And that is the problem in the UK, since the A team folded there is no longer a pathway through for emerging players to cut their teeth, they are put straight into the 1st team and its a case of sink or swim, and if they only just tread water we are ready to slag them off because they are'nt cutting it, we should be looking at better pathways to break in future emerging players.

Widdop had 2 years in the Acadamy (U1icon_cool.gif at Melbourne Storm, 2 years at U20 Toyota Cup and was voted Player of the Year at fullback and named in the U20 Dream Team of the Year, 1 year NSW Cup playing fullback and stand off and also picked for the NSW Residents, State of Origin Team at stand off, was stand off of the year in the NSW Dream Team of the Year.
He made is debut during the last year playing centre in place of Greg Inglis, then played two further games at fullback and centre. And then we all know about his debut against France.

I,m not trying to big up Widdop in anyway, but am trying to highlight the probable reasons for what seems as an earlier than normal call up than that of a Uk based player, the different pathways he has received in Oz as opposed to the pathways that are on offer in the UK to other emerging players are far greater. The Storm have nurtured him through their feeder teams, as they have done with many other players in the past, (Ingliss, Slater, Smith, Cronk, Hoffman, D Johnson, Blair, Lima, etc, etc, all Internationals) before releasing him into fulltime 1st grade,
he will move into the 1st grade team next year at stand off.

So as far as the question of experiance goes, he has had quiet a good pathway to be considered for the England squad, he has already played against many of the players that you will see in the Aus/NZ Squad so mentally you could say he is more prepared than most debutants, physically, only time will tell. If infact Steve is getting a team together for the World Cup, then I think he should allow more of the younger emerging international players to tour irrelevant of wether we win or lose, they will gain valuable experiance playing against some of the best players in the World, I'm not saying fill the whole team, but take some of the names thrown up above instaed of bringing back some of the old guard.

Going off thread a bit here but I have listed below the pathway's that most NRL players go through beforte reaching grade.

Harold Matthews U16
SG Ball U18
Bundaberg Red Cup Open Age (Feeder Teams)
NSW Cup Open Age (Feeder Teams) Qld Cup Open Age (Feeder Teams)
Toyota Cup U20 (2nd Grade)

Then NRL 1st Grade.

Also you have the Arrive Alive National School Boy Comp (U1icon_cool.gif and the National School Boys Chamionships (U1icon_cool.gif that the Junior Kangaroos are picked from.

All the above are good standards of Rugby League and are heavily supported by the NRL.

There is not anything like the same pathways in the UK?

THE END

One of the issues I have with this England squad is Widdop. Picking him is like being at Primary school when all the boys in the class get twitchy about all the girls who are in a huddle in the corner of the room or playground whispering and looking over. The boys' tactic is then to grab the smallest, most effeminate boy who spends all his time with the girls and grip him until he tells them what the girls have been saying.

Did you ever say anything?

Most players are better defensively than McGuire but Burrows defence cant be questioned.

He wont be in the squad because he isnt good enough not because his defence is weak.

The problem is we can just about scrape a competitive 13 but after that the squad struggles. Aussies have far more strength in depth and it always depends on which kiwi team turns up to how good or bad they're going to be. The lack of strength in depth in our league of top class English players is evident when the same players get picked time after time with no recognised replacements behind them. Aussies could pick nearly 3 players for each position and would still be competitive. Can't be said the same for us.

But Macca's inability to coach top class players and in some cases ruin potential in players is a worry. We were never consistently good against the aussies as GB so how in gods name do we think we can do it as England?