We were with someone who is very close to Sinfield when we went to Aus last year for the World Cup.

Fair enough, nailed on then.

I know it was just a gash wales team but i think sams 2nd try took some work to finish and was class

He's young and got loads to learn but everyone knows what he can do

You can only beat what's put in front of you. Sam stood out because he played well while a good few around him looked out of their depth against '[ia gash Wales team[/i'.

I agree but i've read threads on vt 'oh whats point in playing oz and nz' it was a young team people dont grasp what last night was proper

Actually, it was a gash English team. The Welsh team had improved significantly and played some good moves.

Sadly of the current England side I would say only the following 9 players are of the required calibre of international rugby and can match Aus. Sadly thats why we always fail.......we have less than half a team of TRUE WC players while the aussies could field 10 sides!!!

for me only Shaun Briscoe Sam Burgess Gareth Ellis James Graham
Adrian Morley Sean O’Loughlin Jamie Peacock James Roby Sam Tomkins are of the required standard

Nine out of thirteen should be enough against the French...

Anyone else notice how Carney was all too ready to give Tomkins stick for a couple of things he got wrong last night, and then keep going on about it?

Has he got a contract for next season yet with the Dire?

Well he's not going to have a go at Myler, is he?


Isn't he going to be on the coaching staff in some capacity?

Carney was totally bang on with the negative about tomkins I heard! If tomkins kicks to the wingers or fullback like he did and which carney commented on! The Aussie back line will think they are playing reserve grade kids! it simply wasn't good enough. Dancing through players and rounding fullbacks who are nl or dregs of sl standard is one thing. But if the fundamental kicking game and kick chase isn't 100% on the money it will be a mullering of biblical proportion! Carney was spot on with his comments!

IMHO I don't think we have a cat in hells chance with the back line consisting of unproven rookies or players not good enough at this level bar mcguire, who was one of 2 maybe 3 English players who actually looked up to the standard in the world cup!

But if we are to keep any self respect against the Aussies and kiwis tomkins kicking game needs to get a lot better if he is gonna be anything more than a liability in the England team.

I think WLA was more upset that little was being said about Myler's efforts.

Myler was poor against a crap team!

The Aussies and kiwis will do 2 things if myler and tomkins play! They will try and smash em both into next week first chance they get! Same goes for eastmond!

I have a feeling tomkins is up to it! Not sure about myler! eastmond is one of the softest players I've seen! He's always clutching this and holding that, rolling around like a wendyballer! the Aussies will be p!ssing themselves at the though of sending the big lads down his channel.

It was the fact that bugger all was being said by Carney about mylers poor efforts.

I would imagine that Carney had nothing to comment on as Myler did nothing.

He's done it occasionally, but at six he needs a good organising seven next to him, he's had that once when he partnered Long against the Aussies a few years back. That was one of his better games.

Sinfields problem is that he is only in the team as an organiser, if he doesn't do it well enough he doesn't add anything to the side, he isn't big enough to do hard running or fast enough to take advantage in broken play. Pryce, like McGuire and Burrow, always has the chance to create something from broken play running given his style, even if he has a poor game generally.

Not just Myler, there were a lot of poor performances out there, yet Carney only seemed to pick up on Sam's errors - and went on and on about them. I don't mind him identifying poor play, but let's just say he seemed particularly inconsistent in his approach to picking them up.

Carney was p!ss poor. Not something I thought I'd ever say.

your having a laugh, one game and u reckon he,s up to standard. the kiwi;s and ausies will eat him alive, granted he can be a world beater but he's not there yet. so problem is who do we pick

Yet in a team comprising of 'world-beaters' such as Ellis, Morley, Burgess etc. he was the stand-out player and man of the match! Discuss....

As a pundit, hes there to discuss the game, I hardly think he was pinpointing Sam on purpose, no need to pick up on Myler as he was truely awful.

Morley, burgess, ellis proven track records tomkins one game, long way to go. the first 3 will back it up in the bigger games, tomkins?
oh by the way if he gets picked I for one hope he proves me wrong. think he's a genuine talent but not quite there yet

I only remember Burgess having 1 good game against the kiwis and he is a world beater?

Roby was young and thrust into the international stage and flopped yet he is still in the squad.

Even if you're right that he's not quite there yet, its irrelevant - there are no better options anyway. Sam Tomkins should play.

Surely they had these "proven track records" on Saturday too when they were comprehensively outplayed by the rookie player you're choosing to question?