No he wont

Clubb is complete and utter garbage and shouldn't even be talked about playing for England let alone be in the squad.

It would be a brave call to play Clubby at Centre against the Aussies-and that coming from a Quins fan!

I'd go with :

1 S. Tomkins
2 Goulding (Briscoe if Hall is fit)
3 O'Loughlin (Shenton if he is fit)
4 Widdop
5 Briscoe (Hall if he is fit)
6 Brown
7 Robinson

8 Fielden
9 Roby
10 Graham
11 Ellis
12 Westwood (Burgess if Shenton is fit)
13 Burgess (O'Loughlin if Shenton is fit)

14 Lunt
15 J. Tomkins (Westwood if Shenton is fit)
16 Crabtree
17 Griffin

Looked more dangerous with Tomkins at full back and Robinson at scrum half. Thought Widdop was poor at full back but decent at centre alot better than Atkins, keep him there.

I wouldnt keep our two fit centres in the stand. Widdop is an inexperienced full back, to play him in the centres against the Aussies is a recipe for disaster. Ryan Atkins was poor and is capable of playing a lot better and has to be included in the weekends team.

If Tony Clubb does not play in front of moving Widdop or O'Loughlin then he should not have been named in the squad.

Risky in the centres but I think I would go:

S Tomkins
R Atkins
D Goulding
L Cudjoe
T Briscoe
K Brown
L Robinson
J Graham
S Lunt
S Fielden
G Ellis
J Tomkins
S O'Loughlin

J Roby
S Burgess
B Westwood
E Crabtree

Much more oomph off the bench and we need to score points to win the game on Saturday - we won't do that by playing back rowers in the centres (possible exception of J Tomkins).

I like the look of that, but the Atkins, Goulding wing could be very fragile defensivly. The rest of the squad I like though.

Too much hype around Widdop, he's a good player with potential but that's about it. Tomkins would be my preferred fullback with the Hudds pair in the halves.

S.Tomkins ----- S.Tomkins
Briscoe -------- Briscoe
Ellis ----------- Widdop
J.Tomkins ----- Goulding
Goulding ------- Hall/Cudjoe
Widdop -------- Brown
Robinson ------ Robinson
Graham ------- Graham
Lunt ---------- Roby
Fielden -------- Fielden
Westwood ----- Ellis
Burgess ------- Burgess
O'loughlin ----- O'loughlin

Roby ---------- Lunt
Crabtree ------ Crabtree
Griffin --------- Griffin
Harrison ------- J.Tomkins


Team i'd like on left ( Second rowers in centres, both fast enough and will help Widdop and Robinson defensively as they could both be caught out at times. Plenty of pace aswell out wide and Ellis and Tomkins both run better lines than any of the centres in the squad. ) Team i expect is on the right though and for me has far more weaknesses.

Also i think McNamara missed a trick not taking Michael Lawrence, he's great defensively and helps Cudjoe. Whereas Cudjoe has that extra bit of class/magic in attack to make them dangerous as a pairing. That could of been one side of the backs sorted and potentially for years especially with them having understanding of each others games from playing week in week out alongside each other.

the Cudjoe/Lawrence pairing is shaping up to be one of real quality, this tour will have helped Cudjoe and next season I would hope to see both of them in contention for an England shirt as a wing/centre partnership.

I'd pick the same as you mate, but Lunt on the bench instead of Griffin.

Shenton has been injured since that post Jonny. So that would need some adjusting.

Not to mention Goulding playing on both wings.

id personally play widdop stand off as thats apparantly where he is going to be playing next year for melbourne. Kev brown is awful and no where near good enough for this level. if doing drop offs everytime you touched it worked then he would be a world beater! Start luke robinson at scrum half and have tomkins at full back. If we really need to change any of the half backs during the game then oloughlin could fill in there and he will do a better job than brown. carvell in for griffin who should be no where near this squad. tomkins to centre and then bring harrison onto the bench. so my full team would be.....

1.tomkins
2.goulding
3.tomkins
4.o'loughlin
5.briscoe
6.widdop
7.robinson
8.fielden
9.roby
10.graham
11.ellis
12.westwood
13.burgees

14.carvell
15.harrison
16.crabtree
17.lunt

Thats not far from the team i chose



I think O'loughlin would be wasted big time in the centres, we wouldnt get the best of his passing game be it short or long. Despite being a forward he has the best passing range of anyone in the squad imo at Wigan hes used really well as a first or second reciever at times and creating space for Sam out at 3rd man . Whereas if Ellis is playing centre you could quite easily utilize his best attributes, get him to come inside and make the hard yards that he does early in the sets but then later keep him outwide running the great lines he does on the outside of S.Tomkins chiming into the line from fullback. At the other side he'd have his older brother outside of him and at times Westwood and Burgess.

Plus dont forget O'loughlin was the top tackler last week with 40 whilst playing at loose forward.

I can’t believe how many people are suggesting we play back rowers in the centres – Ellis, O’loughlin and Tomkins have all been muted. They may all be pretty mobile for back rowers but they haven’t got the pace to play in the backline in an international test. We may not blessed with the best backs in world rugby (and injuries has exposed this further) but the best chance we have on Saturday is to select forwards in the forwards and backs in the backs. I hope McNamara sees this

Joel Tomkins at centre?

Tomkins
Hall
Widdop
Atkins
Briscoe
Brown
Robinson
Graham
Roby
Fielden
Burgess
Ellis
O'Loughlin

Westwood
Crabtree
Griffin
Harrison

Hes played there quite a few times for Wigan when needed and done well. Joel is a very versatile player he played quite a few games at stand off at reserve team level. I think Joel is quicker than widdop myself from what ive seen of Widdop recently.

May i also ask why you would drop Goulding after he outperformed Briscoe last week ?

How about this team:

1. S Tomkins
2. Hall
3. Widdop
4. Goulding
5. Briscoe
6. Brown
7. Robinson
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Burgess
11. Ellis
12. Westwood
13. O Loughlin

14. Fielden
15. J Tomkins
16. Crabtree
17. Carvell

According to Sky Sports it's either going to be Cudjoe or Clubb in the vacant position.

Cudjoe would get killed, at least the Clubb has got some meat to him. I'd stick Brown and Robinson in the halves, just for the continuity of knowing each others games.

1 S.Tomkins
2 Hall
3 Widdop
4 Atkins
5 Briscoe
6 Brown
7 Robinson
8 Graham
9 Roby
10 Fielden
11 Ellis
12 Burgess
13 O'Loughlin
I Westwood
I Crabtree
I Lunt
I Carvell (get a scrap going, dish it out big time)

Looking like poor Widdles might not even make the side now

Briscoe is a far better player than Goulding and has been all season.

Why is a guy with three first grade games playing in the england setup anyway?

Potential, maybe... But you cant honestly be up to international standard (of the big 3) playing Queensland cup.