If you could pick your ideal England team. Coaches and then a 24 man squad. Apologise if there is already another thread.

Head coach: Shaun Wane
Assistant coach: James Lowes
Backs Coach: Daryl Powell
Forwards Coach: Paul Anderson
Kicking Coach: Paul Deacon

1 Sam Tomkins
2 Charnley
3 Watkins
4 Reed
5 Hall
6 Widdop
7 M.Smith
8 Graham
9 Mcclorum
10 G.Burgess
11 Westwood
12 Ferres
13 O Loughlin
14 Clark
15 Hill
16 Whitehead
17 Taylor
18 Walmsley
19 T.Briscoe
20 Ratchford
21 Hardaker
22 Farrell
23 Shenton
24 Bateman

Makinson - stand by
sarginson - stand by
roby - stand by

McIllorum over Clark & Roby? That Neanderthal Wane as coach? James Lowes as assistant?

I'll have 2 of what you're drinking!

Will give this a go later when I've got a bit more time to think it through.

And no Sam Burgess either? What have you been smoking at lunchtime??

Head Coach- Shaun Wane/Brian McDermott/Daryl Powell (any if them)

1. Zak Hardaker
2. josh Charnley
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Jack Reed
5. Ryan Hall
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Gareth Widdop
8. James Graham
9. Daryl Clark
10. Chris Hill
11. Liam Farrell
12. Ben Westwood
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. George Burgess
15. Craig Huby
16. Brett Ferres
17. James Roby

18. Steffan Ratchford
19. Tom Briscoe
20. Matty Smith
21. Scott Taylor
22. Alex Walmsley
23. Elliot Whitehead
24. Mike McIlorum

I don't think O'Loughlin will put himself through international duty at the end of the year though (he may even retire) so the likes of Ablett, Bateman, Westerman or even Joel Tomkins may come in to the reckoning.

A mystical cigar that spoke to him and told him Burgess is going to Bath RU?

1 player in the 24 man squad from the team top of the league? Really?

Hardaker
Hall Watkins Shenton Makinson
Tomkins Widdop
Graham Roby G Burgess
Whitehead Ablett
O'loughlin

Hill Amor Ferres Clark

Taylor Huby Farrell Westerman
Cudjoe Sneyd Charnley Ratchford

Is that before the 4 Nations then, as soon as his season with South Sydney is over? Apologies if it is, thought he may still be around to play for England before moving codes.

Yes, he goes straight to Bath and won't play in the four nations which is a shame.

I'd be really confident about us progressing again in this four nations if we had two things-

1- Sam Burgess
2- A different coach

How anyone can pick Mcillorum is beyond me. On form he isn't in the top 3 hookers in the league.

Nor on ability.

weren't there something a few weeks back about Trent hodkinson wanting to play for England because his dads English?

Yeah but he hadn't turned out for NSW then. Now that he has that ship has sailed.

Head Coach: Shaun Wane
Assistant/Mentor: Wayne Bennett
I'd then have people like Sculthorpe, Peacock, Sinfield etc all involved with the squad in some capacity be it water boy on match day but involved regularly with the squad.

1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Reed
5. Hall
6. Tomkins
7. Widdop
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Hill
11. Farrell
12. Ferres
13. Westwood

14. Clark
15. Burgess G
16. Huby
17. Whitehead

18. Burrow
19. Charnley
20. Bateman
21. Walmsley
22. Ablett
23. Taylor
24. Westerman

I know Sinfield will be in this year, and I don't mind that for another year or so with him as captain and then hopefully will hand over. Who to is an issue. Possibly Graham but is he captain material? That's not a slight on him, some people just aren't suited to be captain.
O'Loughlin - I don't think he'll be available and is he a risk injury wise if he is available? He's a cracking player who is as important to Wigan as Sinfield is to Leeds but unfortunately his injuries seem to have caught up with him.
I've also left Matty Smith out, not because I don't rate him but because I think Tomkins & Widdop are better and Burrow offers something a bit different to those 2 that Smith doesn't. Plus Burrow can cover hooker. If any of Tomkins, Widdop or Burrow were injured then I'd have Smith in like a shot.

Re. Graham for captain - he first captained saints in 2006, and was (and still is whenever Canterbury lose) called for captain by the Canterbury fans. Everyone I've ever spoken to on the matter suggest he'd make a great captain - he should definitely get it imo.

