bridge for briscoe!? don't recall tom briscoe doing anything wrong to warrant being dropped

scored a try, prevented a try or a good chance of one with a one on one ball steal,(not a knock on like the two goons claimed)

Is this the new "5,000,000" HKR away fans?

I think the majority of the team underperformed, but I think it is pretty much there best side.

Eastmond in for Briscoe, because we need that attacking threat.
Roby in for Moore, with strict instruction not to kick.

Benchwise graham, carvell, gilmour? and tomkins

I hear that Paul Cullen bloke is a good 'un.

I think throwing Eastmond in at FB against the worlds greatest backline is quite possibly suicide. I'd like to see Tomkins & Myler. This is, if you believe either player's hype, the 6 & 7 for England for the next 10 years. Give them a go and see how it pans out. Wilkin in for Westwood. Sinfield to drop out.

Briscoe
Briscoe
Shenton
Smith
Hall
Tomkins
Myler
Graham
Moore
Peacock
Wilkin
Ellis
Burgess

Morley
Carvell
Crabtree
Roby/Eastmond [I think Eastmond could make a good Impact hooker, but again, it's throwing a young player in an untried position against the best]

Gone for sheer power and size on the bench too.

Power & Experience up front

Youth & Enthusiasm in the back.

Australia are going to have to have a very bad day to lose to us.

Smith
Briscoe
Ellis
Shenton
Hall
Mcguire
Myler
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Burgess
Wilkin
Sinfield

Eastmond
Tomkins
Carvell
Morley


Smith at full back - good player who has at least played full back before and should offer a great deal more than anonymous shaun briscoe.
Ellis at centre for this match to cope with Inglis. He can go back to SR for kiwi game.
Eastmond to alternate with Roby.
Tomkins to come on at the 50 min mark.
2 big forwards on the bench.

Eastmond
Briscoe Smith Shenton Hall
Tomkins Myler
Peacock Roby Graham
Ellis Burgess
Sinfield

Wilkin
Crabtree
Morley
Westwood

Can England keep it to 40 points next week?

I think that's a good call. I would only change either Eastmond or Tomkins to miss out and have another forward on the bench

Depends if Australia turn up themselves. We'll probably be able to tell tomorrow. If the Kiwis take a hammering, times that by 2 and that's at least what we will lose by.

All this tinkering with the team when the real weak link in the set-up is the coach. How he kept his job after the complete debacle of last year, every bit of which led back to him, is completely beyond me.

Just for comparison, what is the aussie side likely to be? (And don't say better, bigger, fitter etc )

Best team would be:

Smith
Briscoe
Shenton
Eastmond
Hall
McGuire
Tomkins
Morley
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess
Sinfield

Graham
Carvell
Wilkin
Westwood

Better, bigger, fit....oh, sorry!

Look, I think Eastmond could be a handy player, but playing him at fullback against Australia would be tragic for the kid.

He is small and not a regular fullback. Australia would be bombing him all night and with the likes of Morris, Hodges, Iglis, Slater and the like jumping over him.....don't do it to the kid!

I want him getting the ball in his hands a bit more. I'd probably bring him off the bench and go with two dummy halves in a similar way that South Sydney have done in the past with Wing and Luke.

He needs to cement ONE position though for the sake of his career. Wish he'd get to Australia....


After watching the French game.....there are so many problems, it doesnt really matter who you select.



And Smith, my god....

The coaches job is to prepare his team for a game. He is terrible at that.

Im suprised people are still putting Shenton in their line ups, he looked out of depth against France last night, let alone against the Aussies and Kiwis.

S.Briscoe
Smith
Shenton
Eastmond
Hall
McGuire
Myler
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess
Sinfield

Tomkins
Morley
Crabtree
Westwood