Six props and two centres seems a bit lop sided to me. We'll know who's lining up at centre unless Hardaker gets the nod here, and judging how many times Watkins was at fault for the Pies tries on Friday the Aussies will be going down that side of the field all day long.

To be fair to Watkins he was still clearly not 100% fit, in fact he never should have played that game.

No Crabtree, Ratchford or Smith, but he's included Mossop, Ablett and Chase

No arguments from me really. Had it not been for his injury I think Myler would have been in there, which is a shame. But it is safe to say he and Ratchford will earn more than their fair share of caps in the years to come.

Steve Mac seems to have taken the long term approach and has been building up a squad since the 2011 series, which is fair enough but he has also allowed the likes of Hill to break through into the squad- something which I called way back when we signed him and people thought I was mad!

Hock deserves to be in there, he is the kind of player who can get the Aussies rattled, which is what we have sometimes lacked. Yes he is partial to the odd bit of red mist, but then so is Westwood. Sinfield is my only concern, he needs to up his game.

Come on England!

it makes little as no difference who's in it.
They'll not be Australia, new Zealand or Samoa and may even find France too good.

Don't be silly.

My predictions: England to finish second to Australia in their group, win their quarter final, then lose to New Zealand in the semi. New Zealand to then lose to Australia in the final.

Regardless of the England squad selection, does anyone NOT expect that to happen?

You see, I don't think he would have been, especially if Brough was in the mix.

For some bizarre reason, there is this massive love in with Rangi Chase so he was always guaranteed a spot in the halves. Now that he's at Salford next season, it will be even worse as he'll have Koukash as a mouthpiece.

Chase has 35 try assists at Castleford this season, which is 5 more than his nearest rival Man of Steel, Danny Brough. So it's hardly a suprise that the most creative player in the league has been picked.

I think we will make the final. We have a good record against the Kiwis and they tend not to play well here. I would love nothing more than to see us Poms get one over on the Aussies. The cricket and Union lot have done it this year, now it's our turn!

This squad has the forwards to match the Aussies & Kiwi packs, but the back line is embarrassing. Specifically in the centres.

silly? I couldn't pick a team from that squad that would beat Warrington Leeds and even Wigan!

England's best chance of reaching the final is to catch Australia cold and beat them in Cardiff, thus opening up the easier route - avoiding both of the big two until they get there.

Irrespective of how much England may huff and puff, I don't expect them to lose to anyone other than Australia or New Zealand, who I in turn don't expect to lose to anyone other than each other. A England win in the opening game paves the way for an Aus V NZ semi.

I don't really see it though.

Question for any stattos out there, when did England/GB last lose to NZ on home soil?

And paves the way for England to lose to Samoa in the other semi

2005 Tri-Nations?

hmmm?

This team is poor on backs and halfbacks. We've selected too many 2nd rowers that won't get a game.

I was kinda agreeing with much of what you said , until you mentioned Bridge !



Your either on glue or his dad .

Bridge put 2 try making passes away to Monaghan that no other player in the league could have made last week! He had less room than if he had have been in a telephone box

Also should be playing for Ireland.

You mean Steve McNamara the ex 2nd row has picked too many players in err the 2nd row position, who does he think he is, Brian McDermott?

Can't agree with the selection of Tom Burgess or Rob Burrow.

There are other selections that I may not have made myself (eg McIllorum, Ablett) but you can understand why they have been selected.

Myler is incredibly unlucky to have missed selection. I would have had him plus Ferres in the squad instead of the other two.

Do you reckon Ratch has paid the price for not having a settled position over this season? I'm also praying that the squad announcement does'nt have an adverse effect on the lads that thought they may have been in with a shout for inclusion.

I think we have a fair chance of beating New Zealand.

We could get a moment of great excitement by knocking out the champions and go in to the final against the Aussies with a load of jingoism and excitement with people on these forums convincing themselves now is our time, the Aussies aren't all that, in the past we've showed them too much respect, if we get in to them we can win the World Cup.

Then the final and reality will hit as the Aussies will school us. They will give us a worse lesson in the final than they will give us in the group game, because the Aussies will not lose the final this time after what happened last time. Occasionally Aussie teams coast in second gear and you can catch them short but this year whether its us or NZ in the final they will be brutally torn by a switched on Aussie side.

After that look for meltdown on here about McNamara's selections or non selections that cost us that final plus also some hard questions about whether bringing guys like the Monaghans over here is destroying British rugby league because how do we know there were not some local lads better than them but they never got their chance?

Some of the people who post on there think they know more than a Super League coach...Hell of a lot of Wire haters too i don't bother with it....

Anyway the squad itself...Ablett,Cujoe and T Burgess are the only inclusions i have an issue with....
I really thought Ratchford had done more than enough to be included not only can he play Full Back,Stand off and Centre.... But he plays in those positions very well not just adequate...