Editor’s column: Summer opportunities and Jacques’ reality

The mid-season international window is a good idea in theory, it just falls a bit flat in reality.

Whatever your opinion on the Combined Nations All Stars opposition, the fact is that it isn’t a full strength England side without its NRL players.

It’s essentially an English Super League select side playing against a made-up team thrown together of the players whose clubs allow them to play.

While it’s undoubtedly much needed preparation for Shaun Wane ahead of the World Cup, it does little to capture the public’s attention.

International games are so few and far between in rugby league that they really ought to have more repute to them. Can that be done if not every player is made available?

The distance between the two main places where rugby league is played will always make true international competition difficult.

That being said, it hasn’t stopped Barrow’s Jarrod Sammut travelling to Australia to represent Malta against Lebanon this weekend.

But with the NRL likely to ditch their mid-season international window from next year, perhaps international rugby league should be permanently consigned to being played in the autumn.

For what it’s worth, I like the Combined Nations concept and it has potential to be an asset to Super League if done right. But it can only work if it’s given a serious billing and all players are made available.

In the context of a lack of competitive northern hemisphere countries, and the availability of southern hemisphere players based on these shores, it may be England’s only realistic chance for mid-season tests to continue.

MORE: NRL mid-season internationals could be scrapped after 2022

It was good, though, to see Wales take on France in Albi.

Some have said that France should have played