Briscoe
Smith
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
Myler
Tomkins
Morley
Roby
Graham
Peacock
Ellis
Sinfield

McGuire/Carvell
Crabtree
Westwood
Burgess

Thats what I would think it would be judging by todays performance, we played alot better with Tom Briscoe off the field and looked alot stronger.

To be fair to Tom Briscoe I don't think that was anything to do with him being off the pitch.

1 Briscoe
2 Smith
3 Shenton
4 Eastmond
5 Hall
6 Tomkins
7 Myler
8 Graham
9 Roby
10 Peacock
11 Ellis
12 Burgess
13 Sinfield

14 Morley
15 Westwood
16 Crabtree
17 Carvell

Agree. Our fringe right hand side defence seem to be free from blame now!

Are you serious? Played better with him off the pitch? In attack he didn't see no ball and the only time he touched it was from bringing it out from his own 20. In defence he did nothing wrong, it was Smith and McGuire who had shockers yet TS for some bizzare reason decided to blame it on Briscoe!

briscoe
smith
eastmond
shenton
hall
sinfield
tompkins
graham
roby
morley
ellis
peacock
burgess

mcguire
crabtree
westwood
myler

Briscoe
Smith
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
Tomkins
Myler
Burgess
Roby
Morley
Peacock
Ellis
Sinfield

Bench: Graham, Westwood, Crabtree, McGuire.

Put Graham to the bench as I felt he's looked a bit jaded during this game. Bring him on after 20 mins when the NZ pack are tiring and see if he can get us some momentum.

I'd try to get as many old boys as possible back into the back-line. Whichever combination of today's players we have if NZ or Oz get 50% possession we'll not be able to defens. To pretend otherwise is burying heads in the sand. Is Pryce fit, for example?

To blame Tom Briscoe for Lee Smiths defensive brain farts is pure denial.

Smith was out of position or too soft in the collision on about 5 occasions in the first half with three of those costing 16 points in total.

He was out of position on at least two occasions in the second half and although we did'nt concede points that was due to cover from his team mates and placed extra work for his team.

He will get ruthlesly targeted by NZ if he's in the team next week. He should be nowhere near the squad.

McGuire has played himself out of the reckoning and will need to go back to Leeds and prove himself all over again.

6. Tomkins
7. Eastmond

Next week.

As for Sinfield, I think he's a superb domestic player, he looks good against 'B' Class international opposition but is out of his depth against Aus & NZ.

Unfortunately T Smith has left himself and England with little option in the field kicking stakes and so he may get another run against NZ next week. To be fair ro him he had a better second half but his control and kicking game in the first 40mins were very poor and a part of the reason we were so far behind at HT.

Shenton was very good in defence but was still starved of the ball although he did do well with the few chances he did get.

The pack took their toll on the Ausies with Crabtree exceeding all expectations.

I'd have Tomkins and Eastmond in the halves with Sinfield at 9 (thought he showed some good touches there in the 2nd half)

Briscoe
fox
smith
shenton
hall
tompkins
eastmond
graham
roby
peacock
burgess
ellis
sinfield

crabtree
morley
Westwood
myler

Briscoe
Briscoe
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
Tomkins
Myler
Morley
Roby
Graham
Peacock
Ellis
Sinfield

Burgess
Crabtree
Carvell
Moore

Very young backline but its our best choice from the squad we've got IMO, would have been better to have some experience in the backs like Gleeson/Senior, even L.Pryce on the wing, but thats Tony Smiths choice. McGuire and Smith were just terrible today, McGuire probably the worst performance I have seen in an England shirt and there have been plenty.

*waits for the first person to drop Shenton*

I'm sure people were saying Smith was a much better option in the centres

S.Briscoe
Smith
Ellis
Shenton
Hall
Tomkins
Eastmond
Morley
Roby
Graham
Peacock
Westwood
Sinfield

Crabtree
Burgess
Carvell
Maguire

Eastmond, Crabtree and Westwood really lifted the team

Would be happy with alternatives to Maguire who was terrible today.

Says a lot when his substitution gained a big cheer

Disagree about Sinfield. Play him out of position at your peril. Not quick enough for a scooting hooker.

So? scooting hookers are a cheap gimmick and only work with a quick PTB, what England needs is someone who can control the game from dummy half, not someone who can't pass but can run a bit.

Not me chum. I think Shenton is like Gleeson was when he was at Huddersfield - a pretty fine player in a fairly average/poor side. A lot of fans can't see past the club colours, and paint all their players with the same brush, but I have no beef with Shenton as the best centre we have available at present. If he was playing for a top side, I'd wager he'd open a few myopic eyes to his talents.

As for the team, next week I'd have Smith at fullback, as his defence will matter less there, and he's a faster and better ball returner than S Briscoe. I'd stick Ellis in the centres to replace him, drop McGuire and start with Eastmond/Tomkins in the middle. Sinfield to hooker, Roby to loose and call up McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Myler to replace S Briscoe and McGuire.

So...

1. Smith
2. T Briscoe
3. Ellis
4. Shenton
5. Hall
6. Tomkins
7. Eastmond
8. Graham
9. Sinfield
10. Morley
11. Burgess
12. Peacock
13. Roby

14. Crabtree
15. McCarthy-Scarsbrooke
16. Myler
17. Westwood

I felt really sorry for Tom Briscoe. He was unfortunate to have Laurel and Hardy defending on his inside and a slow prop forward at second row who couldn't cover across.

As for my side i'd go-

Briscoe(no doubts about his place now, he was superb)
Smith( T Briscoe unlucky to miss out)
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
Sinfield
Tomkins
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Westwood
Burgess

subs
Morley
Crabtree
Wilkin
Myler

You think ?

I thought not only did he look slow, but he was so badly positioned for most of the Aussie kicks that by the time he got to the ball and picked it up, the chase had got him.

I thought Sinfields distribution from hooker was miles better than Roby's. I thought Tomkins and Crabtree were magnificent.

Briscoe
Smith
Eastmond
Shenton
Hall
McGuire
Tomkins
Morley
Sinfield
Graham
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess

Carvell
Crabtree
Roby
Westwood.

Very encouraging second half. McGuire took the wrong option on numerous occasions but I'd stick with him for next week and at least try and keep some fluidity at half back. You don't see Australia chopping and changing their main pivot positions every game.

Speaking sense as ever Roy

In the first half Briscoe (S) was massivly out of positionin all his kick returns, he was making the already good kicks look better.

Second half, he was ok though.

I'd agree with that. The other option is to put McGuire or Eastmond there to get a better kick return.

Id put smith at fullback

Thought he was superb in the 2nd half making huge ground and supporting well.

First half he did ok i thought. There wasn't much he could do about any of the trys but didn't seem to do anything wrong.

His place should be well safe anyway.

Me too, and that's saying something after the amount of bad words I launched in his direction for his shocking performance today.

He's a much better attacking fullback than he is a defensive centre.

I agree

Sinfield's distribution was a lot better than Roby's. He had the forwards running onto the ball as well instead of giving them a standing start a few times like Roby did first half.

Its a shame we cant produce a hooker in the mould of Smith or Farah who are proper number 9's.