Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Sun Oct 30, 2022 6:47 pm  

I agree. Welsby should have been at FB. Just to have him at FB in the system because if Tomkins goes down. Surely Welsby is next in line for FB?

[Pumpetypump]

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:42 am  

Can we talk about Hill. He's a workaholic grafter to be admired at club level, like Andy Lynch and many other relentless machines over the years. His hand will always be up to take the ball in. So I admire and respect the bloke, but is being a hard worker enough to play for your country? Persuade me.

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Oct 31, 2022 12:46 pm  

Pumpetypump wrote:

Can we talk about Hill. He's a workaholic grafter to be admired at club level, like Andy Lynch and many other relentless machines over the years. His hand will always be up to take the ball in. So I admire and respect the bloke, but is being a hard worker enough to play for your country? Persuade me.

A bit like my comments about Sneyd - Aussies seem to have plenty of workmanlike front rowers who just do a job. I would have gone for Oledzki pre-tournament, as potentially more destructive, but have not been overly impressed so far. Matty Lees also disappointed for me. So probably would stick with Hill.

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Oct 31, 2022 1:15 pm  

I thought Hill was lucky to be in the squad at the last world cup, the coach didn't really change the squad much from one season to the next, and Hill felt like he had passed his peak.

To see him still rated as one of the best props in the game is a pretty sad state of affairs, showing that either players haven't developed in the last 5 years to be better than him, or that the coach is not looking in the right places.

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Oct 31, 2022 6:23 pm  

If Walmsley was fit, who would be dropped from the squad? Cooper or Hill? I doubt any on here wouldn’t have taken Lees, Oledski, Burgess, Thompson or Knowles.

Hill is decent at club level. But like people have said. Workmanlike isn’t good enough in this game anymore, especially with the pace of the rucks and the six agains. He hasn’t got the leg speed or the metres after contact anymore.

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Oct 31, 2022 7:38 pm  

To be fair to Hill, he has performed better than others in the squad in the 3 (+1 warmup) games

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Sun Nov 13, 2022 10:33 pm  

Hopie wrote:

2000– Semi Final Exit, Wins against Tier 1 Nations: 0
Team in last tournament appearance:
Radlinski, Walker, Naylor, Senior, Wellens, Deacon, Long
Fielden, Smith, Howard, Sculthorpe, Forshaw, Farrell
Peacock, Hay, Fleary, Anderson
Coach: John Kear

2008 – Semi Final Exit, Wins against Tier 1 Nations: 0
Team in last tournament appearance:
Wellens , Gardner, Gleeson, Senior, Calderwood, McGuire, Burrow
Graham, Roby, Peacock, Westwood, Ellis, Purdham
L Pryce, Morley, Higham, Wilkin
Coach: Tony Smith

2013 – Semi Final Exit, Wins against Tier 1 Nations: 0
Team in last tournament appearance:
Tomkins, Charnley, Watkins, Cudjoe, Hall, Widdop, Sinfield,
Graham, Roby, S. Burgess, Ferres, Westwood, O'Loughlin.
Burrow, G. Burgess, Hill, Ablett.
Coach: Steve McNamara

2017– Defeated finalists, Wins against Tier 1 Nations: 0
Team in last tournament appearance:
Widdop, McGillvary, Watkins, Bateman, Hall, Brown, Gale
Hill, Roby, Graham, Currie, Whitehead, S. Burgess
Walmsley, T. Burgess, Heighington, Lomax
Coach: Wayne Bennett

2021(2)
Team details – Semi Final Exit, Wins against Tier 1 Nations: 0
Team in last tournament appearance:
Tomkins, Young, Watkins, Farnworth, Makinson, Welsby, Williams
Burgess, McIlorum, Hill, Whitehead, Bateman, Radley
McMeeken, Knowles, Thompson, Cooper
Coach: Shaun Wane

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:05 am  

Well, that hasn't cheered me up, I was just starting to get over Saturday.

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:57 am  

Would any England player get in the Aussie or Kiwi teams?

I don’t think so.

What about Samoa or Tonga,

I doubt that too.

Not a very helpful post, I know.

But I think it reflects the current situation.

English Rugby League is in a poor state in my view.

Problem is, no one wants to take responsibility.

Re: England Squad 2022 - Why are we falling further behind? : Mon Nov 14, 2022 12:34 pm  

The issue here is that England built their self belief on playing nobody. Greece, France and a poor (at that time) Samoa. When finally they come up against a team of worth it just wasn't there.