Personally I would have McGillvary and Briscoe on the wings but I would be pretty happy with any combination of Briscoe plus McGillvary, Hall or Charnley

its a very solid set of wingers that.....like i keep trying to tell everyone it's not all gloom and doom

Beating the Kiwis 38-12 in 2005 doesn't count for much when you've already been beaten by them two weeks earlier conceding 42 points in the process, and it certainly doesn't count when they don't even qualify for the Tri Nations Final and the Kiwis win the comp. That's the problem with GB or England... they never win games when it really counts.

46-14 was a mid-season joke game against primarily SL-based Kiwi journeymen.

44-0 in 2007 was against a disinterested, second string Kiwi side who were in conflict with their coach, though it would be churlish of me to dismiss that series entirely if only because it represents the only series GB/England have actually won during the entire, dismal Super League era. In a straw-clutching exercise, they are the only straws available.

I'm more concerned that GB/England haven't competed and haven't won a single test match against the Kiwis down under during the entire SL-era... Played 9, Lost 9!

Keep flying that flag of yours though

He's been outstanding for us this year. Our best prop even though guys like Lima and Prescott have had good seasons aswell and he's just going to get better and better. As the lad puts on some more size he's just going to be superb and the only real worry with him that could hold him back a little would be injury (his shoulders don't seem too clever).

If he's fit (rumoured he may need another shoulder op) then he should be nailed on for a place in the 24 man squad. I think the form of guys like Peacock and Carvell will keep him just outside the 17 early in the competition but he without doubt deserves a place as back up ahead of guys like Crabtree and Griffin.

and the kiwis have only won twice here since the 2000 world cup....played 12,lost 9,won 2,drawn 1


and in 2006 we lost 18-14 in christchurch and we had a perfectly good winning try chalked off...how is that not competing ?

Disappointed to see that Jermaine McGilvary has been added to the Knights rather than the England train on squad – I think he has the attributes to do very well in international league

Still, some quality in the England squad I think. Usually you would expect the first players added to be culled as the more successful teams stay in the competition and yet we have some real quality in the squad already

the team i would go with would be:

Tomkins
BJB, Reed, Atkins, Briscoe,
Widdop, Lomax
Morley, Roby, Graham,
Westwood, Ellis,
O'loughlin.

Heighington, Robinson/Burrow, Carvell, Mossop.


westwood and oloughlin can easily put in 80 minute shifts, which leaves heighington to interhchance with the back row and carvell/mossop with the two props, then obvously robinson/burrow for roby. i would say burrow looks more dangerous so on current form i would include burrow instead of robinson. i know its a risk throwing lomax in but at this stage of the season he is showing better form than brough imo. looks like a competitive team to me, just need the belief. although it is hard to believe in winning when you remember that steve mcnamara is the coach, with a good coach that team could really do quite well this year.

In response to the OP...

No I don't think they are. In fact, I think the current England set-up is the weakest it's been in a long time. I'm not sure where some of the optimism is coming from. Perhaps it's just me being cynical but some of the current players listed in this thread are way behind the likes of Davies, Edwards, Hanley, Offiah, Farrell & Robinson in the 90's through to the likes of Farrell, Fielden, Gleeson, Peacock, Senior & Sculthorpe back when we last had a decent side in 2004.

Of the few very decent players in the current side, very few of them can claim to have made a massive impact at International level. Tomkins, Roby, Ellis & Graham have all been anonymous on numerous occasions against the Aussies. Peacock & Morley have held their own but even these are at the back end of their careers. The rest are unproven.

As I said, I just don't see it. I hope they prove me wrong and England can finally end my lifelong wait for a major win, but I won't be holding my breath.

I must admit this is my thoughts on it too to an extent. We do have a lot of very good young backs coming through but most of them are in their first full seasons and are still lacking on the defensive side of the game. Plus the likes of Ellis, Graham, and Tomkins are yet to justify the hype in an England shirt.

So, now that Danny Buderus has re-signed with the Newcastle Knights in the NRL for 2012, was the Exiles squad now Thomas Leuluai, 15 players not NRL standard anymore and one who is?

I’m also a little confused – Morrison was 35 when he played for the Exiles and all the others were younger. Buderus will be 34 playing in the NRL next year but surely that is “the wrong side of 30”, you’d better get on the phone to them ASAP to let them know Keith

Is the England national side starting to become very strong?
Is it heck, with McBanana and a championship coach as the helm we don't have a chance in hell. I'm sorry but I don't see us winning against New Zealand or Australia, Wales we may do.

This is one of the strongest England sides i have seen for a while. Iam hopeful. Dont get some people not putting Hall in their sides. His physical attributes compare nicely against Aus and NZ. Always does well for Leeds when i have seen him and is big and fast.

Hall had a very good game last night, as well as finishing well, he was very solid under the attacking high ball. I am a big fan of McGilvray but he has been left out of the train on squad so I would certainly go for Hall and Briscoe on the wings now. They have both played the season on the left wing so one will have to adapt but they are as good a wing partnership as we have had for a while

As it stands today – with the train on squad and the players left in the comp, I would go for

Sam Tomkins
Ryan Hall
Jack Reed (not seen a lot of him but NRL fans rate him highly)
Ryan Atkins
Tom Briscoe
Gareth Widdop
Jonny Lomax
Jamie Peacock
James Roby
James Graham
Gareth Ellis
Ben Westwood
Sean O'Loughlin/Kevin Sinfield

Gareth Carvell
Adrian Morley
Luke Robinson/Rob Burrow (Burrow may be playing himself into the squad)
Joel Tomkins

A strong and athletic back line and attacking talent in Tomkins, Lomax, Widdop and Roby. Impact off the bench in the form of Carvell and Morley, some zip with either Robinson or Burrow to spell Roby (who can do 80 minutes but is more dangerous in spells) and J Tomkins to cover the back row and centre if injuries occur

The big decisions are Brough or Lomax in the halves and O’Loughlin or Sinfield at Loose

I actually prefer O’Loughlin to Sinfield as an international player as I think Sinfield is a little too lightweight. But with Lomax in the halves instead of Brough then you would need a strong kicking game that Sinfield can bring. If Lomax or Widdop had a stronger kicking game I would go with O’Loughlin at 13 (having said that, Sam Tomkins has improved his long kicking game recently)

I agree. We do seem to have some nice decisions to make with regard to selection. Lomax, Sinny and Burrow playing well is good for England. The only thing for me is the kicking game that DB brings. He may be out of form now, but i think he will relish getting stuck into the Aussies and it will give him confidence. I saw him for 3 seasons at Wakey and he was excellent at leading our team.

Tomkins
Jones-Bishop
Reed
Tomkins
Briscoe
Widdop
Lomax
Graham
Roby
Morley
Ellis
Westwood
O'Loughlin

Robinson
Wilkin
Crabtree
Mossop