England Vs Samoa - Your Team

[WN83]

10 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

Is Bateman available?

Banned for the first game and back for France

[Tonka]

Samoa have some very good players but the reality is they've barely played in 3 years, most of these guys are untested at international level and together and there's some talent in that England team.  I think it's 50/50 at best, if anything I think England have the slight edge on paper.

[MattSantos]

We've also had a warm up game and a longer training camp thus far.

Aren't the GF portion of the Samoan squad just fresh off the plane?

 

 

[FearTheVee]

2 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Samoa have some very good players but the reality is they've barely played in 3 years, most of these guys are untested at international level and together and there's some talent in that England team.  I think it's 50/50 at best, if anything I think England have the slight edge on paper.

I don't think Samoa get within 18.  Might be proven overly cocky but I think there is more than a hint of everything NRL = amazing, everything SL = rubbish in the way this game is being talked up.

Edited October 10, 2022 by FearTheVee

[Welshleaguelover]

Welsby has to play.

I'd be really disappointed if he's selected as the 6 besides Williams.

Sneyd's kicking game, short, long and for goal is needed.

Either Tomkins or Williams has to drop out for Welsby.

I could see Welsby playing right centre instead of Watkins but can't see Wane picking that team.

Wane has made a rod for his own back by naming Tomkins captain and ###### off Watkins in the media.

 

[WN83]

4 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

My view is Welsby is a player we need on the pitch as much as we possible can.

Other than the captaincy and Wane relationship I'd say there is very little to justify Tomkins starting ahead of Welsby this weekend.  I'll support Sam to the hilt if he's out there though (it would be nice to have a WC without parochial club-centric whining about selections).

Fully agree, we don't need to hold Welsby back to potentially create something if we need it, let's just play him and let him produce some moments from the first minute. 

I'm convinced Wane will start him. I've said it about Knowles and Lees and I'll say it about Welsby-Wane loves a competitor and Welsby has that in spades. I really think some people think Wane is this anti 'anything not Wigan', sentimental fool but I don't think he is at all. Everyone would have Tomkins in the squad and even Micky Mac is picked because of a lack of options in there. He trusts him, so he's gone with a mix of his own tried and trusted and then the form horse in Ackers. 

I don't expect the final choice to be between Tomkins and Welsby, I think it'll come down to 2 from Williams, Tomkins and Sneyd. I do think he'll pick Tomkins but I don't think anyone could say that's a shocking call. The side needs some experience after losing Roby, Graham, Lockers and Sam Burgess in recent years. 

[Dunbar]

1 minute ago, MattSantos said:

We've also had a warm up game and a longer training camp thus far.

Aren't the GF portion of the Samoan squad just fresh off the plane?

 

 

And just fresh off a huge ###### up if the social media reports are anything to go by.

And well deserved - but I can't help feel that they are buying into their own hype a little.

[Just Browny]

42 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

My view is Welsby is a player we need on the pitch as much as we possible can.

Other than the captaincy and Wane relationship I'd say there is very little to justify Tomkins starting ahead of Welsby this weekend.  I'll support Sam to the hilt if he's out there though (it would be nice to have a WC without parochial club-centric whining about selections).

This point might have landed better if it didn't suffix a post in which you said you would rather a Saints player got picked than a Wigan one.

As it happens I don't disagree very strongly. I think there is very little in it and I would have no concerns over Welsby being selected this weekend. The only thing I wondered was whether we get any advantage as keeping him relatively healthy and as something of an unknown quantity to the Australasian teams for the later games in the tournament.

[Just Browny]

Double post sorry

Edited October 10, 2022 by Just Browny

[Tex Evans Thigh]

I've a feeling Sneyd is going to miss out which would be a mistake in my opinion. Feels like he's going to go with Tomkins/Welsby/Williams and 2 hookers. If this happens we are going to lose a lot at the end of sets. At the moment Tomkins isn't worth his place but he'll 100% be in.

[MattSantos]

Given the WC - Is there a timeline to when coaches name their starting 17? 

48 hours before the game? 12 minutes before the anthems?

[HullWire]

Day after with hindsight

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I've a feeling Sneyd is going to miss out which would be a mistake in my opinion. Feels like he's going to go with Tomkins/Welsby/Williams and 2 hookers. If this happens we are going to lose a lot at the end of sets. At the moment Tomkins isn't worth his place but he'll 100% be in.

Tomkins for sure should not be in but will be 

At least the first game where he'll be found out as old, slow, injured and past it

 

[Saint Toppy]

1 hour ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I've a feeling Sneyd is going to miss out which would be a mistake in my opinion. Feels like he's going to go with Tomkins/Welsby/Williams and 2 hookers. If this happens we are going to lose a lot at the end of sets. At the moment Tomkins isn't worth his place but he'll 100% be in.

