At least Fox can now relax and look forward to pre season

Was it our chairman openly acknowledging it that gave it away? I don't know how serious (replying 'very serious' won't perturb me btw) they are, but I do know they will be less immediate and severe than some Hull fans would hope.

Anyway, my revised England team to start the 4 nations:

Briscoe, Fox, Shenton, Eastmond, Hall; Mcguire, Tomkins; Peacock, Moore, Graham, Ellis, Westwood, Sinfield.
Interchange: Burgess, Morley, Wilkin, Roby.
In contention: Smith, Crabtree and O'Loughlin (at LF, not centre!).
Others: Myler, Carvell, Bridge, Sykes.

can't see that myself, I reckon lee smith will be in the centre with the scrum half being either eastmond or warrington new boy myler despite tomkins 3 tries yesterday, unless he goes with mcguire at 7 and tomkins at 6.

I reckon that pack looks pretty good and will compete though I'd stick Carvell on the bench with Morley, but in the backs the aussies and kiwis will hammer us.

Completely agree. Reckon Briscoe will be kept very busy as the last line of defence.

It is what I'd do rather than what I think will happen.
Who would you drop for Carvell? For me he doesn't offer anything different and others do the same better. Thought Burgess was very good last night. If we had an organizer in the halves, you could put him at loose, but we'll need Sinfield I think. I thought Myler was very anonymous. Smith has a shot at a wing (Fox was either played on the right because he is certain to play or because T. Smith wouldn't be to sorry to drop him again - can't decide which), or centre spot. IMO Eastmond in the centres would be a chance to do something bold and seize the initiative.

disagree

briscoe
fox
bridge
shenton
hall
mcguire
myler
graham
moore
morley
peacock
ellis
burgess

crabtree
carvell
o'loughlin
roby

our only, slight, chance is bully them down the middle and hope their backs dont see much ball.

Fox is very over rated . He should be nowhere near the England first team.
He was poor for Rovers the back end of the season and is now showing his true form .
It shows the lack of quality and depth in SL that Fox is even being considered.

Tommy Briscoe however

So poor that he made the Super League Dream Team. Looks like he is over-rated by people in high places. He is 1 of the 2 best wingers in SL (not my opinion, those who pick the dream team).

Having watched him all year, he is off form, but early/mid season he was comfortably an international standard winger.

We'll see if he is up to it if he is selected against the Aussies and Kiwis who will put him under considerable pressure defensively, i suspect he is not the greatest when it comes to ball retention and positioning.

I'd deffo pick carvell on the bench with morley, I think they have been the stand out props all year really and you only have to look at Warrington's games, when they've been subbed it's like turning off a switch they've had the best go forward all year.

personally my bench would be those 2, roby and burgess, burgess has played a lot of the back end of the season off the bench for Bratfud and can pack down anywhere apart from hooker (though he'd probably have a good go!). I'd consider jon wilkin instead of westwood to partner ellis due to his versatility and either of the 2nd rows could fill in in the backs during a game if injuries occur.

As I said earlier I don't think the pack is going to be the problem and with rotation props of peacock, graham, morley and carvell, with burgess thrown in no one will push us around, but all the backs barring shaun briscoe worry me when we come to play the big 2

Anyway....

What do you reckon the England 17 will be on Friday against France? Any surprises?

Tomkins or McGuire at 6? Think Tompkins should be involved but him and Myler at half back seems a tad too inexperienced for the Oz and Kiwis.

Why not play Tomkins at 6 and Mcguire at 7?

Smith may well do that with Sinfield at 13.

Wouldnt be a bad option imo.

2 Briscoes in, 1 Fox out for France game ....


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How the hell can Smith have Myler in instead of Thompkins? Oh yes it's because he's biased!

i dont myler ahead of tomkins either and only 1 prop on the bench, woyld have started roby and made eastmond do a short stint at hooker. Not suprised fox hasnt made it tho!

Think about who just paid big money to sign Myler and i think you have may have your answer as to why he has been picked



Fox was very ordinary on Friday and didn't deserve to be picked, that said he would probably have been playing had O'Loughlin not had to pull out. Welcome to the strange world of Tony Smiff

And that is the exact reason that a club coach should not be an international coach.

Can see us getting turned over by the french, They will be pretty strong and very used to each other especially with the likes of Greenshieds being added.

Westwood should be no where near the squad, think he's had a poor year. Surprised at the omission of Carvell, maybe saving him for the bigger test the week after, are we taking hte french too lightly.

Congratulations to Shaun, long over due

Good luck to them on Friday and through the rest of the tournament. Myler is lucky to have held his place, but apart from, the at least understandable, exception of Burgess in the 2nd row, everybody is in their normal position and the team looks to have a decent structure. I can't see what people see in Lee Smith, but if Bridge made the squad and O'loughlin was really being considered for a centre spot that says everything.

Shame for Fox, but this coach clearly doesn't fancy him - at least this time he missed out to two talented young players with real potenial to make an impact at international level in the coming years.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories normally, but I think Tony Smith used the Wales friendly, in very small part and maybe even subconcsciously, to find an opportunity to get Briscoe in ahead of Fox. He obviously rates Briscoe to have picked him for the elite squad when injured and for the train-on squad after only a handful of games back. Club bias aside, Briscoe will be at very least adequate and I hope he does excellently over the next few weeks. [size=42And earns a move to Wire[/size

Perfectly acceptable decision, he has lost his form.