willing to take part.

Then end of year, allow 3-4 weeks between club finals and major International tournaments for follow up games to sort any promotion/relagation. Plus add England V France game 2, Australia V NZ & Pacific Cup Winner V NZ 2 (with the Pacific Cup winner hosting).

[DoubleD]

I'd often thought this a good idea, limit the amount of club games a player can play during in the regular season to reduce burn-out. The clubs would have to use their squad depth and rest players and let them go when they are selected for Mid-season internationals.

That would require central contracts from RFL who don't have the money