Combined Nations All-Stars 29 man squad named

[Damien]

20 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

But, but, but all the great experts on here said they had 100% cast-iron proof that Wane would pack the side with his Wigan favourites! What happened?

He cant win. He picks Wigan players and he is biased. He doesn't pick Wigan players and he is giving them a rest and scuppering other clubs.

[paulwalker71]

21 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

But, but, but all the great experts on here said they had 100% cast-iron proof that Wane would pack the side with his Wigan favourites! What happened?

Maybe he wanted them to have a weekend off to prepare for his club team's next game?

[Futtocks]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

He cant win. He picks Wigan players and he is biased. He doesn't pick Wigan players and he is giving them a rest and scuppering other clubs.

The doublethink is almost Trumpian.

The only important thing is to be angry; the reason is immaterial.

[paulwalker71]

19 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

The doublethink is almost Trumpian.

The only important thing is to be angry; the reason is immaterial.

I don't think anyone is 'angry'

Of all the things going on in the world right now, I've got plenty more to be angry about than a meaningless friendly on Saturday

[Futtocks]

Just now, paulwalker71 said:

I don't think anyone is 'angry'

The last few pages suggest otherwise.

[Jughead]

Paul Rowley completely unaware that Brodie Croft, who trained at Salford today, had been called up until he saw it in a WhatsApp group chat with his players. I’d say this is amateur stuff but the NCL seems better governed than this. 

[DavidM]

31 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

The doublethink is almost Trumpian.

The only important thing is to be angry; the reason is immaterial.

I thought you said Trumpton there !

[Jim Prendle]

19 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

The doublethink is almost Trumpian.

The only important thing is to be angry; the reason is immaterial.

He obviously hasn't picked many Wigan players because his gameplan doesn't involve forward passes and gaining penalties for mouthing off.

Looking at that squad I think forward passing and mouthing off are the best chance we've got.

On form, the likes of Philbin, McShane and Williams should be nowhere near that squad.

[StandOffHalf]

Is Knowles injured?

Really makes the omission of Smithies all the more befuddling.

[wilsontown]

Well I for one am looking forward to this. I'm such an obvious tragic that I was among the first 250 people to buy a Combined Nations jersey (would they even have sold 250?) and hence got free tickets. I'll watch the women's game as well, make a weekend of it and stay in Chester. What's not to like?

[EagleEyePie]

33 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Is Knowles injured?

Really makes the omission of Smithies all the more befuddling.

Smithies is still suspended

[StandOffHalf]

Oh, I'm a tragic and very much looking forward to it.

Just find some of the selections really questionable, and some head-scratchers also in terms of omissions.

[Moove]

33 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Is Knowles injured?

Really makes the omission of Smithies all the more befuddling.

Knowles picked up a knock against KR yesterday.

[StandOffHalf]

3 minutes ago, EagleEyePie said:

Smithies is still suspended

Aha, righty-oh! I hadn't realised that SL suspensions were carried over into this rep game.

Knowles and Smithies were two players I was really looking forward to seeing in action.

[wilsontown]

1 hour ago, StandOffHalf said:

Oh, I'm a tragic and very much looking forward to it.

Just find some of the selections really questionable, and some head-scratchers also in terms of omissions.

I don't disagree but it was meant to be a total farce last year and yet it was an enjoyable, closely fought game that the Combined Nations narrowly won. I'll enjoy it for what it is.

[David Dockhouse Host]

I really like this concept and think it's an important opportunity for players to gain international recognition whilst helping to prepare our National team 

But if clubs want to pull players and the concept isn't supported I ont know what else can be done. The idea and concept are good, the appetite for the RL public is there and will grow if it's backed by clubs and players. Without that support from clubs it will drift and people will lose interest, very sad.

We want to improve but each attempt seems to attract the negative people who seem to enjoy seeing RL initiatives fail. Must be difficult for the RFL to keep their morale. 

Each failure sees many suggestions of what should happen, Wales, Ireland Tri series, Lancs V York's etc. All will fail if clubs don't support.

