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!

Depends on which Danny Brough turns up. World beater or shocker. I have seen both sides. If you take Brough you have to take back up in case he has an off day.

Would this be Danny Brough the Scot (again) and Lee Briers the Welshman?

Lee Briers and Danny Brough are both English, they represent Wales and Scotland as they have been neglected by the English selectors. This year Brough tried to get into the England team but was knocked back by selectors, openly showing his desire to represent England.

Brough may not produce world beating performances week in week out but there is an obvious level of consistency as he has won the Albert Goldthorpe medal and been in contention for it every year since.

Did he get knocked back?

I thought he put himself in the scottish camp before a single player had been named in the squads...same for Briers...

OK … Would this be Danny "I'm Scottish; No; I'm English, No; I'm Scottish again" Brough.


happier?

Not really...

Thats unfair in the case of Briers. He has represented Wales with distinction since he was 19 years old and has never shown any inclination to play for England. He may have been neglected by the GB selectors but thats a whole different issue.

I wasn't talking to you, but Danny … sorry, MAL

Does England need Danny Brough? Well, I certainly wish that his kicking game was on the pitch in the Four Nations... it is certainly among the finest in Super League and probably only rivalled by Dobson in my opinion. I guess we need any or all of Widdop, Brown and Tomkins to step up with a crucial kicking game

But... along with the player comes the person. Now, I don’t know Brough personally but I see him as a very divisive personality on the pitch – he is quick to point out the failings of his team mates when things are not going well. One of the key elements to a tour like this is the development of the group mentality, certainly the failings of the World Cup were attributed in no small part to the cliques that appeared in camp – particularly those between Saints and Leeds players

One of the considerations of the management team would not only be the playing ability but the touring ability, taking players with the maturity to spend 6 weeks together without problems. We don’t know how this will work out in the Four Nations but the squad has a balanced look to it in that regard with no major ‘personalities’ in there (Robinson would have been a worry in his early days but he seems to have settled down a lot)

If England need Danny Brough they are further up street that I thought.

For all of you who are judging Danny Brough from the past i can only say he sems to have been a changed person since he came to the Giants.

In respect of consitency he has performed between being good to brilliant.

There have been no petulant outbursts and he has been very much a team player. AFAIK there have been no discipline problems.

Maybe he is maturing, maybe he has responded well to his new coaches.

What i would say is he would have been worth a place on the tour.

he is yet another reason that the decision to scrap the GB title was a retrograde step.

a bit like Chris ''Mick'' Bridge
and Ben ''Paddy '' Harrison Or do you only point out players swapping nationalities when they are NOT playing for England

Looking at the big picture, I would trade the availability of Danny Brough in the Four Nations for the continuous development of the Euro Nations tournament and the development of the overall international game

What development when so many players only chance of playing at the top level ie against Australia is to wait every 4 years for a world cup or to become English and play in the 4 nations.

There is no reason that there could not be a 4/ 5 nations in Europe with an England A team in it or alternatively Ireland, Wales, Scotland and France and then a tour to Australia or when the 4 nations are on here play it as GB to pick the best of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish players.

That way yoiu promote the indavidual nations and you allow players to represent their country of birth / identification whilst allowing them to play at the top level internationally. When there are ESTABLISHED pro teams / leagues in Wales, Ireland and Scotland then that will be the time for them to go it alone.