Lulu - club v country

[josie andrews]

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/273001627?-4338

[UnsungPanapa]

Disgraceful that the club are set on Tommy missing the centenary test against Australia i don't think the club or super league supporters realise how big a year this is over there , they are celebrating a 100 years with lots of special events and special matches of which this is one of them ,plus also what an opportunity it is for Tommy to put a marker down for a world cup place .

[pedro]

Disgraceful that the club are set on Tommy missing the centenary test against Australia i don't think the club or super league supporters realise how big a year this is over there , they are celebrating a 100 years with lots of special events and special matches of which this is one of them ,plus also what an opportunity it is for Tommy to put a marker down for a world cup place .

You are joking arent you?

Hes contracted to us and I think its disgraceful that the country ask for players during our season not the other way around. If he chooses to go he can stay there for me.

[josie andrews]

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/273103451?-4338

[UnsungPanapa]

Can you not see the more international experience he gains playing in huge matches in front of huge crowds the better it is for his personal development thus the better it is for us as a club ,duh!

[nathan_rugby]

Im sure he would benefit more by playing against australia then he would against haven.

[GeoffN]

Im sure he would benefit more by playing against australia then he would against haven.

Yeah, but it's not the Haven game that's the problem, it's getting him back, and fit, in time for the Warrington game.

[butt monkey]

Wigan might just have to release Leuluai (and Leeds Webb) if Nigel Woods has anything to do with it!

England's Rugby Football League (RFL) has entered the fray today, deplorign the timing of next week's test but stopped short of backing Super League clubs who are refusing to release Webb and Leuluai.

RFL chief executive Nigel Wood said the scheduling of the Sydney match threatened the viability of Test rugby league.

"If international competition is to continue to be regarded as the pinnacle of the sport, such contests should not ask players to play when they can only arrive a very short time before the match," he said in a statement.

However, he stressed: "The Rugby League International Federation's (RLIF) rule states that international selections should take priority over domestic playing requirements.

"The RFL fully supports that principle; however, in respect of mid-season internationals, we clearly understand the legitimate concerns of our clubs when travel between hemispheres places an unreasonable demand on players.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4505128a10713.html

[Bugsyoz]

No player, at any time, should be denied the opportunity of playing for their state or country. Nor should any player pick and choose when they want to play. They are either available for rep duty or they are not.

[DaveO]

No player, at any time, should be denied the opportunity of playing for their state or country. Nor should any player pick and choose when they want to play. They are either available for rep duty or they are not.

Well I think the International game is of huge importance to the sport as a whole. Just look at what it means for RU. Without it RU would have never got to where it is today IMO.

That said it is only common sense not to select players for mid-season internationals that requires them to fly half way around the world.

If England play France next year for example I certainly would not expect Ellis to fly back mid-season for one game.

Mid-season internationals should have a restricted selection policy that precludes selecting players from outside the local competition where the International is to be played.

Come the end of the season then all players should be eligible for selection.

Isn't this just common sense?

I personally think the right time for Internationals is the end of the season when club RL is finished and people will go to the games to get their fix. Mid season Internationals are a distraction from the club competition and many will not attend.

However if the RFL or NRL want to arrange mid-season International games they ought not to expect the club competition to be disrupted.

Dave