Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Tue Oct 06, 2015 10:12 pm  

There are set to be several pull outs on both sides. I don't think this series is being taken very seriously. I'd expect to see players who wouldn't normally have been considered playing, on both sides.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Tue Oct 06, 2015 10:13 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

My team would be something similar.Surely if your picking Cuthbertson though, he makes the 17.I would play him off the bench, would cause havoc with the offloads on the tiring NZ forwards.

I think the fact I'm still torn if we should or not has meant I've kept him out of the 17. He's had a great year but I just can't decide if I think we should pick him.

One thing is for sure-if we pick him then we've got the players to exploit his offloading game even more so then Leeds do. He'd have guys around him like Hardaker and Watkins as usual but also huge attacking threats like Sam Tomkins, Widdop, Roby and Clark. It would be fighting fire with fire to include an offloading forward like him.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Wed Oct 07, 2015 6:30 am  

Based upon the positive reactions to this series, perhaps one of the games should be transferred to Oldhams whitefield stadium as a reward for them winning League 1.

It would be in line with what keeps being posted.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Wed Oct 07, 2015 6:44 am  

Re saddened:-

Quite the opposite really.

England should be taking it very, very seriously. You need silverware and to get some sort of momentum rolling forward into the RLWC 2017.

NZs response has been very poor with the obvious non-injury withdrawals - on a par with what one would expect from Australia. They should be battered over the head for it and damage done to their position as no. 1. That is now deserved.

For Britain to back away from such a challenge would, I fear, be symptomatic of the current state of the game and its depressed outlook. Stand up for Gods sake and get to the games.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:53 am  

Burgess before McGilvary (who has never played in a big game) and Hill starting with Walmsley on interchange.

Hodgson before Clark as he has been carrying an injury for months.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:56 am  

rubbish, players hould be picked on their form and how good they are not who they play for at club level or how many "big games" they've played in.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:58 am  

Not sure what the "we shouldn't pick him" argument is with Cuthbertson.

His Dad's English. It's not like you have to go back digging to find an obscure grandparent who once visited Buckingham Palace on holiday.

Both the Kiwis and the Aussies have form for picking players born overseas so why should England compete with one hand tied behind its back? Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Jason Nightingale, Josh Hoffman, Frank Pritchard and Gerard Beale were all born in Australia, yet the Kiwis were happy to select them. James Tamou and Akuila Uate were born in NZ and Fiji respectively, yet played for Australia.

Argue all you like about whether the current eligibility criteria are fit for purpose, but play by the ones you've been given and that everyone else is playing by.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Wed Oct 07, 2015 9:00 am  

Agree the rules are the same. Play to the rules.

Memo RLIF - change the rules.

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:52 am  

Jack Reed is out of the series. Who should replace him?
It is either Daniel Sarginson or Michael Shenton.

I would go with the sidestepping Sarginson if he is fit.

Best England team:

Zachary Hardaker

Joseph Burgess, Kallum Watkins, Daniel Sarginson, Ryan Hall

Samuel Tomkins
Gareth Widdop

Adam Cuthbertson,
Elliot Whitehead, Liam Farrell
James Graham (c.), James Roby, Alexander Walmsley

Interchange: Robert Burrow, Christopher Hill, Thomas Burgess, John Bateman.

Squad reserves: Jerome McGillvary, Michael Shenton, Daniel McGuire, Sean O'Loughlin, Michael Cooper, Joshua Hodgson

Re: England team Vs New Zealand : Thu Oct 08, 2015 7:35 am  

Sarginson will be lucky to make the start of next season after an op.

I'd go Percival myself with John Bateman covering him and Watkins. I know many will go for Shenton and whilst he's a good superleague player, in not sure he's quite at that level needed for test match rugby.