Correct.

I have no problem with Sinfield being in the 17 but just not as a starting 6 or 13. He could start at 9 or play as cover for 6,7,9 or 13 off the bench but he isn't quick enough to play as a first choice international 6 or big enough to play as a first choice 13.

I agree, said on the Saints board ironically the best thing we can do is promote McBanana, he seems to do some stuff well , like finding players and pushing for the exiles thing, make him manager and find a proper coach who knows how to get the best out of a group of players and is up to date with current tactics

Gareth Widdop - a halfback who is consistent for the team that finished top of the NRL, who is coached by one of the best coaches in the world, who plays alongside some of the best players in the world and faces the worlds best in high intensity clashes every week.

Rangi Chase - plays for Castleford, whose biggest game of the year is against Wakefield.

Ask ANY NRL club who they would have - Rangi Chase or Gareth Widdop - they'd take Widdop every time.

It's a shocking selection to put Sinfield over Gareth Widdop. The bloke faces Darren Lockyer, Jonathan Thurston, Keiron Foran, Benji Marshall every week - get him starting!

Chase is a better player than Widdop from what I've seen of them both.

I'm not as downbeat about a Sinfield/Chase combo as many on here. Widdop has had a couple of decent games in the NRL as Cronk/Smith/Slater's bag carrier, but he's never looked anything remotely special whenever I've watched him play (either in the NRL or for England).

Am I reading this right, you wouldn’t start Sinfield over Widdop or Heighington but you would be happy to start him in front of Roby at 9?

The Kangaroos are never going to put a poor team on the park but it is all about relative strength

You read down that team sheet and 5 players stand out in Slater, Lockyer, Thurston, Smith and Inglis (but the latter must be a serious worry otherwise he would surely be in the starting line up)

Each of these would compete for a place in some of the best Kangaroo teams I have seen... of the rest, I have to say they wouldn’t get a look in

at the end of the day, we have 3 games ahead of us in the group stage, and in reality the only crucial game is the one against NZ in 3 weeks. I have no doubt that Carvell will play a part in the next few weeks as injuries and fatigue set in, so perhaps McBanana is just keeping some powder dry 'just in case'.

There is no point in flogging 4/5 props against Wales.

Whats happened to Ryan Atkins?

I know McNamara likes the Yeaman / Briscoe combination but although Yeaman has had his best season for a number of years his form dipped towards the back end of the season and was rather forgettable against the French.

Atkins on the other hand has been v.impressive all year for Warrington and would certainly provide a real threat out wide. With Jack Reed in the other centre we would have 2 big strong centres that IMO would cause both Aus + NZ problems.

I was certainly keen to see Atkins in the squad as I think his game has come on this year. He is not though and I don’t think Yeaman will let anybody down. The thing I like about Yeaman is he can be really punishing in defence... despite being a little smaller than Atkins he will get stuck into the Aussie and Kiwi backs and shake them up a bit

Think Yeaman is the safer pick but for me if we are going to beat Aus or NZ we cant afford to play the equivalent of 5-4-1

the only problem I have with the team is Kevin Sinfield is not a stand off but I suppose give them another chance to prove the,selves.

I thought Yeaman looked quite good outside Chase against France. Made some breaks, very solid in defence apart from the try from the tap penalty and he works well with Briscoe. Against top class opposition you need a somewhat telepathic combination to perform well, and these two have that

Kevin Sinfield is a stand-off.

He asked not to be selected for some reason.

I'm presuming the reason differs to Joel Tomkins.

He's also - it would appear, anyway - the ready made scapegoat for England's failure.

I find it hard to believe how little recognition the guy gets for his ability from fans of other clubs.

Wales squad: www.rlfans.com/index.php?fid=43&id=69

Wales squad: www.rlfans.com/index.php?fid=43&id=69

Kevin Sinfield isn't a loose forward in the modern game. He may have been wearing 13 throughout his career but for the recent years of his career if not longer he's been playing the role of a half back. A modern day 13 is almost an extra prop, quite a lot of teams play with a prop at loose forward and of those who don't virtually none operate without someone who can hit hard in defence and make hard yards coming out of your own half.

In the current English line up its almost the case that Sinfield is taking the scrum half role organising the forwards and doing the positional kicking allowing Chase to play his natural game attacking the defence a little wider (in much the same way as the Orr and Chase combination for Castleford this year was planned).

People are sugesting that Widdop should start in the halves alongside Chase I can't see how this would work. Widdop has played outside Cronk and Smith all year doing minimal amounts of organising the play. With Chase seemingly guaranteed his place Widdop can not be used as his partner as we need someone to call the shots and control our attack. As good as they are is not someting individual players like Roby or Chase do.

If he is then he shouldn't be. As for the point about recognition he will receive it when he does it on the international stage. He's a very good SL player, admittedly probably underrated by many due to the Leeds connection, but that doesn't mean he's the answer internationally. He isn't, certainly not at 6

Widdop cant get in the England side. What a joke!!

People on here amaze me, sometimes.

Kevin Sinfield is being asked to do for England exactly the same as he does for Leeds, but mearly changing the number on the back of his shirt completely baffles peopl einto thinking he's playing some role that's alien to him.

In a team you need a halfback who can direct play (mainly from 1st receiver), distribute, apply a good long kicking game in order to compete in the territorial battle and apply the correct game plan - which includes being patient when things aren't going your way.

Kevin Sinfield does the above better than anyone in the league, and is the biggest single factor in Leeds winning 5 of the last 8 GFs.

His weakness is he's not a massive individual threat with the ball in hand, but we don't have many perfect players.

Going to be a good crowd anyway! www.internationalrugbyleague.net ... attendance

Going to be a good crowd anyway! www.internationalrugbyleague.net ... attendance

This series could be the time that Kevin Sinfield comes into his own internationally

For years, he has been considered by fans a good utility player internationally – put him on the bench because he can cover the halves and back row and even do a stint at 9

But this isn’t Sinfield’s strength – his strength is being on the pitch for 80 minutes, bossing the game and directing play. It looks like McNamara is going to give him this chance now for the 4 Nations. It is because in players like Tomkins, Chase and Roby we have the attacking threat through the middle and we do need that boss directing play and field position

Peacock will be captain but I hope McNamara has sat down with Sinfield and told him he is the boss on the pitch and peacock’s job is to fire the forwards up

Exactly. A half combination of Chase and Widdop may be flash, but I doubt it would give us half the direction and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't provide a good enough kicking game.

People may say Sinfield isn't [iworld class[/i, but how many players of ours can we genuinely say are?
He'll also probably get the blame for us losing even if the game is already lost in the forwards.

If we're going to play Chase in the halves, playing Sinfield alongside him is about as good as it gets IMO.

Good kicking game, oodles of game awareness, brings some much needed structure if we're going to make the most of Sam Tomkins (which we certainly need to), takes some of the pressure off Roby.

Look forward to seeing what they can do against the big boys.

I too am baffled why people think SInfield isn't a halfback. He is a good halfback partner for chase, we need someone who is calm under pressure has great awareness and a strong kicking game - ergo Sinfield.

As someone said Widdop has had a great season, but outside two very good organising players.

A player I am hoping will stand up is Tomkins, I thought a couple of times against france his positioning and fullback play looked a bit iffi, he has the talent I hope he shows it.