Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:54 am  

Bill Sonny wrote:

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Ryan Hall
3. Jack Reed
4. Kallum Watkins
5. Josh Charnley
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Danny Brough
8. James Graham
9. James Roby
10. Sam Burgess
11. Gareth Ellis
12. Ben Westwood
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Gareth Hock
15. Rob Burrow
16. Jamie Peacock
17. Lee Mossop

Agreed

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:20 pm  

I'd have Bill Sonnys team definately.

The only decisions that would be made within that would be Charnley for Briscoe depending on form, and Hock for a number of second rowers, Manu/Patrick etc, but again all dependant on form.

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:28 pm  

We have a selection of maybe four wingers that can do the job and so we CAN pick on end of season form, at the moment Hall and Charnley are front runners, but you cant ignore the likes of McGillvaray

same goes for centres - which is the strongest options I ever remember, with Atkins, Watkins, Reed, Cudjoe all possessing the physicality, athleticism and skill to take the Aussies on

Good times.

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:29 pm  

People have been moaning that we should move on and stop picking the likes of Morley and Peacock, yet some want to pick Andy Lynch who'l be 34 by the WC and has never really been that arsed about playing for his country.

Anyway my team would be:

Tomkins
BJB/McGilvery
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Widdop/Chase/Gaskell
Brough/McGuire
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Westwood
Burgess

Burrow
Mossop
Morley
Patrick/Hock

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:46 pm  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

People have been moaning that we should move on and stop picking the likes of Morley and Peacock, yet some want to pick Andy Lynch who'l be 34 by the WC and has never really been that arsed about playing for his country.

Anyway my team would be:

Tomkins
BJB/McGilvery
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Widdop/Chase/Gaskell
Brough/McGuire
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Westwood
Burgess

Burrow
Mossop
Morley
Patrick/Hock

to many yorkies in that team nobody will understand them afterwards in the press.

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:21 pm  

You mean unlike the usual "Erm like Erm like" from the dark side?

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:34 pm  

Sibbs Rhinos wrote:

Should we just select the Huddersfield team then?

Nah, not quite, but I would go with

Tomkins

McGilvary
Cudjoe
Lawrence
George

Brown
Brough

Crabtree
Robinson
Patrick
Ellis
Burgess
Lunt



In all seriousness, I do think that Brough, Crabtree, Robinson and Patrick should be hovering around the squad

Threads like this just show that, apart from a few positions, no one can really agree on the 'best' team. Who'd be England coach, eh?? He'll never do anything right!!

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:43 pm  

1 - Tomkins
2 - Hall
3 - Reed
4 - Atkins
5 - Charnley
6 - Widdop / McGuire
7 - Brough
8 - Graham
9 - Roby
10 - Peacock (because macca will pick him!)
11 - Ellis
12 - Westwood
13 - Burgess

14 - Morley
15 - Tickle
16 - Mossop
17 - Widdop / McGuire

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:58 pm  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

People really underestimate Reed. One of the form centres in the NRL last year, and doing pretty well on his less-favoured left side this year (see the try he set up vs the Cowboys for a GREAT centre's pass). What he does is make the most basic centre task - setting up his winger - look easy, which I think is why people underrate him. Half the 'best' British centres I've seen may as well play with nobody outside them, as they seem to only pass as a last resort. That's why I like Watkins, and am yet to be convinced by Hardaker (who has time to learn, before anybody starts whining).

In total, so long as Tomkins is fit, we have the best 1-5 options available probably since the RU well dried up. That is something we should all be pleased about.

Our forward stock looks OK, but I'd be sorely tempted to move away from Morley and Peacock today as I have real doubts that they'll be up to scratch after almost another two seasons when the world Cup starts.

The glaring gap in the team is halfback. We desperately need the likes of Widdopp and Brough to step up a level. Otherwise the rest of the team has no chance against Australia.

If Brough were ever to step up he would have done it by now. He is 29 now and has never done it, I dont think he will do it now. Danny Brough is a similar type of player to Rangi Chase, does some spectacular things, does some very very good things, but has played in squads for which excuses are made. When Brough has one of his fairly regular poor games, or one of his poor runs of games excuses are made for him and other players are blamed. There is a reason Brough has never got a gig at one of the top four, and that is he just isnt good enough. Either we stick with Sinfield who is a better player or we can look to one of the younger halfbacks.

Agree that Watkins and Reed should have those two centre spots sewn up.

Re: Your England team on current form : Fri Mar 23, 2012 4:07 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

If Brough were ever to step up he would have done it by now. He is 29 now and has never done it, I dont think he will do it now. Danny Brough is a similar type of player to Rangi Chase, does some spectacular things, does some very very good things, but has played in squads for which excuses are made. When Brough has one of his fairly regular poor games, or one of his poor runs of games excuses are made for him and other players are blamed. There is a reason Brough has never got a gig at one of the top four, and that is he just isnt good enough. Either we stick with Sinfield who is a better player or we can look to one of the younger halfbacks.

Agree that Watkins and Reed should have those two centre spots sewn up.

I disagree about Brough.
He is one of the few halfbacks who can and will defend and he has a world class kicking game and an excellent rugby brain.
The one think that he's never had until recently, is the chance to play behind a quality pack.
IMO the reason that he never played top level international RL is because he spent so much of his career at unfashionable clubs ie Wakefield and Cas.
He may well have missed his chance, being 29, but the guy is a quality half back and much better than some of Englands recent choices.