On form (bar a couple of players who have missed through injury) for me would have to be:

Tomkins
Lineham/Briscoe
Reed
Watkins
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Graham
Roby
L. Burgess
Farrell
Ellis
O'Loughlin

G. Burgess
S. Burgess
Crabtree
Hock

Most of the posts on this thread have Sinfield in the halves and although he is an outstanding player, especially for Leeds, he shouldn't be playing 6 or 7.
The guy just hasn't got enough pace or guile for either of these positions.

We have enough in our three quarters and pack to trouble NZ and Aus. but the selection of our 6 and 7 will be key to doing well in the comp.

if, and we all know it wont happen, the England team is picked on form then cudjoe,ferres,brough and lunt should all be in there.
however that's my club bias because these guys have been immense this season and have shown their rivals up in a lot of games.
but they wont be picked and we know why.

Cudjoe will be in and Ferres should be in but won't start due to our strength there. Lunt is a fantastic player and I wish we still had him at Leeds this year but again, he's no Roby and as an impact hooker, won't have the same influence as Burrow against tiring defences at the end of each half.

Brough I don't think could even bribe his was into a McNamara team. I just don't think he wants to be proven wrong, or at least that's what it seems.

We've got more options then I can remember for a very long time. There's a couple of players I really think could break in to the World Cup team who 6 months back I'd have thought had no chance like George Burgess and Liam Farrell.

If we were playing Australia tomorrow and everyone was fit I'd go-

Lomax
Charnley
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Sinfield
Tomkins
Graham
McIlorum
Crabtree
S Burgess
Westwood
O'Loughlin

Subs
G Burgess
Hill
Hock
Roby

I'd put Tomkins at halfback as I'm not convinced Widdop, Brough, Chase etc are up to the job. I really like Lomax at fullback also and McIlorum is an ideal test match player.

I look at that side and to think players like Briscoe, Ellis, Farrell, Mossop, Hardaker etc aren't in it shows what depth we have developed. In truth though I still expect players lile Wilkin to be picked which will be a scandal.

Brough has to be in the halves. It concerns me that the best halfback in our competition won't get picked because Golden Boy has been made captain. Got a lot of respect for Kev, but no player's selection should ever be guaranteed (especially if he's not the best at the time) and it kind of puts the thought in the back of your mind that he picks up a bit of a knock before the WC to force McNamara to make the selection (which is a horrible thing to think).

I don't understand this obsession that some have with playing Roby off the bench? I think we need an extra forward on the bench. Roby is an 80min hooker, he hasn't played off the bench for a number of years so why do that now? IMO McIlorum isn't good enough for England; Lunt and Houghton are better players because they offer far more.

I think these are possible selections:

FB: Tomkins/Hardaker/Lomax

Wings: Hall/Charnley/Briscoe

Centres: Watkins/Reed/Cudjoe

HB: Widdop/Myler/Sinfield/Brough/Chase/Smith/McGuire

Prop: Graham/S Burgess/G Burgess/Hill/Crabtree/L Burgess/Walmsley (outside chance possibly)

Hooker: Roby/Houghton/Lunt

SR: Farrell/Hock/Westwood/Ferres

LF: O'Loughlin

I'd go:

1. Tomkins
2. Hall
3. Reed
4. Watkins
5. Charnley
6. Widdop
7. Brough
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. S Burgess
11. Farrell
12. Westwood (although I think he hasn't been great this season, so far)
13. O'Loughlin

14. G Burgess
15. Hill
16. Crabtree/Ellis
17. Hock

If they're fit, S+B Burgess, Graham and Ellis can be as good as any Australians. Hock is - literally - a wildcard, who if he could play to his best would be a revelation as well. The only issue I have with some selections is Sam at prop - an absolute waste of a world class second row.

The other wildcard is somehow Tom Burgess coming in and being as good as George - unlikely but still possible. I'd also add that Luke went from being barely in Souths' first team to first choice starting prop last year - he's a handy player, although if someone else was picked ahead of him I wouldn't be too worried.

In the backs our best hope is that our outside backs can hold their own - anyone dreaming that they're likely to dominate Australia is crazy - but hopefully with the likes of Watkins, Hall, Reed, Briscoe we can find a combination that works and at least not get physically flattened..

...which brings us to 1, 6, 7 and 9.

...the only certainty would be Tomkins, and whilst I can understand the idea of the more robust Hardaker, his almost complete lack of a passing game would rule him out of fullback for me, so I'd keep Tomkins there whilst trying to make sure as many players as possible run interference on high kicks.

We have nobody close to Cameron Smith at hooker. Roby at his best is very good, but after him I'd be tempted to go for Lunt - a more traditional hooker with a rugby brain. Not looking for dominance, but someone who can keep their head and make the right choices from dummy half.

