Was watching in parts the Saracens game and they were losing up pops Farrell and puts a short kick in between 2 players (you know the one we see them in RL every week) and they score under the H, Stuart Barnes was estatic and even said that the kick was straight out of the Rugby League manual, Dewi Morris went even further " that one came from Central Park Shaun Edwards Andy Greg Ellery Hanley" i couldn't believe what i was hearing, at last some respect for our game from the other side, by the way Saracens won with that try after losing all the game.

The all-blacks played the RU world cup (from what I have seen) with a RL style. Even their kicking was right out of the NRL textbook.

I think the aussie backs from RL could walk into the RUWC behind a decent pack and run riot. Most of the rugby is just not clever and very boring.

I am so happy for Owen Farrell, Stuart Barnes and Dewi Morris. I am also made up that Owen learned something of Andy.

No, really I am.

Agreed.

The fact that they are now openly admitting that they have basically inherited our proud mantle, and that we are left with a non-achievement culture embodied by Kevin Sinfield and Rangi Chase playing as England's halfbacks, while Gareth Widdup is sitting on the bench and Kyle Eastmond (and probably Joel Tomkins this year, not to mention Sam next year) are chasing careers elsewhere, really makes me excited for the future.

Ohh doing cartwheels here! Rah Rah Rah

Interesting comments. Maybe you could spell out exactly how Widdup, Sam, Joel, Eastmond and Owen Farrell, even his dad Andy, have out-achieved Kevin Sinfield? Most of them may yet do so and some will certainly be more famous but Sinfield has achieved plenty within league.

I'd agree he shouldn't be playing at 6 for England but what's he supposed to do once he's been picked to play there? Withdraw from the team?

Sinfield being selected at 6 with the Melbourne Storm stand-off sat on the bench is only a symptom of the problem.

But don't worry about it. You just keep fiddling while Rome burns.

So just because he is the Melbourne 6 then he has to be the England 6?? This is my problem with him people who don't watch him every week think that because he is in the NRL he has to be first choice.

What he does very well is allows Cronk And Smith to do the chunk of the ball playing and takes pressure off them but IMO he wouldn't work well with Chase because Chase isn't a ball playing SH like Cronk but yesterday we did look better with him on but then again that was when Chase went off.

Sinfield has 6 on his back but is playing organising 7. It's Chase who is (incorrectly) in the team in fromt of Widdop.

After watching yesterday I agree it should be Sinfield and WIddop 6 & 7 use Chase for impact

Fiddling while Rome burns? While you are doing what to change things, exactly?

Like I said, Sinfield shouldn't be playing 6 - and may not do next week. I go along with most of your comments but the culture of underachievement lies squarely within the coaching and selection set-up. Sinfield has actually over-achieved in the game, given some fairly obvious limitations to his game. No doubt he'll prove a more than adequate scapegoat though.

how its changed to sinfield or ronald i dont know but you only have to look at the exiles game to see whos the better 6 or 7 and sinfield wasn't the better 6 rangi run the show that game.

Widdop is not a creative stand off. He rarely makes the plays at Melbourne. Rather he is a running number 6. This is not to say he shouldn't start ahead of Sinfield. It is merely to point out that a lot of English fans think Widdop will tear up the Aussies. He won't as he is not a creative stand off. Alas, to know this would mean that people would have to actually watch the NRL rather than simply going off names and buying into the Australian mythology.

I agree with you but he looks good from what ive seen and running or creative he should be in.

What do people think Sinfield is then? A running or a creative? I think he is neither and am puzzled why he is in the halves at all. Off the last two England games Widdop has looked better than Chase and Sinfield to me and hes had less time on the field. Surely he must be worth a starting slot?

Chase is Dennis Moran all over. Woeful and should not be in the team. Sinfield is a very good player but is never an excellent one. Nor is he a half back. Interestingly, Sinfield's best games for England have been when he has played at No.9. Not that I suggest he go there. I would move to 13. And get Widdop in at 6 and a new no.7.

finally someone who talks sense

Youve made more sense to me than Mcnamara has already, fancy a job?

Young Farrell is an outstanding player with ball in hand BUT he really needs to work on his defence.

It's not just the current administration who are at fault for this - woeful though they are.

It's long been a British disease that for internationals we play loose forwards at stand-off, centres on the wing, wingers at full-back, etc.

Surely it's best to play people in the positions where they are most effective for their club?

People can call this scapegoating Sinfield if they wish, but I just don't buy into the idea that he's such a good player he must be switched to outside-half before we'd even contemplating playing someone like Widdop there, who plays at 6 nearly all the time.

And I think the sooner the Rangi Chase myth is exploded, the better. Surely we've got someone better than him to play at 7.

The positions people play for their clubs aren't always their best positions at international level. How many Aussies players have just one position? If a player is best suited to a different position there's no problem with putting them in that position. Sinfield's best England performance was at hooker rather than loose forward.
Players just get forced into specialising in just one position too often which makes things harder to find a team that fits together well at international level. It's just like big players being made into prop forwards even if they have excellent handling and footwork.

There are so many RL players in this country who play in an almost identical way to all the others. In the back row there are 2 second row forwards who are 'all rounders' in that they work hard in defence and try to hit hard while running straight and hard in attack, being good running options and looking for offloads. Then there are 3 players whose only jobs seem to be workhorse back rowers in Heighington, JJB and Wilkin. There's little variation or real threats.

Quote from Cameron Smith on Sky sports about Widdop

Does not sound like a bit part player to me !!


"I know he'll go good because he's a tremendous football player. It will be nice to play against him. I haven't done that yet.

"If he's playing against us, the guys will have to be ready for anything because he's got a good bag of tricks - pace, great agility and good hands as well."

New role
Widdop's first-grade opportunities at Melbourne were limited due to the presence of Kangaroos full-back Slater, but he seized his opportunity to plug the gap at stand-off caused by the move of Brett Finch to Wigan.

"He was great for us," Smith added. "He worked really hard for us defensively. Obviously it was a new role for him and, being in the front line, he had to make a lot of tackles and he did a great job.

"It didn't surprise me because he works really hard. I thought he brought a new dimension to our game this year.

"He loves running the football and three-quarters through the season he was second in the competition for line breaks.

Rangi Chase and Kevin Sinfield made for an extremely average halfback pairing against the Welsh. So God alone knows how they'll fare against the Aussies.

back on topic to owen farrell any body read the skysports report of him being attacked on twitter by a somoan rugby player? i dont know how to pull across articles, but it goes along the lines of dont act tough infront of cameras if you can't back it up off field with some not very nice words. How this is the rugby that represents this country is stupid it cant go a week with out one of the fake million air playboys spitting out hes dummy or acting the K*ob.

Yes. Read about it in the Guardian and posted on the union forum. The Samoan in question shouldn't be allowed anywhere near twitter.

I watched the Union highlights show on ITV4 last night whilst training, and to be honest the skill by Farrell for their try was nothing special, just a simple drubber kick behind the defensive line. Is he really the great hope for Union?