Oh alright then. I predict an 8-4 win, despite being down to 12 men. Probably be a Wigan halfback with temper issues who gets his marching orders. Jonathan Davies is my tip for the first try.

Has Senior retired though? The last I heard he was considering making himself available?

IMO his retirement was nothing more than a "I guess this is probably it" answer when asked by a journo last year (and the year before).

Keith was available for selection. Smith knew it. Keith "wasn't in his plans".

Yes. He said if Smith gave him a call he would consider it.

Now, I certainly consider Senior to still be the best British centre by some long distance but I don't think you should have to coax a player out of retirement for international rugby and if you do I think you have to question the players commitment.

Senior made the right decision to retire. It will elongate his career with us and, lets face it, he would not be the difference between winning or losing to the Aussies.

Shenton was supposed to be all that and coveted by many Leeds posters so lets see how he handles it.

Do you not think he deserves any questioning over selection and performances since the WC then G???
I've already said more than once he is and always will be a leeds legend but imo i think his selections and the teams performances with england since the kiwi series have been below par and he does'nt help that when he contrdicts himself when talking to the press.

I am just going by my recollection of quotes directly attributed to him.

rlI guess you weren't one of the family members he spoke torl

"I announced my retirement - and whether it's the right thing or wrong thing, that remains to be seen.

"I'd have to speak to my family and I'd definitely think about it very deeply."

Could be worse G1 - Wellens, Calders and Sykes could be playing.

A breathe a sigh of relief that they aren't.

But to agree with your point, the outside looks frail.

That England team reminds me of a girl I once knew, it took quite a while to grind her a down but once I did the floodgates opened.

Great sex though until I blasted her sister.

What is often quite comical about those who question Smith's selections are the players they nominate as being ones who could have made a difference were it not for his coaching ineptitude in not spotting their talents - Brough, for example.

Tony Smith isn't responsible for the failure of thousands of amateur clubs up and down the country to produce two half backs and two centres of the required standard for the last 10-15 years. Like every other coach he can only work with what he's got, and what he's got is by no measure good enough to challenge Australia and NZ on a consistent basis.

What Andy said.

When I saw the centres he'd named for the squad my initial reaction was WTF? Then I stopped and though about what his alternatives were. Unlike some, I didn't post until after I had stopped and thought.

Discussion about his selections/tactics is fine. I've done plenty of it on this very thread. But the bile certain posters reserve for him (saying he's only picked players because of club bias, he has no tactics etc) is frankly a little embarrassing.

That's just it though in manys opinion that he "isn't" working with what he's got.
It's his selections after banging on about the future and picking on form he clearly doesn't?????????
I agree about the clubs producing more quality in bigger numbers but when he makes statements like the above and then selects sykes,myler,bridge and L.smith it doen't add up.
That alone gives people the idea wether right or wrong about club bias and ego!!

Typical of the criticism levelled at Tony Smith - offer some alternative selections who have had better years than those he has picked.

We'll see how many of them are Leeds players before we touch on the concept of club bias shall we?

High quality post