England look to introduce their own All Stars match

[TITAN PETE]

RFL Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:08:00


England are set to take on an all-stars team drawn from leading overseas players based in Engage Super League this summer.

The fixture, which will replace the annual mid-season international against France on the second weekend of June, has been agreed by the clubs but has yet to be ratified.

Details have still to be released but, speaking at a briefing at the Rugby Football League?s Leeds headquarters today, England head coach Steve McNamara revealed the fixture will be part of a 2011 training programme in which he will be given unprecedented access to the elite players.

?The concept has been agreed with the clubs and details will be released in due course,? he said.

McNamara believes an all-stars team will provide a sterner test than the French, who were hammered 60-6 at Leigh last June and may now turn to Wales for opposition, in the build-up to the 2011 Gillette Four Nations Series.

The concept, which was pushed by McNamara?s predecessor Tony Smith, will rekindle memories of the Other Nationalities team which played around 30 times between 1904 and 1975 with regular fixtures against England, Wales and France.

Some of the most successful overseas players in Super League, including the past two Men of Steel - Wigan Warriors? goalkicking wing Pat Richards and Warrington Wolves? new signing Brett Hodgson - have already voiced their support for the idea.

They could be joined by some of the new Australian signings who are due to play in England this season, such as Willie Mason (Hull KR), Ryan Hoffman (Wigan) and Joel Monaghan (Warrington).

McNamara, now in his first full year as national head coach, held a get-together with his 2010 England touring party earlier this week and has been promised three two-day camps with the elite training squad during the season.

He will also have similar access to an England Knights squad, which will be launched this year to help bridge the gap between the England academy squad and the national team.

The Knights, which will be formed along the lines of the England Lions and Saxons in cricket and rugby union, will essentially be a development squad, although there will be no age limit, and they are not guaranteed to play any matches.

?It will be a vehicle for players with potential to push on for the 2013 World Cup,? said McNamara, who will announce both a Knights squad and an enlarged elite training squad on Monday, February 28.

?We are building an England culture so that there is less need for education when players come into the elite training squad.

?We are going to get more access to players and I have got to thank clubs for their support. The 2011 campaign starts now.?

McNamara is hoping the new initiatives will help deter youngsters like Kyle Eastmond from switching codes and he revealed today that he has already held talks with the St Helens half-back.

Eastmond, who missed the 2010 Four Nations Series through injury, is out of contract with his club at the end of the new season and recently had informal discussions with Bath.

?We have to work very hard to make sure our players are happy and there is a good future for them in rugby league,? said McNamara.

[DIEHARD]

I think this is a good idea. Even though I hate to see the loss of the French Test, it probably wasn't doing either nation any good. Australia and New Zealand need competition and we need England to be competitive. And to be competitive they need class competition.

This also needs to be a game of national signifigance, that is why I didn't want to see a return to the War of the Roses.

I just hope they promote it to the hilt. I also think us Aussies will enjoy the game, because let's face it, we really do forget which of our players are over there.

And just as long as France continue to have the opportunity to play in the Four Nations through the growing Euro Cup, I'll be happy.

[DIEHARD]

And how about France play Wales? Both nations are getting better and Wales will be in the Four Nations this year. We can't just "throw" them into the deep end, give them as many hit outs as possible and chances to blood players.

I also believe this game would be well supported in Wales and France.

[Skyfire]

I can't wait to see an All-Star team full of hasbeens.