Let us take the hypothetical case of England losing to New Zealand on Saturday.

Will McNamara be gone from the coaching role? Who will replace him?

Will this mean that Sinfield will also not be England's captain next year?

Will Widdop get his chance to play in the halves?


Or does all of that depend on New Zealand winning comfortably?

If New Zealand only wins by a few points (less than 10), will the current coach and captain be retained?

McNamara - gone. If he gets a new contract there is something foul in the air.

Sinfield - gone, if he has any sense he will retire from rep footy.

SOL will be the next captain and rightly so.

Widdop will never get a true shot while McNamara is in the role and it all depends on what sort of number six the next coach wants (runner, defensive, organiser etc).

Next coach, who knows? McNamara should go full stop, he brings very little to the setup except for a stubbornness to play a half back combination that has yet to work and probably never will.

Gee whizz some right know nowts talking cr@p on this board.

Sinfield should tell everyone to royally get fecked no matter what the result. Far too good a player in is own right to have to put up with the e talked about on here.

McNamara? who cares, who ever takes over, same results anyway unless something changes with the structure of the weekly competition and the salary cap and development that goes with it. That is if we end up losing.

SOL. Will also retire from international IMO. Over rated player, who is in and out with injuries anyway. So I am sure he won't want to risk prolonging his Wigan career with internationals.

I think Sinfield will retire whatever the result. McNamara is as good as anyone else who would want the job. I would build the team around Widdop as captain.

What is this obsession with Widdop who has done nothing except play in the NRL?

Oh the Irony. Tell me I am a "know nowt" plastering my views (allowed by the way seeing as this is a message board for opinions) and then you do the same!!!

Sinfield is 33. If anyone thinks they should be playing rep footy in their mid thirties I would tell them to have a word with themselves, it is too fast for an aging body and whilst he has an excellent kicking game the rest of his game doesn't suit the role nor has he ever been a standout against the big two.

I don't think the cap is the problem for our game stalling at international level, binning the U21s and buying in loads of imports has a far more detrimental effect and reduces the gene pool for the national team. That and not enough competitive fixtures (if they had got the origin game right last time and had a three game series with it being the primary focus over club footy then it would have been a way forward). We unfortunately have too many self serving clubs (who can blame them?) and first grade and short termism are all they care about.

SOL might get one or two years as captain. I can't see an alternative other than Graham and he isn't up here for the Exiles games so I would pick someone home based for the role.

And I actually do care that McNamara is removed from the role. I don't know how he landed it in the first place considering his tenure at Bradford.

I'm going to have to keep Premier Sports after the World Cup just to see what all the fuss is over Widdop.

I've not regularly watched the NRL for 3-4 years, and whenever I've seen him in an England shirt (granted that's not a lot to go on), I've been underwhelmed.

Anyway, to answer the question....I'd be surprised if Sinfield carried on at International Level beyond this tournament.
As for Mcnamara, who knows? The lack of viable alternatives might become an issue, if the powers that be were to look at replacing him.......

he was the only coach who wanted to do it?

I personally don't think there is a role for a full time coach after the World Cup, regardless of the result. It made sense for a World Cup to build some momentum towards it, but in reality what would a full time coach do for the next 2 to 3 years? I don't see a place for an Exiles game in the next couple of seasons.

If they need an administrator to organise the mid-season camps, collect stats on players etc, then fine get someone from Red Hall to do that on a part time basis; and then appoint a part time coach on an annual basis to pick the team for whatever competition we are in.

If we don't win the thing then Mcnamra should go. He's had 4 years to prepare for a home World Cup. It's his squad and he has been given EVERY chance to win it. If he fails in winning it what's the point if sticking with him again.

Personally I don't think Sinfield will retire, but if
A new coach comes in then I don't think thy will select Sinfield again. Unless McDermott is coach.

Be interesting who would be the next Egland coach, would it still be full time?

Never been a standout against the big 2? So the last two games he's played against NZ he's won the MOM award, do those not count?

If it is a hammering (over 14 points ish) then i think Mcnamara will get the boot.A close defeat and we will get the spin of how we have closed the gap since last time (not hard) and it was two close, but brave defeats to the big two etc... and he will probably stay on.Lets face it, there is unlikely to be a stampede to take the job on if he does get the sack.

On Sinfield, i have expected him to call it a day as an international after the WC anyway ever since he was made skipper.He is 33 now and it makes sense, he wont make another WC.im sure he knows that and will want to prolong his club career for a couple more years so expect him to walk away.

He has played Full back & stand off in probably the best club side in the world & why St George are paying him top whack next year. He is head & shoulders above any other English half back. Why McBanana can't see that bothers me.

Who said I was posting about you? I was posting general.




If 33 is too old, then 31 is too old. And in anycase Peacock before him was 34 before relinquishing the captaincy. As with any player ever in the game, you will not stand out often against top oppossition if your team mates don't either. Not seen Tomkins have even a half decent game yet against the so called big two, how does that fit into your reasoning?




Graham is a much better alternative than a guy that is 31 where you deem too old only two years later. Graham did fill in as captain previously.




Make no difference what you care. As most sensible posters can work out, the results and the position we are would be no different under a different coach. Infact Tony Smiths results and performances as coach were worse, and he is regarded as a top coach.

