Pat Richards is a freak though. He's a monster of a man.

Today proved locky is not a 6 he's a loose or second row

We already knew that: problem is we don't have any international class half-backs, apart from Sam.

Big Ben.

Was on at the end too

Also like Kyle they may be on the treatment table.

he's not really though, he's just a big back, Australia is full of them, check out Lote Tiquiri (sp) and Morris, huge compared to somebody like Goulding or Briscoe. If Lote/Pat/Morris were born and played their junior rugby in England, they'd all be playing second row right now

But the poster I was responding to didn't mention this season; just said there are no other international halfbacks. This season, sure. Injuries. But per se? No. There is Kyle and others too, both known and potentials for the future.

I don't think we need to worry about halfbacks as much as we do centres, wingers and fullbacks.

Hopefully if Sam is to play fullback for you next season he will improve as he gets into the position as he was exposed today for his inexperience. I don't blame him for that. But if he can't make it at fullback then hopefully your coach will return him to halfback and develop his game there as in conjunction with Kyle when both of them have another season of experience behind them we should have a very useful international halfback pairing that will hopefully grow and take control over time.

It could be that Sam plays 6 for us next year alongside Finch at 7.
Roberts could be full back as it will be difficult to give him the 2 shirt and drop Goulding out of the 13.
If Sam did get a season at 6 it still would not solve the h/b problem. Sam would be the running h/b and Finch the play maker. Ideally for Intls Kyle would be 7 but he a running back also. We don't appear to have any English play maker 7s anymore bar Deacon and he isn't going to be in the Intl squad.

Whichever combination we chose for h/b from SamT, Eastmond, McGuire or maybe even Pryce none are play makers. The only one I can think of is Sinfield who can and does play 6 for Leeds when required.
The only other two are Briers and Brough and they won't be let within a 100 miles of the England Intl squad.

And that is exactly the kind of approach which results in us having so few international standard players in the backlineRoberts could be full back '"

Well yeah, but he wasn't there - the point being Lockers was our best option available. Poor squad selection, even allowing for the limited choices due to injuries, as was pointed out when the squad was announced.

I note the predicted Lockers bashing on various threads, some of it from Wigan fans who should know better.

Personally I'd have thought the shocking 3/4 line - the worst to play for England since the early 80s - would be the focus of the post-match inquest (along with the poor decisions from the officials - the Ozzies may have the best players but their officials actually make ours look good), but instead people are going out of their way to blame a player who was asked to play out of position. Typical.

I'm starting to wonder how much of Kyle we're actually going to see. Is he going to be injured on and off like this right the way through until he goes to RU?

To avoid disappointment, it might be an idea to start planning for life after Kyle right now.

I fear you may be right. Desperately hoping he's got the injuries out of his system now, but have a funny feeling we'll only get half a season out of him again next year.

Real shame if so.

I agree. And I do think we missed him Down Under, but sadly, I think we'd have needed a couple more like him for it to make a major difference.