Glad someone mentioned that. I am not saying that the fact we have had this problem means Charnley is better than Hall rather that it has affected Charnley's game.

He strikes me as being in a bit of a second season syndrome mentality.

I reckon he feels he has to do more than take passes and score tries. And while a wingers job is more than that these days I am sure people will get my drift.

He is kind of trying too hard.

Agreed. Charnley is good, but for my Hall and Briscoe are ahead in that order. Personally I'd like to see Charnley at FB.

I'm not sure about Charnley at FB. These days a FB tends to play like a traditional stand off with most teams playing split halves. I don't think Charnley has the passing game for that. Not a bad choice for cover in that position though. I wonder how far Tierney is off getting a crack in the first team?

Be interesting to see how he goes. I've been unimpressed with Murphy at Salford, this again once any question the decision to let Matty Russell go, who by all accounts wanted to stay at Wigan but was unhappy with Wane so left, he would be the ideal replacement for Sam at this stage.

Hall is an impeccable finisher. Did you see the tries he finished against Australia at Wembley?

We have to do something about the full back position for when Sam is out.
Russell has gone and don't know about the chances of getting him back.
Murphy went to Salford to help improve his game but it looks like the experience is destroying him. I'd get him back asap and try him off the bench, the Widnes game would be a good place to start.
Pat is the only option at present and last Friday was hard to tell how he'll go at FB when he wasn't kicking due to some fitness problem.

Richards is solid at fullback, nothing more, nothing less. What we gain from his solidity under the high ball/defense, we lose in attacking flair, as he is not as adept at chiming into the line as an extra pivot. He cannot be our long term replacement at FB.

I'd have a look at Lomax from Saints at FB, tearing it up there at the minute.

Based on what I have seen Russell at academy level he was even more error prone than Murphy and was absolutely shocking positionally. I very much doubt that he wouldnt have done much the same as what Murphy has done at Salford.

I think this season so far has shown that Hall and Briscoe are the two wingers that England should go with. Hall has pretty much everything apart from perhaps the ability to create something out of nothing, which Briscoe can do. Both very good wingers.

How has Briscoe been playing this season? From what I've seen he's been quiet.

Having to create his own chances as support from his centre has been almost non-existant.

As the post above suggests - our attack isnt clicking, which is resulting in Briscoe having to create his own chances. His running against Huddersfield was very good from kick returns and against Castleford one of the runs was fantastic, beating several players with strength, balance and speed. I think once our halves get fit (especially in Holdsworths case) and our right to left attack becomes a bit more fluent, then the tries will start flowing

I rate Hall as England's best winger (and I don't think I'm being biased) but Briscoe is also a very good player, and I thought Charnley seemed very much at home in the England shirt last year (albeit against limited opposition but you can only play what's in front of you). It's a nice problem to have as England coach I think.

Hall man for man is the only English player that would get in the Oz side

Think you can include Sam Burgess and possibly Graham in that as well.

Also, what about the "World's Best Player"?

Hands off! Brown has seen what Saints fans have been saying for donkeys (with a little help from a Wellens injury). Lomax looks out and out class from full back.

Lomax has that spot nailed now, Wello will move into the pack or drop out altogether.

Its good that we can even have this discussion. Tony Smith will still be having nightmares about the 3/4s he had to take to Australia.

I have a feeling that come the world cup we will see:

Lomax
Hall
Cudjoe
Watkins
Briscoe/Charnley
Tomkins
Brough

No Reed in the centres?

I'd be surprised if he dropped Sinfield for Brough and Reed for Cudjoe. As already mentioned it's a nice problem for the coach to have. I just hope form dictates who he picks rather than injuries as is often the case

Bit unsure on Cudjoe tbh but that list has speed, skill, strength in abundance. Exciting.

Add to that a pack of:

Burgess
Roby
Graham
Ellis
Hock
Westwood

Then it looks pretty good

The problem I have with that is that Tomkins is unlikely to play 6 for Wigan at all this year and I'd prefer to have players picked who have spent the year playing the position selected. I know he can play that position but if he isn't doing it week-in week-out i'm not so keen on it. Lets not forget too that Lomax has impressed at FB for a few weeks......lets not get ahead of ourselves and assume he'll keep it up for the season.

I think World Cup will see few surprises, with the Charnley/Briscoe battle for the 2nd wing spot and the battle for the 7 shirt to be decided, and even that will probably be Chase.

Tomkins
Charnley/Briscoe
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Sinfield
Chase/Myler/McGuire

But like others have said about how poor we were in 2008 in the backs, that looks so much better and their is still the likes of Hardaker, Ratchford, Cudjoe, Atkins etc. to choose from too.

It would be an absolute disaster to put two players with so little experience of being international halves, as your international halves going in to a world cup .

If Tomkins doesn’t improve his catching from kicks, I can see him being moved out of the line of fire and moved forward into the halves to partner Sinfield, but dropping your captain, current golden boot winner, experienced starting half to accommodate two players with next no big game experience in the halves would be crazy.

I’d echo how good it is to see Tomkins and Hardaker as good young fullbacks, Lomax joining them now. A few years ago we would have killed for a fullback with the speed and creativity of any of them.

I haven't seen a huge amount of creativity from Hardaker - he's not a great passer of the ball, which detracts from his running game as well because defenders pretty much know he's unlikely to pass. Lomax (and obviously Tomkins) are the opposite - the mere fact that they are looking to set up other players makes them much more dangerous runners as well. Right now I'd put Hardaker in the squad largely on the fact he can cover 1-5 to a reasonable standard.

Jack Reed is looking painfully slow for the Bronocs. He's got good hands and positions himself well in defence, but for England he's likely to be far more exposed one-on-one than he is playing for the Broncos, which is a recipe for disaster. He may still be recovering from the leg injury he got at the end of last year, but on current form I'll be surprised if he's still in the centres by the end of the year - looks like a loose forward playing there ATM.

McNamara has clearly decided that Sinfield will be 6. That probably rules out Widdopp in the starting side, as he's no way a halfback. Chase can play there, but if Lomax is still tearing it up I'd be tempted to put him at fullback and Tomkins at 7.