It shows just how far English RL is from the big guns of Australia and New Zealand when this bloke looks to be our first choice no 7 Down Under. He's a slightly above average player.

This bloke was totally anonymous in the Grand Final for starters.

I doubt our cousins from Aussie land will be quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing him.

Nice to see such a positive attitude before the start of the tournament.

I like Smith, especially if you're going to play (or use him to play) a structured game. He'd go quite well alongside another more off the cuff half.

I also don't think he'll be first choice. I think we'll play Tomkins and Widdop at 6 and 7.

Neither should England be quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing the ego that is Cherry-Evans, but hey.

He's a St Helens bottler. Reminded me of Paul Loughlin with those goal kicks.

I know, how on earth they have neglected Luke Gale is just beyond me.

I think he's fairly limited as a player and needs a solid structure to play in. Wigan certainly gives him that so will be good to see how he goes for England.

Hope he does well tho.

Smith was as ineffective in Saturdays Grand Final as he was playing for us against the Pies at Old Trafford in 2010.

To be fair, when was the last time we had any half back who would cause the Aussies any concern??..... Andy Gregory and Shaun Edwards are probably the last two.

Quite simply, we have been a mile behind the Aussies in the backs for years - Only in the pack do we give them any sort of contest and that is where our only chance lies in international games.

Pray for a bit of wet weather and drag them into a forward tussle.

Smith is much improved and has probably be our best player this year but I still have a few doubts at the very highest level. We suit his game as much as he suits ours. We're a perfect match but I'm not sure England will play with the structure or the share of possession that we do. Without that I can see him being bagged by a good portion of our support and unlike Sinfield he won't be backed to the hilt by his coach.

I think he'll start against Samoa but come the Kiwi game we might be looking at Tomkins and Widdop in the halves with Hardaker at fullback.

The Aussies never 'quaked' about Edwards or even Gregory to be fair, but Smith looks desperately ordinary if he's the best halfback around SL.

Its not completely unique to SL though - the Dogs halfbacks are really average and they play for NSW and in two GFs here.

So far as I recall, the most recent encounter didn't go like you suggest it would, and England only lost due to a bizarre last minute combo of dumb penalty and Sinfield rushing out of the line. England would have been worthy winners and no fluke. It wasn't a mudbath and it was more than a good contest. I couldn't give a stuff if it was the backs, the forwards or the tea lady that did it, who cares?

That was NZ, not Australia.

I actually think our outside backs are pretty good at the moment, and can match the Aussies; but we struggle at 6 and 7

Smith is averageness personified. No shortage of effort but lacking in ability. A poor kicker & misses far too many tackles. Kevin Brown is streets ahead of any other English resident HB. Not that there is much better than Smith in England at 7.

I don't think he'll play anyway, I think Tomkins and Widdop will be the halves.
Halves being able to play "off the cuff" is very overrated especially in this country. Having 2 halves that can do the basics well, provide a structure with a good kicking game is more vital than a bit of acceleration and a good side step. I'm not sure Smith is really good in any particular area, but I think he'd be a step down from Sinfield was last season.

Moving Tomkins into the halves, and having Hardaker at the back will sure up our defense, and give us a bit more pace on the fringes. Tomkins also has a very good passing range which has developed well over the last few years and he's now a far more rounded player in attack IMO than he was when he first moved to FB.

I cant say i have watched much of Tomkins this year but in his Wigan days i remember his long kicking game being pretty poor. Also, regarding Widdop, having played with both Cronk and Marshall I cant imagine he has been the one tasked with heading up the kicking game for a team (though I may be completely wrong on this, I very rarely manage to catch any NRL matches).
With Smith in the team, although limited in some respects, you are pretty sure to have a strong kicking game. If we are to beat the ozzies then the victory will be centred primarily around the armwrestle in the forwards. Good kicks resulting in good field position are essential if we want to win this particular battle so i would probably give Smith the start if I were in Mcbannas shoes (unless I'm wrong on Widdop and he's a British Xabi Alonso playing the wrong sport).

Pedant.

NZ is a better team anyway.

I think, importantly, neither Cherry-Evans or Cronk are unplayable like Thurston and Lockyer used to be. They are exceptionally good and better than what we have but you can shut them down if you are prepared to commit to it. Whereas Thurston and Lockyer would destroy you no matter how many players you committed to them. NSW have shown that for the last three years at Origin.

Jammer will eat em anyway, so the backs should not have much left to do.

Didn't he get 12 matches the last time he did that?

But he's back to finish the job. Yum Yum....

Australia have never shied away from picking steady but unspectacular halves.I actually think Smith/Widdop promises to be England's most effective (if not necessarily most talented) half back combination for quite a long time.

Who are you thinking about?

Someone like Brett Kimmorley springs to mind. But even Cooper Cronk strikes me as a metronomic, systematic type of half back rather than an explosive or brilliantly inventive individual player. I'm not saying Smith is in Cronk's league, of course - he clearly isn't - but I think he's a similar [itype[/i of player, and a half back who plays a good, structured game won't do England's chances any harm IMO.