A couple of things

[BroncoFan]

1. Get a real coach like Denis Betts or someone of his ilk to coach the England team.

2. It’s time to move on from players who were previously automatic selections. Half of that Vegas squad wouldn’t get a look in now.

[WRLFan]

49 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

1. Get a real coach like Denis Betts or someone of his ilk to coach the England team.

2. It’s time to move on from players who were previously automatic selections. Half of that Vegas squad wouldn’t get a look in now.

To be fair Stu Barrow said at half time the team going to Aus will be a totally different team than went to Vegas

 

 

 

[DoubleD]

Wigan are the first women’s rugby team worth watching in this country. And they’ve got so much improvement still in them.

It’s exactly what the game over here needed after the embarrassment in Vegas. The game was in danger of going stale and stagnating but it’s really pleasing to see new levels being reached

On Saints - their spine was particularly poor and I include Cunningham in that. So disappointing but they got what they deserved. Whitfield was the only player to come out with any credit

[Richard de la Riviere]

Hard to disagree. Amazing to think only one Wigan player played in Vegas. 

[johnmatrix]

2 hours ago, WRLFan said:

To be fair Stu Barrow said at half time the team going to Aus will be a totally different team than went to Vegas

 

 

 

I thought he said some of the experienced players may still be in and around, I could only half here it tho so may have missed heard. The squad should be full of the young exciting players, the old guard showed in vegas they are miles off what's required

[DoubleD]

1 hour ago, johnmatrix said:

I thought he said some of the experienced players may still be in and around, I could only half here it tho so may have missed heard. The squad should be full of the young exciting players, the old guard showed in vegas they are miles off what's required

Barrow is totally out his depth and has his favourites. I doubt he’ll pick a bold selection 

[johnmatrix]

1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

Barrow is totally out his depth and has his favourites. I doubt he’ll pick a bold selection 

I agree he shouldn't be the coach, no doubt it will be full of his favs though, they won't win in the next world cup. They definitely won't win with the people who have failed before. Stick the young ones in and let them get the experience they need. If we lose by 70/80/90 then so be it, the ones he played in vegas did that. 

The game has and is moving on, the next generation of players are coming thru and that's who needs to go with

 

 

[DoubleD]

18 minutes ago, johnmatrix said:

I agree he shouldn't be the coach, no doubt it will be full of his favs though, they won't win in the next world cup. They definitely won't win with the people who have failed before. Stick the young ones in and let them get the experience they need. If we lose by 70/80/90 then so be it, the ones he played in vegas did that. 

The game has and is moving on, the next generation of players are coming thru and that's who needs to go with

 

 

Agreed, there are some experienced heads who will make the trip - likes of Whitfield, Wood and players like Stanley, Beevers, Dodd and Travis but the likes of Rowe, Hunter and Brown should be bolters.

Be interesting to see how Roche goes this year to see if she can kick on

Edited June 7, 2025 by DoubleD

[Richard de la Riviere]

The question at the moment is how many Wigan players will be in the next England team? 

It’s incredible only one played in Vegas. There’ll be at least eight in the next game assuming they avoid injuries.  

[DoubleD]

9 minutes ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

The question at the moment is how many Wigan players will be in the next England team? 

It’s incredible only one played in Vegas. There’ll be at least eight in the next game assuming they avoid injuries.  

I don’t think there’ll be that many. 5 or 6 would be my guess. The difference is they are well coached - much better fitness/ athleticism, defensive line speed and attacking shape. There are some quality players in other teams but as a collective, Wigan are a cut above.

Saints looked unfit compared with Wigan. I’ve been banging on for ages that the players need to spend less time taking TikTok videos in the weights room and concentrate more on athleticism. Wigan are showing the way in that regard.

Edited June 7, 2025 by DoubleD

[johnmatrix]

42 minutes ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

The question at the moment is how many Wigan players will be in the next England team? 

It’s incredible only one played in Vegas. There’ll be at least eight in the next game assuming they avoid injuries.  

The team should have a load in, how many of saints team would get in wigans? 

[johnmatrix]

1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

Agreed, there are some experienced heads who will make the trip - likes of Whitfield, Wood and players like Stanley, Beevers, Dodd and Travis but the likes of Rowe, Hunter and Brown should be bolters.

Be interesting to see how Roche goes this year to see if she can kick on

Those playing in aus need to be in. 

Whitfield went well today

[BroncoFan]

Some great replies here and I think getting the right coach is just as important as getting the right players.

In terms of the coach, Stu Barrow should be nowhere near the squad and that is not personal as I don’t know him but I listened to his comments over the past 2 years and noted his team selections. 

Last year I thought Jodie Cunningham was by far the best English player but Las Vegas seems to have affected her badly, she wouldn’t even make an England team if named today.

As stated on here, Vicky Whitfield is the only Saints player performing to a high standard.

[BroncoFan]

51 minutes ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

The question at the moment is how many Wigan players will be in the next England team? 

It’s incredible only one played in Vegas. There’ll be at least eight in the next game assuming they avoid injuries.  

Certainties in my opinion:

Foubister

Davies

Rowe

Coleman

Wilson

Williams

Possibles:

Banks

Eva Hunter

Future internationals:

M. Jones

Derbyshire

[DoubleD]

24 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

Some great replies here and I think getting the right coach is just as important as getting the right players.

In terms of the coach, Stu Barrow should be nowhere near the squad and that is not personal as I don’t know him but I listened to his comments over the past 2 years and noted his team selections. 

Last year I thought Jodie Cunningham was by far the best English player but Las Vegas seems to have affected her badly, she wouldn’t even make an England team if named today.

As stated on here, Vicky Whitfield is the only Saints player performing to a high standard.

I agree on Cunningham, she’ll be nearly 35 by the World Cup next year, I don’t see her making the team. She’s been unbelievable player, punching above her weight and setting new standards but her times been and gone, she’s on the downward trajectory now

[DoubleD]

24 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

Certainties in my opinion:

Foubister

Davies

Rowe

Coleman

Wilson

Williams

Possibles:

Banks

Eva Hunter

Future internationals:

M. Jones

Derbyshire

I’d have liked to have seen Coleman against the Aussies in Vegas to see her tested at the highest level. I like her, her workrate is phenomenal but I just wonder if she’s a little light for a prop. I’d still probably pick her though 

[WRLFan]

This is the train on squad picked last November

Who stays and more importantly who’s out (Had their chance) 

England Women's Vegas Training squad:

Savannah Andrade (York Valkyrie), Jas Bell (York Valkyrie), Keara Bennett (Leeds Rhinos), Amelia Brown (Huddersfield), Caitlin Casey (St Helens), Mary Coleman (Wigan Warriors), Evie Cousins (Leeds Rhinos), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Georgie Dagger (York Valkyrie), Anna Davies (Wigan Warriors), Hollie-Mae Dodd (Canberra Raiders), Jenna Foubister (Wigan Warriors), Amy Hardcastle (St Helens), Zoe Harris (St Helens), Phoebe Hook (St Helens), Shona Hoyle (St Helens), Eva Hunter (Wigan Warriors), Molly Jones (Wigan Warriors), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Izzy Northrop (Leeds Rhinos), Lacey Owen (York Valkyrie), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie), Tamzin Renouf (York Valkyrie), Georgia Roche (Newcastle Knights), Isabel Rowe (Wigan Warriors), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Erin Stott (St Helens), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Paige Travis (Parramatta Eels), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Liv Wood (York Valkyrie).