Thats just with the players that have been called up so far R Kid.

No drama's R Kid.

Sweet R Kid.

Eastmond at centre?

It's a possibility

Hope not, he's a half back, so if he plays it's in the halves.

Plus I reckon the Aussies would muder him in the air from kicks, with Folau, Hodges, Inglis or Hayne.

I'll plump for:

1 Shaun Briscoe
2 Ryan Hall
3 Martin Gleeson
4 Kyle Eastmond
5 Leon Pryce
6 Danny McGuire
7 Sam Tomkins
8 James Graham
9 Scott Moore
10 Jamie Peacock (C)
11 Sean O'Loughlin
12 Gareth Ellis
13 Kevin Sinfield (K)

14 Sam Burgess
15 Gareth Carvell
16 Adrian Morley
17 James Roby

I'm loathe to pick Sinfield because I don't think much of him as a general player, but we really are short on kicking options without him so I suppose he may be a neccessary evil, hopefully having the familiar Leeds combo of McGuire and Burrow in the halves might help him play a bit better.

I think the Eastmond and Pryce combo might work pretty well, if they go to the air Pryce is a tall bloke so he should fair reasonably well, plus Eastmond might be able to trouble them when we attack, making room for Pryce who is strong and fast. I still think we'll get battered like

I'd go with :


Briscoe
Hall
Atkins
Eastmond
Fox
McGuire
Myler
Graham
Moore
Peacock
Ellis
Wild
O'Loughlin

Morley
Burgess
Roby
Westwood

LMS
Tomkins
Wilkin
Gilmour
Crabtree
Carvell

In my opinion this is the team that should be playing for England!

1. S Briscoe - HKR
2. R Atkins - Wakefield (T Briscoe - Hull)
3. M Shenton - Castleford
4. M Gleeson - Wigan
5. R Hall - Leeds
6. L Pryce - Sts
7. D Brough - Wakefield
8. A Morley - Warrington
9. M Diskin - Leeds
10. J Peacock - Leeds
11. G Ellis - West Tigers
12. S Burgess - Bradford
13. S O'Loughlin - Wigan

14. J Roby - Sts
15. E Crabtree - Huddersfield
16. G Carvel - Warrington
17. J Graham - Sts

Unfortunately we won't get to see this side complete, I know we've lost a couple of players through injury (Atkins) but there have also been a number of omissions from the train on squad which just baffle me.

I can't believe that where going to select Rob Burrow again but the only alternative seems to be Richie Myler who won't have played a competitive game for about 3 1/2 months.

Only grumble i'd have with that would be 3 props on the bench, plus Graham is best used starting, not for impact.

I'd agree with most of that, but would play moore instead of diskin as he hasnt been as good as moore this season.

It was a finely balanced decision between Scott Moore and Matt Diskin, what swayed me toward Diskin was his quiet achievements in the shadow of Danny Buderus and his big game experience. Scott Moore started the season in exceptional form but then began to wane and actually lost his starting place at Huddersfield even before his antics in London with Mickey Rourke.

I've gone for three prop forwards on the bench because that's where we can win the games. By any stretch of the imagination we are not going to compete with Australia's three-quarter line and full-back.

Despite the delusional rantings of certain posters, England do have potentially the best pack of forwards in the world and that is where we can win games.

I would play such a ferocious forward game for the full 80 minutes that neither Australia or New Zealand would cope. Gaining such ascendancy in the pack will deny Australia's halfbacks the platform from which to utilise their three-quarter line.

What we must have then is a halfback pairing that contain a number of things:
A scrum-half who can boss the English pack and dictate play, who has the highest quality kicking game available and who does not need to be hidden out wide in the defensive line finally someone who will not be intimidated or daunted by the opposition.
Place the halfback next to a running stand-off who is used to playing alongside a dominant scrum-half.

Let our three-quarter line be defensively solid yet capable of taking advantage of the opportunities arise.

A solid full-back who returns the ball well and supports the ball carrier when breaks are made.

I'd send out my forwards warning them that should they submit to any tackle or begin to lose ferocity in defence they will be replaced.

It might not be sexy and at times I would ensure it became brutal!

eusa_clap.gif

If there are any tactics that might give us a slight chance to beat the Aussies, they are some of them.

We have State Of Origin.

We play Trans Tasman Tests.

Both our nations players compete in the most brutal 6 month sporting competition on the planet bar none.


You think you can bash these people out of a game?



Try it....

I think England can exercise such dominance in the pack so as to render Australia's halfback combination impotent!

No one is talking about illegal tactics, just the old truism that halfbacks can't play behind a beaten pack.

If Australias a halfbacks can't play than the three-quarter line gets starved of quality possession and field position.

Maybe it will work or maybe it won't!

Its going on 40 years now.

Do you think maybe you have tried this before...and failed.



As I said, with what Aus and NZ test stars see on a weekly basis in the NRL, not to mention State Of Origin, you best, toughest and meanest game will be run of the mill stuff.

Not only will they out muscle you, they will then beat you with skill, ability, athleticism and of course, shear brilliance.

maybe and maybe not!

1 S. Briscoe
2 Fox
3 Bridge
4 Shenton
5 T. Briscoe
6 Tomkins
7 Myler

8 Morley
9 Moore
10 Crabtree
11 Ellis
12 Burgess
13 O'Loughlin

14 Higham
15 Westwood
16 McCarthy Scarsbrook
17 Carvell

18 Sykes
19 Ratchford
20 Clubb
21 Tickle
22 Harrison

no Peacock?

Leeds centre Keith Senior is prepared to answer a call from England coach Tony Smith for the Gillette Four Nations series

[urlhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/09/10/06/RUGBYL_England_Nightlead.html[/url

Sam Tomkins and Sean O'Loughlin called up from Wigan.

[urlhttp://www.wiganwarriors.com/news_full.asp?newsid=5206[/url

personally i think tony smith will find it hard not to recall keef senior and pair him with leeds wing partner ryan hall.....ideally i would'nt but like i said i don't think smith will be able resist.....also lee smith,thank good for that,it's cleared up a major worry for me,lee smith is the closest thing with have to a "australian-type" FB...


so...

1. lee smith
2. tony clubb (i think)
3. leon pryce
4. keith senior
5. ryan hall
6. danny mcguire
7. rob burrow/myler or eastmond
8. adrian morley
9. scott moore
10. jamie peacock
11. gareth ellis
12. sam burgess
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. james roby
15. james graham
16. gareth carvell
17. LMS (defo against france,not sure against aus & NZ?)

Tony Clubb is a very good shout and I think he would do well at international level. He has a bit of dog about him and would'nt be overawed by the opposition.

he's a bloody big lad too...

No Graham or Peacock ?

You really rate Crabtree & Carvell over Graham ?