He hasn't played SO for over 3 years and has been head and shoulders the best player in SL during that time. Hardaker has got good footwork but you lose any creativity from FB by putting him there. Sam at fullback is effectively playing as a deep-lying SO anyway and would get his hands on the ball more if the attacking structures were set up correctly and the half backs were capable of playing to them.

Widdop is a genuine SO, and plays there week in week out for one of the top NRL teams. If he was partnered with a genuine no. 7 we'd have a shot. Based on this season's form it would be Widdop at 6 with Brough at 7 (with Matty Smith as back up) though I've mentioned elsewhere it seems McNamara made up his mind that Sinfield and Chase were going to be his half backs 2 years ago.

I'm afraid Widdop, Chase, Roby, McIlorum, Burrow, O'Loughlin et al are going to have to adapt their game to suit the demands of Sinfield and which position and role he wishes to occupy at any given time during the world cup.

That's the deal which was struck 12 months ago when McNamara offered Sinfield the skippering gig alongside unconditional selection in the England team.

Is the world's best player up to the task for England?

We shall have to wait and see.

I don’t know what tickled me more, England losing to Italy or the Aussie squad preferring to go watch Man Utd!

If ever the England team required spurring on, then the fact their next opponents chose to watch a football game instead should be enough.

But maybe I’m too old school, coming from an era when players played for the badge, rather than a bonus wedge of cash at the end of the season, with an all expenses trip to South Africa thrown in.

I don’t blame the coach, it’s the size of the league, the paltry Salary Cap, etc, etc, blah blah, blah.

"Back in t'day, it were a lot betta."

Amazingly the supposedly full time 'super dupe league' team lost against one of the supposedly worse teams in the comp..

Going to be accused of favoritism but its crap when a full time side after a ridiculous pointless training camp thousands of miles away cant produce the goods, An RFL funded trip that everyone is happy to partake in, when we are playing in British weather but then we are content to cut one of the premier comp for our lower league teams and academy teams that will see our best junior talent develop .....joke ,joke ,joke

Quote ="Wellsy13"If someone makes a solid statement, I'd expect them to have something to back it up. I'" We live in an age full of plebs who want scientific data and evidence to back every single little thing up. Oh I'm sure mcnamara had 'something' to justify the jolly. Some minutia sports science data. It increases your v02 max by 0.02% and increases your 1 rep max by 3% or whatever. In the real world, using common sense, spending 2 weeks running drills in summer weather, only to come back to the cold and damp and have just over a week in the actual conditions you will be playing in, is just dumb. I suggest you read this article: www.leaguefreak.com/englands-att ... sful-5982/ I think it 90% spot on.

Quote ="Wellsy13"If someone makes a solid statement, I'd expect them to have something to back it up. I'" We live in an age full of plebs who want scientific data and evidence to back every single little thing up. Oh I'm sure mcnamara had 'something' to justify the jolly. Some minutia sports science data. It increases your v02 max by 0.02% and increases your 1 rep max by 3% or whatever. In the real world, using common sense, spending 2 weeks running drills in summer weather, only to come back to the cold and damp and have just over a week in the actual conditions you will be playing in, is just dumb. I suggest you read this article: www.leaguefreak.com/englands-att ... sful-5982/ I think it 90% spot on.

I do have to agree with the South African thing being a bad idea. I thought so even before they went. If we were heading onto a WC in Australia then ok, but not back home.

Possibly take them to Ireland or France instead for example. That way you get the 'team time together' and you could try to potentially drum up more interest and PR in those countries for the competition whilst based there.

All that rose tinted glasses malarkey makes me laugh. If you read any autobiography from 10+ years ago yes there was pride and passion (as there is today) but there were a hell of a lot more shenanigans off the pitch compared to the professional approach taken today.

There was nothing professional about the attitude of our players yesterday. For your mind not to be focused on the job in hand is unforgivable... And, they'll have no excuses next weekend...

Next weekend they'll get thumped by Australia... what a surprise!

Then the majority of members of this board will have to decide which team to support for the rest of the tournament.

I would say that the majority will get behind New Zealand, who look like the real deal.

A minority, like myself, will be backing France .... or, Fiji, or Tonga or Italy.

SackNamara?

Would Saints, Wigan, Warrington, Leeds or Huddersfield have lost to Italy?

If I had to hazard a guess at a weak link in the England set up, it would rhyme with Banana.

I don't think we can. If only he was called Frank.

Copacabana is the best I can do. I'm sure someone with more imagination can come up with some amusing song lyrics.

Diana?

Do you work for the Daily Express?

I blame Hull KR

Research "relevant contextual interference" part of Psychomotor learning for sport, which is a sport science

Im pretty confident that an England international is used to passing in the rain. Im pretty sure if you are from England and play RL, you can pass in the rain. International players will have grown up playing for amateur sides who played and trained in the English winter. If anything I would expect that passing in the dry would be a more alien concept. Regardless, if they haven’t learned by now how to pass in the rain despite decades of experience, its probably not worth trying to learn 2 weeks before the world cup.

Its probably better to get away from distractions, spend some time building up team unity and trust, doing some fitness work and running some drills. You might want to go somewhere were the weather is predictable and isn’t going to affect your carefully planned build up, where the players can get together and spend time together removed from their usual environment. You might even think ahead and go somewhere on a similar time-zone so that you can minimise the effects of flying.

Almost certainly.
Half of those teams would not beat the bottom half of the teams in the NRL.

Leave Steve alone! Could you forge a team unit out of players that spend the rest of te year bashing the hell out of each other? No you couldn't ! It freaking difficult. This guy got Bradford to within 80 minutes of the challenge cup final where they lost to Saints the eventual cup winners! He got bradford to within 80 mins of the grand final where they lost to hull the eventual finalists! Can you say that? No!

He's had so much to put up with an his team only got back from South Africa last week! Anyway Italy are good they have players like minnichello and lefranchi! They're coached by a guy that played in superleague! Is it any wonder we lost?

Just get behind Steve and the team they don't need people like you! I bet you claim to support England but then talk about the coach like this! LEAVE STEVE ALONE!

I blame the manufacturer of the ball for England's poor performance against Italy on Saturday. Oh, and the rain too.

Who do I complain to?

The manufacturers of Steeden or Rhino?

As so predictable we have an OTT thread.

It was a meaningless friendly that the lads should have taken more seriously, but didn't.

People banging on at how if will effect the great tournament momentum, well if it stops you from buying a ticket then more fool you.

How many times in RL do we see sides put in a very mediocre performance one week then the very next look a completely different side? Particularly ones captained by Kevin Sinfield!

I'm not saying England will turn up and stream roll Australia but they will be a completely different side, still may get beat but thats more to do with how good Australia are.

The lads have eff'd up and they know it, now lets get behind them and help to make this weekend pretty special.

Im guessing we will hear positive spin from coach, captain and various players on the run up to Saturday.

For 15 minutes we may edge it, rip into the tackles , even edge in front on the scoreboard (Ryan Hall try from a Sinfield kick) then the Aussies will go through the gears.

Australia by 14.

Hope I am wrong mind..

This sentence perfectly sums up the current state of English Rugby League.



How was it a meaningless game? It was the last game before one of the most important tournaments in recent years and the players should have been 100% switched on for it.

Would the other nations we are ranked among have taken it so lightly or would they have gone out there and shown no mercy whatsoever and trounced Italy by plenty?

Sounds close to the mark.