Correct.



I have no problem with Sinfield being in the 17 but just not as a starting 6 or 13. He could start at 9 or play as cover for 6,7,9 or 13 off the bench but he isn't quick enough to play as a first choice international 6 or big enough to play as a first choice 13.

I agree, said on the Saints board ironically the best thing we can do is promote McBanana, he seems to do some stuff well , like finding players and pushing for the exiles thing, make him manager and find a proper coach who knows how to get the best out of a group of players and is up to date with current tactics

Gareth Widdop - a halfback who is consistent for the team that finished top of the NRL, who is coached by one of the best coaches in the world, who plays alongside some of the best players in the world and faces the worlds best in high intensity clashes every week.



Rangi Chase - plays for Castleford, whose biggest game of the year is against Wakefield.



Ask ANY NRL club who they would have - Rangi Chase or Gareth Widdop - they'd take Widdop every time.



It's a shocking selection to put Sinfield over Gareth Widdop. The bloke faces Darren Lockyer, Jonathan Thurston, Keiron Foran, Benji Marshall every week - get him starting!

Chase is a better player than Widdop from what I've seen of them both.



I'm not as downbeat about a Sinfield/Chase combo as many on here. Widdop has had a couple of decent games in the NRL as Cronk/Smith/Slater's bag carrier, but he's never looked anything remotely special whenever I've watched him play (either in the NRL or for England).

Am I reading this right, you wouldn’t start Sinfield over Widdop or Heighington but you would be happy to start him in front of Roby at 9?

The Kangaroos are never going to put a poor team on the park but it is all about relative strength



You read down that team sheet and 5 players stand out in Slater, Lockyer, Thurston, Smith and Inglis (but the latter must be a serious worry otherwise he would surely be in the starting line up)



Each of these would compete for a place in some of the best Kangaroo teams I have seen... of the rest, I have to say they wouldn’t get a look in

at the end of the day, we have 3 games ahead of us in the group stage, and in reality the only crucial game is the one against NZ in 3 weeks. I have no doubt that Carvell will play a part in the next few weeks as injuries and fatigue set in, so perhaps McBanana is just keeping some powder dry 'just in case'.



There is no point in flogging 4/5 props against Wales.

Whats happened to Ryan Atkins?



I know McNamara likes the Yeaman / Briscoe combination but although Yeaman has had his best season for a number of years his form dipped towards the back end of the season and was rather forgettable against the French.



Atkins on the other hand has been v.impressive all year for Warrington and would certainly provide a real threat out wide. With Jack Reed in the other centre we would have 2 big strong centres that IMO would cause both Aus + NZ problems.

I was certainly keen to see Atkins in the squad as I think his game has come on this year. He is not though and I don’t think Yeaman will let anybody down. The thing I like about Yeaman is he can be really punishing in defence... despite being a little smaller than Atkins he will get stuck into the Aussie and Kiwi backs and shake them up a bit

Think Yeaman is the safer pick but for me if we are going to beat Aus or NZ we cant afford to play the equivalent of 5-4-1

the only problem I have with the team is Kevin Sinfield is not a stand off but I suppose give them another chance to prove the,selves.

I thought Yeaman looked quite good outside Chase against France. Made some breaks, very solid in defence apart from the try from the tap penalty and he works well with Briscoe. Against top class opposition you need a somewhat telepathic combination to perform well, and these two have that