England. Confident? This time. If so what's changed

[JDINTHEHIZZOUSE]

I am confident,that we will not beat the foul mouthed convict rejects!

[roughyedspud]

We're still 4/1 with the bookies

The kiwis have drifted alittle to from 9/4 to 5/2 and the aussies have shortened a bit to 4/6 from 7/10..

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

I had you down as an Australian Indigenous person.

Now I am thinking you are a 10 pound Pom 

Since your so interested in me I'll enlighten you. My Father was an immigrant from Guyana & mother is of English convict decent so as usual you are incorrect.

 

I wont say what I have you down as because that would likely get me banned from the forum

[Allora]

Since your so interested in me I'll enlighten you. My Father was an immigrant from Guyana & mother is of English convict decent so as usual you are incorrect.

 

I wont say what I have you down as because that would likely get me banned from the forum

 

Say what you want Rabbits, I am not easily offended.

Not really bothered what you think either way 

[West Country Eagle]

We're doomed. Again.

No optimism whatsoever.

 

That's the spirit! 

 

Have to say I've been gutted too many times to be genuinely confident or properly optimistic. I'm happy to cling on to blind faith for a few more weeks though 

[damp squib]

Unless some of the young halfbacks come good, I think this could be England's best chance of a trophy for a long time. NZ look to be in transition and I think they're very beatable but it's just about breaking that Aussie hoodoo.

 

I'll have the unusual feeling of going for England in a sporting event. In any other sport I'd be hoping you'd lose!

[Dunbar]

Our backs are the issue, would any English back get a start in either the Kiwi or Australian teams?

 

Well, on Saturday the right centre for Australia was Josh Dugan and the right centre for New Zealand was Shaun Kenny-Dowall.

 

These are two of the worst centres that I have seen play for the Kangaroos and Kiwis for some time.  Dugan is a better full back than centre where his unstructured running doesn't seem nearly as effective and S D-W is a decent runner but his positional play and hands are poor for an international centre.

 

On form I believe that Kallum Watkins is a better centre than both.

 

Not sure about the wings.  I rate McGilvary and Hall very highly (if they are the two selected as I expect) while I don't think the Kiwi centres will get much of a chance to shine as the centres are not great but clearly the Aussies have some decent strike force out wide with Holmes, Mansour and Ferguson.  Overall the English wingers are in the mix I think.

[Dave T]

Ferres has pulled out, replaced by Ward.

Is Ward that good?

Even just from my team i think Hughes and Westerman unlucky not to get a sniff.

[nathanwood7]

Can't see Ward coming close to getting picked but maybe give him some experience with one eye on the world cup next year?

 

I'd probably go with the following, albeit there are some tough calls and i wouldn't begrudge Percival, Williams, Brown, Farrell, or Cooper a spot if they were picked. 

 

Lomax

Hall

Sarginson

Watkins

McGillvary

Widdop

Gale

Graham

Hodgson

Hill

Bateman

Whitehead

Burgess

 

Burgess

Burgess

Clark

Ratchford

[terrywebbisgod]

Ferres has pulled out, replaced by Ward.

Is Ward that good?

Even just from my team i think Hughes and Westerman unlucky not to get a sniff.

Wayne Bennett  thinks he is.

[Dave T]

I dont think he posts here though TWIG.

Genuine question, he has always had big raps but never stood out for me, but not seen loads of him.

[terrywebbisgod]

I dont think he posts here though TWIG.

Genuine question, he has always had big raps but never stood out for me, but not seen loads of him.

Defensively very good,good hands and footwork.A shame he missed most of the season.

[GeordieSaint]

Ferres has pulled out, replaced by Ward.

Is Ward that good?

Even just from my team i think Hughes and Westerman unlucky not to get a sniff.

 

Ward is clearly rated if he's gone into the squad on the back of 4 x games. That said, I'd be disappointed if I was Hughes or Joe Greenwood for example. Ward isn't an experienced international player so his selection I don't think is warranted due to his lack of game time this year alone.

 

Shame about Ferres; always been good in an England shirt. 

[GaryO]

Defensively very good,good hands and footwork.A shame he missed most of the season.

Your last sentence Terry is the very reason that the spot should have gone to one of the others mentioned, none of whom could be said to have underperformed this season.

