IT will be interesting to see how the fans respond to the England-Exiles clash, especially as it is taking place on the same weekend as a full programme of fixtures.

The Exiles team of seasoned Aussies and Kiwis is a bit too much like a Kerry Packer circus squad for me but it is undoubtedly going to be a big challenge for England.

Unfortunately, it won’t carry the same clout as a proper test match.

Yes, it will be a tough game; an exciting one and the chances are it will produce some memorable moments, but it won’t have the status as a bona fide international clash.

The match probably has its place in the league programme – after going into the last three international tournaments seemingly out of their depths against the Australians it is clear England needed a tougher challenge than a stroll in the park against France.

It is now less than 100 days to the start of the Rugby Union World Cup and the countdown has begun to an event that will dominate sports coverage for six weeks in the early autumn.

Unlike league’s offerings, that contest will be a genuine global competition with 20 teams taking part.

It is unfortunate timing that rugby league’s Four Nations will probably be kicking off in the immediate aftermath of that World Cup.

It is doubly unfortunate that the league event will contain – whether it sounds disrespectful or not – three complete mismatches against Wales It is great that the Welsh beat France to win the European Cup but, despite a few eye catching performances from the Crusaders last week, they haven’t currently got the personnel to match England, New Zealand and Australia and it is naïve to pretend otherwise.

It would be much better if the international game went back to playing World Cups every four years, the Ashes series every two, home and then away, and the Kiwis every four years.

In that way we restore one of the crown jewels of international sport – the Ashes. It is scandalous that the only strong, meaningful international contest we had was just allowed to wither away and then insultingly have a suggestion that it be restored as a side bet during the last Four Nations.

Just think about the Ashes. All British RL fans crave winning that as much as soccer counterparts do of replicating 1966.

Fans under 45 you have never have seen that Holy Grail captured, but it was good watching them try.

I can still see Big Jim Mills’ forehead propelling Rod Reddy away from the marker and into the air of the opening test of 78, vividly recall Peter Sterling, Wayne Pearce, Eric Grothe et al’s whitewash in 82, Joe Lydon’s try at Old Trafford in 86, Meninga’s heartbreaker in 90, Jonathan Davies Wembley special in 94 and Adrian Morley’s first tackle dismissal in 03.

GB lost all of those series – but they are engrained in folklore. Who remembers anything from the Tri and Four Nations series – they just blend into each other and if anything detract from the World Cup.

All emphasis should now be on building the 2013 World Cup– but after that we need to look at restoring what should have been a protected blue riband Ashes event.