You say that but how many time over the years has Sneyd failed to deliver in the big games. Other teams & players step up in big games but hasn't on many an occasion. Look at his last game in the play-off's this year against Saints, time & time again he was closed down and put in panic kicks. He wont get much space & time against the good teams in the WC so its questionable whether he can deliver his kicking game anyway when it really matters.

So if Sneyd does miss-out I can understand why Wane would have gone down that route. Tomkins & Williams, while both not having had great seasons have the experience of playing at a higher level against NRL players and Welsby has shown time & again he can do something extraordinary when it matters and come up with a match winning play.

[Just Browny]

14 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

You say that but how many time over the years has Sneyd failed to deliver in the big games. 

I'm surprised to find myself a Sneyd fan but hasn't he won the Lance Todd Trophy twice? Seem to remember it was in the era when Saints couldn't get near the cup.

[FearTheVee]

3 hours ago, Just Browny said:

This point might have landed better if it didn't suffix a post in which you said you would rather a Saints player got picked than a Wigan one.

Tomkins is a Catalans player.

[Dunbar]

50 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

I'm surprised to find myself a Sneyd fan but hasn't he won the Lance Todd Trophy twice? Seem to remember it was in the era when Saints couldn't get near the cup.

He has appeared in three Challenge Cup Finals and been named man of the match in two of them.  Not bad for a player who never delivers in big games.

[FearTheVee]

I've got no issues at all with Sneyd at 7 and a decent kicking game alongside very creative players at 1 and 6 is a nice blend.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

I'm surprised to find myself a Sneyd fan but hasn't he won the Lance Todd Trophy twice? Seem to remember it was in the era when Saints couldn't get near the cup.

Beat me to it. 

[StandOffHalf]

I have a feeling that Wane will go with Williams and Welsby in the halves.

I think there's a lot of merit to the idea of turning the Samoans around and making them work off their line with Sneyd's kicking game. I would have him partnering Williams, and have Welsby at FB. I think there's an argument for Tomkins being on the bench and coming on at the 55-60 minute mark to offer a steadying hand.

My gut says that if Welsby and Williams are the halves that Samoa have a bit of a better chance of winning. The off-the-cuff stuff might allow them to start sets in better positions.

Perfect game for Sneyd to show off his tactical kicking nous. I hope I'm proven wrong and he plays.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

Not sure if anybody has had a go at doing a Samoa line up for Saturday. I'll give it a go, assuming all players are fit to play. 

 

Joseph Sua'ali'i

Brian To'o

Stephen Crichton

Izack Tago 

Taylan May 

Jarome Luai

Chanel Harris-Tavita/Anthony Milford

Josh Papali'i 

Danny Levi

Junior Pualo

Jaden Su'a

Kelma Tuilagi

Braden Hamlin-Uele

 

Famanu Brown, Martin Taupau, Royce Hunt, Spencer Leniu

Edited October 10, 2022 by hunsletgreenandgold

[ghost crayfish]

1 hour ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Not sure if anybody has had a go at doing a Samoa line up for Saturday. I'll give it a go, assuming all players are fit to play. 

 

Joseph Sua'ali'i

Brian To'o

Stephen Crichton

Izack Tago 

Taylan May 

Jarome Luai

Chanel Harris-Tavita/Anthony Milford

Josh Papali'i 

Danny Levi

Junior Pualo

Jaden Su'a

Kelma Tuilagi

Braden Hamlin-Uele

 

Famanu Brown, Martin Taupau, Royce Hunt, Spencer Leniu

That's a good side, but I think England go in as favourites. Not only is the England team better, IMO, they're also playing at home and have had a warm up game. I reckon England by 10.

[Young Blood]

England paying $2.45 last time I checked. Samoa are by far better team on paper and 5/7 members of the backline play for same team so chemistry should be ok but not as good as England. Samoa have better backs, halves and  props, England have better backrow.

On a neutral field, with same time to preapre Samoa win by 14-20, but given it in UK with codtions Samoa not used to be close game .

[Coastal_Geordie]

I know there are a few NRL players for England and a few SL for Samoa, but this has a real all star SL v NRL feel.

It is amazing that Samoa is stacked with Penrith players and being just off the grand final win.  Feels unprecedented and I doubt we will see this circumstance again.

The winner will have huge hype behind them and will suddenly be considered rivals to Aus/NZ.

Home advantage is a strange thing in sports and I think it could make the difference.

[Mojo]

34 minutes ago, Young Blood said:

England paying $2.45 last time I checked. Samoa are by far better team on paper and 5/7 members of the backline play for same team so chemistry should be ok but not as good as England. Samoa have better backs, halves and  props, England have better backrow.

On a neutral field, with same time to preapre Samoa win by 14-20, but given it in UK with codtions Samoa not used to be close game .

Shhh your making too much sense. The English Boys are gonna wake up in the morning and come after your post