Not a vintage showing by any means, but could we really expect it in a friendly? The ref was particularly disappointing and the French were always going to use spoiling tactics.

Most of the chat on other forums is around the halves. In defence of Sinny, despite wearing 6 he isn't a traditional stand off so wont be as effective as some with ball in hand. His defence however is exceptional, allowing the scrum half much more freedom. Chase (how did get mom!?!) made the most of this but didnt look at all settled. Maybe all the stick he has received has got to him? I personally dont have a problem with him playing for England. Other nations have chosen non nationals for years. Would there have been such a scandal if Reed had opted for Australia despite being born in Keighley?

My biggest concern was the left. Yeaman went reasonably well, but Briscoe is way out of his depth. Good going forward but defensively poor - the Aussies will do to him what they did last time!

Thought the pack looked strong, but neither JJB or Wilkin did enough to warrant further selection IMO

I'd go with

Tomkins - as long as he isn't carrying an injury
Hall
Reed
Ablett
Yeaman
Widdop
Chase
Graham
Roby - the real mom!
Peacock
Ellis
Westwood
Sinfield

Heighington
Bailey
Morley
McGuire

One to delete from Skyplus!

How did the Kiwi get MOM????

The Kiwi got mom because all the jounos who think it is O.K. to have a foreigner playing for England needed to try and justify their opinion. Roby for me was mom

Not the best game I've seen.

On the subject of Chase, France's second try was entirely due to him being asleep.

...also why did they have Brazilian International Footballers officiating the game?

Not the best game to watch tbh.

This.



I watched about 10/15 minutes of the game in different stages and it was poop.

The best bit was Eddie Wighead ranting at the end about the French's organising skills and getting into a lovers tiff with Phil 'rugby gods' Cluuuuurke.

I missed the national anthem, what happened?

After a minute or so of silence with the two teams lined up, the French anthem finally kicked in over the PA system. Once this was over, there was a "minutes applause" for Jean-Philippe Baile's (?) late father. In reality it was about 20 seconds, followed by another period of silence while both sets of players foolishly thought the England anthem was to be played. Eventually the English gave up and went into a huddle. The anthem then began to play, but they turned it off after 2-3 seconds, and the players went to their positions to recieve kick off.

Did anyone hear Eddie or Stevo mention the French band?

I'd stick with the same team assuming Tomkins is fit. Sinfield seemed ok at 6 and Chase was ok overall at 7. I think the biggest problem was scoring straight away since the England players would have been thinking of another 50 or so points were going to come and started trying to be too ambitious.
The ref was embarrassing. In both appearance and performance.

You are absolutely correct.

Are you serious Yeaman on the wing! He's an out and out centre and also Briscoe out of his depth in defence. Briscoes defence is better than most wingers in the league and is arguably England best winger. It's good to see that you didn't mention Halls defence which wasn't any better than Briscoes. Especially when the French centre ran rings around him from the restart and still didn't manage to tackle him the second opportunity he got.

Totally agree

What happened last time Briscoe faced the Aussies? Subbed at half time as he was completely out of his depth. Haven't seen anything to make me think that wont happen gain tbh, and we cant afford to carry a winger on the bench just in case. Hall is not the complete package by any means, but has big match experience and enough prescence to not be intimidated. Measuring him on a friendly against France is hardly comparable to a test match against Australia.

Hall made 0 tackles in the Grand Final, and missed one.

Just saying.

And that tells us what??

He can't tackle.

Tells me Saints didn't go down his side of the field! I would have a wild guess and would think Saints thought he wasn't a weak link!!
Just saying

Interesting that you cite Briscoe's dreadful performance the last time he faced the Aussies in this country when he was subbed as a reason for his non-inclusion, yet you include McGuire in your squad despite his last performance against the Aussies in the very same game when he was dreadful and also subbed?

Briscoe missed 5 tackles and made 1 ineffective tackle in that game before being subbed.

McGuire missed 5 tackles and made 2 ineffective tackles in that game before being subbed.

Can we really afford to be carrying a halfback like McGuire on the bench just in case?

Hall's performance on the wing the last time he faced the Aussies in the 4N Final at Elland Road in 2009 is not one he'll care to remember too fondly either.

Not really Keith, no. But given Burrow & Lomax are injured, he's the best we have.

I take it now the dust has settled on Leeds' record breaking season (as you spectacularly failed to predict) you've returned to your 'I hate everything Leeds' ways. You'll learn........

Just watched match, did mot see last night.

Though halfs were the only positive of the display. Chase was quite easily the best player on the pitch, don't know what people are watching dissagreeing with that.

Dropping Briscoe would be sheer stupidity, he is the best winger available to us currently.

I would go with pretty much the same team, but drop wilkin and jjb off the bench, wo look too light.

McGuire has been utter rubbish and out of his depth on the international stage for the best part of a decade. How many more chances are you prepared to allow him, whilst condemning Briscoe to the international wilderness on the basis of just a few international performances early in his career?

Even if McGuire was a semi-competent halfback at international level (which he isn't even that), it's an absurd suggestion to be wasting a bench spot by selecting him there.

Your attempt to derail the thread by changing the subject in order to avoid defending your inconsistent application of a players poor international form guide against Australia is duly noted.

The only tweak i'd make is widdop to 6 and sinfield to 13.

Otherwise a decent display against a highly otivated france team. The first try never was and then the last 2 the team had clocked off. With a bit more concentration they'd have nilled them.

Mcguire hasn't even been playing international RL for a decade. Didn't he make his debut in 2004? I can't remember all his appearances, but let's look at this.

In 2004, he did well. He came on late against the aussies in the first game, and then showed up very well in the 3 games (which gb won well) before being left on the bench in the final.

He missed the 2005 tri nation IIRC.

In 2006 he played when they narrowly lost the first game to the kiwis. He missed the win over australia then came back to play the kiwis when the whole team was completly smashed in wellington. He played the final game against australia when i seem to remember he scored a try, playing with richard horne whom to my knowledge he's never played with before, or since in the halfback positions.

In 2007 Gb won a series against the kiwis but it was burrow and pryce at halfback. If mcguire played it was a cameo role at best and hardly much opportunity.

The 2008 world cup, we all know what happened there. It's hard to remember team selections and performances throughout the tournament, but in the most important game I do remember a class performance from mcguire in the final game against the kiwis, where both teams were playing to make the final.

In 2009 mcguire was poor. That's the first time you could say that in his international career.

In 2010 he was injured.

Then we arrive at 2011 and yet to be decided. I hardly think 1 or 2 poor performances in 2009 equate to ''[iutter rubbish and out of his depth on the international stage for the best part of a decade. ''[/i

You think you know everything Keith (jeff) but sometimes your opinions are just plain bullsh*t.

The bench looked light - that was a shock.

Needs beefing up, no doubt.