Would you prefer that we played as Great Britain or England for most international matches?

[17 stone giant]

I keep changing my mind about it. I know that some people say that I shouldn't get too nostalgic, but I think I always will because Great Britain were the team for the first seven RL matches that I watched.

I know that there are arguments for and against both options, but I just wondered what the preference is on here. Would it be fair to say that the older ones are more likely to choose GB than the youngsters?

Once the RFL have sorted the neutral referees out (which I'm sure they will once they see the poll on here), maybe they'll also do likewise as a result of this poll (should any action be required).

[17 stone giant]

And I said "most" because I don't know about the splitting up for the World Cup thing and didn't want that to affect the poll.

[17 stone giant]

And, please, this is a British poll for British people. If you're not local, there's nothing for you here.

 

 

[Guest]

Suppose it depends on which national anthem floats your boat.

[Pulga]

2 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

And, please, this is a British poll for British people. If you're not local, there's nothing for you here.

 

 

Oh man, I voted before I read that.

 

I vote England.

 

Great Britain don't accrue ranking points so aren't really playing "internationals".

[RayCee]

26 minutes ago, Pulga said:

Oh man, I voted before I read that.

 

I vote England.

 

Great Britain don't accrue ranking points so aren't really playing "internationals".

Me too!!!!

[JM2010]

I voted England. I don't have anything against GB but I only think this would work if Wales, Scotland and Ireland were much stronger so it would be a true GB side rather than just England with a different name

[Charlie RL]

I vote GB for my nostalgia of exciting and flamboyant 1980" s against Aus.

That said this series against NZ has great potential.  I am really pleased it's England with new players coming through to watch. 

[Kiwiling]

8 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

Would it be fair to say that the older ones are more likely to choose GB than the youngsters?

Most definitely!!

[The 4 of Us]

GB-Aus-NZ that was it. Oh and France and PNG when we let them.

Don’t  complain about other sports sneering attitude about our international game or RLs inability to develop when you restrict it so.

[Southerner80]

Ideally have both. 

Ie GB for playing NZ and OZ, World Cups and tours. Particularly Tours. Ideally there would be a tour at least every 4 years to down under. The Ashes. OZ isn't that interested sadly though.... 

Then England for annual games v France and Wales and other nations in Europe if they raise a side that is competitive. 

This means if there are any brilliant Welsh or Irish players in future they won't feel torn on playing for England as there is GB and Ireland Lions. 

Given how sports England funding works sadly the Lions in RL look like they will be shelved.... 

[Big Picture]

2 minutes ago, Southerner80 said:

Ideally have both. 

Ie GB for playing NZ and OZ, World Cups and tours. Particularly Tours. Ideally there would be a tour at least every 4 years to down under. The Ashes. OZ isn't that interested sadly though.... 

Then England for annual games v France and Wales and other nations in Europe if they raise a side that is competitive. 

This means if there are any brilliant Welsh or Irish players in future they won't feel torn on playing for England as there is GB and Ireland Lions. 

Given how sports England funding works sadly the Lions in RL look like they will be shelved.... 

Do you want RL World Cups to revert back to being glorified Four or Five Nations then?  That would be an even worse look than they have now!

[Southerner80]

Just now, Big Picture said:

Do you want RL World Cups to revert back to being glorified Four or Five Nations then?  That would be an even worse look than they have now!

I would be open to GB and England running world cup teams. That would not be much different to what we have now tbh... As effectively PNG and France Aside the majority of players are from Oz NZ or England... 

Having said this there is Likely to not be much support for GB and England at a world Cup. Wales, Ireland, Scotland come down to money could they afford a team there and is there the big interest in it at world Cup level? 

I would say I am open to other formats of a world Cup and a 10-16 team tournament could work if done right. Its quality games that matter and growing the game by having bigger nations represented. 

[Allora]

England.

Who would make a GB squad from the rest?

Scotland & Ireland barely play or recognize the game, are there any Welsh players that would make the team other than perhaps heritage?

