I agree - Farrell's best assets are his fitness and his running lines in broken play. He's never run over the top of players - I assume the reason he backs into tackles so often is because he thinks he'll get pushed back. Maybe you don't get quite as much broken play at international level and there's more value placed on players who are bigger, more physical and more likely to rack up some post contact metres.

Have a watch of Frano Botica on Wigan tv Legends night. He was asked who had impressed him most whilst he had been at Wigan this week.

Regardless of what people think might happen, my original statement is still correct. Faz hasn't had a fair crack at the international scene.

He's had a handful of caps in meaningless games. There's no way anyone can say if he'd be a success or not.

What is undeniable, is that he's been consistently successful for well over a decade.

Who were the second rowers for Penrith on Saturday?
Totally non existent.
Big daft n zero brains. A typical Aussie forward. I’d exclude Yeo from that bunch.
I’d take Farrell in a heartbeat before either of them.
Penrith the world’s best ever team were bereft of any rugby on Saturday. I don’t give a flying shoite about early season rugby for the amount of possession they had they were pretty useless. I’d put Cleary at the top of list on Saturday for being pretty useless. Has never had a half decent game in the UK. Maybe he’s so arrogant he couldn’t be d or maybe he just isn’t that good. He’s never done it over here so maybe he’s the Aussie version of Farrell internationally.
There go

Martin had an excellent game, he is a quality player.

I fully agree with your assessment Jon.

What did he do better than Farrell?

Nothing. None of the Aussie forwards were better than Farrell on the night.

Overall agree with John but I also agree that he maybe should have been given more of a shot at international level, but his time has passed now and I think the teams selected now have to have an eye on the future generation and world cup(s)

While I’m in the camp of saying Faz has been robbed of a good international career and he would’ve been a fine player in that environment (used properly-80 mins every game and not 15/20 mins here and there, as he only ever got), I do think his time has gone. Guys like KPP, Walters, Batchelor, Nicholson, Nsemba etc are the ones I expect to take it forward, alongside John Bateman over the next few years. A couple are ready now and a couple I expect to get to that level in time.

The England backrow looks in good shape for the future. I think we need a couple of top class front rowers to come through as I don't see too many on the horizon of the same calibre of Graham, Walmsley, Hill and the Burgess family.

The elephant in the room with the English national side is how it will work when the tackle height rule changes next year.

There are loads of young props who could make the step. The issue they have is that they’re not getting the chance to build their reputations in games against Australia or New Zealand, so it’s difficult to know if they’re up to it. If 2 or 3 of those can step up and develop to that top level, I think we look pretty well set. The backline from 1-7 looks as good as I can remember for a long time.

The elephant in the room comment I agree with. Any good work could be undone as we won’t be playing the same sport anymore.