Think my 17 would have been when all fully fit:

Smith
Hall Shenton Atkins Raynor (I know he's been out, but englands best winger)
Pryce Brough
Peacock Roby Graham
Wilkin Ellis
Burgess

McGuire
L Burgess
Hock
Scarsbrook

He hasn't been selected because he has a foot injury.

Shenton might hit the mark one day, as might Briscoe. Atkins would be alright were Engalnd playing the Crusaders or Salford a few times.

If that's the best side we can come up with we might as well pack in now (I'm not saying it isn't by the way). However my side would be...

Smith
Raynor
Gleeson
Shenton
Fox
Pryce
Myler
Burgess
Roby
Graham
Peacock
Ellis
O'Loughlin

Hock
Lynch
McCarthy-Scarsbrook
McGuire

No - they've said the side will be drawn from inside and outside the elite (sic) squad.

Yeah I know. Kind of defeats the object.

This just seems daft and half baked.

Perhaps the hierachy identified consitency of approach as a key learning from the WC post-mortem?

indeed. I think we shoudl just abandon the international side...lets just pretend it doesn't exist and SL is the be all and end all...

Yet Tom Briscoe is selected, despite not being able to play until August.

As others have said, all seems a bit half-baked and irrelevant, the squad bears no resemblence to any side he'll use against France, what with there being 6 props, no full-back and only 1, unfit, winger.

burrow doesnt really deserve to be in there

yes he does,for me anyhow