Exiles test is perfect hit-out for England – Luke Gale

With everything that has been going on in the world, I think we’ve all known for a while the Aussies wouldn’t be touring this year.

Everyone in the England camp was looking forward to it and it would have been an ideal warm-up for next year’s World Cup.

The Ashes is special and playing them on home soil would have been great, so it is massively disappointing we can’t test ourselves against the world number ones.

For me personally, I have played the Aussies twice and come up short both times.

I desperately want to beat them and I think this autumn would have been the perfect opportunity.

We still need a game or two before the 2021 World Cup and I hope the powers that be can arrange something, either at the end of this year or midway through next season, if not both.

I’ve seen a few suggestions tossed about and I think the Exiles is the most sensible outcome.

I wasn’t around on the international scene when the Exiles last played, in 2013, but I remember the games and they were a high standard and good to watch.

They were a great test for England, against quality opposition, and it would be the same now.

We have got some great overseas players in Super League at the moment and it would be an ideal chance for us to get a hit-out and an intense game.

Over the last couple of years I think there’s probably been more high-profile signings than ever before in Super League and whoever were to get the Exiles coaching job would not struggle to name a squad.

I have seen a few possible line-ups mentioned on social media and they are strong teams.

It would be a great test and I think it would appeal to fans as well.

I am sure Shaun Wane wants to get a look at his England team before the tournament next year.

I’ve been involved with England for probably four years now and you always like to get a feel of where you are at.

I remember back in May, 2017 when we flew over to Australia to play Samoa in mid-season.

That was a good experience and helped us get ready for the World Cup later that year.

Any time we can get together will help Shaun get his personality and his way of thinking across to his players and staff.

I am sure smarter people than me will come up with an idea for what’s the best route to go down now the Ashes has been called off, but I am confident we’ll go into the World Cup well prepared, whatever happens.

The difficult thing at the moment is we don’t know what is going to be occurring with this year and next season.

Hopefully, we will be back up and running soon, maybe in August, but we’re not sure if the season will finish in November, December or next year. We also don’t know what 2021 is going to look like and all that will need sorting out before anyone can make firm plans.

Everything is hypothetical at the moment, it is all ‘if and when’, but first and foremost we have got to get Super League back.

It’s tough when it is all up in the air but, in an ideal scenario, we’d definitely like to get an England game in, especially as Shaun is a new coach. He’s been getting in touch with players and having chats, but we’ve not met face to face yet.

Obviously he is going to have new ideas and a different way of doing things so it is important he has time to get that across to all the players, whether that’s in matches or camps.

The World Cup’s on home soil, we have got some talented players in our game at the moment and everyone wants to do everything they can to give us the best shot of lifting the trophy at Old Trafford next year.

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