Would this England team have gone any better?

1. Tomkins
2. Hall
3. Gleeson
4. Shenton
5. Smith
6. McGuire
7. Eastmond
8. Peacock
9. Sinfield
10. Graham
11. Ellis
12. Burgess
13. Westwood

14. Morley
15. Roby
16. O'Loughlin
17. Crabtree

One thing that was blatantly clear yesterday was the inability of anyone in the England side to push the team around the park. Roby is many things, a starting hooker will never be one of them - he can create impact around the ruck, but he does not put the ball into the hands of the forwards quickly & accurately enough to warrant a place on the field in the first twenty minutes. The Aussies were cam & composed even when England made 70 metres driving from the kick off from Burgess' try. They took their chances when presnted and were clinical in execution, regardless of assistance or otherwise from the ref.

Injuries affected England's opportunity to be competitive in this tournament - there are players on that tour who are nowhere near international level. One thing they have all shown in two tests though which has been lacking in recent years is spirit, they can't be faulted for the effort they put in even though their ability was lacking...

Which is a point i made before the tournament started on the England thread along with England lacking a tactical kicker.

The Aussies are use to executing plays under pressure for 80 minutes a game week after week. In Super League top teams and top players probably play under that pressure for 50 minutes of a game 4 or 5 times a year.

There is nothing wrong with the natural talent of young English players (I bet the series with the Aussie Schoolboys next month is close) however top players have it too easy for far too many games a year. Sally C has been harping on about reducing Super League to ten teams and that would certainly help address this situation. Beyond that for me the RFL should consider centrally contracting a certain number of players in their early twenties and finding them contracts in the NRL.

just my twopenneth

Biased reffing....not really. they were 50/50 calls, so they were ALWAYS going to be given (benefit of the doubt etc), forward pass tries happen EVERY game, let's not delude orselves

Great Britain/England....come on...who's currently been playing for Wales/Scotland/Ireland, in their watered down 4 nations, that could seriously be picked if Great Britain currently existed...NO-ONE.

Our backs are just good Super League players-they are NOT test match quality

We currently don't have a kicking game in open play (either attacking the opponents line, or clearing from our own half) ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASING

Gareth Ellis....the Emperer's New Clothes at international level. Has he ever carried forward his Super League/NRL form to Test Matches?

Yet another test match we've played in the last 15 years, where a loose forward has played at stand off, and it's not worked. How many more times.

In 2 years time, Morley will have retired and Peacock's international career will be nearing an end....who will replace them?

Worrying times ahead, I feel, for England Rugby League. The World Cup in 3 years time maybe as embarrasing as 2008's

Firstly, who came up with the fixture list for the tournament. Leaving the England v PNG and Australia v Kiwis games to the last round was always almost certain to leave a meaningless games before the final (unless that WAS the intention!)

Secondly I accept that we should play as England when at home, or in World Cups, but surely when playing down under it would be better to play as GB. I am not for one second saying that with his inclusion we would have beaten the Kiwis or the Aussies, but even at this stage in his career Lee Briers would have offered so much more at Stand Off than either Brown or O'Laughin. If nothing else we would have had a kicking game. On that point, have England/GB ever gone into a test series or competition with a worse set of possible halfback combinations?

Thirdly for the international game to be taken at all seriously there has to be neutral officials. I am not for one second suggesting that Archer or the video ref (whose name escapes me) were biased, but when they make seemingly obvious errors in their own sides favour it inevitabley brings their impartiality into question.

And finally, I think TittyLip should have 'legally' knocked Cameron Smith into the middle of next week.

Widdop had to fall on his sword to allow Tomkins to move to fullback, just looked at the stats and Widdop had the most carries from both teams, 17 carries for 95 m, 27 receives and 4 tackle breaks and the 1 dropped bomb (so if dropped bombs and knock ons are the basis of being dropped we are going to be short handed this week against PNG!!!!), IMO not bad stats in anyones books, (Politics would not allow Widdop to displace Tomkins), Robinson had to be brought in because Tomkins showed nothing at 7 against the Kiwis. IMO Tomkins will not do anything at fullback at this level, he got rag dolled at fullback like he has at times this year at Wigan, and his positional play in defence against the Aussies was very poor as he did not read the plays well. Looking at the player stats Widdop has about 2 stone on Tomkins and it shows when you look at the contact, one thing with Widdop when you watch him play is he nearly always finds his front for a quicker play the ball and Tomkins ends up in an heap.
Tomkins is a great illusive player in broken play, but broken play is not commonly found in International league and he was found out at the weekend. I would have Tomkins at 6 where he will find a little more space to use his jinking style and pace, Robinson at 7 where he plays best and leave Widdop out the back where he belongs. The outside backs just need to learn about line speed off our own line in defence and learn to run correct lines off the halves.

What do we think the team will be this week? Because the mix against the Aussies was all wrong.