YEP Jury: Competitive clash with the Exiles makes perfect sense for England

CHRISTINE KIDD

The Exiles is a great concept and it could be the type of game that England need next year.

The Rugby League World Cup is taking place on home soil next year and the England team will be expected to be playing in the final. To achieve this and possibly actually win the final they will have to beat probably New Zealand and Australia.

There will be no internationals this year, as the Ashes Tests have been cancelled, due to the COVID-19 situation. Also, the State of Origin series is going to be played in Australia after the NRL season finishes.

Other possible opponents for a mid-season test next year would be Wales, Scotland or France. None of these teams will give England the test that they need in preparation for the World Cup.

There are some quality players in Super League that would be eligible for the Exiles. These include Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Folau and coming next year Greg Inglis.

These combined with the likes of Konrad Hurrell, Bevan French, James Maloney and Liguria Sao would certainly be worthy mid-season opponents.

IAN SHARP

With the Ashes series cancelled, England coach Shaun Wane has hinted at maybe resurrecting a match against the Exiles before the Rugby League World Cup.

I for one would think it will give the Test side a stern run out, and I think it would be a tight game, to the point of the Test side losing.

When you look at the overseas talent we have dotted into all the Super League sides, there are a good few stars that could easily sprinkle their magic together as a team.

The Exiles gave us a really good run for our money in 2011 and beat England at Headingley 16-12.

If it does come back I just hope it gets marketed right and they don’t make it too many games, maybe have a pre-season type game, then one midway through the year, and then one in the build up to the World Cup which starts in October, 2021.

Unless we start getting the season restarted soon it’s going to be running on to almost next pre-season, so the sheer number of fixtures could be the real problem, not lack of interest.

DIANNE HALL

As our Antipodean cousins have decided that their State of Origin is more important than international rugby league and won’t be coming over for the Test series, I think that resurrecting the Exiles makes perfect sense.

It will give Shaun Wane a chance to work with our England international hopefuls in preparation for the World Cup next year.

The last time that the concept was used the games were fairly close, apart from the last one and were very entertaining.

There are plenty of candidates for the Exiles spread over Super League and I am sure that whoever the Exiles appoint as coach he will have no problem in picking a squad of players willing to have a crack at us Poms. If the decision is to go ahead with a game like this, then I think it has to be promoted properly, whether that is in July, August or later, but as soon as the game has recommenced, at a stadium packed to the rafters with passionate fans who have been starved of rugby all-embracing international rugby league.

GRAHAM POULTER

So this week’s topic is whether or not we’d like to see the return of the Exiles.

I personally am 50/50 about whether or not it should take place.

On one hand I’d like to see it played because it would give us all a game to watch and the opposition would make it a good competitive match for us fans to watch.

Then on the other hand I think that it wouldn’t attract much of a crowd to the stadium if it were to be played in front of a crowd.

It has never had much of a crowd before so I can’t see that changing much.

If it is played in front of a crowd then the admission fees should be set at £10 for adults and £5 for children and concessions as those prices would attract more fans to the game. There’s nothing worse than playing in front of one man and his dog.

But taking all of the above into consideration, I still can’t decide on it all!

ADAM ANDERSON

When they brought the Exiles into the UK game a few years ago, I always thought it was a great concept and accolade to have over here.

It was kind of our origin test since we didn’t have Yorkshire v Lancashire.

Bringing the Exiles back would be an even better test for our international side right now than it was then.

For me, two games against the best of our overseas bunch in the UK would be a massive help since we cannot play against any others and I’m pretty sure that the overseas contingent would be happy to be involved.

My team would be: French, Fonua, Hurrell, Leutele, Folau, Sezer, Maloney, Satae, Lussick, Kasiano, Martin, Williams, Murdoch-Masila; Parcell, Ma’u, Fifita, Seumanufagai.

There are a number of players that aren’t mentioned above that would also be in with a shout too, for example Niaqama, Taia and Leuluai.

Unless involved with a international team I would be shocked if all overseas players didn’t put their hand up to play for the Exiles against England.

MATT FOWLER

With the international calendar once again in disarray the Exiles game has been touted as a possible warm-up game for England before the World Cup next year. In all honesty I’m not that bothered.

The international scene has been so poorly organised for the last two decades I’m struggling to get any motivation for it.

In theory the idea is a good one. An England warm-up game needs to be competitive and it’s a sad indictment of the game that none of the other home nations or France have progressed enough to pose stiff opposition. In fact, they have probably gone backwards due to the lack of importance, money and games attributed to international rugby.

I think the game will probably go ahead and everyone will look forward to it, then it will be shelved, or another idea put in its place.

It will be interesting to see what rules it will be played under, NRL, Super League or international – another sorry saga that just adds to the farce that is international rugby.

Bring the Exiles back but with a long-term plan and market it properly, it just might work.

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