Salford half-back Stefan Ratchford was the surprise inclusion when England coach Tony Smith announced the first batch of players for his Four Nations train-on squad.

[urlhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/09/09/17/RUGBYL_England.html[/url

Rob Burrow....

Ill wait and see what the squad is.

Even the frogs could win by 20 against that lot

New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney today ruled eight players out of his squad for the Gillette Four Nations series.

Melbourne forward Sika Manu, already out with an ankle injury, has been joined on the sidelines by South Sydney prop Roy Asotasi, Newcastle back rower Zeb Taia, Wests Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki and the New Zealand Warriors quartet of Simon Mannering, Sam Rapira, Jerome Ropati and Manu Vatuvei.

[urlhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/09/09/17/RUGBYL_New_Zealand.html[/url

Briscoe
Fox
Gleeson
Shenton
Hall
S Tomkins
Burrow
Morley
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook
O'Loughlin

S Burgess
Graham
S Moore
Wild

1. S Briscoe
2. P Fox
3. M Gleeson
4. R Atkins/M Shenton
5. R Hall
6. D McGuire
7. R Burrow
8. J Graham
9. S Moore
10. J Peacock
11. S Burgess
12. G Ellis
13. K Sinfield
14. J Roby
15. A Morley
16. E Crabtree
17. JJB/Wilkin/Wild
I'd expect the likes of Myler, Tomkins/Ratchford to play against France but Burrow and McGuire to play against the Aussies and Kiwi's.

Oooooh, Jarryd Hayne.

Four Nations presentation video.

[urlhttp://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12780_5564358,00.html[/url

Sh*t, that's some blow. Starting to wonder if rookie, Daniel Vidot, may snag a squad spot. If I recall correctly, they blooded Inu after one first-grade match, mostly based on his Premier League performancs.

The final Kiwi squad will be interesting.

Vidot deserves a spot more than Luke Covell, he's been lucky to keep his place in a shocking Sharks team this year so how he gets in the NZ squad is beyond me.

As it stands ATM, I would pick

Pryce
Raynor
Senior
Shenton
Hall
McGuire
Brough - Goalkicker
Graham
Moore
Morley
Ellis
Peacock - Capt
Burgess

Fa'savalu
Carvell
Roby
JJB

I would go for the biggest pack availale as I feel this would give us the best chance to compete with NZ/AUS.

One thing that stands out for me when picking this team is how short we are on quality centres and wingers. I really didnt want to put Senior in there as he has come up short on many occasions against the aussies but the fact i sthat this season he has been the best british centre by a mile, and all the other ritish wingers mentioned would just get murdered when returning the ball from the backfield.

Also only picked pryce at 1 as if we are playing with Burgess at 13 we need a 3rd pivot, a role which any of the Briscoes, Wellens, Blaymire etc wouldn't be able to do.