England/Gt Britain

[Harry Stottle]

Having watched probably our most prominent two player's in this position quite a few times this season and both in the last 2 days in Dodd and Smith it got me thinking have we ever been at a lower ebb in our choice of a scrum half for the international team, I doubt either of them would be even considered candidates for any of the other top 5 international teams, and whilst I was thinking about these two I got to wondering who would partner them at 6, our international halfback cupboard is nigh on completely bare.

[Futtocks]

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

The older one gets the more expierience they have to call on.

Now that is our of the way who is your shoe in at the present time for the International No 7 Jersey?

Pray tell.

Edited September 9, 2023 by Harry Stottle

[Futtocks]

Isn't this just lashing out when your team got a beating from those players you say are no good?

[JM2010]

I actually rate Harry Smith. He’s seems to have developed a lot over the last few years. 
George Williams is still number 1 choice though and is an international class player 

[Damien]

It was only in 2017 when we had Luke Gale and Kev Brown as halves in a World Cup final. A number of times we have had various forwards like Clarke, Farrell and Sculthorpe in the halves. Other times it's been the likes of Ryan Sheridan. There are plenty of times our halves options are far more limited than now.

Edited September 9, 2023 by Damien

[welshmagpie]

Harry Smith

Lewis Dodd

Jonny Lomax

George Williams

Sam Walker*

Marc Sneyd

Jordan Abdull 

Mikey Lewis 

Will Pryce**
 

* English born despite have another accent. 

** Has many critics but is still only 20

As a Welshman mate, trust me when I say you’re alright for halves. Your stock is generally young too and will grow immensely as individuals over next 5-10 years. Your future’s bright. 

[Tommygilf]

England have had bad half backs according to everyone as long as I've been alive!

[Futtocks]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

England have had bad half backs according to everyone as long as I've been alive!

According to the same people, our pack's always been better than those Kangaroo forwards who inconveniently outplayed us each time.

[Whippet13]

England's potential halves are as good as they've been for 30 years. As others have said on here, at least we now have specialist halves!

Whether they would they get in the NRL top 5 is totally irrelevant, they don't play in that comp, so how could we know - Williams was a top NRL half when he went over there, yet no-one forecasted that.

Let's see how the Tonga series goes before having a moan.

[Gomersall]

6 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

England's potential halves are as good as they've been for 30 years. As others have said on here, at least we now have specialist halves!

Whether they would they get in the NRL top 5 is totally irrelevant, they don't play in that comp, so how could we know - Williams was a top NRL half when he went over there, yet no-one forecasted that.

Let's see how the Tonga series goes before having a moan.

Who mentioned the NRL?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

12 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Very true. As people know, I'm one of the younger forum members but even I have found myself saying over the last couple of years, "back when I was a kid", or other variations on that phrase. 

[JohnM]

Smith and Williams. Best we've had for years. Just don't add to their stress by asking them to take place-kicks.

[Harry Stottle]

13 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Isn't this just lashing out when your team got a beating from those players you say are no good?

That is the type of answer I would expect from you, it is not often that you put any substance to a conversation. 

Honestly go through the SL teams and the lack of talent or Aussies in those positions screams at you.

And yes we were beaten by a team containing Dodd but I would love him to be in the opposition team every week.

[Harry Stottle]

50 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Smith and Williams. Best we've had for years. Just don't add to their stress by asking them to take place-kicks.

That may be so, but that only says they are the best of a bloody bad bunch, I would stick to the round ball game if I was you.

[Harry Stottle]

13 hours ago, Damien said:

It was only in 2017 when we had Luke Gale and Kev Brown as halves in a World Cup final. A number of times we have had various forwards like Clarke, Farrell and Sculthorpe in the halves. Other times it's been the likes of Ryan Sheridan. There are plenty of times our halves options are far more limited than now.

Forwards in half back rolls Damien, the coaches choice thats all that was, and it worked a treat didn't it?

[Damien]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Forwards in half back rolls Damien, the coaches choice thats all that was, and it worked a treat didn't it?

The coaches choice because options were so limited.

[Harry Stottle]

13 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

Harry Smith

Lewis Dodd

Jonny Lomax

George Williams

Sam Walker*

Marc Sneyd

Jordan Abdull 

Mikey Lewis 

Will Pryce**
 

* English born despite have another accent. 

** Has many critics but is still only 20

As a Welshman mate, trust me when I say you’re alright for halves. Your stock is generally young too and will grow immensely as individuals over next 5-10 years. Your future’s bright. 

I have forgotten how many times over my 60 years of involvement in this game that the next young world beater has come onto the scene "just give them time and expierience" I have heard it hundreds of times Magpie, still waiting.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Harry Stottle

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

The coaches choice because options were so limited.

Because those coaches wanted to do a containment job, never worked.

[Harry Stottle]

9 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

England's potential halves are as good as they've been for 30 years. As others have said on here, at least we now have specialist halves!

Whether they would they get in the NRL top 5 is totally irrelevant, they don't play in that comp, so how could we know - Williams was a top NRL half when he went over there, yet no-one forecasted that.

Let's see how the Tonga series goes before having a moan.

I didn't say anything about the NRL top five, I said the top 5 International teams.

[Futtocks]

17 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

That is the type of answer I would expect from you, it is not often that you put any substance to a conversation. 

Stay classy.

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Very true. As people know, I'm one of the younger forum members but even I have found myself saying over the last couple of years, "back when I was a kid", or other variations on that phrase. 

I will give you back one of your pedantic answers, should be :-

When I was a Gosling not a Kid, that's a young goat.

[Gomersall]

Just now, Harry Stottle said:

I will give you back one of your pedantic answers, should be :-

When I was a Gosling not a Kid, that's a young goat.

Beat me to it aitch.

[Damien]

8 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Because those coaches wanted to do a containment job, never worked.

If we had good enough halves the coaches wouldn't have been doing it.

So if we ignore the multiple times when we have picked forwards in the halves, ignore the days of Ryan Sheridan, Tony Smith etc, ignore the debateable quality of players like Deacon and Sinfield as halves then I suppose we can say our options have never been more limited.

[Harry Stottle]

8 minutes ago, Damien said:

If we had good enough halves the coaches wouldn't have been doing it.

So if we ignore the multiple times when we have picked forwards in the halves, ignore the days of Ryan Sheridan, Tony Smith etc, ignore the debateable quality of players like Deacon and Sinfield as halves then I suppose we can say our options have never been more limited.

Straight away those coaches were conceding the games by picking forwards in the half's, that weakened the forwards, but please go through today's SL and tell me we have quality to choose from in either 6 or 7 position, and yes I would put Smith and Dodd in the same bracket as Sheridan, Smith etc not good enough for top level international football, and please Sinfield?