As good as Stevie Ward was in 2015, there's no way he should be getting a call up to the squad. He's played 4 games all season and I think they were in the middle 8s.
As good as Stevie Ward was in 2015, there's no way he should be getting a call up to the squad. He's played 4 games all season and I think they were in the middle 8s.
Squad vs France:
Brown, G Burgess, T Burgess, Clark, Cooper, Farrell, Gale, Graham, Hall, Hodgson, Lomax, McGilvary, Percival, Ratchford, Taylor, Ward, Watkins, Whitehead, Widdop
Based on that squad I'd have Ratchford and Brown missing out:
Lomax
Hall
Percival
Watkins
McGilvary
Widdop
Gale
Graham
Hodgson
G Burgess
Whitehead
Farrell
Ward
Clark
T Burgess
Cooper
Taylor
Last edited by The Wee Waa Womble; 20th October 2016 at 14:59.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
That team will change when we play the Kiwis. He's giving Taylor, Cooper and Ward some game time to see how they perform.
I'd go with Brown instead of Widdop - we need 2 kickers. Bateman Sam Burgess and Hill to come back for Ward, Cooper and George Burgess
The RFL are advertising well in London and hopefully a few locals may give it a whirl with no PL football that weekend.
I go back way before that. As a boy my father [ex Oldham] took me to watch the 1948 Aussies get beaten at Station Road, Swinton's old ground. I think we won the other two tests that year, one of which was at Headingley. I also saw Belle Vue Rangers give them a close game in Manchester; I remember that Clive Churchill was their full back. In those days Great Britain were expected to beat them on home soil.
Got my ticket today for the double header at Coventry. taking my oldest grandson RICO for his first Proper rugby match. Rugby League.
Dull affair with France not really threatening other than one dart from dummy half. If England had been a bit more clinical it could have been 60 rather than 40. Good work out for the team though. Percival didn't get a lot of ball but Lomax had a good game at full back.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
Probably a fair assessment really, disappointed again with Widdop his kicking game was dreadful, to be honest as someone who never watches the NRL, I don't think I've ever saw him have a decent game for England.
Thought Lomax was probably the stand out today, certainly performed better than Ratchford there.
Looked like it absolutely lashed it down which wouldn't have helped the quality of the game
Fair. Im not sure what the attraction is to Widdop but Ive yet to see him really impose himself at international level and I think he's overated. Surely there are options around that will be pressing him for a place.
I thought England were moderate for the first 20. They looked unimaginative and a little predictable with the ball, they will need to improve on that as the games against NZ and AUS could be lost there and then.
I thought Percival put some good hits in defense that seemed to go unoticed and ran hard. I really hope he gets a chance in the big games as he is a genuine talent who doesnt need to rely solely on physicality and bulk, hes a touch of Darren Wright in how he plays. Lomax was good enough at full back. As i say England were disjointed at times, but maybe they needed the run out.
You have to give a lot of credit to Josh Hodgson, he really has taken his game to another level and playing in the NRL has improved him no end. I like how Bennett is using him, like Ricky Stuart does at Canberra, by shifting him to 13 to allow Daryl Clark to come in and quicken up dummy half. Hodgson can get a bit of a break, but yet remain on the field and still offer a threat.
Keiron Cunningham take note, this should be the plan for St Helens and James Roby. The trouble is, I'm not so sure Tommy Lee is the 2nd hooker to do the interchange role. Doesn't have the speed. Lee to start? Not for mine, Roby needs to do most of the minutes, because he's a far better player.
Regards,
STEVO
That's a possibility Dux, and Cunningham has used this tactic once or twice before with Travis Burns last season I recall. For mine though, I think Saints have missed a trick with the 2nd hooker they've gone for as I say, but it will be very interesting to see how Tommy Lee is used by St Helens.
You have a good understand and knowledge of the game, Rolf & drivel920? I'm not so sure, both have had a shocker as far as I'm concerned.
Regards,
STEVO
Last edited by Mike Stephenson; 24th October 2016 at 23:14.
By gum lad, 'tis retirement a bit quiet?
Tommy Lee makes a good brew and is training on the coffee machines so he will be of some use. He's no Danny Houghton but we should give him a chance although I suspect he will spend most of the time on the physio's bench.
Learned comment from The Don