with 3 titles on the trot, the knives will be out for our players and that's the agenda people are peddling.

Personally i thought we'd have done better if it wasn't for those stinking saints players.

So its OK for Tompkins to be invisible when our pack are getting hammered, but McGuire gets slaughtered for it.

The problem was, McGuire was invisible even when our pack [iweren't[/i getting hammered! And unlike Tomkins, he's played the Aussies before so there is this expectation that he will actually be able to bring something to the party. Which he profoundly failed to do.

He was poor but the amount of stick he's getting is disgusting, it shouldn't matter whether you've played the Aussies before or not if your supposidly good enough to play test rugby then you should be able "to bring something to the party" Every England player in the first half was shocking with the exception of Crabtree and Sinfield, even Tompkins and Burgess who are getting creamed over were shizz. But it seems to me McGuire is being made a scapegoat for what was a very poor performance from everyone in an England shirt

Maguire was poor and struggled I agree but wasnt helped by Tompkins failure to get into the game early on.

Tompkins didnt get hold of the game from the halves and he should have been expected to from the 1st minute..........in similar circumstances a young Shaun Edwards would have wanted the ball at every opportunity.

I thought once we were beat he came into the game and performed reasonably but you cant start performing at 26-0 down!!

It's perfectly appropriate and personally, I'm enjoying it after our lot got stick last year.

But aside from my vicarious enjoyment, the truth of the matter is that he stood out as having a very poor game - all the way through.

Tell that to Tony Smith. He should have addressed the obvious leak we had in the first half instead of waiting for the Aussies to grab 26 points from us.

That was Tomkins' and Eastmond's first game against the Aussies. I think as young players they did extremely well, especially Tomkins who was given precious little support in the first half by any of the experienced campaigners.

However, like I said, Tony Smith should have addressed our leak in the first half, preferably after the second try had been scored. That was a dismal failure on behalf of our national coach.

That you enjoy England playing badly speaks volumes for your character or lack thereof.

Well, I've heard some arrogance from Leeds fans but that really does push it, even for Leeds fans! Since when has Mcguire equalled England?

I no more enjoyed England's first half performance than did anyone else. I was there and watched it all unfold in the flesh. However, it was great to see the improvement in the England side during the second half. Just a pity Mcguire couldn't have improved with the rest of the team.

I dont think it was a poor performance from everyone in an England shirt, Tomkins, Sinfield, Eastmond, Ellis, Burgess, and Crabtree all played well. The fact is is that we don't have enough good players who can compete with the Aussies on a regular basis. The Shentons, Briscoes, and McGuries are just not good enough, but is thats all we got then we are just guna have to make do.

I think the reason that McGuire is being used as a 'scapegoat' is because he plays in an influential position and he did have a particularly poor game, where if he makes a mistake it is more obvious. He was just one of our players that had a poor game, but I think the fact that Eastmond came on and played SO and did fairly well puts even more pressure on McGuire and should be the reson why he should be dropped.

Sounds tasty, where can I get one of these inbreads?

but but but...we all know its true that the halfbacks can only operate behind a dominant pack

so its not McGuires fault but the forwards.

Funny how the majority of the ball went to the opposite side of the pitch to Tomkins in the first 20, when the ball did come his way the passes went to other players, simple as, you condescending buffoon, fact is Tomkins is 3 times the player Mcguire and you arrogant Rhino fans just can't handle it.