6/7 is a nightmare. Has been for years. We can all make claims and counter-claims for Widdopp, Sinfield, Chase, Brough etc, but what England needs is for two or more of these guys to absolutely demand selection in the same way George Burgess is at prop. If not, I can't blame McNamara for going with Sinfield as for all his faults (lack of running game, not the most devastating passer etc) he at least can act as the focal point of a side under pressure, and is a genuinely good captain.

What we can't do is go to extremes of trying to play some offload based game with no structure (which just leads to stupid turnovers), or a hyper-defensive game. We'll need to play to a good structure and move the ball around - something I haven't seen England/GB do very well against Australia since Sean Long got knocked in the head.

In the end I just want England to give Australia a tough game for 80 minutes. I've watched far too many thrashings to expect even that, but I still hope to one day see us beat them when it counts.

It's a shame Sinfield is captain, that way he has to be in the team. We surely have better scrum-halfs than him.

Fantastic post. I've never been a big fan of Cudjoe, but he was superb yesterday.

Lunt should be in the starting 17, I should edit my team. He's superb. I'd love to know Huddersfield & Leeds win record with/without him.

As someone who watches them both every week if I was picking a team tomorrow I would favour Lineham over Briscoe. I just think physically he is better suited to what the Aussies are going to throw at us. He is certainly the biggest winger we have available, he is good under the high ball and very strong in the tackle. It would be a gamble picking a guy with 1 season under his belt but I would like to see him get an opportunity, at least in the train on squad.

Tomkins

Charnley
Reed
Watkins
Hall

Widdop
Sinfield

Peacock (if he can be tempted out of retirement - Crabtree if not)
Roby
Graham
Ellis
Farrell
S Burgess

G Burgess
Crabtree (Mossop if Peacock stays retired)
Hock (Westwood if Hock isn't playing consistently)
Burrow

Tomkins
Briscoe
Cudjoe
Watkins
Hall
Widdop
Sinfield
Graham
Roby
G Burgess
Ellis
Farrell
S Burgess

Burrow
Westwood
Crabtree
Hill

It's good to see the England team finally have some selection issues, over who is better rather who on earth have we got. Sam Burgess and James Graham are the best all round forwards in team, in fact, Jammer should be given back the captaincy, the aggression he's shown down under would really set the right inspiration. Running S Burgess out wide would see him at his most destructive, so he needs to be second row/loose forward. However, O'Loughlin and Farrell are also quality forwards, the first is a great defender, the second has great movement and hands, to the point he really needs to be in the team.

Loose forward should be between Burgess and Farrell, I see where the Burgess and SBW comparison comes from, but Burgess - while more powerful - isn't as good a passer of the ball. Then going back to Farrell's movement and handling, he could really add a new dimension to England's attack. So the option could be to spell them both, or - even though he plays second row for Wigan - move Farrell into the loose forward position. Maybe, I'm seeing something that nobody else does, but he could be the sort of creative/less robust loose forward we haven't seen for a while.

To think a player of O'Loughlin's calibre could miss out, that says how far the team has progressed, and at least there is some quality to bring in if injuries occur. One thing I notice, watching England, the forwards get too caught up fighting for every last inch forward. If you watch the Aussie forwards, they're looking for that big initial contact, followed by a quick play the ball. This is what Jammer is so good at, and what gave England such a good start in the first four nations game in 2011. It's speed rathe than physicality England are lacking, in the forwards anyway.

Depends if youe picking it from your own personal thoughts or what the majority of RL fans/Media think.....personally as a Giants fan Lunt, Brough and Cudjoe would be shoe-ins - even the Leeds fans i were speaking to yesterday said we'd have to go some to find a better centre pair than Watkins and Cudjoe - Brough has proved time and again with Mcnamara in the stand just how good he is and Lunt is on fire at the moment, scoring and creating for fun.

Brett Ferres wouldnt be far away either but he's probably too far behind Farrell, Hock, and whoever Leeds are playing at 2nd row in the week leading up to the games.

1.Tomkins
2.Charnley
3.Cudjoe
4.Watkins
5.Hall
6.Widdop/Brough
7.Brough/Myler
8.Graham
9.Roby
10. one of the Burgess lads
11.Farrell
12.Ellis
13. another burgess

14.Crabtree
15.Lunt
16.Hill/Mossop
17.Westwood/Hock

Tomkins, Charnley, Cudjoe, Watkins, Hall, Sinfield, Brough, Mossop, Roby, Graham, Westwood, Farrell, Sam Burgess. Subs: Lunt, Hock, George Burgess, Crabtree.

Cudjoe has improved beyond all recognition over the last few years, he should be given his chance to impress in the origin match. Watkins, Cudjoe and Reed are the best options we've had since Gleeson.

