GB to replace England?

[Gerrumonside ref]

There’s an article by Aaron Bower in the Grauniad that it’s possibly coming back as part of a rebrand:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/15/rugby-football-league-great-britain-lions-england-brand

Edited July 15 by Gerrumonside ref

[Gerrumonside ref]

From the article:

”The Rugby Football League and RL Commercial, the marketing arm of the sport, are giving serious consideration to bringing back the Lions for the men and the women. The idea has strong support at administrative level, with the belief that Great Britain touring Australia would create a significant buzz, greater than if England were touring.”

[welshmagpie]

30 man squad with an implemented quota, see below: 

21 England, 3 Ireland, 3 Scotland, 3 Wales 

To be eligible as an Irish, Scottish or Welsh player you must have 6 caps for them prior to the tour hence ensuring quality meets connection and representation.

Celtic Cup (featuring Jamaica as a 4th team) in June 2025 to serve as a shop window whilst England play France twice across two weeks in Perpignan and Avignon.

-

There you go that’s my tuppance worth. 

[Damien]

Typical RL, just looking of that quick fix when the name is the least of the issues in international Rugby League. I really can't see how the buzz will be any greater whether it is GB or England. The administrators obviously think it's a quick solution though despite every poll showing fans aren't bothered .

The whole it was a hugely popular concept for much of rugby league’s existence, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, is extremely rose tinted too. I remember going to some grim games indeed in the 1980s. It's just not the case that GB always got great crowds or that England can't attract them.

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

30 man squad with an implemented quota, see below: 

21 England, 3 Ireland, 3 Scotland, 3 Wales 

To be eligible as an Irish, Scottish or Welsh player you must have 6 caps for them prior to the tour hence ensuring quality meets connection and representation.

Celtic Cup (featuring Jamaica as a 4th team) in June 2025 to serve as a shop window whilst England play France twice across two weeks in Perpignan and Avignon.

-

There you go that’s my tuppance worth. 

Nothing would put me off the concept more than enforced quotas like this. I can't think of 9 players from Ireland, Scotland or Wales that would even get in a B team, never mind a full strength squad.

[Dunbar]

I have recently been rewatching the 1978 Ashes tests with the Aussie commentators.

When we were called Great Britain, the Aussies always referred to us as England anyway.

For the life of me, I can’t see how Great Britain would have more traction than England over there – not since England regularly play Australia in cricket and RU etc. I would have thought that would mean England would be the bigger brand.

Unless they are thinking of playing up to the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.

[Whippet13]

2 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

30 man squad with an implemented quota, see below: 

21 England, 3 Ireland, 3 Scotland, 3 Wales 

To be eligible as an Irish, Scottish or Welsh player you must have 6 caps for them prior to the tour hence ensuring quality meets connection and representation.

Celtic Cup (featuring Jamaica as a 4th team) in June 2025 to serve as a shop window whilst England play France twice across two weeks in Perpignan and Avignon.

-

There you go that’s my tuppance worth. 

They won't take a 30 player squad down under for a 3 game series, far too big. Also, tough enough to beat the Australians as it is, why hamstring the team by not picking the best possible squad, even if they are all English. The Australian media won't buy it either.

[Gomersall]

6 minutes ago, Damien said:

Typical RL, just looking of that quick fix when the name is the least of the issues in international Rugby League. I really can't see how the buzz will be any greater whether it is GB or England. The administrators obviously think it's a quick solution though despite every poll showing fans aren't bothered .

The whole it was a hugely popular concept for much of rugby league’s existence, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, is extremely rose tinted too. I remember going to some grim games indeed in the 1980s. It's just not the case that GB always got great crowds or that England can't attract them.

The 70s crowds weren’t fantastic either especially against the Kiwis. I take it if this does eventuate that there will be games all over Great Britain and not just the north of England and London. I won’t hold my breath.

[EastLondonMike]

20 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

From the article:

”The Rugby Football League and RL Commercial, the marketing arm of the sport, are giving serious consideration to bringing back the Lions for the men and the women. The idea has strong support at administrative level, with the belief that Great Britain touring Australia would create a significant buzz, greater than if England were touring.”

I would love to see the data they have to support this.

Such confidence will surely result in much more resource and attention being given to GB by the RFL. Or maybe not.

