They're far more skillful. If they had the same fitness programs that the current side have then they would destroy them.

I think we are lacking genuinely world class players at the moment in key positions. We probably have 2-3 that would make a World top 25 players list compared 6-7 in the early 90's. Need more top RU converts, allow any club making a profit be able to sign any Home Nations International RU player salary cap exempt. Would bolster the GB squad (please bring GB back!) and bring some fresh talent into RL. Reality is with the number of kids we have playing the game and the development structures we have the cream at the top is always going to be a very thin lair.

I think it's partly rose tinted glasses, while people remember the days of Gary Schofield and Martin Offiah being great, lets not forget that in the later 90's Paul Atcheson was once the GB starting full back. Richard Horne was once a GB winger, Karle Hammond a Standoff.

I think with players like Tomkins, Hall, Burgess, Graham, Ellis, Roby, Reed & Widdop, with some really good young players coming through we're going in the right direction.

One must remember we're not pinching 4-5 of Union's best players anymore. It's rather disturbing how dependent our sport was on such a small core, but influential bunch of converts. Makes you think we never as a sport truly produced enough quality players.

are we i hope you are right lets hope so it does get

waiting for a team England or G Britain to beat the Aussies

our problem at the elite level is and always will be not having the depth of talent. We can put a 17 out of our very best all in form and fit we can be in with a shot. but if we have to rely on the 2nd best players in positions we are stuffed. This is the big difference with both NZ and Oz being able to call on 2-3 very top quality players in most positions. As usual we will once again have a pack to match them in the next WC but our backs will be sadly lacking. Hence why I would have gone out last year and let clubs sign RU backs!

Why would any union player want to come to a sport that can't pay him near what he will be getting from union? or get any value from image rights. In the past the few that did come made the choice to get a paid & set up thier family, mostly working class Welsh lads.

That's why I'd let the profitable clubs splash some cash, If Leeds or Wigan want to spend 250k bringing a world class halfback or centre or wing from RU to League then let them! We all benefit if it helps England win the WC or GB win the Ashes, if the RFL ever see sense and bring back GB v Oz!

In a sport which has just 5 countries with a professional team (Aus, NZ, Eng, Wales, France) it makes absolutely no sense to put two of them together.

Playing Wales isn't ideal but it's far better than playing nobody.

Another bring back GB thread?

Like I've said many many times, what's the point of eliminating 3 RL nations for what is essentially the same team if they're all separate? Makes no sense. It won't make us stronger. It won't make a difference. Time to move forwards, not backwards.

Exactly. If we have a full strength World Cup squad we have just as good a squad as NZ & OZ, but injuries cripple us, whereas Australia have players like Ben Barba who is only 3rd choice full-back for Queensland!

For what its worth, heres my potential England World Cup squad:


1. Sam Tomkins
2. Josh Charnley
3. Jack Reed
4. Ryan Atkins
5. Ryan Hall
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Danny Brough
8. Adrian Morley
9. James Roby ©
10. James Graham
11. Gareth Hock
12. Gareth Ellis
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Jonny Lomax (impact)
15. Kevin Sinfield (utility)
16. Lee Mossop
17. Sam Burgess

Squad members.

18. Tom Briscoe (wing cover)
19. Leroy Cudjoe ( cover)
20. Mike Mcllorum (hooker cover)
21. Rob Burrow (hooker/halves cover)
22. Jon Wilkin (utility)
23. Ben Westwood (forward cover)
24. Eorl Crabtree
25. Garreth Carvell

A good mix of youth, experience, with both specialist and utility value there I think.
I don't agree with Brough or Mcllorum playing for England, but they are the rules so ho hum.
Lomax, Mossop & Mcllorum will be a year older and wiser too.
Morley would be great to have around camp even though he wouldn't feature in every game.

Hopefully players like Stefan Ratchford & Kallum Watkins will have a great 2013 and will be making strong cases for a test shirt too.

England need a world class number 7.

Love your patriotism bu you are kidding yourself if you think our starting 17 are close to the Kangaroos. And for most of those positions we are not talking a little bit better, we are talking massively superior.

I certainly would n`t be starting with Morley, fantastic player that he`s been its time he followed Peacocks lead.

Nevermind England or Great Britain it should be a case of you pick your nation and you are stuck with it for the rest of your career.

Some of us are realists and recognise that the biggest thing to watch at international level is a three match GB v Aus test series, Wales are not an RL playing nation, they have one semi professional side and have to make do with dubious Welsh connections to fill a side. Expansion on the scale the RFL want will never happen, we will NEVER see a SL with teams from Edinburgh, Coventry, Birmingham or wherever else they might want it to be played, because the locals (apart from a fe hundred converts) don't want it.

South Wales Scorpions or North Wales Crusaders?
The biggest thing to watch at international level doesn't include the world champions? Really? Like it or not, and it sounds like you really don't, expansion is happening. Spreading the game gives us, be it England or GB, a bigger talent pool to choose from and surely that can only be a good thing. We don't need Coventry, Birmingham or Northampton in Super League but we do need people playing the game in those areas along with Cumbria, London etc.

Wow. Just wow.

Realist? Or pessimist?

Realist. In the next 10 years SL will not have a successful new club, they may have had one or two try, but they will not last.

Going on historical evidence you would have to say he is right! Sad as it is. Best hope is another Southern France club joining Sl where at leastthey have a fanbase to amke a go of it. Can anyone think of anywhere outside our heartlands that has the capacity to attract 8k crowds on a regular basis? Even historic clubs with strong fanbases and corproate links can't independently financially survive at the moment.

Agreed, a 'marquee player' system should be brought in. Would let teams with a bit of cash like Wigan, Wire, Widnes and Leeds spend a bit. Would improve the profile of the game and even the clubs that can't afford it should be able to spend above the salary cap for one player, but only in the season after posting a profit.

At the same time Australia and New Zealand have been winning trophies with dubious connections for years.

pick your england 34 man squad and england captain. sorry if im wrong but dont kno if its 32 or 34 man squad.

1. S.tomkins
2 R.Hall
3 Atkins
4 Reed
5 T.Briscoe
6 Widdop
7 Brough
8 Graham
9 Roby
10 Crabtree
11 Westwood
12 Ellis
13 S.Burgess
14 Burrows
15 Broughton
16 carvell
17 cudjoe
18 Lomax
19 Charnley
20 Harrison
21 R.Bailey
22 Jones buchanon
23 Mossop
24 chase
25 henderson
26 patrick
27 Tickle
28 riley
29 Ratchford
30 mcclorum
31 goulding
32 hock
33 smith
34 o loughlin

captain would be roby or burgess

I think if Watkins plays consistently till the world cup, he will be first choice centre.