Like say David Mead from the Titans who dominated the last Pacific Cup (2009) for PNG?

lol

Yea, I know what you are saying, but I would rather see a young NewZealander picked to represent his country's culture/herritage, than a has-been like Tahu.

I think it will be a good test for England. The Maori team looks strong, and it will give us a fairly good indication of just how much mettle our fairly young squad have, going into the tournement.

To be honest, I'd be tempted to go the other way.

A combined Pacific Islands team would be a major RL force.

I'm aware of the cultural rivalry, but no more so than Jamaica vs. Barbados vs. Guyana, and they manage to combine to play international cricket. And there would still be a place for Tonga/Samoa/Cook Is/Fiji to exist outside major competition.

The Barbarians of Southern Hemishpere RL then?

maybe tahu will play with more passion for the maori than NSW or australia......oh hang on..

Tbh I'd rather have decent international games, instead of an even bigger gulf in class, whilst watching the guys who just missed out the big teams sat in the stands watching the "international" standard players who can't even make the NRL or SL.

It's not like anyone outside of rugby league knows it's going on, they would struggle to name you any players at all. I'd rather bring them in with better rugby than by telling them "They definitely play for the right country!".

Isn't that side called New Zealand?

don't wink....it is

As long as Aaron Heremia has a blinder I'll be happy. If he scores then even better

I couldn't find the quote for the "combined Pacific Island" side. I was a believer of this until someone pointed out to me a side resembling this description, the 2007 New Zealand side have a look at the results of the games played.

i reckon england could do ok if they play all the huddersfield and wigan players and tell them to ignore everything mcnamara says and just play like they do for their clubsides

Maybe he will.
I do not to profess to know where his passion lies.

It makes me laugh how English people are offended that Australian born people that play for another country to try and promote the International game and are condemned along with the whole population of Australia.

Then they say why is that Pacific Islander player representing Australia even though he is born in Australia say Jarryd Hayne.

Then something like this crops up where an Australian born citizen plays for a Cultural team to try and give a touring English team a solid match rather than "Wales" and the Aussies are a bunch of C**** again for having Tahu play for the Maori.

Hard to please some it seems

It would be easier to take IF England provided 30 or so first class players to other nations.

he's only playing for the maori side cos his dad had maori heritage.......


promoting the international game

I know that, I have already covered this elsewhere on this forum.
I can not work out your Icon?

In answer to your other post as to will Tahu play better for the Maori than NSW or OZ? I don't know mate.
I suspect if he is a traditionalist he will have no love of England from either Parent.
He is a better Centre than England has had in several decades.

If you think that Tahu is a better centre than Paul Newlove was then your knowledge of rugby league is very limited

Quote ="Dunbar"If you think that Tahu is a better centre than Paul Newlove was then your knowledge of rugby league is very limited'" Its better than yours Dunbar. Are 4 Tries against Australia in 10 Tests some kind of record? Tahu has a record of 5 in 5 against a better opposition. According to the English site Newlove is www.englandrl.co.uk/internationa ... submit.y=8

Quote ="Dunbar"If you think that Tahu is a better centre than Paul Newlove was then your knowledge of rugby league is very limited'" Its better than yours Dunbar. Are 4 Tries against Australia in 10 Tests some kind of record? Tahu has a record of 5 in 5 against a better opposition. According to the English site Newlove is www.englandrl.co.uk/internationa ... submit.y=8

Quote ="Jonesy"Its better than yours Dunbar. Are 4 Tries against Australia in 10 Tests some kind of record? Tahu has a record of 5 in 5 against a better opposition. According to the English site Newlove is www.englandrl.co.uk/internationa ... submit.y=8'" Paul Newlove is the finest English centre of his generation and constantly caused the Kangaroos problems when he played against them He had all the attributes of a top class centre - size, pace and very good hands If it weren't for his fear of flying, he may well have played more in the Southern Hemisphere and you would have seen more of him In the time I have been watching rugby league, the finest centres I have seen play are Mal Menninga, Gene Miles, Greg Inglis and Paul Newlove - Tahu is a quality player but he is not in this class All of this is subjective of course, but despite your assertion that you know more about rugby league than me, I trust my judgement

Quote ="Jonesy"Its better than yours Dunbar. Are 4 Tries against Australia in 10 Tests some kind of record? Tahu has a record of 5 in 5 against a better opposition. According to the English site Newlove is www.englandrl.co.uk/internationa ... submit.y=8'" Paul Newlove is the finest English centre of his generation and constantly caused the Kangaroos problems when he played against them He had all the attributes of a top class centre - size, pace and very good hands If it weren't for his fear of flying, he may well have played more in the Southern Hemisphere and you would have seen more of him In the time I have been watching rugby league, the finest centres I have seen play are Mal Menninga, Gene Miles, Greg Inglis and Paul Newlove - Tahu is a quality player but he is not in this class All of this is subjective of course, but despite your assertion that you know more about rugby league than me, I trust my judgement

Your opinion is yours to hold.

Have a great Day

I agree. How Tony Clubb has been picked over Martin Gleeson is simply staggering.

Fully fit, strongest England side for me would be:

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Darrell Goulding
3. Martin Gleeson
4. Chris Bridge
5. Ryan Hall
6. Leon Pryce
7. Kyle Eastmond
8. James Graham
9. Kevin Sinfield
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Sam Burgess
12. Gareth Ellis
13. Sean O'loughlin

-------------------------

14. Adrian Morley
15. Stuart Fielden
16. James Roby
17. Joel Tomkins

While Paul Newlove was a good centre, Gary Connelly was the best Great Britain centre I've seen

That's a strong side

Personally, I think that Tom Briscoe is a far better right winger than Goulding

I hope that the next 6 weeks will show that in Widdop and Tomkins we have two players who are equally capable at 1 and 6 - and will be two first choice English players for years to come

Finally, I am not 100% sure about Sinfield at 9. I would rather go in with two regular hookers and interchange them - at the start of the year I would have said Roby and Lunt but Lunt has played a lot of second row this year so I will be interested to see where McNamara plays him in this tournament

When's the game? Does anyone know when the Somoa-NZ one is aswell?

Which game? NZ Maouri is next Saturday morning.

The samoa games the first week of the 4 nations as a warm up to Aus v PNG didnt someone say?

Nice one, is it being televised?