mid season test with France next year

[crashmon]

I'm of the firm belief that even though the early season game in Warrington was a bit of a bust (I was their )......  We should still set up a mid season game vs France.  Only this time try and schedule it in a way that Cats and Tolouse can release there players  so the French team is close to full strength,,,,,,  Really not sure how best to do it.   Also location. Not sure what is the best location (not london, but also not sure on the heartlands either) in France would work possibly

Really hope we can get something scheduled next year with a proper international side and not a combined nations type side

Edited October 30, 2023 by crashmon

[daz39]

Have it in Southampton, it's about halfway between Wigan and Paris

[Harry Stottle]

I think we need a new descriptive other than 'Test' for this fixture.

[Harry Stottle]

21 minutes ago, daz39 said:

Have it in Southampton, it's about halfway between Wigan and Paris

Well that will please all those 'darn sarf' at least they don't need to head north.

[Harry Stottle]

24 minutes ago, daz39 said:

Have it in Southampton, it's about halfway between Wigan and Paris

Is Wigan the Capital of England daz?

I can think of it being the capital of somethings but the country ain't one of them.

[Eddie]

I agree it would be a good idea, and I’d play it in the French heartlands, or Avignon, in a stadium holding around 10,000. 

[Damien]

Anywhere but the heartlands. France is the best bet and it should make it more competitive but failing that Brentford or Coventry.

[gingerjon]

*gets ready to punch on the nose the first person to suggest Bastille Day as a no-brainer*

[sam4731]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

I think we need a new descriptive other than 'Test' for this fixture.

Great news for you, straight from the IRL website:

WHY SIMS NOT TESTS

In 2020 IRL adopted the term Senior International Match to determine a match that would count towards world rankings points. The term ‘Test’ match, while remaining a part of the game’s cultural traditions and history, is not an official term used by the IRL.

[Hopie]

Think France should be playing someone closer to their level, perhaps one of the Pacific Bowl teams, the 3rd best European Team, or both. 

Not sure England can get a decent opposition for a one off match arranged by Super League, we need a genuine window and the NRL to buy in and release players (our players and the opposition). Next year we could go in to camp in Australia and play a warm up match, then 2 tests e.g PNG in Port Moresby and Tonga in Auckland. The year after we could invite a couple of teams to play over here, for one off test matches, one in the north and the other in the south.

[BristolDevonCharlie]

19 minutes ago, Hopie said:

Think France should be playing someone closer to their level, perhaps one of the Pacific Bowl teams, the 3rd best European Team, or both. 

Not sure England can get a decent opposition for a one off match arranged by Super League, we need a genuine window and the NRL to buy in and release players (our players and the opposition). Next year we could go in to camp in Australia and play a warm up match, then 2 tests e.g PNG in Port Moresby and Tonga in Auckland. The year after we could invite a couple of teams to play over here, for one off test matches, one in the north and the other in the south.

England are touring Australia in 2025. 

We definitely need to continue mid-year tests / SIM's. But given the NRL's 'October' international window strategy and Origin-only in mid-season, anything more than one game is not going to happen. Therefore, we need to continue to play France every year. Mostly in France. 

[Barley Mow]

31 minutes ago, Hopie said:

Think France should be playing someone closer to their level, perhaps one of the Pacific Bowl teams, the 3rd best European Team, or both. 

Not sure England can get a decent opposition for a one off match arranged by Super League, we need a genuine window and the NRL to buy in and release players (our players and the opposition). Next year we could go in to camp in Australia and play a warm up match, then 2 tests e.g PNG in Port Moresby and Tonga in Auckland. The year after we could invite a couple of teams to play over here, for one off test matches, one in the north and the other in the south.

You mean mid-season?

There is no way NRL will have a mid-season international break just because we want internationals.

We need a mid-season match against the best available opposition. The only available opposition will be based in the northern hemisphere and the best option is therefore France.

We need to play France mid-season and commit to it long term.

If we won't play France we can't complain when Australia won't play us. It is the best mid-season option for both countries.

We need to keep pressing for SH opposition after the season, for us to play the better countries. If we can get one of Australia, New Zealand, Samoa or Tonga every home series, with tours there some years and world cups, that covers two world cup cycles - then repeat. Each of those countries would only have to tour here once every 8 years - not too onerous for them.

But France every year mid-season.

France do need to play countries of a similar standard too. I was disappointed that they didn't try to organise something with Lebanon, or (if the transport/accommodation was too expensive) Wales for this Autumn.

Edited October 30, 2023 by Barley Mow

[crashmon]

6 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

You mean mid-season?

There is no way NRL will have a mid-season international break just because we want internationals.

We need a mid-season match against the best available opposition. The only available opposition will be based in the northern hemisphere and the best option is therefore France.

