Is he good enough for England?
Not slating him or anything but I don't think he is good enough anymore, okay maybe his kicking is world class and he is still a great captain but I think he's lost his magic touch! Maybe we should look into another half back after the world cup has finished, I personally think Matty smith would be a great addition in the halves alongside Widdop!

Nope he isn't and in my eyes never has been good enough for the International game but because of the amount of medals he's got from his days captaining a Leeds side that has been built around him for many years we're not allowed to criticise. What Leeds have done is a unique, fantastic thing and Sinfield has been the heart of that, but thats the problem for me ! Put Sinfield in with other, better players, from other clubs and it shows just what an average Rugby League player he actually is. Not meant in a disrespectful way but it's true......the fact Mcnamara named him captain 12 months ago meant that he was in the side no matter what.

I have Leeds supporting friends who have been big supporters and defenders of him at times but even they are cringing at the sight of him struggling to find any kind of form or leadership.

But all we will get told, or asked, is 'how many medals has he got' !!

I take it you didn't watch the England game on Saturday then...or if you did you failed to understand what you where watching.

i wrote that before the England game.

He's played a half decent 40mins once in this WC, so now you'd now like us to believe he's a worldbeater






I'll have a pint of what you're on

wish people would just get behind the team.

next up France saturday night...come on England!

He's overrated and past it. He's living off memories of when Leeds were a good team.

Unfortunately for you Moggie, McNamara has built this England squad around him for the last three years. Let's face it, he wasn't going to change his halfback combo a month before the World Cup after building up for three years.

The stability of the halves has allowed us to ease into the QFs without really playing well and staying well below the radar. Come the Semi finals, against a strong NZ side, we will see whether it has been worthwhile.

For sticking with Sinfield as the core of the side I applaud him, whether that be right or wrong. I do know that chopping and changing at the last minute would have been far worse.

You lot need to give your heads a wobble

Constructive.

Sinfield is a good player, a good goal kicker and a good leader- what he isn't is the BEST player we have in any position. He isn't even second best. This means that in order to shoehorn him as captain into the side the BEST player in that position is not on the field. That isn't the way to run an international squad. Now sometimes in terms of having a broad skill set or a compliment of skills in a side that is necessary / justified. I don't believe it is in this case.
To Leeds fans he will always be a hero, he has won them games but he has NOT at international level done that and given his poor form this season should not have been selected.

So really its the process of picking a captain to build a team round that is the problem at national level .

Surely picking the best 17 for any given game and then choosing the skipper is the best way forward .

Yes it is! By naming sinfield captain early on macnamara put himself in a position where he couldn't leave him out bar injury.

I don't think that is the case Jools, it is pretty well established that the dynamics between players within any team are important, ie teamwork. The best team may not include all the best players available, simply because some do not compliment each other.

I think MacNamara has made poor choices and made things more difficult for England, but if he is successful he is vindicated. There are different methods to achieve success, if his method works he is proved right. So what level of success vindicates him, does he have to win the world cup or is making the final enough?

I believe if England reach the final he will have achieved enough to justify his decisions, I will still disagree with them but would have to concede that his strategy was a valid one.

think reaching the final would be a success.. anything could happen though if we reach the final!

I did say that it may not always be the case that best players is best -As I also said I don't think that's the case in this instance.
If we reach the final we are stuck for some time with a coach that some of the players have already demonstrated they have little respect for- and the fans aren't happy with. rock and a hard place!

Jools, I agree