how good is welham against the teams with the best defences?

We need big who can tackle in the centres, not get drawn into stupid positions and wingers who can jump and catch a ball. Stopping tries should be the number one priority, especially inside our 20m. Australia and NZ will both play off good kicking and field position. We need to learn at some point that we need to do the same!

At least we're looking like having a few better athletes in the backs than in the past. I walked past Calderwood and Lee Smith in Brisbane a few years ago, and the physical contrast between them and the Australian threequarters I've seen around town was staggering.

England need to use this tournament to try some of these younger players out. Excelling in SL is not the same as excelling against Australia/NZ. We need to find players who rise to the occasion and really take it to the opposition - in both attack and defence. They may still lose but I've seen too many GB/England backs beaten before they get on the pitch, and simply playing scared.

Part of the problem is also down to us having nothing resembling a structured attack. We desperately need the combination of Sam Tomkins/Widdop/scrum half to actually give our threequarters something to work with. Otherwise the selection issues are meaningless.

Quote: SmokeyTA "I cant agree, Hall makes metres, time and time again, alot of carries, often taking it up as first receiver like a prop rather than running from dummy half. I'd play Hall on the right, because i think he could work well with Tomkins. Yeaman and Briscoe play together on the left at club level it would seem silly to move them. Given a straight choice I'd go for Hall.'" superleague.co.uk/statistics_pla ... eason=2011 Apart from Trys and carries Briscoe stats are alround better than Hall, who is playing for a better side IMO. More Metres More metres per carry More offloads More tackle bust More clean breaks More tackles Less tackles missed Less mistakes FWIW I'd have Briscoe and Hall on the wings for England.

Quote: SmokeyTA "I cant agree, Hall makes metres, time and time again, alot of carries, often taking it up as first receiver like a prop rather than running from dummy half. I'd play Hall on the right, because i think he could work well with Tomkins. Yeaman and Briscoe play together on the left at club level it would seem silly to move them. Given a straight choice I'd go for Hall.'" superleague.co.uk/statistics_pla ... eason=2011 Apart from Trys and carries Briscoe stats are alround better than Hall, who is playing for a better side IMO. More Metres More metres per carry More offloads More tackle bust More clean breaks More tackles Less tackles missed Less mistakes FWIW I'd have Briscoe and Hall on the wings for England.

Thats why I would play them both.

Good to have compettion in Charnley and Mcgillvery.

Centres are still our weakess position IMO, hopefully Watkins can have a good season next year as he looks the nearest player to becoming a top centre, Sarginson of Quins looks good aswell and maybe Evans at warrington if he plays centre, not to much after that?

What's Briscoe like in the centres? Im just not sure about Yeaman because he's played international before and didn't do well IMO. England need to try new things.

Very much agree with both point made here. The physical attributes (I would say physicality but I hate that word) of our young outside backs are miles ahead of the previous generation. I can’t remember seeing Calderwood ever break a tackle for example. Players such as Briscoe, Hall, McGilavray, Charnley, Watkins, Cudjoe, Arundel, Welham etc are all good athletes

Also, the creative spine of the team is looking better than the recent past

Tomkins at full back, a combination from Brough, Widdop and Lomax in the halves and Roby and Robinson at dummy half has a really creative and talented look about it

Looks like you were wrong!!

Very true. Joel commits himself too early, when he should be waiting for his opposite to commit. Doing this he very often puts Josh in a no win situation and makes him look daft. Can't see past Bridges at right centre, with Yeaman on the left. I'd pair Charnley with Bridges and Atkins with Yeaman.

Briscoe played in the centre as a junior, but been tried at centre in SL is definatley a winger.

Briscoe and Yeaman on the left, huge attacking force and 40 tries this season between them. Would go for Hall and Bridge on the right. Charnley, Mcgillvery, Cudjoe and Watkins all challeging.

Think I would be tempted to go with Burrow over Robinson as back up 9, Burrow has been class for leeds recently.

Difference between Burrow and Robison at 9 is Robbo lifts himself to another level for England games, and hasn't ever disappointed in an England shirt, and has more often been one of England's best players on the day.

Agree with this – Robinson has done well in an England shirt and was one of the very few to have a half decent tournament last year. If you have been tried and failed at international level then you deserve to be left out – if you have been tried and stepped up then you deserve to keep your spot. I have Robinson in the second category alongside players like Westwood who have proved suited to international League

James Roby has been by far the best hooker in SL this year and has played consistently well for 80 mins each game. He has also performed well for England and therefore think he will be the 9 for England and any others will be as cover just in case he picks up an injury