RL is a club game, we struggle to break out if this.

[clogdance]

Davo5 is confused yet again at one of my posts. How strange.....  

[RP London]

I don't mind English players with heritage playing for a combined nations style team but they need to decide what this is. Is it an England trial match (mate v mate) or a run out for an England team to get combinations.. it cannot be some sort of mix and match. 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

14 hours ago, DavidM said:

I thought you said Trumpton there !

Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub has the makings of a good set of forwards, I think!

[RP London]

28 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub has the makings of a good set of forwards, I think!

And they'd be better running the game than Rimmer!

[EagleEyePie]

12 hours ago, David Dockhouse Host said:

I really like this concept and think it's an important opportunity for players to gain international recognition whilst helping to prepare our National team 

But if clubs want to pull players and the concept isn't supported I ont know what else can be done. The idea and concept are good, the appetite for the RL public is there and will grow if it's backed by clubs and players. Without that support from clubs it will drift and people will lose interest, very sad.

We want to improve but each attempt seems to attract the negative people who seem to enjoy seeing RL initiatives fail. Must be difficult for the RFL to keep their morale. 

Each failure sees many suggestions of what should happen, Wales, Ireland Tri series, Lancs V York's etc. All will fail if clubs don't support.

RL is a club game, we struggle to break out if this.

The concept in theory isn't too bad, but it suffers in the way that all games involving international teams do in the northern hemisphere. International RL isn't treated as seriously as it should be and every initiative suffers as a result. It would help if we had international games on a more regular basis throughout the year. When we just have one mid season fixture it just feels like a one-off. Selection doesn't hinge on who performs well because one good performance mid season isn't enough to really push for inclusion at the end of the year. When you then play your one international against a team cobbled together from overseas players and those not selected by England it makes it feel even more like an afterthought than anything to be taken seriously.

The Combined Nations isn't a bad concept in the same way that the Barbarians in RU isn't a bad concept. The difference is there's history behind it, there's a concept to it. There's a style of rugby associated with the Barbarians. There's some prestige to being selected. We can't really add history and prestige to the CNAS concept if it's ditched after a few years. I think it should continue and the emphasis should be on selecting flair players and showcasing attacking rugby. Add some stipulations that can then become traditions, such as including one player from the Championship or below in the team (a bit like the Barbarians tradition of including one uncapped player). I genuinely think there's a place for the concept but the problem is it's place should not be the only mid season international fixture.

The CNAS game is a bit of farce because international RL is a bit of a farce. It's only by playing more meaningful internationals against various teams that the sport will grow at this level and if that happens then the CNAS might become a more valuable concept such as an annual charity game with a bit more interest. But in the absence of that I don't blame players for pulling out or not being interested.

[FearTheVee]

15 minutes ago, EagleEyePie said:

I think it should continue and the emphasis should be on selecting flair players and showcasing attacking rugby.

I like this idea.  You could pick exciting players like Field and French, oh hang on.

[Nothus]

Genuinely disappointed not to see a couple of Leigh players in the all stars squad.

I don't think anyone would pick Fonua in their side over Blake Ferguson, and you could argue that Edwin Ipape should be in there instead of Clark if we're picking on form alone.

Hanley was at the Leigh game last night as well.

[FearTheVee]

4 minutes ago, Nothus said:

Genuinely disappointed not to see a couple of Leigh players in the all stars squad.

I don't think anyone would pick Fonua in their side over Blake Ferguson, and you could argue that Edwin Ipape should be in there instead of Clark if we're picking on form alone.

Hanley was at the Leigh game last night as well.

Good point that - Blake Ferguson would have been great 

[Damien]

59 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

I like this idea.  You could pick exciting players like Field and French, oh hang on.

What makes you think they would want to play? There is literally nothing in it for them.

I remember a few years ago Leuluai breaking his leg in one of these matches. The following year loads of exiles players then didn't play and England won by 20 points and the concept was binned.

It's a meaningless risk for potential Exiles players.