I've been a viewer of this forum for a long time but never felt too strongly about anything to be bothered to put my opinion in there but I feel very strongly that England have made a huge mistake in not selecting Danny Brough. I think it is widely accepted our strength is in our forward pack and to give our pack the best chance of getting on the front foot, getting good field position and dominating games in the modern game a quality tactical kicking game is essential. I don't think any of the players in the team selected will provide this. I remember seeing Rob Purdham making some terrible kicks against the Kiwis in the 2008 World Cup and their pack getting on top and totally dominating the game. I can see this happening again as no matter how good the tactics are with regards to our kicking game I dont think the quality is there to implement it. This is just my opinion but I feel we need an out and out old fashioned scrum half in our team to bring the best out of the players we have got. Of the current crop of players we have Danny Brough and Lee Briers are the two that spring to mind with Brough the younger and easily outshining Briers when the two faced up in the playoffs, I think he would have been capable of performing a vital role in our team. Just wondered if there was anyone out there who agreed with me!

since that game when Brown took Brough off the field, Brough's attitude has improved out of site, his consistancy is up there, as has been said from good to brilliant (one poor game, a feat shared by the other 16 giants against cas notwithstanding) and he most certainly can be a game breaker.

What it took was for a coach and a good team around him to show him he wasnt the only decent player at the club.

Nathan Brown may well have suppressed some of Brough's personality 'rough edges'. But come on guys - a touring party is not the same environment as a club. Those guys are stuck with each other for company for 6 weeks!

Briers easily outshining him in the cc and last week against Scotland. Brough has about 2 good games a year then is anonymous.

He managed many more last season.

Keep hearing that Brough is inconsistant, but at Wakefield he was our best player on a consistant basis (over 2 and a bit years, saw this with my own eyes Mark). It sounds like since finding his feet at Hudds he has found his form again on a regular basis (Code 13 alluded to this). I think the notion that Brough is an inconsistant is a bit of a myth myself. I find it ironic that a Wire fan can talk about Brough being inconsistant then put forward Briers who i think blows very hot and cold.