I never hear anything about the NZ league presumably because it's less successful than the French league.

Given the tonking that the French received tonight shows that to help the French we need more French players in other SL teams and less antipodeans. The the only way that the NZ team are as good as they are is because of the numbers playing in NRL.

Let's face it, we're effectively up against two NRL teams rather than separate teams.

We also need to start turning players like Burgess into centres/backs - look at the NRL centres compared to ours - no comparison.

So - a load of broken biscuit talk but before we can return to winning ways we need to improve everything.

Just imagine of NZ were only allowed to pick players who played for NZ Warriors and a hotch potch of lower clubs - would be very poor

We will never compete with the Aussies until the quota is lowered furthur. Ideally maximum of 3. There centres are as fast as our wingers and the same size as our back rowers.

Also think it was a mistake of expanding Super League to 14. They just isnt enough quality to go about. Hopefully this new Under 20's competition and the Dual Registration system will help improve us.

The rules need to be changed so that French players are no longer classed as non-federation trained. That is the most important thing that would help the French team at the moment.

Think we need to worry about our own side before trying to help others. And besides, I think the French playing together with Catalans will help the national side.

France being better would help England hugely though. England desperately need close, competitive matches against France to prepare them for games against NZ and Australia. As things stand they are always playing catch up when a tournament starts becuase they just arent used to that intensity.

Why are the French getting demoted from next years 4 Nations ? Surley it would be benificial to the game in France to keep on playing the best teams .

I agree totally.

Think the Aussies/Kiwis in Super League currently would give us a better game than the French. Or a game against New Zealand.

Think there back in 2011. Need to improve Pacific Islands teams too.

But thats what International RL dosent want. England needs a strong French team .

Aye , PNG team for NRL isnt that far off.

This debate is too big for a forum!

Help produce a core of 5 big Rugby League International sides by having a Five Nations Tournament consisting of Australia, New Zealand, England, France & Papua New Guinea but the obvious problem being could the latter two afford to be Jet-Setting across the world?...

Pub?

The thing with NZ players is that they're all playing in the NRL - the toughest league in the world. It's no coincidence that arguably our best player today has spent the last year playing in the same competition. It just goes to show there's way too much mediocrity in Super League, and that includes coaching as well as players...
To improve, we need more of our best players playing overseas. But, i'm not sure a lot of them can be bothered...

We need to worry about ourselves at the moment rather than France.

Correct

why is it always the same suggestion?

ie lower the overseas quota

it's all very well and good saying this, but were are all these awesome english players who are equal or better than the overseas players you want banning from our league?

it's a foolish assumption that overseas players are stopping english players making it in SL. they're not. if a player is good enough he'll break into his club's 1st team. if not then there's no use in using overseas players as scapegoats.

what's needed is a drastic overhaul of the grass-roots of the sport. getting the game played in schools and hooking in a larger percentage of youngsters to play the game. this needs to be combined with a close look at the development of aus/nz youngsters and the same coaching standards need to be adopted and looked at for ways to improve them for these new generations to improve and attempt to match the aussies and kiwis.

unless something is done, the current international state of affairs will continue

Main problem is that the game competes with soccer at junior level. Swap the junior game to summer and you suddenly have a significantly bigger pool of players available.

Seems a pretty obvious thing to do. Why havent they done it? More players, better weather for the kids. Cant see why they havent done it yet.

IT isn't just a question of lowering the quota but also convincing coaches to give the young lads a chance, like young Tompkins and Eastmond have been given. Sadly it is too easy to play the experienced antipodean because our game is governed by club's wanting success before the broader picture.

went to a match today where a very well known junior side could only raise about 10 players. one the main reasons is lots over seas players are now signing 3 and 4 year contract on big wages so the young players who need time to come through never do i have had 2 under 21 players working on my house today 1 played for the Bulls and one for Rhinos both of them moaning they can not get a chance of first grade now 1 signed for fev and the other for batley just so play first grade and thats sad because average Aussies are comming over on masive wages.

on NZ - the Auckland warriors joined our league in 1995, and they had their first major international success in 2005, winning the tri nations.

when the Warriors made the NRL grand final in 2002 many other NRL clubs starting sending scouts to NZ to get their kids playing league

re. france its going to take time but the results of les cats in SL are brilliant.

a 2nd French SL in toulose is a must, not only for SL, but the development of international RL. we also need a 2nd nz NRL side.

although hes left RL, we developed players like Sonny Bill Williams, we found Benji Marshall etc

i wonder what talented stars there are now waiting to be discovered in france?

ie i dont care about whats good for RL as long as my club are out of SL.

and its not as if Les Cats are doing well in SL is it?