Quote: Aboveusonlypie "Once off the bench in 2004 in a tournament that England won and he didn't play against Australia in 2010 Ben Westwood played at 13.'" He did play in 2010. So he has failed news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 142012.stm

Quote: Aboveusonlypie "Once off the bench in 2004 in a tournament that England won and he didn't play against Australia in 2010 Ben Westwood played at 13.'" He did play in 2010. So he has failed news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 142012.stm

Oh dear, look at all those Wigan players. However didn't we manage to batter the Aussies with FIVE Wigan players? Must have been a poor ref!

Which tournament did we win? It certainly wasn't the one the Aussies were in. I distinctly recall a GB side (not England) including Sean O'Loughlin getting royally humped by Australia at Elland Road.

He definitely also played in 2010.

Oh, and he did indeed play in the win in Sydney in 2006. He also played in the subsequent mauling in Brisbane when the title was on the line. But only, to be fair, in one of the two beatings by the Kiwis in that hugely successful tour.

Can't say I've ever been particularly fussed for O'Loughlin, but then I don't watch Wigan all that often. To be honest I think ' cheap shot merchant' before I think 'best player in SL'. I also doubt Australia would pick someone who has only player twice in recent months.

That said, he's gonna be involved so I hope the hype surrounding him is proven and i'm able to reassess my opinion. Judging by most of the comments on here, we're mentally beaten already. I personally believe we have the players to win the WC. It's the coach thats a worry

We've got a decent record against the Kiwis on home soil. The final is a real possibility.

If we found ourselves in the final against Australia, they will be big favourites. But we can still approach the game with the right spirit and intensity. If we do that then Australia are still big favourites, but upsets happen in sport.

Mission: Improbable. Not Mission: Impossible

Pity Sinfield is in, when he was crowned best player in the world he literally became the most overrated player there's ever been. Should be nowhere near the England team.

Having someone in the halves who's so slow would be disastrous against the quality of Oz or NZ, he's not a patch on McM or Roby at 9 and clearly not good enough to play in the backrow.

I personally think that most good teams should have an organiser and a running flair player at halfback. He may not be the quickest, but he is the best controller of a game in SL. If you had anyone else in there, it'd be headless chickens out there

I do think now that's his best quality, an on field coach, but I do believe there's other players who can run a team and offer more than he does as a player.

Putting team loyalties aside I would have to agree it pains me to say it but we cannot afford any passengers against the ossies and nz

Are you suggesting Kevin Sinfield is a passenger? Really?

Putting team loyalties aside, he's the best game manager and leader in SL. Hence I would like him and O'Loughlin to be the key controllers around whom the players like Chase and Tomkins can do their funky shizzle. One thing we're not short of in the squad is pace.

Ok passenger was a bit strong but I would hope the international team would be picked on form not reputation Talk of the best leader ,manager in super league maybe the season before last yes .last season not so much remind me again what we won last season.

Who cares about England?

SBW is on his way over