Will World Cup stars be a match for our greatest overseas XIII?

It is a sizeable carrot dangling before them. Not only will the game’s performers seek consistency to achieve domestic success, they know it follows that they could force their way into the international tournament which is being held in Britain for the first time since the turn of the Millennium.

The world’s finest stars – Greg Inglis, Benji Marshall, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater et al – will descend here to fight for global supremacy and Super League’s own are desperate to be involved.

The sport should relish seeing such stellar names perform on English soil though we have had many class acts operating here before at club level following their import from Australia’s NRL.

For all the misconceptions that it has been a breeding ground for mercenary overseas players seeking one last big pay day, Super League has undoubtedly seen some of the world’s top stars feature with aplomb since its 1996 bow.

That should be celebrated; with the RFL’s policy of gradually reducing the number of foreign players allowed to play here, weaning Super League clubs off their reliance on such recruits, allied to the continued strength of the Australia dollar against the pound, it will be a far less common occurrence in the future.

Admittedly, there have been some duds along the way. The pathetic saga of Willie Mason at Hull KR and the listless Brett Mullins for Leeds Rhinos proved that even leading Kangaroos can lose their bounce if the mood takes them.

At least the lesser-known Australians who failed to have any noticeable effect – Castleford Tigers’ hapless Sean Rudder or Bradford Bulls winger Nick Zisti, for instance – were not paid astronomical wages for their inertia.

But for every Ben Walker there have been numerous gems, more so than initially expected when I started trawling the record books to pen together a definitive Super League Overseas XIII.

An Exiles side before its time, as it were, it proved strenuous considering the sheer depth of talent.

For example, in the scrum-half role alone, look at this pantheon of legends to select from ... Andrew Johns, Stacey Jones, Alfie Langer, Adrian Lam and Robbie Paul.

How do you pick one No 7 from all those footballing geniuses?

Centre is another position well-served given you have to choose only two from some incredibly gifted performers – Steve Renouf, Matt Gidley, Kevin Iro, Shontayne Hape and Jamie Lyon, plus Graeme Bradley if you want a little niggle to add to all that swagger.

Hooker, though, is less of an issue given a comparative dearth of big-hitters. Leeds’ 2011 Grand Final victor Danny Buderus would grace any world side but who are his rivals? Warrington’s current incumbent, Michael Monaghan, and Hull’s 2005 Challenge Cup winner Richard Swain are the only obvious ones to spring to mind unless you consider Kerrod Walters for his sole season at Gateshead Thunder in 1999.

Which brings me on to the next selection issue; do you pick on name alone and the pure glitz a signing brings even if he is not at the peak of his powers?

Kangaroos back-row Bradley Clyde was one of the sport’s greatest when he arrived at Leeds in 2001 but Headingley fans never saw much of what forged such a reputation. Similarly, can you nominate someone who perhaps only stayed one year but had a significant effect on all those around him? Australian loose-forward Brad Mackay is always one player who crops up in such despatches for his impact at Bradford in 2000.

More acutely, Johns played just three games for Warrington Wolves in 2005 but is the greatest player of his generation and arguably the finest of many more too.

Who has been the best overseas stand-off? Trent Barrett for his quality during just two years of sheer class directing Wigan or one of his predecessors, Henry Paul, who shone not only there but then in Bradford colours too?

There are others who arrived unheralded yet concluded their stints having contributed huge efforts to their various clubs.

Robbie Paul, the teenage Kiwi who became such an iconic name as Bullmania developed at Odsal, is the obvious example but there are many others like the irrepressible Glenn Morrison, who never earned representative honours in Australia yet had a massive impact on and off the pitch at Bradford and then Wakefield.

The incomparable Stanley Gene can be bracketed in the same way as can Bradford full-back Mick Withers, who so often saved his best for the biggest of occasions.

Should Steele Retchless be included not only for his great service to London, but that name alone?

In the end, this selection stems from the belief sides should fundamentally do one thing – excite. It is all thrills here from the craft of Brett Hodgson at full-back to Bulls giants Tevita Vaikona and Lesley Vainikolo offering menace on the wings.

Lyon – his 2005 Man of Steel escapades just edging out his Saints replacement Gidley – and the classy Renouf provide the bullets.

Barrett and Johns reprise their New South Wales State of Origin partnership to provide, in my eyes, the most skilled of half-back pairings from all those luminaries previously mentioned, while Buderus is a given, too.

There have been countless uncompromising props doing the hard yards in Super League from Saints’ grizzled Aussie duo Barry Ward and Darren Britt to Queenslander Danny Nutley, who was immense leading Castleford through their 2006 travails.

Kylie Leuluai, too, has been a cornerstone of the Leeds pack that has won five Grand Finals since his arrival from Manly in 2007, but I have opted for fellow Kiwis Joe Vagana and Craig Smith.

The remarkable Steve Menzies has to be included for all that unique ingenuity he offers at second-row, current Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney would be a perfect foil and Castleford’s 1999 Man of Steel Adrian Vowles adds an abrasive touch at loose-forward.

Robbie Paul, the explosive Apollo Perelini, tough man Dave Furner and Bradford’s trusted Australian second-row Daniel Gartner are the ones who make up the bench.

Fancy their chances?