So why has he never stood out when playing for England?

Widdop is a fantastic player and has youth on his side but the fawning on here is almost on Danny Brough levels.

James Graham or Sam Burgess should be the contenders for the new Skipper imo.

When has Widdop had any sort of opportunity to prove himself against the top 2? He gets a 20 minute cameo performance at 6. How anybody expects him to make a significant contribution in that time baffles me.
When Widdop has had a couple of 80 Mins games against the top 2 then we can decide.

Sinfield has had 13 Years playing for England and We always hear about his two MOM performances against NZ of why he should be playing for England. Yet a couple of 20 min cameo performances is enough for the same people to decide Widdop isn't good enough to play fr England.

Pot calling kettle etc.

Well considering your response was as a quote, directed from my post, I would say you were including me in that.



Tomkins was excellent in the 4 nations against Aus last time around and has not been as good this time (although he has stepped up his running with the ball in the last few games and may take that into tomorrow). Peacock looked good whenever he played, even in beaten sides, so you can stand out while all those around you flounder and I would expect that from an inspirational captain which is what Peacock was. Peacock knew it was time to go. Morley on the other hand didn't and rightly got the push as he was finished at that level.


Nice selectivity there, I said also that SOL should be captain for one or two years but you omitted that to suit your point. Also, Graham will not be there for the Exiles games and I believe that a home based player should be used to ensure we don't have to start from scratch for the end of season internationals.



What did I point out that wasn't sensible. To me (and others judging by this thread) I am right about Sinfield and McNamara. That you have a different point of view doesn't make me wrong, it just means you think you are right and I am not. I, however disagree with what you write and believe in my own opinion on this subject. That's the beauty being able to make your own mind up.

Please do not one on this board and make sensible comment, it is unbecoming of you and shows up the majority as the idiots they are.

I had the pleasure of seeing Widdop in 2011 and 12 playing for the Storm and he improved every game. You can see why St. George signed him. That said he was part of the great "spine" of the Storm team.

I also like Sinfield. Oh god now I will cop it!

I have watched Widdop in the NRL from time to time the past couple of years.I seen him play for Melbourne against Leeds earlier this year and have seen him for England, for what you rightly say has been limited time.I fail to see myself what all the hype is about from my viewings but maybe i am missing something.

I guess i wont have to wait long to see, as next year he is a big money buy for St George and big things will be expected.He wont have Cronk,Smith and Slater to hold his hand anymore so we will see if he can handle it.Im sure he will also get a shot at being the main man for England after Sinfield inevitably calls it a day.

I look forward to this saviour Widdop running rings around the SH sides for years to come.......

McNamara should stay, Sinfield should go, Widdop to take over at Halfback. What's Ratchford's passing like?

Change to (Team) Europe; it's an European Super League, pester the EU for funding, 12 team WC, 3 Groups of 4.

I quoted nobody, go back and have a look. You were just being paranoid because you knew you had posted incorrectly.




Tomkins has not stood out in any game yet against Australia and New Zealand. Would I drop him because of it? no I wouldn't because he is a class player, just the same has Sinfield proves week in week out, season after season, when playing in a good team.




Nothing selective, the exiles game means jack , and will probably be dropped. If changing captain it should be with a long term goal, and build around it.





Your not right, and given nothing to even argue a bit that you are right. Tell me which coach would have got better results and put us within a better chance of winning this world cup?

So before we even play in the semi, we are deciding who will be crap and who to drop? You've got to be kidding.
If you don't like Sinfield or McNamara then fine, say so. You can't justify it by saying if we lose he goes.

Especially Sinfield. He should be picked if he is the best for the job. Simple as.
If he plays a blinder in the final and lifts the trophy will his critics change their mind? Of course not, they'll find something to moan about.

Ironically, he is currently our top tackler as well kicker, passer etc

Couple of points.

I never said Widdop wasn't good enough to play for England I asked why hasn't he stood out in his game time so far.

If you want to not hear about Sinfields last 2 games against NZ stop saying he has never played well against NZ as he clearly has

I confess that Sinfield has been a lot better than I thought he'd be. I suspect he'll retire from international RL regardless of the outcome. McNamara will keep the job, possibly a slight risk of losing it, but only if we got absolutely thumped at the weekend, but it won't happen. NZ form has been much better than ours, but they'll be overwhelmed by Wembley and will lose to England by 16 or more. You heard it here.

An international coach will never please everyone and whilst I feel Widdop has been a bit wasted, McNamara has got the majority of his selections bob on IMO, both on match days and the initial squad. I could argue a case for Crabtree over T Burgess but other then that there's not a lot wrong. I think the majority of criticism that gets thrown his way is around selection and it's been just at times over the years. He's done a lot right as well in fairness to him. He's done well to get the training camps at Loughborough set up, he's utilised the pathway from Knights player to full international well and he seems to have got rid of the old club rivalries that seemed to effect the squad (a bit too well seeing as a mix of players went out and got sloshed).

Should he continue? A lot will depend on the next two weeks I feel. The preparation has been good and he has a good squad but so do the other teams we'll face. He's done as good a job as some previous and more vaunted coaches like Tony Smith and Noble did in fairness. He possibly has a better set of players though.