[Lobbygobbler]

Play as GB every four years - one series at home every four years and then for extended tours every four years (so basically play as GB at home every 8 years)

still a great and historic brand - better than England RL

[RP London]

if you split them up for the world cup then you have to play as them year round... it seems odd to me to do it any other way, and it did when they were doing it that way! 

I like Lobby's idea (as it has to be more than just a touring team if you are bringing it back for historical reasons... and it makes it a bit different from the Union version) but equally some planning is needed for that which is a major issue! But other than that it has to be England unless you want GB to play the World cups (not against that but I think there are some political problems with it) IMHO

[Dunbar]

England for me.  I guess I classify as one of the 'older one's' having watched Great Britain through the 80's and beyond but I want England to continue.

I would much rather have a developing Wales & Scotland play competitive internationals and hopefully one day compete against England than see the English national team disguised as Great Britain.

If we do get stronger home nations and they come together to play as Great Britain once in a while that would be fantastic but England should be the norm.

[DavidM]

Why can’t we have both on the Union model . A GB lions tour or Ashes series every four years or so with the home countries playing yr on yr and in WC .

[Yakkers]

England for me.

I've never really regarded the UK as a country and have always identified as English rather than British, so a Lions team just feels out of place to me in regular international competition, all the more so when you factor in the Republic of Ireland.

Also, even with heritage players, we already have too few competitive national teams, and merging 4 of them in to one just exasperates the problem.

That said, I do enjoy the Lions tours in Union. There's something I find quite alluring about 4 rival neighbouring nations coming together as a one off to try and defeat one of the sport's great powers that has been getting the upper hand against them individually in recent times. I think they've been lucky in that regard with the timing of the tours in that they often seem in recent times to have fallen when the host nation was at the top end of the natural cycle they all go through. I don't think it would appeal half as much if they were taking on a side they were recently beating regularly as individual nations. Had the last tour been South Africa for example it may have felt a bit hollow, but as luck would have it they seem to be improving at just the right time ahead of the next Lions tour.

So infrequent league Lions tours to Australia at a time when they are World Champions and a cut above everyone else (almost always) do have a certain theoretical appeal.

But at the moment it is only theoretical because even allowing for heritage Scotland, Wales and Ireland players, i just don't see any of them making the team. Even the likes of McIlorum, Grace, Knowles, LMS, Tierney etc, good players though they are, I don't see them getting in ahead of the competition at the moment. And when your Lions team is the same as the England team it just defeats the purpose.

If a day ever comes when significant numbers of Scots, Welsh and Irish would make the squad then the concept of infrequent Lions tours might be worth revisiting. But it should never be the regular international team and for the time being it doesn't really have a purpose at all for me.

[Rupert Prince]

52 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Why can’t we have both on the Union model . A GB lions tour or Ashes series every four years or so with the home countries playing yr on yr and in WC .

Because we only have one realistic international team. Great Britain. The first international team was GB v NZ.

Australia do not divide their country up in internationals.

Now that RU is professional there is zero chance of competitive RL games involving England Scotland and Wales. 

Possibly create an origin series for Lancs York's and Wales and an Others. Possibly.  But Wales and Scotland are not going to create competitive teams unless they create faux Scots and Welsh.

 

 

[Davo5]

England,just let them play in a white shirt with a red & blue Vee,then everyone will be happy.

[SamRLYC]

I think keep england, but have a 4 nations throughout the year, get rid of magic weekend and have a international double header or tripple inviting Tonga etc

[Oxford]

48 minutes ago, Yakkers said:

never really regarded the UK as a country

Because it isn't it's several nicked ones and one the Normans purloined the stealing is the unifying factor.

 

[graveyard johnny]

2 hours ago, Davo5 said:

England,just let them play in a white shirt with a red & blue Vee,then everyone will be happy.

then they will be called wakefield 80s all stars 

[17 stone giant]

I'm quite surprised by the poll results. I thought that there would have been a lot more support for permanently bringing back Great Britain. I guess it's time to join the future - neutral referees for England games!