England V Exiles

So... what did everyone think??

I thought it was pretty uninspiring. I thought the exiles would win by quite a few looking at the teams beforehand, however England did ok in defence.

I don't think AUS and NZ have much to worry about come the 4 nations, but a better runout for the english lads than a pointless game against wales or france (no offence intended I think the French are getting better)

Thoughts??

choppershawn wrote:So... what did everyone think??

I thought it was pretty uninspiring. I thought the exiles would win by quite a few looking at the teams beforehand, however England did ok in defence.

I don't think AUS and NZ have much to worry about come the 4 nations, but a better runout for the english lads than a pointless game against wales or france (no offence intended I think the French are getting better)

Thoughts??

I think we have to accept the fact that the like of Peacock, Morley and Sinfield are no longer international class. McNamara is going to have to give some guns a chance in this autumns 4 nations.

George Hotel1895 wrote:

choppershawn wrote:So... what did everyone think??

I thought it was pretty uninspiring. I thought the exiles would win by quite a few looking at the teams beforehand, however England did ok in defence.

I don't think AUS and NZ have much to worry about come the 4 nations, but a better runout for the english lads than a pointless game against wales or france (no offence intended I think the French are getting better)

Thoughts??

I think we have to accept the fact that the like of Peacock, Morley and Sinfield are no longer international class. McNamara is going to have to give some guns a chance in this autumns 4 nations.

That's the thing, England have to move on from theese player's, while they have all had great career's they are simply not good enough any more at the top level. The problem is Mcnamarra is not brave enough imo to drop them, it's time to give the youth a chance. I would like to see Loius McCarthy Scarsbrook, Larne Patrick, and Lomax being blooded now.

dublfcynwa wrote:

George Hotel1895 wrote:

choppershawn wrote:So... what did everyone think??

I thought it was pretty uninspiring. I thought the exiles would win by quite a few looking at the teams beforehand, however England did ok in defence.

I don't think AUS and NZ have much to worry about come the 4 nations, but a better runout for the english lads than a pointless game against wales or france (no offence intended I think the French are getting better)

Thoughts??

I think we have to accept the fact that the like of Peacock, Morley and Sinfield are no longer international class. McNamara is going to have to give some guns a chance in this autumns 4 nations.

That's the thing, England have to move on from theese player's, while they have all had great career's they are simply not good enough any more at the top level. The problem is Mcnamarra is not brave enough imo to drop them, it's time to give the youth a chance. I would like to see Loius McCarthy Scarsbrook, Larne Patrick, and Lomax being blooded now.

I would have to agree. Near the exiles try yesterday it was clear that we needed a bit more imagination. I'm off the opinion thogh that if Danny Brough had played we would have won. what is clear even if all our best players are fit, England will still need a bit of luck to beat the Aussie and the Kiwi's. one things for sure we won't beat them playing 5 drives and a kick.
Danny Brough has the X factor for me that we need to beat them, and so does Sam Tomkins, but we need some more players with that X factor as well.

Totally agree, Brough is dynamic and also has great speed. I really think a fully fit England team with Roby, Widdop, Brough, Sam Tomkins, and Luke Robinson on the bench would cause havoc in opposition defence's. Wether Lomax is ready or not is up for debate but he will eventually be one of the first name's on the sheet imo.

why was Tomkin booed?

mckay1402 wrote:why was Tomkin booed?

...because Leeds fans are more often than not, scum

Glad that this game went ahead, it got the Warrington boys tired for yesterdays game where the mighty Solly took advantage!

I enjoyed the game but it was very tentative at times. Thought Exiles had two possible tries not even considered let alone disallowed.

Myler never stepped up and took control of the ball seemed to be only used as a supporting player for the breaks that never came. Sinfield looked very poor and shouldn't play again for England.

Also think Morley, Peacock, Bridge, and possibly O'Loughlin shouldn't play for England. Would of much rather seen Lynch, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Yeamon, Ferres or Atkins get the nod.

Think the 6 and 7 for the four nations should be Brough, and either Brown or Widdop.

Are the England Knights playing in the Home Nations Tournament at the end of the season? If not they should be otherwise what's the point?

Where do I begin?

1, This was better than stuffing France. Fact we lost is irrelavent in the sense that we now know where we stand come the 4Nations. Losing by 4 points to OZ/NZ would be a fantstic result in all seriousness; we have at least given SteveMac something to work with and aim at. He wont do that, as I've said before he's not even a SL coach let alone on a par with Tim Sheens and Stephen Kearney.

