England Lions

[Cumbria1]

Find it strange that ex pro players can be picked for a Amateur tour. Chris Siddons is down as vice captain was playing fur York Knights at start of the season.

 

Jamie Tracey am sure was on Leigh Centurions books. Don’t get me wrong there great players but I feel for those lads who haven’t got in the squad as these players have. 

[thestatman]

It’s not BARLA who have that rule in place. Ex Pros are allowed in the England Lions squad. Both players mentioned have spent the vast majority of their OA careers in the amateur game. Why should lads that have to forego any opportunity to ever tour or gain representative honours, just for having a crack at the pro game while they’re young and probably need the money?

[Cumbria1]

9 hours ago, thestatman said:

It’s not BARLA who have that rule in place. Ex Pros are allowed in the England Lions squad. Both players mentioned have spent the vast majority of their OA careers in the amateur game. Why should lads that have to forego any opportunity to ever tour or gain representative honours, just for having a crack at the pro game while they’re young and probably need the money?

So what you are saying here The team could actually in theory made up of all ex semi pro players???. Defeats the object of it being a Amateur Tour then is it not.

Players who sign semi pro forfit there Amateur status by signing a contract with that club.

 

[del capo]

1 hour ago, Cumbria1 said:

So what you are saying here The team could actually in theory made up of all ex semi pro players???. Defeats the object of it being a Amateur Tour then is it not.

Players who sign semi pro forfit there Amateur status by signing a contract with that club.

 

It's not an ' Amateur Tour ' whatever that means these days as the players / clubs need to find north of £2k each to go..

It's a tour  whose players are picked from Tiers 4- 6 under RFL Operational Rule B4:2:1. Technically a dual reg player with YML or NWCML could be selected from Tier 5......

NCL players available for selection are covered by NCL competition Rule 6. If they have cleared their previous obligations to the Pro game  and registered with their Community club then they are available for selection .

Good luck to them I say.

The Lions programme stretches down to Regional sides and is a definite tool for expanding the game internationally as well as giving our allegedly lesser players from smaller clubs  a chance to donate their Touring shirt to a club  wall maybe otherwise  not inundated with them.

You mention 2 NCL players. I bet their mates in the team and the clubs themselves are so chuffed about their selections . Remember this game should be  at least 90%  all about the players themselves......

 

 

 

Good luck to them I say and if

[thestatman]

1 hour ago, Cumbria1 said:

So what you are saying here The team could actually in theory made up of all ex semi pro players???. Defeats the object of it being a Amateur Tour then is it not.

Players who sign semi pro forfit there Amateur status by signing a contract with that club.

 

It’s not the 1970’s. “Forfeiting amateur status” is such an outdated - and in my opinion backwards - idea. These lads have given their all for their clubs in the “community game” this season. This is a tour for players in the “community game” therefore they are eligible for selection. 

I can’t be on my own in thinking that barring players from touring for striving test themselves to play at the highest level possible and chase a dream they’ve probably had since they were little kids is more than a little odd.

Then when it hasn’t worked out at a pro club, or work and life has send them down a different path, they return to serve their community clubs and pay for the privilege of playing with their mates on a Saturday. To have a rule that excludes lads is ridiculous.

 

[Impartial Observer]

If they are playing in the community game they should be eligible for the tour, Chris Siddons played a handful of games last season for york, would you not allow a player to tour if he has played 1 game as a pro ?

Also a player could sign for semi for a  semi pro team on a pay to play basis and not play a game so never got paid, would he be excluded?

 

[Cumbria1]

If a player signs a semi pro contract then they are classed as semi pro, Wouldn’t matter if they had played 500 or no games.

 

I have no doubt Chris Siddons & Jamie Tracey are great players as I have seen both play against Kells, Brow & Egremont. All am saying is I thought this was a Amateur England Lions side made up of players from all tiers but who are seen in the eye’s of the RFL as Amateur not ex semi pro. 

[del capo]

17 minutes ago, Cumbria1 said:

If a player signs a semi pro contract then they are classed as semi pro, Wouldn’t matter if they had played 500 or no games.

 

I have no doubt Chris Siddons & Jamie Tracey are great players as I have seen both play against Kells, Brow & Egremont. All am saying is I thought this was a Amateur England Lions side made up of players from all tiers but who are seen in the eye’s of the RFL as Amateur not ex semi pro. 

Where do their hearts lie?

 Definitely with their Community clubs at present and for me that's all that counts.

Wait till  'terms and conditions ' status disappears next year and possibly in due course even ' Trialists '.

More quality players for the Community game but a definite challenge to 20th century thinking at Admin level......

Just  put the players first and as long as the Competition structures they play in remain fair and robust then it's bound to be for the better for everyone including  TGG....

[thestatman]

1 hour ago, Cumbria1 said:

If a player signs a semi pro contract then they are classed as semi pro, Wouldn’t matter if they had played 500 or no games.

 

I have no doubt Chris Siddons & Jamie Tracey are great players as I have seen both play against Kells, Brow & Egremont. All am saying is I thought this was a Amateur England Lions side made up of players from all tiers but who are seen in the eye’s of the RFL as Amateur not ex semi pro. 

It’s your understanding that is incorrect then, it is an England Community Lions Tour for those playing in the community game. No mention of amateur.

Also once a semi pro contract expires or is terminated and they revert to playing unpaid amateur rugby with their community club. Thus making them amateurs again.

The ideology that once a player has taken some of Satan’s silver they should spend the rest of their days in purgatory are out of date.

Even professional boxers are now allowed to return to the “amateur” ranks to try box at the Olympics.

I understand your point but it is misguided in this instance. If it were a BARLA tour then you would be correct.

[Cumbria1]

Think that’s where am getting confused with Barla rule I do apologise fellas

[del capo]

10 hours ago, Cumbria1 said:

Think that’s where am getting confused with Barla rule I do apologise fellas

No need to apologise friend. You are correct about the Barla rule but maybe one day they will catch up with the rest of the game........

[Davo5]

14 hours ago, del capo said:

No need to apologise friend. You are correct about the Barla rule but maybe one day they will catch up with the rest of the game........

Yeah good luck with that.