[Whippet13]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

Typical RL, just looking of that quick fix when the name is the least of the issues in international Rugby League. I really can't see how the buzz will be any greater whether it is GB or England. The administrators obviously think it's a quick solution though despite every poll showing fans aren't bothered .

The whole it was a hugely popular concept for much of rugby league’s existence, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, is extremely rose tinted too. I remember going to some grim games indeed in the 1980s. It's just not the case that GB always got great crowds or that England can't attract them.

And it's then back to England for the 2026 WC in Australia so, again, zero consistency.

[Gomersall]

1 minute ago, Whippet13 said:

And it's then back to England for the 2026 WC in Australia so, again, zero consistency.

We’ll probably be the only home nation there so it wouldn’t be a big issue being called GB or England.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

14 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I have recently been rewatching the 1978 Ashes tests with the Aussie commentators.

When we were called Great Britain, the Aussies always referred to us as England anyway.

For the life of me, I can’t see how Great Britain would have more traction than England over there – not since England regularly play Australia in cricket and RU etc. I would have thought that would mean England would be the bigger brand.

Unless they are thinking of playing up to the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.

Surely originally GB existed to get the numerous Welsh players involved

I have happy memories of GB tours and the odd shirt still....but the Welsh players that do now exist aren't good enough 

[wilsontown]

Oh God, not this again. Round and round we go.

[Welshleaguelover]

It will make no difference to a tour in Australia.

It will make a difference over here though. The England shirt always looks tacky and our heritage is as Great Britain. It's something that differentiates us from football and rugby union.

It's a nobrainer for me.

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Surely originally GB existed to get the numerous Welsh players involved

I have happy memories of GB tours and the odd shirt still....but the Welsh players that do now exist aren't good enough 

My point is that even with those Welsh players (and Scot George Fairbairn in '78) playing, the Aussies still called us England. 

[Damien]

36 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

From the article:

”The Rugby Football League and RL Commercial, the marketing arm of the sport, are giving serious consideration to bringing back the Lions for the men and the women. The idea has strong support at administrative level, with the belief that Great Britain touring Australia would create a significant buzz, greater than if England were touring.”

Ah that buzz we saw on the last GB tour that saw matches against Tonga and New Zealand played in half empty stadiums.

[Dunbar]

6 minutes ago, wilsontown said:

Oh God, not this again. Round and round we go.

As long as we progress to the differences between the British Isles, Great Britain and the UK as quickly as possible and then a 20 page argument over the politics of Northern Ireland, we will be good.

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

As long as we progress to the differences between the British Isles, Great Britain and the UK as quickly as possible and then a 20 page argument over the politics of Northern Ireland, we will be good.

I reckon we can squeeze in a Big Picture post and Sean Maguire too along the way.

[Spidey]

58 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

From the article:

”The Rugby Football League and RL Commercial, the marketing arm of the sport, are giving serious consideration to bringing back the Lions for the men and the women. The idea has strong support at administrative level, with the belief that Great Britain touring Australia would create a significant buzz, greater than if England were touring.”

[redjonn]

If this is being guided by the marketing team following a review then I'm fine with it as distinct from the likes of me just making ill informed subjective comment.

 

[LeytherRob]

Bringing back GB won't solve the issue of a lack of development in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. 

[17 stone giant]

So would this be a permanent change from now on for all events (World Cup etc.), or is this just for next years Ashes tour?

[JohnM]

Don't take it as gospel. It's in the Guardian, and it's a reporter's rumour.

[Hopie]

1 hour ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

From the article:

”The Rugby Football League and RL Commercial, the marketing arm of the sport, are giving serious consideration to bringing back the Lions for the men and the women. The idea has strong support at administrative level, with the belief that Great Britain touring Australia would create a significant buzz, greater than if England were touring.”

Just like last time when Australia didn't even want to play against GB.

Other than GB having historically better shirts, I don't see an advantage to a change in brand, I assume Oxen would buck that trend too.

[JM2010]

If they do go to GB then maybe that will encourage players to declare for Ireland, Wales and Scotland as they will be playing for a spot in the GB squad. GB will have to play at least 2 of the 3 years between WCs though or the players won’t see the point in declaring for the other home nations.

I think it also needs to come with a commitment to develop the domestic game in the other nations otherwise it’s just a name change