At Huddersfield Michael Lawrence young athletic and defensively very good. Reminds me of a young Gary Connolly. Would have been far better than Smith defensively.

Alternatively Lee Gilmour Huddersfield and Saints would have been the better bet at this moment in time

All the suggestions are awful and none of them play for leeds.

That was my point. Smith and Briscoe didn't look like they'd been speaking to each other, never mind training/playing together! I'd like to see Briscoe move to centre and Fox to the wing for the NZ game but Smith won't get dropped to let that happen.

Is this the point being tried to make?:

Chris Nero
James Evans
Mark Dalle Cort
Matt Gafa
David Howell
Paul Whaturia
Jake Webster
Willie Talau
Mark Henry
Todd Byrne
Tony Martin

All "first choice" centres who offer "nothing" keeping out young British centres



So England have to pick between a full-back, half back or 2nd row for centre?

Nail on head!

I've no problem with trying to defend Smith, but at centre on Saturday he was found out. Can't people just accept that? He might have a stormer this week but last week he was poor.

Thanks Mark.

There are two issues.

Firstly, too many clubs play non qualified players in the centres, not to mention other positions.

Secondly, the alternatives being suggested simply didn't play as good as Smith during the course of the season and if they're really the big secret to out playing Inglis then they need to up their game.

What I am trying to do is get some recognition that, in all probability, Tony Smith picked and played the best team he could and whilst you can slate player X or Player Z until the teams you support follow the lead set by Leeds and St Helens and start playing and producing young English players then nothing is going to change.

Unless of course people seriously think that if Darryl Goulding had played right centre we'd have beaten Australia.

We were done on the fringes because they shipped the ball quickly and our middle didn't push hard enough so players like Smith, Mcguire, Briscoe were left against 5 men consistently. Any team would struggle man on man (5 on 5) against Lockyer, Watmough, Inglis, Slater and Hayne, never mind 3 on 5.

Peacock in the right centre was a major error, slow and flat footed. For all his plus points, he is not a second rower anymore.

Well i will raise you LEE GILMOUR and look forward to you trumping that

Smith didn't pick the best team he could. The likes of Pryce, Burrow, Gilmour and Senior are all better players than those who have replaced them.

He would justify his decision to leave them out on form, yet picked Myler who didn't play much at all past May and Morley whose side limped out of SL without even reaching the playoffs.

I think the points and issues you raise G1 are spot on, my only other point on the matter is that i really don`t think Lee Smith should of been in there in the first place, having signed for union, once the Grand Final was over it should of been thanks very much Mr Smith go and collect your 30 pieces. I just can`t get my head round why he was selected.

IMO it's a very very poor backline. It's worst I've ever seen for a GB or England side.

The centre postion is going to be big problem for England over the next few years.

Lee smith has had good season and should be centre IMO if the team is being picked on form which I believe tony smith has said. Lee smith was poor on Saturday which could happen to any player as even the best players have shockers.

If I was in smith shoes I would have picked senior and gleeson as my centres because I think they are best all round English centres.

I would have also played pryce on the wing.

We can't really. Smith would have been the first choice if he wasn't going to union. Could Gleeson have done a job? I've seen nothing from him to suggest he can and also Smith shipped him out of Warrington which also suggests he doesn't rate him or regards his inclusion as being detrimental to the squad. Not an unreasonable assumption given he was shipped out of Saints too.

Didn't gleeson captain England while tony smith was in charge?