After Saturdays immense disappointment I've never been more gutted after an international game, right up there with a big club loss, never really felt any real depth of feeling for the England brand, always felt Great Britain was bigger. But I think Saturday turned a corner, club loyalties before during and after seemed to disappear, the atmosphere as electric. There seems to be more of a sense of disappointment and hurt rather than the usual enquiry, finger pointing, and blame of individual players (mainly anyway).
But it's time to kick in with the England brand, and continue the momentum, I really think we are in a position to kick on from here. Players like Sam burgess Ryan hall, Tompkins, Graham, Roby, ferres, briscoe. Widdop, are all into their prime, and below that WAtkins charnley,George burgess, hill, are coming into their prime, plus the likes of Myler, Rachford, Liam sutcliffe. Stevie ward, Ben crooks, Chris Percival, dan sargeinson, brad singleton, Liam Farrell, that tall kid in the second row from saints(name escapes me at moment)' all ready to break through into the England side or club side. (Plus plenty if others who I have missed). This could potentially be the catalyst for a golden generation.

I was devastated.

We have to use this to galvanise the game and the national team.

I remember GB was a far bigger brand.

There is no reason why both cant work together.

I think it would be folly to get rid of the England brand. The momentum built from this World Cup would be useless if we went back to GB. I think it's taken us a little by surprise at how we've finally bought into England.

I think it's best that we use GB like RU use the lions. Every 4 years, but I would play on home soil too.

Sounds good to me - if it works for union I don't see any reason it can't work for league with the twist being for the GB team to play home games too!

I agree that England now feels like a proper 'brand' and a team. Its taken time but we've finally got there.

its also important to mention Wales, Ireland & Scotland. There have been some great green shoots of progress for them off the pitch in this tournament, we are now getting decent crowds for international RL consistently in Wrexham, we had the biggest Irish international RL crowd ever at Limerick, and Scotland's progress to the quarter finals got their local papers interested.

Wales & Ireland in particular have big issues to fix on the field and their battle to be seen as a respected team in their nations will take a long time. But I feel we are better off letting them grow as independent nations than going back to GB.

I am however in favour of proper GB tours Down Under.

As said you can have best of both worlds and give support to the other home nation players. England for 4 nations, NZ tours and World Cup. GB for ashes tours once every four years.

As a lifelong league man and brand manager, it's interesting to read people's views on this. I was at Wigan for the France game (in the bar before KO) when some bloke stood up and asked Joey Johns (pre-match guest) if he thought it would be better that England revert to Great Britain. Joey's response, "what would be the difference?" And I agree with him. What would be the difference between cheering on England and cheering on Great Britain, seriously?!

Truth is, there was little or no atmosphere at Wembley for the first 20 or so minutes on Saturday (against NZ). It was when the crowd sensed that the English team were putting their bodies on the line and striving with every sinew that they got behind the lads en masse. I've been watching international rugby league for 30 years and have not experienced anything like that atmosphere since maybe Melbourne in 92. The England rugby league brand will succeed therefore if the England team can deliver on the field. It has nothing to do with 'England' or 'Great Britain'.

That said, I support the calls to get behind the national team. We have to. That means going to games, putting club allegiances aside and supporting the national team, and understanding what a strong international game could do for the sport.

An England supporters group will help. Hopefully we can get one up and running for 2017 down under.

If like me you're feeling gutted rather than in different about the result, that's great! All I'm saying is that that change comes when you take pride in the team. Would it be safe to say that many more people now take pride in our national team? Would we have taken any more pride in the last 15-20 years had the team we'd been watching been branded as Great Britain?

GB makes no difference other than that it precludes the possibility of meaningful internationals for Ireland, Scotland & Wales.

As has been said, keep England, keep the WC, and use GB every so often. Personally I'd prefer an alternating every two years home/away calendar with Three-test series against Australia, New Zealand and a combined Pacific Islands (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands) team.

So this has got me thinking slightly, we could mimic the rugby union lions tour slightly, with games against the club sides and then split the squad into midweek and weekend squads. The midweek team plays matches PNG, Samoa and Fiji, with the weekend squad taking on Australia.

I suppose because there's hardly any players from the other national teams gb is pretty pointless at the moment.

I always hated reverting to England but it doesn't make much difference.
Every 4 years having gb would be great and if the other national teams can develop even better.

