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PETER SMITH: French test but the real business still lies ahead
The process of regaining some pride begins in earnest on Saturday when England face France in the mid-season Gillette Fusion Test.
It will be England's first hit-out since their 32-22 defeat by New Zealand in a World Cup semi-final two days short of seven months earlier.
The minimum requirements for England are a good performance and a solid win. Get the first part right and the second will inevitably follow.
The World Cup debacle was a massive setback for the British game, certainly at international level.
It raised questions and sparked debates that are still raging now, particularly over the engage Super League competition's over-reliance on foreign stars, the restricted number of young, British players coming through to the top level and even the way the domestic league is over-hyped in sections of the media.
On the surface, at least, some of the points highlighted so painfully last autumn are being addressed, but events at Stade Jean Bouin in Paris in two days' time will indicate if any progress is being made.
It's worth remembering that a year ago, England demolished France in Toulouse and the general feeling from that game was that Tony Smith's side had a real chance of doing well – maybe even winning – the World Cup.
So whatever happens this weekend, a sense of perspective is needed. France actually had a worse World Cup than England, finishing in 10th and last place and failing to win a single game.
Since then, they have brought in former Great Britain half-back Bobbie Goulding as coach, one of the more startling appointments in rugby league history and are themselves starting what they hope will be a more successful era.
England, even fielding an experimental line-up, should win convincingly, though France have better players than their World Cup performances suggested.
Eleven of their squad play for Les Catalans Dragons, who beat Leeds Rhinos in Perpignan last weekend, so they can't be written off.
But anything other than a reasonably convincing England win would be a disaster for Smith and raise real doubts over his future as the national coach.
The real value of Saturday's game is open to question. It won't be a massive crowd – Paris is far from France's rugby league heartlands and the game is only being staged there for political reasons, related to the funding of the game from that country's government.
The England team will bear little resemblance to the one which takes to the field in the Four-Nations later this year and even should some of the new faces shine, the level of opposition is not going to be much, if any, stronger than that faced in Super League most weeks.
Five days together in camp won't be a bad thing for the England players, but with the Four-Nations still four months away it can hardly be considered preparation for that.
Then of course there's the disruption to the Super League programme, with some teams being deprived of key players for an important round of matches, though Smith has been as fair as he can be.
Only Leeds have three players on international duty and 11 of the 12 English teams are represented, so the burden's evenly spread.
For the mid-season fixture to be truly meaningful, it needs to have its own stand-alone slot in the calendar, but there's no room for that in a crowded, 27-game league campaign.
England will be damned if they do and damned if they don't. As mentioned, defeat to France – for the first time since 1990 – is unthinkable.
But should they win at a canter, which is more likely, that's not going to do much for French credibility ahead of their Four Nations debut.
On the positive side, young players like Joe Westerman, Michael Shenton, Ryan Hall, Richie Myler and Sam Tomkins will benefit from the experience.
Though Castleford Tigers' Westerman was a late call-up in place of the injured Sean O'Loughlin, this column would expect him to play, despite some recent below-par club form.
He was a travelling reserve for the same fixture last year and a repeat of that would be unfair on player and club.
Wigan's Tomkins and Eorl Crabtree, of Huddersfield Giants, are the two most likely to sit the game out and if Smith has everyone available to chose from this autumn, neither is likely to feature then, though Tomkins is certainly one for the future.
Hall has made remarkable progress, from the National Conference League to Test level in just three years and with quality wingers rather thin on the ground, he has a real opportunity to stake a claim for this autumn.
Shenton has the potential to be an England regular for the next decade and it's encouraging to see two Castleford players in the squad.
Tigers have invested heavily in junior development and that is now paying off, for both club and country.
The squad is a sensible blend of youth and experience and, whatever the coach may say, it has clearly been picked with one eye on the next World Cup, provisionally set for 2013.
****
They like to party in Perpignan.
Leeds Rhinos fans arriving back in the town centre last Saturday after their side's last-gasp 32-30 loss to Les Catalans Dragons, were greeted with scenes of great excitement and jubilation – flags waving, car horns honking, fireworks going off, the full works.
Sadly, the thousands of revellers weren't celebrating one of Dragons' finest wins, but rather the victory of the local union club – USAP – in that evening's French championship final in Paris.
Considering the rival attraction, Dragons' attendance of almost 8,000 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus was a good effort. Catalans' crowds have held up well this year, despite the team's indifferent form.
Speaking of Rhinos' trip to the south of France, it's fair to say Leeds fans were less than happy with the performance of referee Steve Ganson, though most seemed to accept that the best side won.
Ganson, pictured left, along with referees' controller Stuart Cummings and match commissioner Gerry Kershaw, turned up at Perpignan airport to a chorus of boos as Rhinos fans mingled in the departure lounge ahead of a return flight to Manchester.
Referees in certain other sports receive death threats after controversial performances. On Sunday, a few fans did approach the match officials for a chat and Ganson, Cummings and co were happy to discuss the game.
It was all very good-natured, which goes to prove that rugby league fans are a class apart and that referees are human after all.
it's a lot easier to abuse someone from 50 yards away than when you're standing behind them in a queue.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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