Phuzzy wrote:
as he works and has worked with the fringe players on a regular basis he's taking the opportunity to work with others who he doesn't have the same opportunity to work with.
Let me be clear on this - I don't think Wane is gaming anything and I don't think he would. If Field has pulled out with anything minor/imaginary, it will be Field/Peet that have questions to answer not Wane.
But let's say your potential theory is correct, then you are saying that there is a reason directly linked to Wane's involvement at Wigan why he doesn't need to call on Wigan players for this mid-seaon match. If that theory is correct then the net result is more rest for fringe international players at the club Wane works for and less rest for fringe international players at other clubs like Saints (e.g. Bachelor / Lees).
If I have a point (I sometimed don't!
) it is that whichever way this game is dressed up my view is that a) criticism of Woolf/Saints for not respecting the international game looks miles wide of the mark and b) having international coaches involved at clubs is always going to be a little problematic.
England should have played France rather than this non-event.
Is there a way around potential gaming of the syastem? Maybe:
1) bringing in a Rule that any players named in a squad to play in the game before the International that pull out of the International should miss the next SL/Cup game. Yes there will still be room to game based on fixture lists etc but it's a start;
2) if this match is to be a feature (I hope it isn't - we need genuine mid-season opposition) then maybe we should offer extra cap space or something to clubs whose players are selected and feature for England / the All Stars? Or make the match fees sufficiently meaningful to encourage involvement.
I guess the only thing we can really all agree on is that Wigan are cheats and can't be trusted and that Saints are a beacon of best practice.
