that bench is just way too lightweight

You have some good points there caddo but i cant agree with the highlighted bit when eastmond came on at centre we looked a better team and he showed he can cause some real problems in attack, he acted like an extra half back at times and that seemed to inspire tompkins to up his game too. I agree his size is a concern against the kiwi's though.

you absolutely sure about that? or is it just a massive typo?

Not a bad team part from mguire being the 6, we cant afford to give him another chance against the kiwis after his display against australia, i'd put easmond there if ellis plays in the centres, as he looked really dangerous when he came on and has a very good short kicking game.

we cant afford to not give him another chance. Eastmond did fantastic around the edges, lets keep him there,

Tomkins doesnt have the experience to do much other than the off the cuff stuff at this level, and Sinfield cant be Loose, Hooker, Stand Off and Half for 80 minutes a game,

Put Mcguire at 6/7, give the freedom to Tomkins and Eastmond to play on the periphery as two 6s one on either side and let Sinfield control the middle

Briscoe
Fox
Briscoe
Shenton
Hall
Eastmond
Tomkins
Morley
Roby
Peacock
Burgess
Ellis
Sinfield

Carvell
Graham
Crabtree
Westwood

or

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

Carvell
Graham
Crabtree
Westwood

For me, it should be either of those.

I agree that we are in quite a whole in terms of half backs, but at the end of the day as you yourself have said his last two games have been poor, whereas tompkins and eastmond have played better than him.

I have concerns about playing eastmond against the big kiwi backs so i dont think centre is where we should play him, i also think that such a potent attacking player is wasted not playing for 80 mins. For me he looks like he will do a better job in the halfs than mguire, and pinning our hopes on mguire suddenly upping his game after two poor performances would be the wrong choice against the world champions.

the point is was trying to make was that neither Eastmond nor Tomkins did much work as actual halves, the good things both did were running on the fringes, we cant expect Sinfield to be both half backs, hooker and loose

Mcguire also means we have our utility in the backs and also allows us to move Ellis into 2nd row,

and im not sure the player Eastmond is now is best as an 80 minute player

K Eastmond
T Clubb
C Bridge
M Shenton
R Hall
S Tomkins
R Myler
J Graham
K Sinfield
J Peacock
B Westwood
G Ellis
S Burgess

J Roby
G Carvell
A Morley
E Crabtree

In fairness eastmond hasnt been given the chance in the halfs but has been at times acting more like a half than mguire. So far everything we have seen of eastmond at this level has suggested he can hack it in the halfs while mguire has been poor in the last two games which at this level should mean you are dropped if there is a replacement available and in form, which eastmond is.

He was dropped by quite a few people for the France and Aus games. Ah I have a warm smug feeling all of a sudden

Briscoe
Fox
Ellis
Shenton
Hall
Eastmond
Tomkins
Morley
Sinfield
Graham
Peacock
Westwood
Burgess

Roby
Crabtree
Wilkin
Carvell

Changed my side round after watching the replay. IMO Sinfield has to start at 9 because he did a great job there and got us rolling forward with crisp and clever distribution. I'd put Tomkins and Eastmond in at 6 and 7 and move Ellis over to right centre to sure that side up. I'd also move Roby to 13 with the instructions to just keep running the ball forward because he's such a strong lad. We need to take the pressures of distribution away from him.

Briscoe
Smith
Ellis
Shenton
Hall
Tomkins
Eastmond
Graham
Sinfield
Peacock
Westwood
Burgess
Roby

subs
Morley(i want the old Morley back with him rushing out of the line to smash people)
Crabtree
Wilkin
Bridge(to cover numerous positions)

The other advantage of Roby at 13 is that if Sinfield is hooker you don't lose out on another physical forward. It will be very sad if Roby doesn't improve a lot, he has bags of potential.

Id personally play -

Smith
T Briscoe
Ellis
Shenton
Hall

Tomkins
Eastmond

Graham
Roby
Morley
Burgess
Peacock
Sinfield.

Crabtree
Carvell
Westwood
S Briscoe/McGuire.

1. S. Briscoe
2. Smith
3. Bridge
4. Shenton
5. Hall
6. Tomkins
7. Myler
8. Graham
9. Moore
10. Peacock
11. Ellis
12. Westwood
13. Burgess

14. Eastmond
15. Morley
16. Carvell
17. Crabtree

Shiit or bust time! Throw the young exciting lads on and really have a crack!

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

14. Morley
15. Carvell
16. Crabtree
17. Westwood

Sinfield had a great game and will run the team. Eastmond and Tomkins will be the line breakers, with kick, pass or run.
The pack is fine.
The backs simply need to drag the forwards out. The soft tries were scored by the tight defense being caught out with quick passes. There was nothing wrong with Briscoe on the wing, don't play people out of position with Sinfield and Roby swapping (fine during the game) or Peacock in second row, and swing the ball about, we were good when we had the ball.

We cant put smith in the centres again it would be suicide.

I understand what people are saying but for me, we played a tight defense and didn't slide. That's as much a problem for the men inside him as for Smith.
He couldn't tackle them all.

Saying that he could have done better, but it doesn't matter who you put there, if no one slides across, he will always have too many to tackle if they pass fast and long.

1. Briscoe
2. Briscoe
3. Ellis
4. Shenton
5. Hall
6. Tompkins
7. Eastmond
8. Peacock
9. Moore
10. Graham
11. Westwood
12. Burgess
13. Sinfield

14. Morley
15. Carvell
16. Crabtree
17. Roby

Then use roby as an impact player as they do at saints, and the same with Crabtree unless Westwood is pants and needs taking off. Carvell deserves a run also he will be fresh!

If you watch the replay you will see that mcguire was defending outside smith. Some teams defend this way for some reason. Long at saints defended in the centre many of times.

God knows why smith lined them up that way. Maybe tony smith thought inglis was to quick for smith.

Professor Stephen Hawkings would have been too quick for Smith



Easy to see why hes off to Union

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

Crabtree
Carvell
Burgess
Eastmond

Rather put a forward in than smith, he ahs necer been a centre.

I think Ellis would do a much better job. He started off as a centre, is fairly quick and is very strong defensively. He would also bolster the right side defensively if McGuire was selected again.