I hope not. It would really turn me off supporting England if we’ve got Aussies playing for us. There’s a massive difference between being eligible for England and being English. Call me old-fashioned, narrow minded or whatever I don’t really care. Aussies shouldn’t be playing for England. Simple as that.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
Nadine Dorries, our Minister for Sport said today at Portico in an event publicising the World Cup, her favourite moment was " watching Johnny Wilkinson win the Rugby League World Cup with his drop goal when England last won it," strange she didn't go on to say that it was in 1966. I genuinely fear for the safety of the intern who presumably wrote the speech when she has finished with him, it's on par with Tony Blair watching Jackie Milburn play twenty years before he was born
Not an England fan in the slightest. For me, Great Britain was the big name and without a World Cup for eight years, we played for a lot of that as Great Britain and Three and Four Nations and the 2006 Tour, that’s who I identify with a lot more than England, who were effectively an A team playing Tonga in that game that’s famous for being a massive fight.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
I couldn’t get into the England thing for years however the last World Cup and the series against NZ I really enjoyed !
I’m really not up for foreigners playing for England though . If they do , I won’t watch a single game as it completely devalues representing one’s country! I have no interest in watching second rate Aussies in an England shirt . I simply won’t support that !
Would not surprise me if Nadine thought Lenin was in the Beatles and wrote Back in the USSR, Bjorn Borg was in ABBA and JFK wrote the Harry Potter books
I don't mind the England thing, as long as players declare for a country and stick to it. If you've played for Ireland or Wales, or even Samoa etc but you've now suddenly become a better player a few years later and have an English bloodline, you can't just switch and decide you're English now cos that will give you a better chance of winning a trophy with England.
It's the same with the Aussies, how many have played for Australia or New Zealand before or after playing for a south sea island country?
I get players want to challenge themselves and supporters want to see the best players playing against each other, but you're either from that country or your not, and if you just happen to be a great player that's from a smaller country then I'm afraid that's tough luck. That is one thing RL should be taking from football, once you've played above a certain age for a certain country, that's your country and if they are rubbish and never win anything (Giggs and Wales for example), there ain't anything you can do about it.
Happy to keep England/Ireland/Wales etc for World Cups, but touring Aus/NZ or when they come here, the test matches should be GB.
Last edited by BigTuna; 1st July 2022 at 09:20.
I ate a tuna sandwich on my first day!
McShane has gone up in my estimation here and he’s absolutely right that Roby is head and shoulders above the other England hookers.
https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post...fbB0&fs=e&s=cl
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
Another 2nd row option into the mix
https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post...edb4&fs=e&s=cl
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
I think the England Squad might be in for a shock, the game in OZ are played to gladitorial rules with better refs. Our players play a softer game in Superleague, and we know the World Cup Games won't be played to the latter.
I'm sure he said he didn't want to play for us a couple of years ago when he was in form and on for Australia call ups. I'd rather have Knowles anyway.
Edit: Found the article
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fox...33ff3bc7339fce
Comes across well here. Watch from 26 minutes in. I have previously said I don't agree with Aussies playing for England and I still don't fully, but my stance has softened slightly after this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnfBLO9VvgM
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS