Good luck to them on Friday and through the rest of the tournament. Myler is lucky to have held his place, but apart from, the at least understandable, exception of Burgess in the 2nd row, everybody is in their normal position and the team looks to have a decent structure. I can't see what people see in Lee Smith, but if Bridge made the squad and O'loughlin was really being considered for a centre spot that says everything.

Shame for Fox, but this coach clearly doesn't fancy him - at least this time he missed out to two talented young players with real potenial to make an impact at international level in the coming years.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories normally, but I think Tony Smith used the Wales friendly, in very small part and maybe even subconcsciously, to find an opportunity to get Briscoe in ahead of Fox. He obviously rates Briscoe to have picked him for the elite squad when injured and for the train-on squad after only a handful of games back. Club bias aside, Briscoe will be at very least adequate and I hope he does excellently over the next few weeks. [sizeAnd earns a move to Wire[/size

Perfectly acceptable decision, he has lost his form.

Fox needs to show up in big games, something he has yet to do.

He has failed to show up in any game for the last few months. Hopefully he'll take it on board as its the second time in two years he's missed out.

I think he'll come back a better player for it, I like the direction Smith is showing these youngsters in the international set up. You don't perform you won't play simple.

Hopefully it make our national side a lot more hungrier in the future.

Although Tomkins missing out is a bit baffling.

unless you've signed for warrington of course, surely if briscoe has rightly been picked instead of out of form foxy, what happenened with myler getting the nod instead of tompkins?

Yes thats why Sam is playing 6

i see what you did there

Biggest shock for me was Carvell missing out.

but a lot more than myler, and Mcguire has regularly played scrum half when burrow has been injured this year.

I can't for the life of me see how smith can pick myler when his own club wouldn't play him for the last 2 months of the season and tompkins has been pulling up trees, it beggars belief and smacks of self interest.

I wouldn't class scoring a hat trick against Wales as pulling up tree's. For me Tomkins and Maguire doesn't work. Too similar to work together as a half back combination.

I think Smith has done the right thing maybe he should have offered the bench spot to Tomkins instead of Eastmond.

i agree with everything you said except tomkins on the bench, eastmond an cover more positions.

the pulling up trees was more do to with the way he finished the season with Wigan.

Smith doesn't play his halves in first and second receiver, he plays left and right half backs, always has wherever he has coached, so to me there's no reason tompkins and mcguire can't play together. Don't get me wrong I think myler will be a big talent if he continues his development but for a coach who reckons he picks on form how can he justify picking a lad who hasn't played for months?