Against the Exiles I think we should pick our strongest team. That is the only way the concept will grow, it is also the only chance we have of beating such a strong side.

At the end of the season start experimenting. Give the stars and experienced players a rest because we know what they can do, play a younger side of players you need to know more about along with different combinations.

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Goulding
Briscoe
Lomax
Brough
Mossop
McIlorum
Peacock (captain will obviously play)
Hock
Patrick
Farrell

Crabtree
Gaskell
Cooper
Whitehead

That would be an exciting team to play the end of season internationals with. What is the point of playing the tried and tested?

I didnt say Gardner would have scored it, I said Hall might.

We are both in the same boat in that I dont get to see that much of Charnley and you dont see alot of Briscoe. Both are big, strong and quick and fairly reliable in defence, but those things are a given at international level. I just think that out of the two Briscoe is more likely to turn a game on its head by coming up with that special play.

Briscoe's try the other night is just one example. Look at his break and offload to set up Yeamans try in last years derby, or his full lengther from the ptb in the fog against Saints or his full lengther as a 17 year old in his first derby. Hes also shown himself capable of finishing as well as anyone when given little room to work with.

Tomkins
Charnley
Atkins
Watkins
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Graham
Roby
Mossop
Hock
Burgess
O'Loughlin

Subs:
Lomax( Think he'd be ideal coming on as a 9 against a tiring defence)
Lynch
Ellis
Westwood

Atkins and Watkins in the centre would be awesome and big aggressive pack with the x factor in Hock. It's certainly looking much better for England regards strength in depth coming through now.

He has yet to do anything much at international level though. I am not saying Charnley will though. Like I said, I picked Briscoe over him.

Charnley or Briscoe or Hall.....just glad we've got some top class options for a change rather then Gardner and Calderwood like the last world cup!!

All 3 are top class with Hall the most experienced, Briscoe looking to kick on and Charnley starting his career like a house on fire.

Personally I'd drop Hall & have Charnley & Briscoe with George getting a shout in front of Hall too.. Sorry but whilst Hall is a fantastic finisher that's about all to his game & doesn't do that much. for all the slaters of Briscoe defensively I'm not overly fussed about Hall and Briscoe managed to put some very good try savers in the 4N.
In any case how many stood out for England in the final then cos obviously we got our s handed to us solely down to Briscoe

If it wa to be picked today I'd go with ...

S.Tomkins
J.Charnley
K.Watkins
J.Reed
R.Hall
G.Widdop
D.Brough
J.Graham
M.McLlorum
L.Mossop
S.Burgess
B.Westwood
S.O'loughlin

J.Roby
J.Peacock
L.Patrick / E.Crabtree
G.Hock

I'm not sayin McLlorum is better than Roby, I just think give Micky first 15 put himself about with some monster hits and then get Roby and Hock on. Tell Roby to follow Hock closely because he WILL get plenty offloads. Regards Briscoe /Charnley I'm just going off this year. A lot of Hull fans were saying he was well out of form before the Leeds game and that Will Sharp was outperforming him.

From what i have seen this year Danny Tickle has to be in with a shout
has been superb both in attack and defence not forgetting his goal kicking
Good shout for a bench spot i believe

It's great to see England fans even having this debate!

We have 3 or 4 very good wingers to choose from, all under 25 years old. Hall proved what he can do against the Aussies, Briscoe held his own too and as people have said, can score tries from nothing. Charnley & George are both very good too, playing fro top teams and scoring plenty of tries.

Selection headache's like this can only be a good thing.

How many tries did Briscoe score from nothing against the Aussies? It is one thing doing it against SL opposition, another against strong international opposition. That's what separates him and Hall IMO - plus the fact that Hall is relying on Brent Webb for ball as Hardaker's ability to put his winger away has not yet come to fruition.

Even Sam Tomkins struggled to score wonder tries against the Australians. A proven finisher in that environment should not be discounted - at least not yet.

Definitely good that we are no longer reliant on a couple of players in each of the back positions.

No, it's because you are biased towards Wigan and have looked to select as many of their players as possible, particularly your favourites. I'm surprised you've not queried whether George Carmont could get an English passport in time?

McIllorum, or anyone British for that matter, over Roby is just lunacy. Roby isn't an impact hooker like a Rob Burrow and would play the 80 minutes. I'd doubt they would even pick McIllorum in the squad because he's terrible and they would pick Sinfield at hooker ahead of him.

Maybe Hall got more service out wide then Briscoe for England? Not sure. All I know, from watching him week in week out, Briscoe is pure quality.

This, with Wilkin coming inside at almost every opportunity as well as Chase Brics & Yeaman hardly got a look in and were doing more the defensive /coming out of the 20 role more than anything else.

You're showing yourself up saying he's terrible, he's very good.

Good enough to play in front of Roby. No chance. Roby will play the majority of the game so we'll likely go with an impact who can cover other positions like Burrow.

I think it's time to take responsibility ofF Sinfield as we're too predictable. My 6,7 and 13 would Widdop, Brough and Lockers. If Brough suffers I jury or form loss then we'll have to bring Sinfield in.

It's good that we're able to have a good debate about who the best English backs are. The two wing spots should be between Hall, Briscoe, and Charnley, although George should get an honourable mention. I'd have all 3 of them in the England squad.

I'd probably pick Hall and Briscoe as the England wingers. Hall has proven himself at international level and has looked good there, and Briscoe hasn't done anything wrong there. It's a close decision between Briscoe and Charnley, and both are proven tryscorers. There isn't much between them physically (according to their club's websites Briscoe is 1cm taller but Charnley is 3kg heavier), but Briscoe is a left winger and Charnley is a right winger. Ryan Hall has nailed down the right-wing spot for England, so the left wing spot should go to the better left winger - which is Briscoe.
I'd also say that Briscoe has looked great in a poor team (over the past couple of seasons) whereas Charnley has looked great in a good team.
Anyway, like I said, it's great that we have enough players of the quality that means we're able to have this discussion.

Reed and Hall both play on the left, they should be our left side pairing (subject to form obviously).



Definitely.

Off the top of my head James Roby, Rob Burrow, Luke Robinson & Danny Houghton are all better hookers than Michael McIlorum IMO.

Kallum Watkins as good as he is in attack has been a turnstile on many occasions this season in defence for Leeds and i wouldn't put him near the England team yet.

Daryl Clark is also a better hooker than McIlorum I think.

yet again micky mac was the best hooker on the field against saints today. its all good and well saying roby is the best hooker in the world when he gets a fast play of the ball but he looks average when hes team doesn't win the ruck and england won't win the ruck for large periods against the aussies. i am guessing alot of you dont get to watch micky mac because he is the best all round hooker in the league.

Lomax again showed why he shouldnt be near the England team. He is so overated and blew overlap after overlap today.

You just have to stand and laugh at fans who dont rate Micky mac. He has been brilliant this season, two times he has played against roby this season, and both times he has been by far the better hooker.

Micky Mac is far better than a lot of the players mentioned that are 'better than him'. the fact Wigan are not even looking at replacing him, despite having a huge (and i mean massive) amount of cap space to spend next season, says a lot about his quality.

I didn't really notice him apart from his two poor mistakes.

Decent hooker though, Roby should still start for England, with eithr MM or Houghton off the bench.

Mossop and Hock are a must for the 17 also.

he stopped perry, lafranchi and sia god knows how many times today with a good shot he is a rock, and now hes sorting out hes passing off the ground he looks fantastic. the only other all round hooker who is as good as him is houghton. roby is world class but only when he gets a quick play of the ball and markers out of position

I thought all the Wigan players defence today was outstanding today.