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

Its not just his preperation though. He overlooks the centre who has been head and shoulders above everyone else in Keith Senior, because hes looking to the future, but then includes Lee Smith!!!

The guy is a fcking idiot

Who else could do a better job - Karl Harrison - that well known handyman who really did make difference at Salford!!!!

It is not about the coach it is about lack of quality players - our back line is a joke - their are teams in the NRL with better backlines than ours

sinfield's only possible benefit to the side is his kicking. his kicking last night was gash. if he plays again smith is somehow a bigger tool than i thought.

moore didn't offer enough to start over roby and if roby can do 80 then he has to go. some of his passing from acting half was head high.

we need 3 big lads on the bench thats for sure its our strongest area.

no idea what to do about fullback, briscoe's honest enough but seemingly doesn't give enough going forward at this level.

shenton and smith did they make a break or slip a pass all night?

the half backs were relatively anonymous, tomkins should start but wont

Smith
briscoe
shenton
ellis
hall
tompkins
eastmond
graham
roby
Morley
peacock
burgess
sinfield

Westwood
crabtree
carvell
mcguire

You are right, more than half of them.

Are you kidding, not as an impact replacement, Crabtree is one of the best impact subs in SL. And for starters i class Westwood as a 2nd rower and Crabtree as a prop, and we need 2 big props coming off the bench against the Aussies and Kiwis. To have Roby, Graham, Eastmond and Crabtree coming off the bench would provide great impact.

England CANNOT put a team out that will beat the Aussies!!!

As the current systems in Europe are unlikely to change then the situation will continue.