Rogues Gallery wrote:
Take your blinkers off.
That team looked o.k. on paper. I was in a swimming pool with Alex Murphy in Dubai on our way out to Aus and we were discussing the team. We came to the conclusion that it was the worst a backline ever to represent England.
The wonderful forwards struggled against PNG, and were murdered by the Aussies.
I agree squad selection was problem (1 fullback, 4 props and million second row), but we need to face facts that at present we (as a game) are not producing quality players.
Lets just hope the next crop of players are better and there are more of them.
As you probably know the academy/reserve level has been a major concern of mine for years, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.
That team looked o.k. on paper. I was in a swimming pool with Alex Murphy in Dubai on our way out to Aus and we were discussing the team. We came to the conclusion that it was the worst a backline ever to represent England.
The wonderful forwards struggled against PNG, and were murdered by the Aussies.
I agree squad selection was problem (1 fullback, 4 props and million second row), but we need to face facts that at present we (as a game) are not producing quality players.
Lets just hope the next crop of players are better and there are more of them.
As you probably know the academy/reserve level has been a major concern of mine for years, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.
I agree with you on the quality of the team. However there are two separate issues, the quality of the players picked or available, and getting those players to combine and play to their potential.
We should have done better with the group of players we had. I don't know how you can argue with that? I am not saying we won have won the cup, or magically papered over the cracks in our back line. We should have done ourselves justice! I think some of the things put in place today, are geared specifically to doing better with the talent we have.
Then the more difficult and longer term issue is to get more talented backs coming through.