Can't believe people are omitting the form centre in the league, Shenton.

More tries than any other centre, equal try assists (which are the most) in Super League with Moon and 3rd most metres for a centre (2nd English centre) behind Watkins and Gelling (who could arguably be a winger too).

1. Tomkins
2. Makinson
3. Shenton
4. Watkins
5. Hall
6. Brown
7. Widdop
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. G Burgess
11. Ferres
12. Westwood
13. Sinfield (will always get in as captain)

14. Hill
15. Huby
16. Clark
17. Farrell

18. Whitehead
19. Westerman
20. Hardaker
21. Reed
22. Lomax
23. Walmsley
24. Crabtree

Do you not think all those current head coaches working together would be a case of too many cooks.....

If for example Wane was head coach he'd be better of picking a coaching staff that shares his views/ideas. Not trying to lump together different head coaches and expecting them to gel.

I think Graham captained the Great Britain Academy side, as mentioned captained Saints so he;s not a total novice in doing the job.

ENGLAND

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Tommy Makinson
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Jack Reed
5. Ryan Hall
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Matty Smith
8. George Burgess
9. James Roby (C)
10. James Graham
11. Brett Ferres
12. Carl Ablett
13. Sam Burgess

14. Rob Burrow
15. Chris Hill
16. Eorl Crabtree
17. Ben Westwood

Additionally It'd be nice if we could get the international game to a level at which the RUK-eligible players wished to play for the other home nations.

IRELAND

1. Simon Grix
2. Paddy Flynn
3. Martin Gleeson
4. Chris Bridge
5. Paddy Richards
6. Marc Sneyd
7. Liam Finn
8. Kyle Amor
9. Michael McIlorum
10. Brett White
11. Ben Harrison
12. Simon Grix
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Bob Beswick
15. Ryan Boyle
16. Eamonn O'Caroll
17. Ben Currie

WALES

1. Rhys Evans
2. Rhys Williams
3. Ryan Morgan
4. Ben Pomeroy
5. Elliot Kear
6. Ben Jones
7. Sam Williams
8. Ben Flower
9. Lloyd White
10. Craig Kopczak
11. Tyson Frizzell
12. David Stagg
13. Larne Patrick

14. Neil Budworth
15. Gil Dudson
15. Ben Evans
17. Rhodri Lloyd

SCOTLAND

1. Matty Russell
2. David Scott
3. Joe Wardle
4. James McManus
5. Kevin Gordon
6. Danny Brough
7. Peter Wallace
8. Keith Galloway
9. Daryl Clark
10. Luke Douglas
11. Dale Ferguson
12. Rhys Lovegrove
13. Danny Addy

14. Iain Henderson
15. Adam Walker
16. Darrell Griffin
17. Johnnie Walker

Shenton would be my centre a long with Watkins who is looking world class (getting a couple world class players now)

I would also take Mason Caton-Brown, he's not ready yet but I've been hugely impressed with him and would take him to get some experience.

Watched him skin Leroy Cudjoe. Cudjoe in that same match caught Locke who had a 10m head start on Cudjoe.

He's not ready yet but I think he could be one for the future, lets start nurturing him, Bateman, Clark, Sneyd now.

If he needs nurturing then put him in the Knights team. He's well off a 24 man squad for a major international tournament.

I think we have a three quarter line that can hold its own and strong front row options.the halves should be improved too with Widdop going well and I too would like to see Tomkins alongside him with Hardaker at fullback.

biggest area for concern is backrow.The likes of Westwood,Farrell,Ferres and Ablett are good club players but matched up against southern hemisphere opposition they are a class below.

Agree with that. I also think we've got a bit of depth in the backs and at hooker now but like you say the backrow isn't up to the top Aussies. It's partly why it's such a shame to see Burgess leaving. I know he plays at prop a lot but he's a top quality player in the backrow too.

I also think, beyond Graham & Hill, our props are a step below the Aussies too.

George and Tom B are going well again, and I'd use them as interchange for each other. Mossop before his injury looked as lightweight as he did in the world cup. Cooper looks pretty good though as a rotation prop.

I'm surprised no one had mentioned Mike Cooper until now. We keep getting told how hard the NRL is, and he's more than holding his own in his debut season.