rlEngland team for Saturdayrl

Not a bad team imo.

I agree that it doesn't look like a bad side. But I really think that we are going to have to lift our intensity to have any chance at all.

Bridge?? am I alone in thinking that he'd be nowhere near the England team, if the coach was anyone other than his club coach?

I have to agree with you here. I was really hoping that the old club bias was a thing of the past once Noble was no longer in charge.

RL groundhog day???

I have to disagree about it looking a strong team, I think it's the weakest British/English team I've seen for 27 years. Let's not get carried away with the second half performance against Australia because it was obvious they completely took their foot off the gas last week.

For me England have a lack of quality, depth and experience in the backs. It’s a sorry state of affairs when Bridge a half-back (not the quickest) is asked to play centre and is partnering another centre Shenton who looks out of form and not ready for the step up to International rugby.
There are weak links running right through, take Briscoe who imo wouldn’t have even made previous squads in the past let alone start at Fullback. Then there is Fox who makes more errors than any player in SL and two young inexperienced half-backs (less than 60 Superleague appearances between them, that includes several interchange appearances) that wouldn’t have got a sniff in years gone by at this early stage of their careers.

The forwards look OK on paper but the pack really lacks speed. Should Peacock ‘a prop’ be playing in the second row? . Other than Roby who’s nothing more than an impact player (He can't pass and he's not as effective from dummy half as he used to be) and Ellis there’s no pace in the starting pack. I suppose Westwood and Burgess will help in that department when they come on but it could be all over by then.

I don’t blame Tony Smith he can only pick from what he’s got but I fear if New Zealand play at the level they played against Australia it could be very embarrassing. I don’t get any satisfaction from writing this but I’m just being a realist, I really hope all the lads play the game of their lives and prove me very wrong but I just can’t see it.

I think Tony Smith is an intelligent bloke and he will have no expectations of winning this tournament. He will view it as nothing more than a way of blooding some youngsters for the future.

No its shows up the lack of quality English backs. The fact is we do not have one centre who could perform in the NRL. Look at Keith Senior who has been prolific for Leeds for the past ten or so years and then gets owned by the Aussies at the end of every season. Bridge is not international class but we have not got many options. Kirk Yeaman and Shenton are solid players and Chev Walker and Karl Pryce initially emerged with potential and have the physique to make an explosive impact however they have been a real let down, particularly Pryce.

I honestly believe that about 8-9 players in England 17 would struggle to get a regular game if they were with an NRL club.

There are a lot of average players playing in the NRL. Granted that the top end players are far better than most of those in SL but I believe that most of the players in the England squad could get into some teams over there.

A point perfectly illustrated by Ryan Tandy playing in an NRL grand final and Jordan Tansey getting a starting berth.

I was referring to players struggling to get a regular game. Despite playing for Ireland Ryan Tandy is an Australian that made about 6 appearances this year for Melbourne. Jordan Tansey made a total of 7 appearances for the Roosters this year despite being signed as a top young English talent from the Superleague champions?

I don't think you can use these players as examples because neither played enough games. I am not saying these 8-9 English players wouldn't get a game in the NRL . . . i'm saying they would struggle to hold down a first choice spot because the standard of rugby and competition for places is so much higher.

For England to be a force we would need about 17 players that would walk into most NRL teams and let's face it we don't have enough players that would.

Take it you didn't see the GB team with McAvoy in it then?!