indeed

if its anybody who needs a rest, it's Mickey Mac. He's made most tackles/most carries out of anybody in the team, a rest would be good for him at this point I feel

I completely 100% agree that Goulding should be in the squad.

But...

I don't think that it is as clear cut re: the hooking position as for me Houghton has been outstanding for Hull this season too. There is no doubting that McIlorum has been very good for you this season, but you have to admit that he is playing off such a dominant pack that it makes his job a lot easier than say Houghton who isn't playing behind such a dominant pack, so for me it's a toss up between Houghton and McIlorum - Burrow's inclusion is laughable though.

I am not trying to be controversial what so ever here, I'm just stating what I think, but for me Roby has been the form hooker (apart from in games against you were you base your whole defensive game-plan around him, and so you should as he is our only viable threat) and it's a tough choice between Houghton and McIlorum for who should be the 'second hooker'. Although I'd have been tempted to try both McIlorum and Houghton in this game as we know what Roby can do.

What an interesting way of saying that while Roby is your best player he has still been ineffectual against Wigan this season.

True though

You are being far too generous there. We dont defend any differently against Saints than anyone else and certainly make no special plans for Roby. We tackle well, control the collision, have 3 men in the tackle etc just like we do every game and that just happens to nullify Roby, and therefore Saints. We dont do it especially against Saints its just that Saints have no plan B when Roby is nullified.

Come on everyone knows it: Saints' only threat is Roby, so why wouldn't you base your game-plan around keeping him quiet?

Anyway why are you all jumping on an irrelevant point in terms of this thread?!

It really should come down to something as simple as Charnley and Goulding are an inform partnership at SL level so why split it up at international level?? McNamara really doesn't have a clue!! 1st he goes to Australia with a list of players who can play for England and now this!! Prepare for humiliation on home soil at RLWC2013

We dont though, we defend as normal and it doesnt really take any special treatment to keep Roby quiet. That just happens to mean that Saints dont get a quick play the ball and Roby cant do his trick. If he offered a little more in attack and was a little less predictable then maybe he wouldnt be so easy to nullify.

Well done for repeating yourself! Anyway the Roby thing has been discussed to death...

We should be looking at a team like this for the WC:

Tomkins
Briscoe/Hall/Charnley
Reed
Goulding/Atkins
Briscoe/Hall/Charnley
Widdop
Brough
Graham
Roby
Burgess
Ellis
Hock
O'Loughlin

Pretty impressive side I think.

If you keep making the same false claims then you will get the same answers





I agree, a fairly good side and probably the nest we can do, certainly any changes are much of a muchness and a matter of personal choice. I am still unsure on Brough, as I always feel like he goes missing in big games, but a goodkicking game is vital and he is easily the best kicker we have. This team also gets rid of the past it deadwood like I have been calling for, Peacock, Sinfield et al and average players like Jones-Buchanan and Wilkin. I cant see McNamara doing it though.

Gary Schofield's take on things and he speaks an awful lot of sense:

[urlhttp://www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby/view/256007/Steve-McNamara-has-missed-big-chance/#comments[/url

I find it amazing that McNamara can get his squad selection so wrong and Schofield picks up on just about everything most fans disagree with.

I think Schofield talks utter pap most of the time but the quote "It seems harder to get out of the current England set-up than into it" is absolutely nail on head.

I agree with every thing he has said there, I know he can be out of touch with the game but every point he makes is valid and it's what most England supports feel towards McBanana's selection policy.

Goulding should be in the squad, McIlorum on the other hand is playing well because he play behinds a winning pack every week, put Roby at wigan and he'd do a better job than him and put Macca at saints and he'd struggle tremondously.

Surely hookers are one of the main reasons why a pack is so successful? They are responsible for distribution and allowing the forwards to receive the ball at the right moment in time.

From what I've seen Saints have struggled against Wigan because Wigan have closed down Roby. When Saints play other teams Roby seems to do much better. McIlorum is one of the most important players in the Wigan pack and he has a big influence on how well the forwards perform.

At the end of the year the team has to be something like this

Tomkins
Charnley
Goulding
Reed
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Graham
McIlorum
Burgess
Hock
Ellis
O'Loughlin (capt)

Bench

Roby
Westwood
Mossop
Crabtree

Fair enough mate i see your point but i feel that McIlorum has better forwards at his disposal e.g. Hock, Mossop and Lockers. Say if you put Roby at London (no disrespect) it doesn't mean the pack will suddenly have a massive improvement.
Also feel it could be down to coaching as SW Is getting the best out of Macca.

McBanana should be sacked in my opinion. Never had the experience/ability to do the job in the first place. Which flaming idoit also thought it has to be a full time position???

Your point does not make any sense.

Three of the examples you have given (Hock, Mossop and Lockers) are most likely to be included in the England pack anyway. They will joined by the likes of Westwood, Ellis, Burgess etc.

Hardly a poor pack.

TBH i have seen plenty of posts from Saints fans saying that MM is not ready but Goulding should probably have been included.

The only reason that i can see for this is because Saints provide no real English competition in the 3/4s, whereas Mcllorum's inclusion would be detrimental to golden boy Roby's standing and reputation.

yes exactly? For one this is England i don't see what saints 3/4 line has anything to do with it? And my point was Roby doesn't have the standard of forwards at SAINTS that Mcillorum has at WIGAN, therefore with Mcillorums colleagues it helps him look and play better.
Idiots like you are the reason i rarely bother posting on this Forum.

bit of an over reaction there methinks

Lol

Thank the lord for small mercies.

Roby plays to make ground for himself. Saints miss countless chances out wide because EVERY quick play the ball he scoots. He does not play for the team in these situations and that is why his stats look so good going forward. I am not knocking how good he is, he is one of the best hookers in the world. But I am not going to accept he is somehow some sort of superman because of how much ground he makes.

If he came to Wigan I wouldn't want him scooting every time we get a quick play the ball, the space is on the fringes more often than not.