JP and McGuire are[i Fresh[/i so they will back up. I Buderus doesn't need to with McShane having a fine season. If Sinfield is picked I doubt he will back up as McD has said this week that JJB and Sinfield are both carrying bumps and bruises.

No players will back - that is a club/coaching policy

I'm going, looking forward to it too.

To be honest I would probably have gone if I was in Leeds. But I'm not.

Cheers for the reminder mate, Sky+ set.

My thoughts on this exhibition game are mixed.

England really ought to be playing France in a proper international but France aren't good enough to provide the kind of test required so they've been ditched. It's a telling comment on the current state of international RL (particularly in the Northern Hemisphere) that we are reduced to staging an exhibition game instead of a bona fide international.

If we were still playing under the GB banner, I'd have a real problem with this exhibition match. As it's England, I don't really give a toss because England as an entity means absolutely nothing to me and possesses little to no viable or historical RL international currency.

Haven't decided whether I'm going yet but if I do it'll be to see Luke O'Donnell.

I like Luke O'Donnell.

Whilst i agree wholeheartedly with your 2nd sentence G ,i also think the Exiles will offer a much sterner test for England than any French ,Welsh or any other Northern Hemiphere team could and therefore i think it's harsh to dismiss it as an exhibition match.

It's an exhibition match because it's contrived and devoid of meaning, rather than because of the quality of player on show. It probably does have value for the England set up, so I'm not against it happening, I just can't get too excited about it.

So you wont be watching State of Origin then?

No cos I work and am too tight to pay for sky.

Yep, that's the same.

Why is Hall only a possibly?

For me he is easily one of the better wingers in SL. I think he's been forgotten about to a certain extent but he's been one of our best and most consistent performers this year. He should be a shoe in.

State of origin is completely different but to answer your question, no I probably won't.

This is where the England set-up gets shown up IMO.

Hall is one of the best options for an England wing spot, but he has flaws to his games. Ones that opponents are picking into now. His return rate on sorting out a crossfield bomb would probably be 50/50 at best. He is very shaky here, he also in position can wander. He's a smart, good, lad but doesn't have a natural rugby league brain. He's quick and consistent over a good length but doesn't have that blind pace. But he is one of our best options for England, that says something in itself. I hope Hall can improve these areas as he is a good player to watch, his pounding strong ball returns from deep are always a pleasure to admire.