We need to play France mid-season and commit to it long term.

If we won't play France we can't complain when Australia won't play us. It is the best mid-season option for both countries.

We need to keep pressing for SH opposition after the season, for us to play the better countries. If we can get one of Australia, New Zealand, Samoa or Tonga every home series, with tours there some years and world cups that covers two world cup cycles - then repeat. Each of those countries would only have to tour here once every 8 years - not too onerous for them.

But France every year mid-season.

France do need to play countries of a similar standard too. I was disappointed that they didn't try to organise something with Lebanon, or (if the transport/accommodation was too expensive) Wales for this Autumn.

TBF with the Union WC in France, this might have infulenced the thinking here for this season for the French RL board.  As what I would do (as well as Fra v Eng in France mid season), is have France vs touring team the week before the 1st test of Eng vs SH.   Potentially same week as the GF, although that would not work if Cats in the GF like this year

Edited October 30, 2023 by crashmon

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 hours ago, crashmon said:

I'm of the firm belief that even though the early season game in Warrington was a bit of a bust (I was their )......  We should still set up a mid season game vs France.  Only this time try and schedule it in a way that Cats and Tolouse can release there players  so the French team is close to full strength,,,,,,  Really not sure how best to do it.   Also location. Not sure what is the best location (not london, but also not sure on the heartlands either) in France would work possibly

Really hope we can get something scheduled next year with a proper international side and not a combined nations type side

Toulouse and Cats really scuppered it from memory 

Having it in France the time before seemed to reduce the number of drop outs from memory? 

Also a home advantage works well 

[Barley Mow]

2 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Toulouse and Cats really scuppered it from memory 

Having it in France the time before seemed to reduce the number of drop outs from memory? 

Also a home advantage works well 

There were less French drop-outs the previous time (2021). But that was an end of season match so the clubs won't have objected.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

There were less French drop-outs the previous time (2021). But that was an end of season match so the clubs won't have objected.

The clubs should not be objecting anyway 

French clubs in particular should be interested in increasing national interest in their sport 

Making all their players available 

[Hopie]

Playing meaningful internationals in your own country needs to happens at least once a year, that is why we need a genuine mid season international break in this country, and that should be a priority for IMG/RFL/IRL.

Unfortunately England vs any European nation in a standalone game is not meaningful. It won't achieve growth or interest for the teams involved, its the same reason we can't have an amateur team in an open draw with Super League teams in the cup. 

[crashmon]

3 minutes ago, Hopie said:

Playing meaningful internationals in your own country needs to happens at least once a year, that is why we need a genuine mid season international break in this country, and that should be a priority for IMG/RFL/IRL.

Unfortunately England vs any European nation in a standalone game is not meaningful. It won't achieve growth or interest for the teams involved, its the same reason we can't have an amateur team in an open draw with Super League teams in the cup. 

I fully agree but we need to learn how to crawl before flying a F15 fighter.....

Right now if we can at least get one game in the year in the calendar then we have a change of maybe in a few years enhancing it.

[Bamboozle]

4 hours ago, daz39 said:

Have it in Southampton, it's about halfway between Wigan and Paris

Have 2 games with the 1st game in Southampton and then the 2nd one in Portsmouth the week after

[Bamboozle]

3 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

I think we need a new descriptive other than 'Test' for this fixture.

“Testing”

[Bamboozle]

All jokes aside any test/game against the French should always be played in France to give the French any advantage they can get until they can become competitive on a regular basis.

[sam4731]

13 minutes ago, Bamboozle said:

All jokes aside any test/game against the French should always be played in France to give the French any advantage they can get until they can become competitive on a regular basis.

I never understand this argument. If they are to become competitive, they need to play anywhere. You may as well say, let's give them a 12 point start until they are ready to start at 0.

[Bamboozle]

7 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

I never understand this argument. If they are to become competitive, they need to play anywhere. You may as well say, let's give them a 12 point start until they are ready to start at 0.

They need all the help they can get and giving them home advantage is a small price to pay.

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

to give the French any advantage they can get until they can become competitive on a regular basis.

How long have you got?

OK Catalan have done very well this year, but have you noticed who the most influential players are for any club being the 1, 6, 7 and 9 at Catalan they have all one thing in common in Tomkins, May, Pearce and McIlorum, the French don't have players to fill these spots or they wouldn't employ those from overseas, add to them two present England players in the Catalan team being McMeekin and Johnson plus England squad member Davis and the very influential ever-present Wigan bound Keighran and Saints bound Whitley, and you can see that the French are nowhere near being competitive on a regular basis.

 

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, sam4731 said:

I never understand this argument. If they are to become competitive, they need to play anywhere. You may as well say, let's give them a 12 point start until they are ready to start at 0.

Hi Sam, would you bet your hard earned on them with 12 start?