I think the international game needs to focus on Somoa, figi, Tonga etc..
A culmination of these teams in 4 nations would be awesome with the top 3.
France and the rest of gb are way off and won't be competing anytime soon.

How does playing a combined PI team not preclude the possibility of meaningful internationals for Samoa,Tonga,Fiji etc?

I agree with oxford - the crowds and atmosphere at games will always be far bigger and more of a draw for TV audiences (and therefore sponsorship) when we get performances on the field right.

I have reservations about moving to England as well, but frankly who cares what us older fans think? I've sat through quite a few GB games with zero atmosphere as well (particularly against France).

Australia tends to have the same problem in reverse - people simply assume they will win (and easily) so crowds are small and not hugely into the game.

The RFL seriously needs to capitalise on this WC. I'd really go so far as to tear up the existing international calendar except for the next WC. England need some home games against either Aus/NZ next year. Given Australia's attitude I'd focus on the Kiwis, bill a series as a grudge/revenge thing and start marketing it today.

They should be doing it right now whilst they've got senior ARL/NZRL people in England, about to witness a huge game in front of a big crowd in a big stadium. Strike whilst the iron's hot.

Agree about a NZ 3 Test series in England.....but where would you play them?

Don't be fooled into thinking Wembley is an option just yet, but I see no reason why you wouldn't fill the DW, John Smiths and the KC....the GB v NZ Tour in 2007 delivered 58k over 3 games...I see no reason for not getting that to 75k with 100% sold out stickers up.....
I'd also like to see the Kiwis bring the NZ Maori with them and they play the Knights mid-week at maybe St Helens/Warrington/Odsal/Craven Park......
A couple of revenue generating tours like that each at the Aussies would be asking to join in.

gutterfax - agree about not going too OTT on Wembley/Cardiff etc. If you could get 3 x 25k and packed stadia the atmosphere would be fantastic and a real spectacle on TV. That's what we need to recreate ASAP.

An absolutely massive if, but IF England internationals - at least against Oz/NZ - start to be seen as events, as they clearly have at this WC, there's no reason why over time you couldn't move to bigger stadiums and fill them.

....totally agree.
The trick is to get BBC to cover the 3 games LIVE on BBC......and the timing will be crucial, as "Auntie" has deals with regard to the home nations (excluding England) for their Autumn internationals, so 1.30pm or evening KO's or Sundays at 3pm......fill the stadiums, then step up to Bellend Road, Stamford bridge/white hart lane and maybe even OT....build it up as a must see tour and the best way to shorten the off season.....within 6 or 7 years you could look at Wembley for the opener confident of 60K+......it would be a 10-12 year programme, but if you stick at it.....it could become a massive thing.

You have to consider the "event" as well though. Thisis a world cup, world cups are exicitng by their nature and easy to hype. Ashes series for Rl fans also have a long and distinguished hyperbaility. As yet we haven;t created a sustained three test series v NZ type event. We can and should be it needs a strong marketing plan and a long term committment. I actually think the 4nations has had its day and would prefer to see us go back to tours and test series rather than 4 nations tournaments. Would also give more oportunities for NZ/Eng/Oz to play other nations whilst on tour and to fill in the gaps by playing other nations if they are not involved in a tour.

Say NZ toured GB and France next year. Australia could play PNG, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga at the same time in those nations with a couple of games in Oz.

Why not see who wants to bid to host the 3 games in the UK? It puts the onus on the host city to get involved in the marketing and makes it easier to reach "locals"......ticket prices are important too....keep then at under a tenner for the cheapest with further discounts for 2 or 3 game purchases and "sell then through the amateur and semi-pro clubs with incentives for them to promote them". I'd also look to get a naming sponsor for the series......their logo everywhere on BBC FTA TV has to be of value.
The real hook for the next few years is watching this England side progress and get better.........

Am I right in thinking England ( or GB ) won't have a meaningful game in this country now for 2 years ? If so, it's a shame we can't strike while the iron is hot with some decent games next year !!

Whilst i agree with other on here that we should push on with England rather than mess about... i do feel very strongly that there should be a new logo (and mascot) ... the current one looks like something you'd see on the shirt of an EDL supporter rather than a world class athlete

3 years mate, the 2016 Four Nations.

Totally agree about the badge, you see loads of cheap t-shirts in Asda that have almost the same logo. The old England badge prior to England becoming the full Test side wasn't too bad. Also having 3 lions on the crest does tap in to some of the football and cricket support.