It plays a big part for the Australian and Nz sides' financing, main sponsors for Australia iirc. When I posted originally Australia and Nz were both saying they couldn't play in France because of their sponsorship being censored in France.
Hence Nz and Oz conceding to France and France starting the tourney with a minimum of 4 from 6 points - odds on for the final.

Obviously, after all the hair pulling and whinging from the Australian side (funny how you say that it's the poms that whinge) they've backtracked and realised that, yes they can play in France while submitting to the local laws (just like every other sporting side in the world) shucks!

This week Catalans beat Hull fielding a side with only 4 players who won't be eligible for France come the 4 nations. Of those 4, one of them was covering the injured half-back Bosc while Maguire (hooker) was covering for Kane Bently. Just from the Catalan side we have 15 of the starting 17 needed for France, the one key position we need to fill is stand off, a big issue, but a huge step forward where almost all the starting 17 will have SL experience.
I mentioned 4, the last of the 4 was a front row forward, we have decent SL level options there too.

Thats all well and good but France need players from several Superleague clubs and not just one, and inparticularly one that is only a mid-table Superleague team.

Good progress and hope it continues.... but a long long way to go!!!!

I would be surprised if Australia don't put more than 50 on the french.

i would be surprised if australia,england & nz don't put 50+ on the french

I suppose your right, maybe the french should be allowed to start with their whole 17? Might give them a tiny chance.

I dont think any poms should be talking rubbish about the French.

Yea your right because the French have posed such a threat to England over the last few years haven't they???



I think any English fan is save to talk rubbish about the french....

Especially with the last meeting being such a close run affair.

Presuming the competition will be played on a "Round Robin"basis there is no way England can get into the final,they have to beat New Zealand (nearly impossible) and Australia (TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE) so it has to be a Australia v New Zealand final so you poms will see a good game of Rugby live.

PS . Do you reckon Senior might still be playing for England then???

Just as Australia is safe to talkrubbish about England.

shut up you plum...


NZ record of beat us in britian is appauling considering idiots like you seem to want to put NZ up there with australia

Winners of the Pacific Cup to play in the Four Nations what about France? www.postcourier.com.pg/20090827/thhome.htm

Winners of the Pacific Cup to play in the Four Nations what about France? www.postcourier.com.pg/20090827/thhome.htm

Quote ="Mulder"Winners of the Pacific Cup to play in the Four Nations what about France? www.postcourier.com.pg/20090827/thhome.htm'" When it's played in the northern hemisphere it will be France and the winners of the Pacific Cup when it's in the southern hemisphere.

Quote ="Mulder"Winners of the Pacific Cup to play in the Four Nations what about France? www.postcourier.com.pg/20090827/thhome.htm'" When it's played in the northern hemisphere it will be France and the winners of the Pacific Cup when it's in the southern hemisphere.

Can I just ask, what negative remarks did you spout before the WC last year ??? Something like "Auz will win it, whats the point ?" perhaps !!!!

you mean the winners of the european cup when the 4nations is in the north?

That's the idea. It could be Wales.

yeah cos we've not beat them by 50 in the last 3 games.......them girls need to watch out......

Tony Smith will be coaching the side this time round and not his bungling assistant Steve Mcnamara. I doubt we’ll be as bad as we was on Australian soil on our own.


You’ll be pleased that the best English player in the world won’t be playing in the 4 nations as he’s retired from international rugby league. It might be England’s lost but its certainly Leeds Rhinos gain thanks to his form this year that is as good as his best years for Leeds!

I dont recall saying they wernt

England centre Ryan Atkins has pulled out of this autumn's Four Nations tournament.

[urlhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/09/09/21/RUGBYL_Atkins.html[/url

Castleford's Michael Shenton has been added to England's train-on squad for the end-of-season internationals.
Westerman and Jock McBrough have been left out.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/8260970.stm[/url

theres no need....pack it in

what happened to westerman? he has been all class from what ive seen, has he form dropped off recently?

in all honesty he'd probably get steamrolled....and given the choice of sam burgess or westerman at 13 i'd know who'd i go with......and tony smith knows too