The fact that Sinfield is seen as one of the best players shows how badly the game is in this country!

That too many on here think a faster halfback is the key to beating Australia and New Zealand is more concerning.
Maybe Sinfield isn't 'World Class' at halfback or even Loose Forward........

But he is a World Class Captain and leader of men, problem is people can't see this in a highlight reel so people can't and don't appreciate it. And they think pace is a more important quality than leadership.

......Sinfield the problem???.......No, your lack of understanding the true qualities of not only a player but of a man, is the problem.

Do people seriously believe that a coach can somehow rev up players to perform at superhuman levels? If that was all that was needed, just bring back Peter Fox or Alex Murphy. They make Wane look like a pussycat.

Sinfield hss already shown he's by far the best British halfback at controlling a team under pressure. That means guiding them around the pitch, not necessarily making killer passes or line breaks every two minutes.

It would be brilliant if we had a player like Thurston, who could do both, but we don't, and going for death or glory merchants is a recipe for disaster against a well-drilled defence. As for 'running' halfbacks - please spare me from such generally useless players.

I've watched most of Widdopp's games for the Storm, and he has real potential, but he has very rarely run the Storm's attack (only in Origin times), never week-in week-out. I'd argue he's very much a work in progress, and it will be brilliant if he develops into the main playmaker at St George.

The real question for me was between Chase and Widdopp. McNamara picked Chse, and has stuck by him. Given how few games England play, halfback was no position to be messing around once the WC started, so I also don't blame McNamara for sticking with Chase (whose defence against Australia BTW was exceptional).

I hope Sinfield retires regardless of the outcome of this WC. To go out a winner would be perfect, but England need to move on regardless.

As for McNamara the coach, I think he's brought a lot of good stuff to the table. He has the benefit of a better squad than Tony Smith was able to put together, but frankly I don't think any coach could do a lot more than he has. Had he succeeded in getting Cherry-Evans to commit to England we'd be in a very different position.

A couple of things there though.
DCE is an Australian, why should he play for England? Does he consider himself Australian or English?
Would he consider going home and playing for Warrington because he is English?
The Rangi Chase, Chris Heighington situation is what makes the game look silly.
It may be fair enough for smaller countries to get heritage players or residency players but the big three?
How big are the big three when you need players built overseas to represent your nation?

Australia have been accused of doing similar but to my knowledge all of the Kangaroos have been players that moved to Oz as kids and took up the game in Australia and went through the Oz Schoolboys ect.

The 2012 Anzac Test not to different to the amount of players born in Oz in the 2008 WC
New Zealand Squad
Josh Hoffman – Mackay, Australia
Jason Nightingale – Sydney, Australia
Shaun Kenny-Dowall – Brisbane, Australia
Simon Mannering – Napier, New Zealand
Manu Vatuvei – Auckland, New Zealand
Benji Marshall – Whakatane, New Zealand
Shaun Johnson – New Zealand
Sam McKendry – Stirling, Australia
Isaac Luke – Hawera, New Zealand
Ben Matulino – Wellington, New Zealand
Frank Pritchard – Darlinghurst, Australia
Adam Blair – Whangarei, New Zealand
Jeremy Smith – Christchurch, New Zealand
Nathan Fien – Mount Isa, Australia
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves – Rotorua, New Zealand
Jesse Bromwich – Auckland, New Zealand
Alex Glenn – Auckland, New Zealand
Gerard Beale – Brisbane, Australia
Jason Taumalolo – Auckland, New Zealand

The other point......

If your standoff does not have pace to break the line and keep a defense uncertain whether he will take them on or pass you take away much of the threat of a pivotal position. The defenders already know what to expect and that is a major negative in a position like standoff its has plenty to do with England GB not winning much in recent times where a Lock was considered a fill in at Standoff, already some have suggested O'Loughlin playing there.

There are a whole host of reasons why we haven't been succesful against Australia in recent times not just the halfback situation.

We have had stand offs who had all the attributes you suggest and still failed against the Aussies.

McGuire a few years ago had pace to burn took on the line and was/is a prolific try scorer, still couldn't match them, blaming it all on the halfbacks is simplistic in the extreme.

I think the inferiority complex is our main problem. Fans don't believe we are good enough and that surely must rub off on the players. Hardly anyone has given us a chance all week, yet I honestly think we can go out there and win.

As our old mate Stevo said two years ago, it is time for less hope and more glory. Come on England!

Which teams do well at the top level with poor halfbacks?

McGuire had pace and a non existent defense he was a turnstyle, unless he could score more than he let in it did not contribute much.
He scored 10 tries in 19 games.
He did ok against NZ, less so against Australia.
He was a player that looked like class in the Super League but not against the best at Test level where he was average.

Erm that's kind of my point, he was the best 6 in SL but fell short against the top international teams.

What makes you think any of the other options in SL at the moment would fair any better than McGuire, as none of them are better than him in his prime.

His defense was fine gor a halfback, if you want a defensive halfback you've got one Sinfield is Englands top tackler in this WC

Widdop at Standoff and Burrow (or other) at Scrum Half

Based on what evidence? They've never played together yet you want them as the starting halfbacks for NZ game? Or do you mean after this WC?

FWIW I think Widdop will make the 6 shirt is own in the future, just warn you, his defense is pretty suspect though!

Widdop no matter what people think on here is not going to suddenly transform England into the worlds best side, as I've said above there's myriad reasons why Aus will keep that title for a fair while.

If we played WIddop and Burrow, or Brough and Widdop, or Chase, or any permutation of those players, id bet a pound to a penny that at this stage of the comp we would be seeing people complaining that we lacked structure and we need someone like Sinfield to lead the team around the park.

Widdop should have been given a full game early in this WC to show his ability.
He is 24 years old, not a nineteen year old kid and plays a key role in one of the best three Club side in the World and has barely been given any opportunity for England in the last three years.
8 games, the first game as a starter and then 7 off the Bench, not been given much chance IMO.

Would Sinfield play standoff for the Storm? not in a million years.

The Halves combination combined with other poor selections and poor Coaching will see England end their campaign this weekend.

The game needs England in the final and preferably winning it.

Brough would have been an organiser and would have given structure to the team.

Are the rest of the Team Sheep and Sinfield the Sheep dog?
Surely at this level the professional teams have several leaders to be on field Generals.
I think Australia have around half a dozen Club Captains in the team, if Thurston went off or Smith or Gallen would the team have no direction?
Sounds poor to me.

Would Sinfield get in the Storm side? Don't know you'd have to ask the coach.

Widdop maybe should have been given more game time but considering he's only just got back from a very serious dislocated hip how do you know he's properly match fit?

The game may need England to win but unfortunately sport doesn't work like that, and you don't know our campaign will end this Saturday and conversely you haven't got the foggiest wether Widdop would have made any difference to England's WC campaign.

You sound as if you actually want England to lose do you can moan.