Potentially a huge loss. If and when there are injuries his ability at FB or centre could be greatly missed. In fact, if Hardaker had had to be called upon in an hour of need I think he would have stregthened the first team. Now we would definitely see a weakening should we have an injury at FB or centre.

Whatever the reason I hope it's not too serious. Ryan Atkins rubbed McNamara up the wrong way & he's not had a look in since.

prob been out on the lash again or spit his dummy out after not being selected for saturdays game.

as for the fullback options if tomkins gets injured could we call up ratchford?

Widdop or possibly Watkins would go to fullback

No replacements allowed mate

Got it in one!! Weds night on the ale got in to a scrap then returned to camp on thursday
Sporting a shiner!
Got told this on sat morning then 2 days later its anounced hes left for personal reasons. Strange coincidence? I think not!

What if he's been released from the england squad for personal reasons?

Personal issues could be ANYTHING. That's what i'm saying.

A shiner seems to me to be a very personal issue.

I'd say that's down to Atkins and not McNamara.

But if it's a genuine personal issue why do need the full details?

the trouble is after the way the graham and co episode was handled people are going speculate.RL craves exposure but the england coach wants 10 second interviews with no searching questions the guy needs to lighten up.

Simples, the England statement should have read something along the lines of.

Zak Hardaker has decided to withdraw from the England squad for personal issues. This is NOT disciplinary issues. The England camp request Zak be given privacy during this time.

It's really not rocket science, i mean who is Englands PR guy, Mcnamara? I just think the statements England have release do no one any furthers. If Hardaker has been on the pop AGAIN, he should be named and shamed. Mcnamara fields a couple of questions, he looks like a man in charge and we move on. Two weeks now this has been going on. If he hasn't been on the pop again (which i'll be honest looks unlikely) then they have just exposed him to endless speculation.

Also i think Mcnamara owes Tanya Arnold an apology as he basically accused her of lying and making stuff up, and then acted like a child when interviewed post game,

Spot on

The RL journos are, by and large, clueless idiots who do not deserve the time of day. There are some honourable exceptions.

But do you [ireally [/i think if McNamara had given another of the usual tedious RL press conferences that would have ended in any sort of exposure whatsoever? That's the paradox I don't get: journos will get more column inches from him walking out than they would ever get from him actually answering the questions. I can understand them wanting answers but I can't understand the "oh, we all want to get pieces printed and not answering won't help" line.