There should be an air of excitement around England's first international game of 2023 being days away. Unfortunately, that couldn't be further from the truth.
In all honesty, it feels like a hindrance to Super League and the domestic clubs that will be represented on Saturday afternoon in Warrington. Of course, it shouldn't be, but there are that many issues with international rugby league that need sorting before there's a genuine buzz about the national side.
You can't count the factors that are driving this negative energy on both hands, and it feels like the sport constantly shoots itself in the foot year after year without any repercussions. Take a quarter of Shaun Wane's team dropping out through injury days before the mid-season Test. Is it likely most of the 14 could have played? Yes. But they'll never be any proof, and you can understand why clubs have pulled out their key men for a game that has been dubbed pointless.
