Yeah i think i am in favour of that. Im not a huge fan of Batchelor but his improvement this season has been huge there is no doubt about that but i do worry about his errors in a high intensity game. I think Knowles is more assured in that area and bring much more intensity into the collision. Knowles on the bench for me too.

Vossy is a breath of fresh air. Dave Woods is good though i think too as is Davies and Amor. I can't tolerate Noble too much, i think he talks too much nonsense and Kevin Brown is very articulate too. Graham has been very good also. Wilkin, i don't know why but he always seems to come across 10x better on the BBC than he dos on Sky.

I do have one big bug bear with all of them though (except Voss and Woods) and that is calling players by their nicknames, Mickey Mac, Tommy (Makinson) etc. We are trying to engage a wider audience outside of the usual RL speccies so a bit more professionalism is required in areas like this for me. The Sky commentary team are dreadful for things like this.

I'd play Sneyd, the way Moses is kicking we need someone who can match him, not sure I'd want to bet England's World Cup on Makinson's boot, Welsby to centre with either Watkins or Farnworth in the other spot

Watkins and Farnworth are both better centres than Welsby. He’s a waste at centre but I do agree about Sneyd’s kicking being vital.

The brave decision would be to put Welsby at 1 and Sneyd and Williams in the halves but I can’t see Wane doing that. He’ll want Tomkins experience.

That wouldn’t be brave it would be crazy. You need your best players on the field when it comes to the crunch and Tomkins is in that category, Sneyd isn’t.

Knowles is in a different league to Batchelor.

Well said. Perhaps we could encourage Rabbits out of retirement, another great commentator.

Do you think he's a better 2nd row than Batchelor, Stu? Radley is an 80 minute player so I can't see the benefit of having a spare 13 on the bench (Radley's elbow injury notwithstanding) and we're more than well stocked at prop.

I don’t no. However in a high intensity tight game I’d rather have Knowles than Batchelor. If Ackers isn’t in the 17 then McIliroum can be spelled, Radley to 9 and Knowles to 13. That’s two good defenders in the middle, hitting hard and leading from the front.

I'm not keen on that one. McIllorum can easily do the 80, there should be no reason to play players out of position in a world cup unless there is an injury in the match.

Which is why I’m not a coach



I know for a fact though that Knowles is 100% a Wane type of player and that he really rates him. That’s why I think he’ll be in the 17 somewhere.

No, no, no! Jiffy is a miserable old git who has forgotten (if he ever knew) that pro sport is supposed to be entertaining. Find Woods' catch-phrases a bit annoying. Jammer has been the surprise hit. I thought, oh no, but in fact he's been very good.

One thing most of them could still do with (Henderson especially, I think), is commentate on the actual game more, in real time. Don't witter on about generalities like the Sky goons do!

I have to say though that this a very likeable England squad.

Although I’ve heard the story before it was interesting to hear Peacock on a high performance podcast explaining how the rivalry between Saints and Leeds spilled over to the 2008 WC and impacted England. He said it was a regret and he wishes he could go back in time to act differently.

Whether or not it’s now because we can see the players engaging with each other on social media, there doesn’t seem to be that inter club rivalry anymore and they all seem to really get on.

That augurs really well not only for this WC but for the future.

Big spread of clubs in this England squad I'm sure that helps in cliques not forming

It could also be down to Shaun Wane. He doesn't tolerate egos.

I would go as far as to say it is 100% Wane,he would have drilled it into the ones with the biggest egos that it is a team game and that as a group they have to work together to achieve any success.

I can't remember now who was coaching England in 2008, but if the divide between St Helens and Leeds players was as bad as the rumours at the time held it was, and both Peacock and Graham now seem to be confirming that, it represents a total failure of whoever was in charge.

The Riot Act should have been read. The worst offenders should have been made an example of and sent home.

I'll never forget in 1988, when Graham Lowe had a discipline issue with Ellery Hanley, who was club captain at the time (and the best player in Britain). Lowe told him to stay away until he'd sorted his attitude out. Hanley did, for about 3 months, but he was the one who eventually came crawling back.

Egos can be tamed by proper coaches.

Not sure if this is the right topic to post this but for everyone who moans about RL never getting any high profile people as guests of honour at matches your prayers have been answered, HRH The Princess of Wales will be at the DW on Saturday

Good, a positive for the game.

It was Tony Smith.

We were in the same hotel (Holiday Inn) as the players in Townsville. It was as bad if not worse than reported. There was a small shopping centre close by and you would see all the Saints players in one coffee shop, all the Leeds players in another, even walking around the hotel grounds there were the two different sets of players in their own sub groups.

We all heard similar stories at the time. A definite case of ego before country.

I seem to remember him making his 'post issues comeback' against Widnes in the JPS Final at Burnden Park, or was that Andy Greg. I think he had a wobble as well for a while back then. Major egos in that team that Maurice did well to tame.

Nope
That was Gregory the year after - He was on the Bench that day and Ged Byrne played 6 - Greg came on 2nd half and supplied the pass to Hanley to win the game - It was Jan89 and Monie tells the story that Greg sat in the Tunnel sulking at HT and the Brass Band had to walk around him!!!
Also the same week that Widnes had announced Jonathon Davies signing

Ellery was in dispute early 88 and made is comeback for the semi final at Burnden Park against Salford IIRC in a bit of a Mudbath.
(Also - it was the game were they took a Photograph of Gill lifting Edwards over his shoulder at the end of the game in celebration and it won Sports Photo of the year or summat like that).

That's the one I'm thinking off (Jonathan Davies signing), tough win at Burnden. Couldn't remember if it was Hanley or Greg.

And then those players from other clubs were usually on their own.