2, Sam Tomkins was pants as normal when his team aren't on the front foot; he offers nothing at FB when there's no go forward to create him space to join the line.

3, SteveMac clearly hadn't sent Myler and Sinfield with a game plan. Myler is a support HB as Briers pulls the strings for Wire. Sinfield has a kicking game but he's a SL fill in at 6; Brown or Gaskell should've been there and that's not an anti Leeds thing. We saw that given a support oppurtunity Myler will score. Without an organising 6 he was a wasted selection. I assume it'll be Brough at 7 and Widdop at 6 in the 4Nations but if either's injured we're in trouble.

4, Luke Robinson was easily our best player and proved like in the 4Nations he's dangerous and creative at a higher level. So why did SteveMAc keep him on the bench for so long? Give him a rest fine, but he left McIlorrum out there for far to long and he did nothing other than pass the ball to first receiver. IMO LR should start with Roby on the bench for England, but even the other way round we'll be better against Oz/NZ.

5, This game clearly shows we've got no hope of winning the 4Nations and will be lucky to make the final. Considering the Aussies don't want a 4Nations in 2012, to prepare for the 2013 WC; IMO it's time we did the same. Morley, Peacock, Carvell and Sinfield should be thanked for there contribution to English RL and unless in scintalating form not selected for the 4Nations as none of them will be around for 2013. We need to blood the next generation as the only top competion they'll play in between the 4Nations and the WC is 2 games against the Exiles.

6, Why weren't the players rested for their clubs on Sunday? What was the point of giving the players a tough test if you only go and make them play again 2 days later? We know the NRL players are fitter and faster, but they also play less games in better weather; we need to protect our top players not flog them to death!
IMO we need to semi-centrally contract between 5-17 players every season to the RFL. Call them the Elite group and allow them to get more rest by holding them back from games such as this weekend and CC games against lower league opposition. Clubs wont like it and RFL love a quick £ so may also be against it, but it would really help our game.

Agree with all your points bicesterwarrior but want to talk about point 6. Thought it was a bit odd having the games so close together.

Think in the future they should play all the games prior to the exiles match on a Friday/Saturday, with the exiles game been on a Wednesday/Thursday, and the games following the exiles been on Sunday. This probably won't happen as it makes sense and also sky would want a game on the Friday.

Also I hope McNamara isn't the coach come the 2013 world cup let alone whatever happens at the end of 2012 season. Still can't beleive he took Bradford on the biggest losing streak of the Superlague era (may be beaten by Quins this season) to then be offered the England manager's job!! Since when do you get a promotion for being abysmal at your job?!?!

Game needs to be at the weekend to draw crowd. Think RFL to get the clubs to agree to EvE probably had to agree to allow players to back up, otherwise game would've been on a Saturday tea time to make it family friendly.

Basically if you stop all 34 players backing up the SL games would be dreadful as the lack of talent on offer would turn fans away.

RFl should be split in 3; International game, SL and rest of RL in GB with all being run seperately.

BicesterWarrior wrote:Game needs to be at the weekend to draw crowd. Think RFL to get the clubs to agree to EvE probably had to agree to allow players to back up, otherwise game would've been on a Saturday tea time to make it family friendly.

Basically if you stop all 34 players backing up the SL games would be dreadful as the lack of talent on offer would turn fans away.

RFl should be split in 3; International game, SL and rest of RL in GB with all being run seperately.

Perhaps, and its only a suggestion if we played the Exile's game on a Thursday and then had a full Super League game on the Sunday, giving the players another 24 hours to rest we might not get the shocks we got this past weekend.
Of course the weekend prior to the exiles game all the Super league fixtures would have to be compleated by the Saturday again helping the players.

I heard Terry O Connor suggesting they have an U23's Lancs V Yorkshire game before it to make a day out it and have it at the weekend.

dublfcynwa wrote:I heard Terry O Connor suggesting they have an U23's Lancs V Yorkshire game before it to make a day out it and have it at the weekend.

Wouldn't it be better if you are going to have a fixture like O'Conner suggested to call it west v East and then the wests side could include players from Lancashire, Cumbria, and Cheshire, and the East side could be Yorkshire and the Quins. My money would be on the Easts team anyway.
I still can't see at the moment how it can be a stand alone weekend fixture, and like i have already said i would like to see it played on a Thursday for the reasons i have already stated.

Like the East v West idea; I suggested on another forum that you could make it a triple header and have...

Game 1, Ireland v Scotland.
Game 2, France v Wales
Game 3, Eng v Exiles.

Make it a stand alone weekend and a lot more SL players would be involved any way.