The thing that gets on my nerves about this squad is the selection of likes of Danny Brough (Scotland) and the too pie eaters who have played for Ireland. Rugby league will continue to be the laughing stock of world sport until the rules are changed so that once you have represented one country, you can't play for another ever.

Does the omission of a certain Saints player confirm his departure from the world of Rugby League?

Worst kept seceret now out... www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480

Worst kept seceret now out... www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480

Very disappointing to note the continued selection of players who were an embarrassment to the game in this country during the last World Cup.

Perhaps with in been against the Overseas All-Stars they'll do the sensible thing and give SL a week off?! Although surely that would have to be planned in already and it isn't?!

Not sure what the uptake from the All-Starts will be but Buderus has said he'd be interested, Webb might stand a chance too.

Anyway, that would suggest that we COULD be without Burrow, Sinfield, McGuire, Webb & Buderus at the same time.

I thought selection in one of these squasds was the mark of quality? It was when we were discussing Broughton the other week wasn't it? Are you now saying very ordianry players can make these squads? That I would agree with.

We all have our opinions on these squad selections.

What Ferres has done to suddenly appear in the 'Elite' squad must have escaped my attention. If you believe different then perhaps you should say so.

Broughton (like Watkins) has the potential to develope into International class.

Especially when the likes of Atkins & Moore have only made the Knights squad!!

Indeed, unfortunately we haven't developed many less embarrassing players since then

Did I count 6 Leeds and 7 St Helens players in that Elite Squad? A rerun of the last (flopped) World Cup endeavour?

Okay which side was worse - last year's embarrassing collection of Young Players With lot's Of Potential or Tony Smith's elite corps of Leeds and Saints (We got along just fine) RL Superstars?

IMHO Tony Smith's England underacheived to a greater extent than McBanana's rag tag and bobtail outfit but in general terms the latter were worse than the former.

A comparison between England's performances and results down under in the 2008 World Cup and in 2010 suggest otherwise.

Thankfully... Tony Smith, Keith Senior, JJB, Lee Smith, Paul Wellens, Ade Gardner, Maurie Fa'asavalu, Rob Purdham, Mark Calderwood, Mickey Higham, Martin Gleeson, Jamie Langley and Paul Sykes were all been dispatched to the international rubbish bin... hopefully never to return.

The same ought to apply to Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow, Jamie Peacock, Kevin Sinfield, Leon Pryce, Jon Wilkin, Adrian Morley and Ben Westwood.

There's 6 Leeds players and 6 St Helens players in that Elite Squad. You'd have thought we'd have learn't something from the acute embarrassment of the 2008 World Cup.



Tony Smith and his squad of superstar losers by plenty.

Indeed
What Broughton has done to suddenly appear in the 'Elite' squad must have escaped my attention.

He scored a last minute try to bring Salford within 50 points of the Saints a week ago... how conveniently you forget!

Fair points Jeff but who would be your current 13/17 for England?

Nobody. None of them are good enough, and we should stop playing international rugby to avoid embarrassing ourselves.

Maybe - but as fans we would not get to see the really elite world players in live action and that would be a shame.

Watch SOO and the ANZAC tests

The one where he caught the kick 3 metres out then fell over the line?

My bad, he's the next Offiah.

Indeed but hardly surprising when you don't tend to follow Salford. You probably still think he scored at Headingley last season as well.

Besides which, as Broughton hasn't been selected in the 'Elite' squad (unlike Ferres) I wouldn't get too upset over his non-inclusion.

Sounds like even my low opinion of him is giving him far too much credit. Still not much of a convincing argument for lamenting his loss to the degree you do.

We had a fantastic World up.

If I lament the loss of good local Academy prospect in order to accomodate a disinterested (some might say abysmal) average antipodean then so be it.

I'm sure we'll both wish Broughton well should he go on to represent his country.

Absolutley.

Did you lament Peter Fox, Gareth Raynor and Mark Calderwood to the same extent, I struggle to recall?

Fox, less as I knew and had seen almost nothing of him to form an opinion.

Raynor, about the same as he'd shown huge promise and potential but also found his opportunities limited by an incumbant 'wage stealer.'

And much more when Calderwood was effectively forced out as he was already the finished article and one of Leeds' better performers on game day - a proven match winner.