You were doing so Well up until that point!

Interesting selection with pryce at Centre and not a bad one for me, maybe he would need a bit of time there to get acustomed but not bad.

Hock would be in there instead of Langley and maybe Fox for Hall????

Theres nothing to Langley, he is a whopper of a bloke but he doesn't crunch them nor does he break the line or is he a ball player or offloader. Very avergae IMO

I think Fox is a Very Strong Player, not the tallest but very strong and Pacey.

Always looks like there's a break in him when he returns it or goes up the middle.

Ellis in 2nd row with O'Loughlin at loose.

Hock/Lynch/Morley on Bench with Roby for great impact from the Bench

Maybe start with a different hooker (Terry N but it won't happen so maybe Diskin??? for me which I will explain later!)

No Langley for me, Not enough aggression in his game which leads me to the T Newton argument.

After experiencing the "Welcome" we get Down Under for the World Cup for me I would go with the most Physical/Aggressive team we can go for especially in the Pack!

They don't give us nothing down there, We shouldn't give me anything In our own back yard.

They should play with our refs and like it or lump it!

Knock Sh1te out of them, and any ref who sends a Brit player off should NEVER ref in this country again!

briscoe
fox
atkins
shenton
hall
mcguire
myler
peacock
roby
graham
sam burgess
oloughlin
westerman

moz
lynch
jjb
pryce

Yeah Fox definatley has some pace, but you know the Aussies, they kick for Folau in the corner, poor Foxy wouldn't be able to defend against him. Ryan Hall has a lot more physical presence about him and he's a bloody hard working player aswell, he doesnt make many errors and safe on defence and regularly busts tackles and makes breaks.

It doesn't really matter where you play Gareth Ellis does it, you know youre going to gfet 100% out of him, I just thing we should be starting the game with our most dangerous forwards, for me they are, Burgess, Hock and Ellis, that's why I've gone for them as the back three.

I dont agree with you about an interchange hooker, I don't think we need one because it's well within Roby's capabilities to do 80 mins effectivley as is Terry Newton, I just think JR is more mobile, having 2 hookers in the side just take up a bench spot that could be used for a versatile hardworking backrower, Ive never been a fan of interchange hookers.

Hey, I'm totally with you mate, the only way we will beat the Aussies is by physically dominating them and playing a smart basic game plan. All there players are to used to grinding the opposition down and you can't throw the ball about against them because they just get up in your face and smash you leading to errors. You can't let them bully you out of the game, because if you do they'll just run riot.

The backs are easily the worst we've had since the early 80s.... mind you I'm surprised we haven't had the likes of Billinge Lump and McLennan on this thread telling us how Sooper Dooper things are...

Yes you want aggression in the pack, but speed is more important as you saw in the World Cup - we had a big pack but too slow at the play the ball and tired out too fast.

We need agile forwards who can not only break the line, but support and tackle hard for more than 25 minutes each.

Look at our pack with: Peacock, Hock, Graham, Morley etc.
There's little speed compared with the Aussies like Watmough.

Speed and Strength in the forwards, skill and speed in the backs.

Briscoe
Fox
Gleeson
L.Smith
Hall
S Tomkins
Burrow

LMS
Roby
Peacock
JJB
Ellis
Sinfield

BENCH: Morley, Hock, O'Loughlin, Wild

I'd imagine the squad for the France game will be experimental in comparison to the side that plays in the quad nations. If i had to choose both sides today i'd go-

France Test-

Briscoe
Fox
Atkins
Shenton
Hall
McGuire
Myler
Carvell
Moore
Lynch
Clough
Wild
Westerman

subs
L Burgess
LMS
Clubb
S Tomkins

Quad nations

Briscoe
Fox
Gleeson
Shenton
Hall
Pryce
Myler
Graham
Roby
Morley
Peacock
Ellis
O'Loughlin

subs
S Burgess
Carvell
Hock
Burrow

Pryce has been the best 6 in the competition for a number of years now, he also showed in the one game he had with a somewhere near creative 7 (Long against Aus in the Tri Nations the other year) that he can play 6 at International level.

Alas, now Long has packed in there doesn't appear to be a 7 worthy of the name currently in the running for being picked for England, hopefully a number of those kids that seem to be coming through currently will be able to step up in the near future.

For me Burrow, McGuire and Pryce should really all be vying for 1 shirt next to a more creative half, as all are basically runners. Do we give Myler another go? I think it's far too early for Sam Tomkins to be considered at this level, he needs to cement his place in the Wigan side first.

I've put Pryce and Myler down on my team there but it's too early to say.

I said on your site the other week i could see Pryces days as an international 6 being over because i really do feel that Smith will prefare McGuire.

At this moment in time though it should be-

6-Pryce
7-Myler

and they should be given time as a pair to make things work.

Agreed.

I have a horrible feeling we'll go with Burrow and McGuire though, a half back combination that doesn't work for Leeds without Sinfield doing all their kicking and he shouldn't be anywhere near the squad.

Burrow has been quiet this season and wasn't too impressive for England in the world cup.

Due to our overall lack of strengh he'd still get a place in my 17 but only as back up hooker to give Roby a rest.

It's a real worry when you compare Burrows game to Dobsons. I'd say Dobson is the best 7 in the league at the minute yet he couldn't get a regular game in the NRL. He can pass, kick and organise better then our supposed best 7(or the man that got picked there for the world cup anway) and has just as good a running game and seems to score more trys!

Thats poor.