Not really. George Burgess has played a full season first grade and is likely to win the NRL equivalent of young player of the year. Tom Burgess has played how much first grade and to what standard?

Fair enough and i dont for one minute think Tom will let us down.prop is one position where we are blessed and there will be a few who can feel a bit disapointed and unlucky not to be selected.

Tom Burgess has played more first team games than George

Tom 55 first team games, 46 for Bradford & 9 for Souths

George 28 for Souths

I agree than George is the better of the two and I also agree that Crabtree is unlucky but Tom has more first team experience than George and has been strong in his NRL games this year - I think he deserves his place in the squad

Ahh... that old chestnut about our pack which has been doing the rounds for the past two decades.

Only really disagree with the squad apart from T Burgess being included. Crabtree has been the second best prop in Super League this season behind Peacock in my opinion.

Would have been tempted with Ferres over Farrell but think the latter is a safer inclusion.

I think we need the likes of Hock and Westwood in there - as they can come up with the outlandish plays that many other back rowers can't.

its a 24 man squad i expect him to utilise this fully, some of the players will be playing in the smaller group games against fiji and ireland plus the quarter final (the likes of briscoe and ablett) whilst they will probably be omitted from the bigger games, they will do ok in the 'easier' games. once you whittle it down to 17 for the big games despite the lack of quality at centre it is a very good team

Its a good balanced squad, enough experience without too many of the old guard like Wilkin and JJB.

There are weaknesses in the squad. Does Sinfield have quick enough feet to put a decent kick in under extreme pressure, Sam at full back makes me nervous, and our threequarters make me nervous defending at Test level intensity for 80 minutes.

Probably the best we could put together though unless you really want to nit pick.
Glad Luke Burgess didn't get in

But it's true - it's only when we get near the Aussie try line that we don't have the gameplan/tactics/moves/nouse to get players over the whitewash. This is why the half-back (and back) choices are vital...

Fair point.

The last time we played Australia in the World Cup, we lost 52-4.

At least our forwards matched theirs.

Is Sean O Loughlin actually fit for the WC then? I thought he was done for the season?
Also, what is Tom Lineham's injury status? If fully fit I would certainly have picked him ahead of Briscoe.

No surprising additions, no glaring omissions.











Same old result.

Been carrying an injury all season so has had an operation so definitely out. Briscoe will do well with some decent ball which he hasn't had all season

Just announced that O'Loughin's injury has fully healed but is still a doubt for the Grand Final. That suggests he should be ok for the World Cup.

Also I'd still have Briscoe over Lineham fit or not but I'm a big fan of Briscoe and may be in the minority. Definitely Englands third best winger.

A decent enough squad, but still some gripes. How T Burgess is ahead of Crabtree I will never know. He was dropped by us towards the end of last season. I just cannot see how the NRL made him into an international prop in 12 moths.

Lunt should be over Mcclorum everytime

Surprised Matty Smith isn't in as if Sinfield gets a knock, we've no kicker!

Would also have chosen Ratchford over Hardaker. Ratchford has been better this year and offers not versatility than Hardaker.

Just my opinion of ciurse

The comedy pick in the squad is Farrell, would have Ferres, Kirmond and JJB(if fit) in ahead of him.

I think the balance of the starting 17 will depend on the fitness of Sean O'Loughlin. If he his fit to play I think Sam Burgess will play mostly 2nd row, if O'Loughlin is not fit to play I expect him to play at LF

From the England RL site:

Squad will travel to training camp in South Africe on 02 Oct, with some players joining up on 07 Oct after the GF.

Huddersfield’s Brett Ferres will travel to South Africa but has not been named in the Rugby League World Cup squad.

Thought Smith might have got in. Cannot see us winning it no matter who we picked.

So what does that show? We can't defend. Anyone can pick one score and isolate it.

Usually the Aussies score out wide, not through the middle...

You obviously haven't seen much of Farrell, apart from him scoring against you last week...

Agree with you about Lockers being key though. I'd hope SM will put Sinfield at 13 if Lockers isn't fit because no matter how good Sinfield is he is never an international-standard half-back...

Ah well, at least we can aim for a 3rd place finish.....

stop making stories up, o'loughlin has been edging close to being fit for the past 2 weeks and may play this weekend.

Ratchford is very unlucky to miss out. Every time I've seen him this year he's looked dangerous. I'd certainly have picked him ahead of Burrow in the halves, or dropped the third winger option in Briscoe, as Ratchford is pretty versatile and 3 wingers is a waste of a spot.

He was talking about Tom Lineham whose fitness was queried in the post he quoted

From what I've seen there are much better English 2nd rowers knocking about in Superleague. I'd like to see Sinfield at 13 regardless of the fitness of O'Loughlin, however I can't see SM moving him from 6.

Our pack has dominated most teams this year and our stand out performer of them all is Chris Hill, if anyone doubts his selection then you've obviously not seen enough of him.

Crabtree stands out to fans, he's tall and has the silly ponytail, but I don't think his performances stand out enough.

Tom Burgess hasn't done enough for me, staying at Bradford when George went down under slowed his development compared to George, too soon for Tom and I would have had Lunt over McIllorum. Otherwise fair squad