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Brett Finch with the ball during Representative Rugby League, Country v City match at WIN Stadium, Friday, May 2, 2008.AAP Image/Action Photograhics, Grant Trouville
With recent rumblings of a Rest of the World team to replace France in a mid-season Super League Test, one cannot help but feel that such a game would pose greater resistance to England.
Given that I suspect France and Wales will have their own Test match, below is my squad of 17 to oppose England, which in my opinion, could account for them by 6 to 12 points should the Rest of the World team take the game seriously:
1. Hodgson, B
2. Richards, P
3. King, M
4. Delaney, B
5. Monaghan, J
6. Finch, B
7. Dobson, M
8. Cross, B
9. Buderus, D
10. Perry, J
11. Hoffman, R
12. Newtown, C
13. O’Donnell, L
14. Leuluai T
15. Lauitiiti, A
16. Lima, J
17. O’Meley, M
Michael Dobson deserves a start at halfback over both Michael Monaghan and Thomas Leuluai.
Additionally, while Buderus is sadly past his peak, his leadership should get him a spot in the team above, perhaps, more capable hookers. While Hodgson seems like an obvious choice at fullback, Clint Greenshields from Les Catalans deserves some consideration, as does a potential smokey in Ryan McGoldrick.
Willie Mason doesn’t deserve a start in an All Stars team and would even be below players like Weller Hauraki and Michael Vella in my squad.
The team is packed with State of Origin and international experience, and as mentioned earlier, should they play the match with full intensity and desire, should be able to beat England’s best.
And while the prospect of potentially losing to an Australia/New Zealand ‘discard’ side could be embarrassing to the reputation of English Rugby League, long term, a genuinely competitive mid-season fixture will no doubt aid England bridge the gap between themselves and Australia and New Zealand,
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