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Jamie Jones-Buchanan suggests radical change to fix international game and improve England

This week England take on France in the first step on the road to the 2025 World Cup.

However, many question just how beneficial this game will be for England.

In light of this former England international and Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan has suggested some bold changes to the international set up to benefit England but also some of the other nations.

He said on BBC Five Live:

“It wasn’t too many moons ago that Scotland and Ireland were competing with England. Pinning your flags to a banner and staying with it, I’m thinking of players like Richie Myler and James Bentley playing for Ireland and what that looked like in the World Cup.

“They could have a tangible dig and maybe in 10 or 15 years it might manifest itself into a local international competition that strengthens rugby league as a whole.

“When the tide rises all the boats go with it, we just need to do it better and persevere with making it better.”

So could we see players commit to countries like Ireland and Scotland in the hope that this could develop them into a top side in the same vein as Tonga and Samoa down under?

The best example of this recently not working would be Toby King who went from playing for Ireland in the World Cup to being named in Shaun Wane’s England squad.

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