@loverugbyleague: Widdop in as Chase dropped from England squad

Strange decision. I guess its for disciplinary reasons otherwise why waste game time with Chase at half back when Widdop and Sinfield couldve been developing combinations for the Semi Final.

What a mess. Widdop on hiding to nothing after only 54 minutes game time. Good luck to the lad though.
Rangi Chase would have been a target from the Kiwis and he would have taken some stick both verbally and physically. Three years in the planning has come down to this, no pressure then! I will be there, looking forward to my £5.00 hot dog.

can't believe it really. Massive call - it'll mean and entire change in attacking structure. Widdop and Chase are polarised in their styles of play

Fantastic news !!!!

He should never have been allowed to soil the England shirt in the first place.

Never mind looking for a reason why he was dropped, can anyone out there
justify playing him on his performances so far ?

Jack, I would say the same about Kevin Sinfield, good club man but not a club scrum half, either, and has a distinct lack of pace for the position he has been given at ~International level.

Yes totally agree with everything you say.

I'd have Chase over Sinfield anyday. A half-back that has a bit of flair and can produce some magic and a half-back that seems to spend most of his time being anonymous 'til he kicks a ball. If Chase contributes to this country, lives here, loves it like his own then it's a none issue for me as to whether he can play for England if he has pride in the shirt.

I wouldn´t have either in the side. They are not international standard.

Sinfield has been England's best overall player of the series so far & lots of fans need to understand what his role is, because he has been consistently good at it! England would be a much poorer side without him & I am unsure what the guy has to do!

Now, the man that has been the poorest starting player for England so far is supposed to be the superstar... go figure!

Widdop should have been used from the off; throwing him in against the Kiwis with so little game time under his belt puts the lad in a no-win situation.

Personally, I wouldn't have Chase in the squad at all; nationality issues aside, he's a flim-flam artist who looked good at Cas, but looks like a headless chicken everywhere else.

I would have had Widdop in from the start. Not in place of Chase but in place of Sinfield.
Sinfield is not a half back, he should be loose like he has been playing all year for Leeds. No idea why McNamara can't see this, why have someone playing all year in one position and then swap him for the world cup!

Widdop and Chase half backs with Sinfield at loose I think is our best option.

Regards to Rangi, apparently both he and McIlorum have been sent home from the squad for disciplinary reasons, not sure how tru this is but you know what the rumour mill is like!
Also could be something to do with Rangi joining Twitter this week and tweeting what could be regarded as racist comments. He should have stuck to his guns of not being on social media if this is the reason!

I'll never forgive Macnamara for not getting Brough on side. The best coaches usually have the man management side of things sorted. I'm sure Brough can be a difficult character but plenty of other coaches manage to get the best out of him. Brough and Widdup for me. It might not have worked but I don't recall it being given a chance.

Agreed Spanish hamster, to not call up brough is a shocking decision.