Ian Laybourn who usually knows what he's talking about says the 17 will have Smith for Williams and McGillvary for Burgess.

If Smith is in I will tear up my ticket & pack in RL. He's not even good enough for the Wigan team.

Try to keep calm TT. Tear up your ticket at the end of the match and re-assess the other bit when we know the result.

I called it straight after Saturdays defeat, So predictable. Harsh on Gale, who probably should have started the series on form and now when it is glaringly obvious to all he should come in, McNamara selects a guy who has been average at best this year.Shows his attention is far away from SL at this current time and he needs moving on after this series

The thing most clearly lacking last week was any form of attacking flair and creativity. Smith is probably the most conservative and risk averse half back in the league. It makes no absolutely no sense to pick him.

The only performance McNamara has seen this season was the grand final, where Smith was so ineffective that Tony Clubb had to take over the kicking duties.

This series has me questioning whether McNamara is trying to get sacked on purpose. He probably feels like he can't walk away from the job, but if he gets sacked he can fully focus on his training cone duties in Sydney.

Said at the time McNamara was a terrible appointment and still stand by that. Should be sacked after this series, England are so dull and boring to watch.

I can't defend McNamara anymore. If we win the Series it will be because of poor NZ performances and despite McNamara not because of him.

His selections make no sense and his stubbornness in this series has seriously affected the team.
He was obviously dead-set on Tomkins at full back, regardless of his form or even his physical condition. He's now dead set on Bateman at centre when it's obvious it's not working and frankly wasn't a clever choice in the first place. He was dead set on having Smith regardless of his form. He's also obviously dead set on a very conservative game plan.
What exactly do the likes of Gale and Cudjoe have to do to get in the team?.

It's a stupidly chosen 19 but from it I'd have to go with:
1. Hardaker
2. McGilvary
3. Watkins
4. Bateman
5. Hall
6. Smith
7. Widdop
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Hill
11. Farrell
12. Ferres
13. O'Loughlin

14. Hodgson
15. Burgess
16. Cooper
17. Whitehead

If I had a choice I wouldn't have Bateman at centre. I'd have him at second row in place of Whitehead. But the coach has bizarrely dropped Cudjoe from the 19. I'd also rather have Gale in for Smith, but again, bizarrely, the coach has chosen Smith over Gale.

What England really need is the impetus that Tony Clubb's adventurous, daring and creative kicking game brings to the occasion.

I was just about to write the same thing.

Widdop will probably keep his place but we're desperate for him to produce something. He's been ordinary so far this series and is playing with little control. I thought he'd form a balanced pairing with Williams but they've both looked like they want the other to take the lead.

Smith has been bang average for us this year but he should (hopefully) bring a bit more stability. He'll get earlier ball to his outside and if his kicking is on it could be useful. The weather is forecast to be horrendous on Saturday and he's produced some very strong displays in wet conditions in the past.

I really don't think the game being played at the DW is a good enough reason to go with Williams and Smith as a starting pair.

Williams has had a good year but he's not yet that good a player that you just accommodate his disappointing season HB partner in the hope that it makes Williams play better.