It's good that we're able to have a good debate about who the best English backs are. The two wing spots should be between Hall, Briscoe, and Charnley, although George should get an honourable mention. I'd have all 3 of them in the England squad.

I'd probably pick Hall and Briscoe as the England wingers. Hall has proven himself at international level and has looked good there, and Briscoe hasn't done anything wrong there. It's a close decision between Briscoe and Charnley, and both are proven tryscorers. There isn't much between them physically (according to their club's websites Briscoe is 1cm taller but Charnley is 3kg heavier), but Briscoe is a left winger and Charnley is a right winger. Ryan Hall has nailed down the right-wing spot for England, so the left wing spot should go to the better left winger - which is Briscoe.
I'd also say that Briscoe has looked great in a poor team (over the past couple of seasons) whereas Charnley has looked great in a good team.
Anyway, like I said, it's great that we have enough players of the quality that means we're able to have this discussion.

Reed and Hall both play on the left, they should be our left side pairing (subject to form obviously).



Definitely.

Off the top of my head James Roby, Rob Burrow, Luke Robinson & Danny Houghton are all better hookers than Michael McIlorum IMO.

Kallum Watkins as good as he is in attack has been a turnstile on many occasions this season in defence for Leeds and i wouldn't put him near the England team yet.

Daryl Clark is also a better hooker than McIlorum I think.

yet again micky mac was the best hooker on the field against saints today. its all good and well saying roby is the best hooker in the world when he gets a fast play of the ball but he looks average when hes team doesn't win the ruck and england won't win the ruck for large periods against the aussies. i am guessing alot of you dont get to watch micky mac because he is the best all round hooker in the league.

Lomax again showed why he shouldnt be near the England team. He is so overated and blew overlap after overlap today.

You just have to stand and laugh at fans who dont rate Micky mac. He has been brilliant this season, two times he has played against roby this season, and both times he has been by far the better hooker.

Micky Mac is far better than a lot of the players mentioned that are 'better than him'. the fact Wigan are not even looking at replacing him, despite having a huge (and i mean massive) amount of cap space to spend next season, says a lot about his quality.

I didn't really notice him apart from his two poor mistakes.

Decent hooker though, Roby should still start for England, with eithr MM or Houghton off the bench.

Mossop and Hock are a must for the 17 also.

he stopped perry, lafranchi and sia god knows how many times today with a good shot he is a rock, and now hes sorting out hes passing off the ground he looks fantastic. the only other all round hooker who is as good as him is houghton. roby is world class but only when he gets a quick play of the ball and markers out of position

I thought all the Wigan players defence today was outstanding today.

he does it week in week out. yeah they was good shame our attack wasn't better.

I thought "Micky Mac" was Wigan's worst player today.

Wigan are immune to criticism.

Wasnt his best game but he wasnt that bad either, just fairly average. It is just as well that Saints had 17 players that were worse

we certainly wouldn't be as a customed to it as wakey fans or cas fans

. hes passing of the ball today was what gave finch the time to catch saints out on the edges alot of the time and he even out scooted the master roby and nothing can be said about hes defence other than brutal.

Tomkins
Briscoe
Reed
Cudjoe
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Mossop
Roby
Graham
Westwood
ellis (if fit)/Tickle
O'Loughlin

Crabtree
Hock
Houghton
Burgess

He made a few mistakes, as did quite a few players. In terms of defence he was the best player on the pitch.

Tomkins
Charnley
Reed
Cudjoe
Hall
Pryce
Brough
Graham
Roby
Burgess
Ellis
Hock
O'Loughlin

Peacock
Carvell
Westwood
Widdop

Widdop must play in the halves. He's doing brilliantly at Storm there, it's a no brainer for me.

Should be noiwhere near an England shirt he is IRISH.

shock alert i actually agree with that players shouldn't be allowed to swap when they like or if they are close to getting an england call. i dont care if it stops the players choosing to play for wales, ireland or scotland the only way to get these teams to get better is to bring stability to them.

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Josh Charnley
3. Jack Reed
4. Kallum Watkins
5. Ryan Hall
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Danny Brough
8. James Graham
9. James Roby
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Sam Burgess
12. Gareth Ellis
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Lee Mossop
15. Eorl Crabtree
16. Gareth Hock
17. Ben Westwood

That pack is just devastating.

I honestly dont see why Peacock is still being mentioned so much.

As a wigan fan i rate Mossop higher, and as a neutral other teams props come across better, Carvell isnt in great form but I would sooner have him lol.

And Watkins defence seems to have been poor and I would have thought that against the aussies and NZ defence would be the first thing you look at really.

I agree with what ppl are saying about Roby though, without a pack being dominant 90% of the time I cant see him making that good a contribution. MM, Houghton are just two id look at.

Likewise I think Rob Burrow would only get a bench spot as a last twenty hooker to try and catch tired defence, but is that a sound tactic against international sides that are coming from a league that has "defence wins games" as a basic mantra?

Tickle seems to be having a cracker upto, and an extra goal kicker never hurts, especially in my eyes as Sinfield doesnt really have a spot by my thinking. Im not saying he isnt a great kicker or organiser, but he isnt a hooker, and the other positions he plays are filled with more suited player. I just dont think he would be that effective.

Lomax seems to have dipped this season for me, and a lot of the Saints younger players (Wheeler, Gaskell and the like) seem to have stunted or something, or is this just me? It would be great if they returned to form though as we could field such a young side full of promise to blood them for next year.

Charnley is a shoe in for me, his game was good last year, its only gotten better.

Im not sure about Danny Brough though. Not saying he isnt upto it, just that having played for Scotland then getting picked when his game improved is his heart really going to be in it? On the other hand, if not Brough who would ppl suggest?

So to be a bit more concise…….


Wigan players.