That's the key point, in my view. By the time Whitehead gets a run out, it's as sub half-way through a vital game when he hasn't played for over a month. And while Hardaker may be a daft lad, I've not seen any suggestion that he's been unprofessional on this tour. I think his exclusion is the biggest criticism of McNamara's judgement in my view. From an opposing fan's view, Hardaker was the single player at another club who caused the greatest rise in blood pressure when he got the ball. In the second half today when the defensive lines were getting straggly, Hardaker's running would have been devastating. Tomkins just didn't offer the same threat from fullback, and only someone who was defaulting to a "NRL over SL" position couldn't see that. If Tomkins had to be included for his undoubted talent, then the place to include him was either off the bench, or in the halves to inject some unpredictability into our rather pedestrian attack.

By the way, I was not one of those who criticised Sarginson's inclusion : he's a very good player, and has established himself as the first choice England centre in this competition. It's Watkins who should be looking over his shoulder after some seriously lacklustre performances.

Yes he's entirely to blame for not selecting a player that has chosen to play for Scotland.

In fact worse than that - because Brough islets be honest totally overrated hence he doesn't play for one of the big clubs - it's his fault why didn't he pick Daley Cherry Evans? He should have picked him he's actually good and he chose to play for another country as well.

Brough was forced out of the England camp, you can ignore what's obvious all you like!

when he was first put in charge i thought it was a joke and he must have been the cheapest option, but we should be thanking him for making England RL respectable again. I have read a comment on a forum saying "when did England players stop playing like England players" also the pundits in Australia are taking us a lot more serious.

But if i agree we may need somebody to take us to the next level but i wouldn't hire somebody new just for the sake of it, i also won't slate him on the way out.

He wasn't picked and took his bat and ball home.

He's also behind te half backs picked anway. Played great against Wales and Ireland but it's not running with the big dogs is it.

His form hasn't been great this season from what I've seen either.

You beleive that if you want, ignorance is bliss I suppose!

Not going over old ground but Brough was (and still is INHO) England's best half back. He was best player in league in 2013 and England would have been better with him in the side. He won Albert Goldthorpe medal so can't have been that bad.

Anyway back on topic.

While we have improved as a side, a lot of that is due to having far superior players to what we have previously had. Yes we have improved but we have also missed some opportunities as well. First game in WC against a team who hadn't played for two month. Lost.

Semi final in which we were in a winning position. McNamara kept a tired prop and had an unused sub. Lost.

Weak Australia team. Lost.

we NEED to move on.

Your comment smacks of the problems that beset International RL in this country.

If you dont play for a big club you should not get picked therefore the pool of England players only comes from
Wigan leeds Wire and Saints.

They are the only big clubs who have won anything of note over the last five years.

Conversley if you play for a big club you must be good so you should get in.

That is why we had Charnely and Tomkins playing because they play for Wigan so they must be good.

If you play in the NRL you must be good hence Widdop.

Too often we pick players who have looked good in good teams against poor opposition.

You need to look at players who can work together.

My comment about Brough was not about now.

FWIW he is probably on the wane and is not the future for England RL He should have been picked a couple of years ago when he was at his peak.

Every single tournament McNamara has picked wrong players.

He has been tactically naaive in games.

For those who say we are getting closer to Australia and NZ that is because we have got players who are getting us closer to them.

A couple of years ago we had Peacock and Graham but not the quality in depth we have now in respect of props etc.

The players that are available now are good enough to give any team a good game.

It is up to the coach to get that extra 10 % that gets the team over the winning line.
McNamara cannot do it.

I was against McNamara from the begining. His record at Bradford was enough, His record at England is dire.

Despite being full time and basing himself in Australia we are not really any better.

Many players pick themselves for internationals. The coach picks the others and works out how to use them it is this bit where we are going wrong.
NZ threw more offloads in this game than England have in the tournament yet we have probably an equal if not better front 4 than any other team.

That is tactics.

Just because we lost a couple of games by close scores is no indication we are getting better.

Despite the defeats that's the best England have played in a tournament down under. A fair video ref decision and a thinner post and we would be undefeated. Mcnamara to stay.

Only just started? He has been in the job four and a half years! And in that time managed just one win in seven against The Aussies and Kiwis. Every coach has a shelf life and he has reached his with this England side i'm afraid.

It's certainly embarrassing that our National coach is only just "good enough" to be an assistant in Australia.
That in itself shows how poor our coach is, regardless of recent results but, the million dollar question is, who would
want to take the job on.
Back when Tony Smith was in charge, the job was supposed to be a full time role and yet, both he and McNamara have been
operated as part time coaches.

Maybe, we should have a full time National Coach and with The RFL now being very profitable, perhaps we should splash some cash ?

Not sure getting rid of mcnamara is the way to go, i can see progress in the England team now, despite the defeats we arent far off and its a young squad that needs to continue the good work thats been done.

a few dodgy selections though i must admit!

i think if we dont win the next tournament which is in 2015 with the NZ team coming over then he has to go then yes but not yet i dont think

I think McNamara is a very good Manager ( someone that can pull everything together for the squad ) but I don't think he's a decent Coach at all.
Surprised he got the job in the first place.

He should've walked the minute he picked a Kiwi and an Aussie ahead of our own (and they still did jack all).