England’s only mid-season international match ended with a new-look team beating France, but it highlighted a bigger problem facing international rugby league.
Hidden away on a streaming platform and untelevised, and set as the curtain raiser to a championship game between Toulouse and Featherstone in the French city, the Test had always felt like a bit of an afterthought for sporting organisers ahead of the event – a sentiment only accentuated here.
International rugby league is in a dire state, exemplified by the fact that plans for England to play two test matches against Samoa at the end of the year were not confirmed until a few weeks ago. Unless IMG and the Rugby Football League make bold decisions to increase international fixtures, these matches will continue to mean very little.
France are England’s closest rivals on this side of the globe but have not won the game for 40 years, but with England winning 64-0 in the same match last year this result suggests they are closing the gap, but for the sport to have any chance of thriving the two nations need to play each other more often, as with other domestic nations.
Rugby league’s power brokers have long looked down on the international game, so it’s no wonder the public has lost interest. It can be argued that Australian apathy is partly to blame, but as long as clubs can run the game effectively, those in charge on this side of the world cannot claim they are blameless.
The Test was hard-fought for the most part, with France taking an early 8-0 lead thanks to a try from Catalonia’s Fouad Yaha and two goals from Arthur Mourgue, but England, four of their 17 players making their debuts, fought back well and were in control by half-time.
With coach Shaun Wain watching at home due to complications from ankle surgery, the visitors kicked into gear and Jack Welsby scored the first try before two fine long-range tries from Ash Handley and another from Tom Johnston put them 18-8 ahead at half-time, Handley’s second try being an interception after a fine break from Johnston.
England continued in similar fashion and with nearly an hour remaining a neat kick from Harry Smith saw Matty Nicholson touch down, Welsby again scored a second with some fine movement before George Williams made it seventh after a fine break from Mikey Lewis, Johnston adding a second at the whistle.
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It was a deserved win for England but, more importantly, it was a night that will hopefully mark a turning point for those in charge of the team.
