Why do people keep picking Chase, Nationality issue aside the blokes been cr@p all season.

Yes, i would expect England to win but it wouldnt be easy.There would not be much to choose between the backs although i would say those centres are still better which just highlights our main problem area.Also,OZ could pick many combinations of halves which would trump our selections.

As for the statement about our pack being on a level or better than OZ first string, i do wonder if this is a bit of a myth that we get sold on as in recent years i have yet to see it dominate or set the platform for an English victory over the old enemy.

Agreed,
The English forwards are always touted as better than Australia's Pack and yet I cannot remember when England dominated the Aussie forwards and players like Peacock are retired, Ellis and Morley are not what they were in their prime.
That leaves Graham, Sam Burgess along with Roby, Westwood and Hock.........


In any World pack I would have to find a place for
Cam Smith
Paul Gallen
Matt Scott
Luke Lewis

The rest like Thaiday Myles, Taylor Watmough, Tamou, and Shillington are in the eye of the beholder.

Would the PM's XIII beat the "Exiles" I wonder.

Correct.I would probably have T-Rex in there aswell.I also like the look of Penrith prop Tim Grant who has just burst onto the Origin scene.

if there was a world pack picked today only Graham and Burgess would have a real shot at getting in it IMO.

Im not wanting to big up the NRL or savage Super League players or anything.Just being a realist.

Can't argue with we haven't dominated Aus, but IMO this is where we should be beating them.

I think we've got the two best props in the world (using Gallen as 13) and the best backrower in Westwood. There's not much between the rest of the players you both mention though. I do think we have the slight edge overall in the forwards, just.

Backs, mainly halves, we are light years away.

Back on topic, good to see PNG put up a contest. Lets see if they can build on that in next years WC. I do fear the PM XIII wasn't going full blooded though.

So you have the best props as long as Gallen is counted as a lock (where he rarely if ever plays). But you also have the best backrower.... presumably only if Gallen is counted as a prop.


Tamou
Smith
Scott
Gallen
Myles
Lewis
with Thaiday, Taylor, Bird, Shillington, Watmough, Stewart and several other younger blokes in reserve I'd still back the Roos.

Alright second rowers then. And yeah I'd play him at 13. I think we can compete and beat them in one-off games. Majority will go with Aus no doubt, I still stand by that our forwards can not just match but beat theirs though.

"Can" maybe. Any two fully pro sides "can" beat each other. It happens in the NRL and SL all the time - weaker sides beating stronger teams. The best sides win in the end though. The poms have not even gone close to proving they have the better pack, never mind the better team. And they won't be proving anything for more than 12 months. You could suggest that they can say what they like until then. But I'd suggest it means they can't say anything.

I would say Sam Burgess is a better back rower than prop and would play him in the Gallen role for England.

If we can get all our players fit and available for selection then competing with Australia is the least we should be doing with the current bunch.Its our lack of depth and the Australians huge depth in quality that is our undoing but hasn't it always been the case?

As ECT says, any team can compete and win on any one off game but in the big games and moments the best teams always tend to shine through.Which they have for over 3 decades.With Burgess,Graham Roby,Hall,Widdop and Tomkins in their prime at next years world cup and throw in very good seasoned pros in Hock,Westwood and Ellis we can be quietly confident of having a good go,which is all we can expect.

Lets hope so.
The Game needs a shot in the arm at International level and that means a competitive
English team with a genuine chance of taking the World Cup.