Yeah I moved up to Scotland around 15 years ago and at that time the latics were well down the leagues so it was never really an issue.

Is that ok ?

Tomkins and eastmond are both top class players.

They should be englands halfbacks in oz for the four nations.

It's hard to say who's the better as they are both very good players and still very young.

I just can't pick who i think is the better player from the two.

My thoughts exactly, Tomkins and Eastmond are more creative and explosive at the first sniff of a gap. Myler is a bit like Mcquire more of a support player.

Theres a famous saying in Wigan, that's been going around for decades:

[i"If the latics were playing in my back garden, I'd shut the bloody curtains".[/i

Still true to this day.

Approx 700, surprised is so high myself, I only know 1................Conroy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I only know 1 too, my brother! In all honesty, I think he goes more to watch Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool etc. Hardly ever went until a couple of years ago. He's watched Wigan rugby all his life ( almost 50 years).

I can proudly say I've only seen Latics play a couple of times - in the non-league days of the early 70's.

I do find watching football so tedious - hardly ever watch games on Sky.

One thing that annoys me is you have to pay a lot for your Sky subscription - most of which goes to financing football clubs and their overrated/overpaid players.

Great pity you just can't subscribe to Sky rugby league games - at a greatly reduced cost!

Tomkins is as yet nowhere near the finished article. He needs to develop his game a lot to be international class or in 5 years we'll be having conversations about his weaknesses in exactly the same way as with McGuire.

As for internationals, I'd go for Tomkins/Eastmond at halfback and pick Widdop at fullback. That lad is class, and would be a starter in any SL side. Longer term he and Tomkins may switch roles (1 and 6) for England, but we need to pick him as he is definitely a player who strengthens England. McGuire would be back up halfback, and just to add more oil to the fire I'd ask Leon Pryce to play in the centres.

I agree he is nowhere near the finished article, but how frightening is that?!

TBF to Saints, they did ship Longy off when he became too old and too injury prone...nice pension nest egg with little work



On the Eastmond / Tomkins debate from a neutral, both brilliant attacking players and Englands half backs for years ahead. Having witnessed the Tomkins show on sunday ......he was awesome TBF.

True to an extent, but we won't be talking about basics like excessive handling errors and missed tackles which, despite all his other excellent attributes, are staples of McGuires game - even in this great season he is having.

How can you say he isn't 'international class' when you say you would pick him for England against the Aussies? Tomkins may not be world class just yet, but a lad who the Aussies will surely be targetting as a key player for England must be at least international quality.

Myler has a lot to learn. Mcguire shouldn't be anywhere near the england side. Widdop FB, Tomkins and Eastmond at HB

Eh? Tomkins isn't international class, but he's in your international side?

eastmond isnt soft, he broke his ankle against barrow early on, then we brought him back to early, ablett landed funny on the same ankle and damaged it again, then we brought him back to early again and he hurt his same ankle again

AKA injury prone

To be fair to BrisbaneRhino being international class and being England's best option isn't always the same thing. Look at our options in the three-quarters for crying out loud. How many genuine international-class wingers and centres do we realistically have?

Bear in mind that BrisbaneRhino is peeved at Sam because people are talking about him in the same terms as Aussie wonder boy Widdop.

Tomkins would be sensational in the NRL - he's a terrific player.

I wasn't saying that Sam isn't already a world-class player. I think he can do things on a rugby field that no one else playing the game can because of his athletic ability. I was just saying that being a starter in the England team doesn't automatically make you international class. I suppose it depends on how your judging these things really but having international rep. honours and being international quality aren't the same thing IMO

I don't disagree with you. But I bet it's a long time since any Aussie proclaimed any British player to be 'international class'.

Gordon Tallis said that Sam Burgess was good enough to play for Australia earlier this year. Flattering and arrogant in equal measure. The suggestion that no other English player was good enough was there

Compliment if ive ever heard one in the direction of Burgess.

That is applicable to all the aforementioned players. I can see Eastmond developing into a traditional scrum half ie; playing a lateral passing game. Tomkins looks all the world a traditional stand off, attacking the line, playing a short passing game at the line.

Myler really could go either way at this point in time.

I agree with you that all the players in the England squad aren't all necessarily quality. But that's not Sam's fault that England aren't good enough. If England were close to being highly competitive with the Aussies then I still think he would be a star player.

From what i've seen of both of them they are both top class youngsters who probably have a fair bit of improvment left in them. They are difficult to compare as they play different positions, i just hope they can learn to play together in an England jersey. You could say Sam shades it at the moment but that is mainly because he has played all year where Kyle has missed a fair chunk of it. One thing is for sure they are both currently streets ahead of Myler and, if fit should be 6 and 7 in the four nations.

We still wont win due to lack of international quality three quarters

I would go with this too