Apparently the selection of Ward in most people's eyes is that he will not be considered for the teams but it will be of benefit to him should he hit some form and be selected for the WC, could this be termed as a "Psychological Selection"? if so what about the opposite for the players who have given their all, performed well and been disregarded for someone with very little evidence of why he should make the Squad, will that be detrimental to them.

All that being said, I think that Ward has loads of potential to be a very good player, but for yhe above reason's I would not have selected him this year.

[goldcoaster]

Pro's: a very strong squad, home advantage and of course, Wayne Bennett

Con's: the lack of a neutral ref. Bloody ARL will do their darnedest to ensure an Aussie ref for the AusEng test - like the bloody Kangaroos need an advantage!

[JoneslessBishop]

I'm excited by Lomax at full-back but maybe no more so than Hardaker last year, but just feel he has the pace, power and visit to make the difference. I'm also delighted that Bennet has had the bravery to bring Gale to the fore and Brown into the squad. It could be argued (I I have done) that they are unproven, but with a steady Eddie like Widdop, and Wiliams who should benefit from being thrown in last year, I think we have a nice range of options in the halves. Centers and wingers a little mixed in terms of form but some talent there and with such a good pack of we can dominate we have via them the talent we have can prosper

[Tex Evans Thigh]

By this time next year I hope Ben Currie is one of the first names on the teamsheet and will be the obvious backrow partner for whitehead with Bateman and Farrell as back up 2nd rowers. I cant see Ward, Hughes or Andrew Dixon getting near the 17.

[LeytherRob]

By this time next year I hope Ben Currie is one of the first names on the teamsheet and will be the obvious backrow partner for whitehead with Bateman and Farrell as back up 2nd rowers. I cant see Ward, Hughes or Andrew Dixon getting near the 17.

Andrew Dixon has gone to Toronto so he's got no chance while he's slumming it in league 1. Shame, as he has had some good games in the qualifiers for us and he's just harming his development spending a year playing the likes of Hemel and Oxford.

[Shaggy]

That's the spirit! 

 

Have to say I've been gutted too many times to be genuinely confident or properly optimistic. I'm happy to cling on to blind faith for a few more weeks though 

I still haven't got over 2003.

[Dunbar]

I still haven't got over 2003.

 

I still haven't got over Mal Meninga scoring in the last minute at Old Trafford in 1990!

[Ant]

I still haven't got over Mal Meninga scoring in the last minute at Old Trafford in 1990!

This!

I still hate him...

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Hear this every time that Australia are weaker and older etc. Yet each time they are too good for England. The Aussies have the right players in the right positions and know what to do to win. I just do not see the potential matchwinners in the English (or Kiwi) team at all that the Aussies fear. The danger from both England and NZ is in the forwards. Cronk, Thurston and Smith especially know how to control the game and play to the strengths of their team (Qld, Australia) in the tight games. The English and Kiwi Halfbacks in particular are very hit and miss. Hodgson is a quality hooker, but he cant control games like Smith does and certainly lacks the experience of Smith at this level. The kiwis look weak at Hooker. England will be far better with Bennett there but they dont really have any players outside the pack that stand out that much and that will cause the Aussies/Kiwis problems.NZ have a Coach thrown in at the deep end at the last minute. He got shown up by Meninga in Perth. I cant see NZ really causing too many problems unless the forwards get good metres and quick PTB- which against England they should not be getting. NZ have to make more use of Taumalolo and get him the ball more than in Perth and create more. Against Australia in Perth they looked clueless in attack.  Australia for me are still the Favourites. England will be runners up. NZ will struggle I feel. 

[roughyedspud]

We're still 4/1 with the bookies

The kiwis have drifted alittle to from 9/4 to 5/2 and the aussies have shortened a bit to 4/6 from 7/10..

Odds have changed again,with bet365

Oz 8/15 from 7/10

Nz 3/1 from 5/2

Eng 4/1

Scot 250/1

[CGD]

You've lumped on Australia, right Spud?

[ParraEelsNRL]

Good luck England been wishing for a win from you guys since I got the internet some 15/20 years ago. Need a strong English side to get the international game back to where it belongs. You guys have been pretty close in all that time and have just needed that little bit of luck to go your way to finally get that monkey off your backs.

I have a good feeling about this year. It's not that I'm unpatriotic, I just want what's best for international rugby league. Once you have won a tournament or two, you can go back to you winless ways