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.
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Realistically, this England team that walks out in front of a sparse crowd in Cheshire on Saturday isn't going to look like the team that opens their World Cup campaign in 2025. You've got the NRL contingent who are halfway across the world, but then losing the majority of his domestic-based current best 17 is already dampening Wane's preparations.
What we shouldn't take away from the selected 19 is how fantastic it will be to see so many debutants in what will be the proudest moment of their careers. Still, the feeling in the rugby league community is this clash is a damp squib, which isn't fair on the 15 making their bows.
It's not their fault players from both camps have dropped out left, right and centre, and Wane can only play with the cards left in his pack. As a result, the atmosphere will be muted, supporters just want their players to get through unscathed and the result will probably not benefit either country.
The blunt fact is the Super League clubs know the international game isn't up to scratch and they pay their stars big money on the cap. So why would they let them play an understrength France team and maybe lose them for the rest of 2023 if they pick up a knock?
We've tried looking for the answer and honestly, who knows what it is. The hope is this three-match series with Tonga comes to fruition, but England need to be playing the top teams regularly each season. No disrespect to France, but they are no match for Wane's team, so beating them convincingly just seems like a box tick to say England have played. We've got some breathing room now before we plan another fixture.
Bring back the Four Nations, or expand to six nations that compete on either Hemisphere, alternating each year. England, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, or Papua New Guinea. Imagine the hype you could build as the 15-man code does by announcing the dates and fixtures a year in advance, so people can plan trips away to follow their nations.
Whilst the rugby union six nations was going on a few months back, the 2024 set of fixtures had already been announced. In league, there are no set dates. It just sort of happens when countries are in a position to do so. If not, it's brushed under the carpet.
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You can then throw those emerging nations into a second six nations. Meaning Scotland, Wales, USA, France and the like don't just scratch together a team every four years and hope some Australians with heritage put their hand up to play. Teams can have a long-term plan and know they have fixtures more often.
If Wane wants to see his Super League stars in action as a collective unit, why not start up the War of the Roses again? In a three-match series, you'd have 34 of the best English-based players going hammer and tong for their counties. Granted, it will never live up to the hype that Origin does over in the NRL.
However, we can build it up each year and gradually increase popularity with a block for representative rugby marked in the calendar before a ball is kicked. Those over in Australia could even be tempted to play in the Yorkshire v Lancashire bouts if it coincided with Origin. Yes, they'd miss a few NRL games, but the only way to enhance England's presence on the international stage is by breaking this lacklustre cycle we are in.
The product we have is outstanding, and maybe IMG will come in, cooperate with the NRL and try to sort this gigantic mess out. International rugby league should be celebrated and respected, but it just seems like that unwanted friend in the corner you have to invite to the Christmas party once a year.
Shaun Wane deserves better, England supporters deserve better, and so do the players. Granted, Union has a bigger fanbase internationally, but compare England v France at Twickenham in March to the game on Saturday. Our product is leaps ahead on the pitch, but off it, league is a million miles behind.
The new episode of House of League is out now! Matthew Shaw is joined by Paul Cooke and Joe Appleyard to discuss the season so far and grade every club's campaign.
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