S.Briscoe
Smith
T.Briscoe
Shenton
Hall
Sinfield
Tompkins
Peacock
Roby
Morley
Burgess
Wilkin
Ellis

Eastmond
Carvell
Graham
Crabtree

Smith
Hall
Ellis
Shenton
Briscoe
Mcguire
Tomkins
Peacock
Roby (Id rather Diskin or even Newton if possible, they are much more suited to the type of gameplan we should be trying to play than Roby, who is still a very good player)
Graham
Westwood
Burgess
Sinfield

Eastmond
Carvell
Morley
Crabtree

I know Ellis isnt a centre, but i would only start him there, swap Roby for Eastmond 20 minutes in who can then play in the centre position, but basically as a 2nd stand off at that side of the pitch, Bring Sinfield to hooker Ellis to 2nd row and Burgess to loose

Big impact off that bench as well,

Most important thing, tell Sinfield he is in charge, he bosses the attacking play completely, Tomkins, Mcguire and Eastmond can all do their individual little bits, Eastmond can run all over, Tomkins throw his little steps, Mcguire short kicks, support play etc, but Sinfield calls the sets, Sinfield leads the forwards around and he dictates the tempo

S.Briscoe
Fox
T.Briscoe
Eastmond
Hall

Sinfield
Tomkins

Morley
Moore (I would like to see Diskin in there)
Graham

Ellis
Peacock
Wilkin

Myler
Burgess
Carvell
Crabtree

I'm a real fan of Sean Briscoe and he tried his heart out on Saturday but I thought he looked slow bringing the ball back and didn't present an attacking threat… Smith's decision making at centre defence was poor but I think he needs to be in the side

I think we have also seen that Peacock is not a second row now due to a lack of defensive mobility, I still think he has something to offer the team at prop and bring Carvell in alongside the go forward that Crabtree and Burgess showed in the second half on Saturday (I think Morey needs a rest too)

Burgess and Ellis look world class at Second row - let's play our two young half backs and back them to bring some cockiness into the side and give Sinfield the authority to boss the team

Finally, Roby is not a starting hooker so without any other options, I would bring back Moore to start who I thought was unlucky to miss out on Saturday

I would pack the bench with forwards against the Kiwi's knowing we can shift Sinfield into the half's and make adjustments if injuries demand

For me

Smith
T Briscoe
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
Tomkins
Myler
Peacock
Moore
Graham
Burgess
Ellis
Sinfield

Crabtree
Carvell
Westwood
Roby

I would go with:

Smith
T. Briscoe
Ellis
Shenton
Hall
Tomkins
Eastmond
Morley
Moore
Peacock
Burgess
Graham
Sinfield

Carvell
Crabtree
Westwood
Roby

that bench is just way too lightweight

You have some good points there caddo but i cant agree with the highlighted bit when eastmond came on at centre we looked a better team and he showed he can cause some real problems in attack, he acted like an extra half back at times and that seemed to inspire tompkins to up his game too. I agree his size is a concern against the kiwi's though.

you absolutely sure about that? or is it just a massive typo?

Not a bad team part from mguire being the 6, we cant afford to give him another chance against the kiwis after his display against australia, i'd put easmond there if ellis plays in the centres, as he looked really dangerous when he came on and has a very good short kicking game.

we cant afford to not give him another chance. Eastmond did fantastic around the edges, lets keep him there,

Tomkins doesnt have the experience to do much other than the off the cuff stuff at this level, and Sinfield cant be Loose, Hooker, Stand Off and Half for 80 minutes a game,

Put Mcguire at 6/7, give the freedom to Tomkins and Eastmond to play on the periphery as two 6s one on either side and let Sinfield control the middle

Briscoe
Fox
Briscoe
Shenton
Hall
Eastmond
Tomkins
Morley
Roby
Peacock
Burgess
Ellis
Sinfield

Carvell
Graham
Crabtree
Westwood

or

Briscoe
Briscoe
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
Myler/Tomkins
Myler/Tomkins
Morley
Roby
Peacock
Burgess
Ellis
Sinfield

Carvell
Graham
Crabtree
Westwood

For me, it should be either of those.

I agree that we are in quite a whole in terms of half backs, but at the end of the day as you yourself have said his last two games have been poor, whereas tompkins and eastmond have played better than him.

I have concerns about playing eastmond against the big kiwi backs so i dont think centre is where we should play him, i also think that such a potent attacking player is wasted not playing for 80 mins. For me he looks like he will do a better job in the halfs than mguire, and pinning our hopes on mguire suddenly upping his game after two poor performances would be the wrong choice against the world champions.

the point is was trying to make was that neither Eastmond nor Tomkins did much work as actual halves, the good things both did were running on the fringes, we cant expect Sinfield to be both half backs, hooker and loose

Mcguire also means we have our utility in the backs and also allows us to move Ellis into 2nd row,

and im not sure the player Eastmond is now is best as an 80 minute player

K Eastmond
T Clubb
C Bridge
M Shenton
R Hall
S Tomkins
R Myler
J Graham
K Sinfield
J Peacock
B Westwood
G Ellis
S Burgess

J Roby
G Carvell
A Morley
E Crabtree

In fairness eastmond hasnt been given the chance in the halfs but has been at times acting more like a half than mguire. So far everything we have seen of eastmond at this level has suggested he can hack it in the halfs while mguire has been poor in the last two games which at this level should mean you are dropped if there is a replacement available and in form, which eastmond is.