If I was picking the team it would be much different from the SMc team no doubt. I would go with

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Atkins
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Morley
Roby
Graham
Westwood
Farrell
Sinfield

Lunt
Burgess (S)
Burgess (G)
Ellis

To be in the squad but
miss out, Hill, McIllrum, Crabree, Briscoe, O'Loughlin,

1 - Tomkins
2 - Hall
3 - Cudjoe
4 - Watkins
5 - Charnley
6 - Brough
7 - Widdop
8 - Graham
9 - Roby
10 - S. Burgess
11 - Farrell
12 - Ellis
13 - O'Loughlin

14 - Lunt (or Burrow as he offers a completely different skill set)
15 - G. Burgess
16 - Hill
17 - Hock (or Westwood if he picks up his form)

Was undecided as to whether it was worth having 2 props on the bench as graham and sam burgess can put in the big minutes.

Honourable mentions to ferres, goulding, mcclorum and crabtree

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Graham
Roby
Crabtree
Westwood
Sam Burgess
O'loughlin

Farrell
George Burgess
Ellis
McIlorum

Ellis must prove his worth in the 2nd half of the season however!
Same with Roby.

1. Tomkins
2. Charnley
3. Reed
4. Watkins
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Brough
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Crabtree
11. S. Burgess
12. Ellis
13. O'loughlin

14. G Burgess
15. Mossop
16. Hock
17. Lomax

There are 2 players i can't make my mind up over. Hock, can be a liability, also can be one of the best back rowers in the world. The other is a shout which i doubt many will agree with. As much as i can't stand the bloke - Ryan Bailey. I just have a feeling he could be exactly what we need against NZ and Australia, someone to get up their noses, wind them up and put them off their game, exactly what he does for Leeds every week and what most of us complain about every week. Put simply both Australia and NZ are better than us but history has shown, however good they are if we put then off their game we have a chance.

I need a drink now.

Sam Burgess plays 80 minutes for Souths - no way should he be on the bench or at prop. His mobility and ability to read the game means he'll be vital in defence as well as attack (BTW whoever described James Graham as more 'agile' than Burgess clearly hasn't seen either of them play). Ditto Ellis, who's never a bench player either - if he's fit and in form pick him.

Reed has been playing left centre the last year or so, so if he's picked I'd keep him there with Hall. Atkins is great physically, but like Hardaker his poor passing would make him an easily nullified threat. Reed is nowhere near as fast, but manages to make space for his winger because he always has the option of passing - meaning the defence can't just put numbers on him. Haven't seen enough of Cudjoe.

The bottom line is our centres need to be a threat if we're to have a chance of dragging Aus/NZ out of position out wide. If the ball always dies with our centres, they'll be able to just muscle up in the middle knowing they can easily cover. The other vital thing then is quick ball to give Reed/Watkins/whoever the chance to run at their opposition one-on-one.

I do agree about Hock - he could be an absolute disaster or a huge plus, all dependent on his ball control and avoiding the red mist. I'd pick him simply because I don't think there's any point going for a 'grafter' - as far as the pack goes its all or nothing as far as I'm concerned.

I agree in what you are saying regarding the centres, but we also need pace and power to challenge the back line of Aus/NZ. Craft and guile will come (hopefully) from the halves and Sam to generate room for the outside backs. To me, Atkins and Watkins have the attributes to get us over the line. Maybe they aren't the best passers of a ball, but regarding Atkins, you can't deny him something, with an avarage winger in Riley posting figures like he has in the past three years, outside of him. And he scores some himself.

Getting around Hodges is easier said than done, but if anyone is going to it from left centre, I'd back Atkins. Cudjoe is coming of age, but lacks a bit of killer instinct for me, Reed is too slow and not a real threat.

Anyway, it's a great debate to have, rather than the old 'shoe-in' Gleeson and Senior selections. We are getting better, and getting closer. I personally can not wait for the WC. My seat for Cardiff is booked, and my England jersey ironed and hung up ready! Bring on the Aussies!

On what you say about Sam Burgess and Ellis not being bench players.

This is the England team, we have
Westwood, who is a 70+min man, somebody has to go on the bench!

You are not going to find many players (George burgess is the exception) that don't start games and play most of the mins if they are getting in the England squad!

These games are not club games, they will be played at a much higher level than normal club games (even for burgess). You often find players in origin playing different mins than a club game.

So just because a player starts and plays most of the mins for his club is not a reason to do the same in the WC.

You really think the Aussies will not put players on the bench because they start and play most of the game for their clubs?

1 Tomkins
2. Charnley
3. Cudjoe
4. Watkins
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Brough
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Hill/Mossop
11. Ellis
12 Westwood
13. Burgess
14. Burrow
15.Crabtree
16. George Burgess
17. Hock

Doubt it will look like that and we will see one or two of the old brigade (Mcguire/JJB/Wilkin etc)

I wasn't sure whether Cudjoe would be good enough for England but he has really kicked on this year.

I'd risk Hock, yes be gives penalties away but he is one player who the Aussies would genuinely dear defending against.

Westwood and Ellis obviously need to find form but hopefully they will come the end of the year.

Our backs look very exciting but we have got to get the ball out to them.