Had a strong second half.

He was very quiet in his first stint, not much on the activity levels which is very un-like JJB.

Ellis was also quiet in the first half.

I just feel someone needs to grab this England team by the scruff of the neck and tell them what move etc to play.

Oh I'm still really glad that Wilkin is playing. Poor last week, awful this week. But don't worry he's in the form of his life.

I think changes will be made next week. The real games start.

I've always held reservations about Sinfield internationally because his usual role at club level is a very overbearing and demanding one in which he needs to exert practically all control and organisation along key positions 6, 7, 9 and 13 as well as most kicking duties. He may be effective interchanging throughout a game between all those positions in Super League but I don't believe that role translates very effectively at international level against top class opposition because he isn't international class in any of those positions.

Having said all that, when he is selected then the only benefit I can see is to allow him to play the same role for England as he plays for Leeds by being the fulcrum of everything the team does. And no, I don't believe he's good enough to carry that role off against the likes of Australia or NZ. Andy Farrell wasn't either and he was a class above Sinfield as a player.

Whats wrong with playing sinfield at 13 and widdop and chase in the halves?

A clear definition of "international class" might help with selection debates.

[iAntipodean[/i international class would probably offer a better clearer definition. Any other national "competition" is no more than [isecond rate[/i class

There needs to be some changes to face Australia.

MacBanana is too proud or too stupid to show he was wrong. He stuck with a losing formula at Bradford, he sticks with Peacock as captain when the guy can barely hold a conversation - if Sinfield plays he has to be captain & call all the shots, he will stick with the same halves, he will stick with Wilkin - the ultimate flat track bully. JJB is not big enough at this level to excel but he puts every ounce into everything he does, Wilkin contributes nothing.

Its ok everyone, all this doesnt matter as we have new nutrional drinks that will save the day. Praise the lord

Needs to be Liquid Schwartz if we are to stand any chance at all.

I would go with Widdop at SO and McGuire at SH with Sinfield at LF.

1. Tomkins
2. Hall
3. BJB
4. Reed
5. Briscoe

6. Widdop
7. McGuire

8. Morley
9. Roby
10. Peacock
11. Ellis
12. Westwood
13. Sinfield

14. Chase
15. Carvell
16. Ablett
17. Bailey

18. JJB

I guess you'd prefer Stephen Fry to start against Australia then? Maybe he can craft a reasonsed argument to convince their front row not to smash down the field or tackle our forwards.

Jesus.

Phil Clarke seemed to think that with the slow play of the ball England will fair better. Not so sure myself. 10 easy metres from DH will not happen. Think we will struggle either way.

Let's all go back to school days & pick the best & hardest player to be captain, irrespective of his abilities to communicate with the officials or his team.

No what we should do is ignore a player who is one of the fiercest competitors, has been one of the most successful players of the super league era, and who leads by example, because he has a speech impediment.

At the end of the day, in an Egland team there will be a number of leaders on the pitch, regardless of who flips the coin at the start of the game

It's nothing to do with a speech impediment FFS. I infer, therefore, that you are saying Peacock is a better captain than Sinfield? There was a crucial moment in test v NZ, 2 or 3 years ago when, on their line, the useless Wilkin (IIRC) had a tussle with Brent Webb. It ended with Webb hitting Wilkin in the head with the ball. The ref penalised GB & took no action against Webb, a ridiculous decision IMO. Peacock was so upset by this I thought he was going to cry, he just looked at the ref but couldn't utter a single word due to his frustration. Do you think that would have ben the outcome if Sinfield had been captain? Peacock has been one of the greatest players in the world of the last 10 years & has largely overcome crippling shyness but the days of picking a captain on the basis that he leads by example should be over when there are clearly better alternatives.

On the pitch I agree that Sinfield is probably a better presence, and more eloquant. He's able to get his point across to a referee without sounding disrespectful.

However, Sinfield has not been a cast iron selection for England GB throughout his career, and I would suspect that this is the main reason for his non-inclusion. As Peacock advances, and (hopefully) new blood comes into the front row Peacock will be less and less guaranteed a place.

My preference would be to have a captain who is on for the full 80 (or near enough) and is a guaranteed selection. Those players are pretty few and far between, and of those that are there, we could only consider one or 2 captain material.

My ideal would be Sam Burgess playing at 13 as captain, but that was not feasible this year.