England Squad:
Chris Bridge (Warrington), Shaun Briscoe (Hull KR), Sam Burgess (Bradford), Garreth Carvell (Warrington), Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield), Kyle Eastmond (St Helens), Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers), Peter Fox (Hull KR), James Graham (St Helens), Ryan Hall (Leeds), Danny McGuire (Leeds), Scott Moore (Huddersfield), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Richard Myler (Salford), Tom Briscoe (Hull FC), Jamie Peacock (Leeds, capt), James Roby (St Helens), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds), Lee Smith (Leeds), Paul Sykes (Bradford), Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Jon Wilkin (St Helens).

Positives:

Negatives:

The pack. Tomkins and Eastmond! Huge positives.

Compared to expectations: Crabtree, Eastmond, Shenton positives. Moore, McGuire, Smith (Lee and Tony) negatives. Everyone else, neutral.

fully agree

Agree with that, but would add Burgess as a positive.

I think we can take many positives out of this series. Before a ball was kicked we were all fearing the worst. But I think we can all be proud and pleased with the effort and improvement we have seen from England in te Four nations compared to the shambles in the World Cup. I said before hand that if we can look to be in a position where we are more competitive with Australia and New Zealand & be able to take positives out of the series to build for the World Cup then I would be thrilled and we have.

Ryan Hall and Michael Shenton have done fantastic for England's back line. I have been really pleased with these lads. So young and inexperienced at International level, they have faced the best & not looked out of place.

Sam Tomkins & Kyle Eastmond had never played an International game before this series and I thought they gave a really good account of themselves. With more experience in Super League & at international level, I think we will go alright in the World Cup with them two lads.

Kevin Sinfield has performed like he does for Leeds at International level which is excellent. I really did believe that he was over rated but I really have done a complete U-turn in my opinion of this guy. He has had an excellent series.

Also players like Eorl Crabtree and Peter Fox have proven they can do a job at international level. I thought Shaun Briscoe had an excellent game as well.

But the biggest plus for me was Sam Burgess. Absolutely outstanding is that lad, one of the best we have produced for years. A real shame that he wont be in Super League next year but from an England prospective, it is good that he will be playing at the highest domestic level next season.

Although we have still seen the same outcome, I think we can still be proud of the effort and improvement we have seen from England. I will now fully support the World Cup in 2013, if we can remain competitive like we have seen in the last few weeks.

England Squad:
Chris Bridge (Warrington), Shaun Briscoe (Hull KR), Sam Burgess (Bradford), Garreth Carvell (Warrington), Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield), Kyle Eastmond (St Helens), Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers), Peter Fox (Hull KR), James Graham (St Helens), Ryan Hall (Leeds), Danny McGuire (Leeds), Scott Moore (Huddersfield), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Richard Myler (Salford), Tom Briscoe (Hull FC), Jamie Peacock (Leeds, capt), James Roby (St Helens), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds), Lee Smith (Leeds), Paul Sykes (Bradford), Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Jon Wilkin (St Helens).

Positives:
Sam Burgess [i(Most complete Forward in the World?)[/i
Eorl Crabtree [i(Huge impact)[/i
Kyle Eastmond [i(Plenty of glimpses of undoubted potential)[/i
Gareth Ellis [i(Mr Reliable)[/i
Michael Shenton [i(Fantastic defensively)[/i
Kevin Sinfield [i(Showed his class and proved the doubters at this Level)[/i

Negatives:
Chris Bridge [i(Offered little and conceeded some silly indisciplined penalties)[/i
Shaun Briscoe [i(Just doesn't offer enough at this Level and looked nervy)[/i

Positives:

Kevin Sinfield (Leeds),

Second to Greg Iglis when it comes to the golden boot. I would of said Kev should be the golden boot winner but Gregs consistency and class tonight left that though out of my head. Its not my fault I don’t give a damn what goes on in the NRL.

Ben Westwood (Warrington),

Always tried his best and would have him in the Leeds team. Can’t ever remember stepping a foot wrong in this series. Ben is what the game is all about - not every single person in the team has to be a super star to play in a super star team. After all Leeds have Ryan Bailey..

Michael Shenton (Castleford),

A fantastic centre and can match up to any in the world. With the likes of him coming through at Castleford we may see them fighting for honours sooner rather than later if it wasn’t for Leeds Rhinos been in everyone’s way.

Richard Myler (Salford),

He’s far more talented than Sam Tomkins and should of played in the final. Only time will decided whose the best out of these two. Fantastic game against France.

Adrian Morley (Warrington),

The best prop this country has had in his generation. He’ll keep going till he hangs up his boots if this international series is anything to go by.

Shaun Briscoe (Hull KR)

His performance in the final (despite negative towards the end) deserve a place in the positive. I’d rather see either Richie Mather’s or Paul Wellens playing fullback in the next international series.

Sam Burgess (Bradford),

Sensational player that backs up my claims that England always have good home grown players no matter how many Australians we have playing in super league.

Kyle Eastmond (St Helens),

I never used to rate Kyle but he really is a class act and will be number one choice for England whilst he’s still playing. If St Helens was as close as Bradford I’d pop and see him play throughout the season.

Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield)

Had a fantastic series apart from the final where he looked remotely average. Looking forward to seeing him play in the next international series however. Bet the Australians are looking forward to seeing him.

Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers)

Has improved by a country mile in Australia and again is proof that England will always have class home grown players no matter how many Australians we have playing in super league.

Peter Fox (Hull KR)

I had a gut feeling that Leeds Rhinos lost a good player when we let Fox go wherever he went before Hull KR or did he go straight to? Either way he’s the best winger that we’ve had in this international series.

Negatives:

Chris Bridge (Warrington)

Has given too many penalties in my liking but looks like he can develop from here.

James Graham (St Helens),

The only way has been backwards for James Graham. He hasn’t impressed me this season not has he in this international series. He’s just good enough to play rugby league but nothing special. Far too hyped up by the sky team for my liking.

Ryan Hall (Leeds)

He’s not international class or he really didn’t show it for my liking. Looked very average at this level compared to his season with Leeds. Ade Gardner with Pace IMO.

Danny McGuire (Leeds)

Disappointing international series from Danny McGuire but he tried his best. Still one of the best in his position at club level in the world and has shown good for England before. He’ll only get better here on in.

Scott Moore (Huddersfield)

Don’t recall him doing much?

Tom Briscoe (Hull FC),

Looked way out of place against Australia but should be on the wing for years to come with England. If it was my choice I’d have Tom and Peter on the wings in a couple of years time.

Jamie Peacock (Leeds, capt),

Always goes forward but didn’t shine too much in this series. Just did enough to be in the team and keep us moving forward.

James Roby (St Helens),

I miss the old James Roby. Matt Diskin should have been in his place IMO.

Lee Smith (Leeds), Paul Sykes (Bradford), Jon Wilkin (St Helens).

Who?

Sam Tomkins (Wigan)

Wigan fans are going to go ape for me putting Sam Tomkins here. I’ll give him another year and he’ll just die down because he’s so overrated. Michael Maguire might have a say in that but Sam is so predictable unlike the other two half backs that have broken through into the England squad.

I could not disagree more. James Graham is one of the best prop forwards in Super league, if not the best. His work rate is excellent. He near enough played 80 minutes tonight, constantly taking the ball forward, constantly making plenty of metres up front and was never tiring in defence. He doesn't seem to give away silly penalties or knock on either which is a common feature with prop forwards. He has had a fantastic Four Nations IMO and a natural replacement for Adrian Morley in the World Cup. For Super League to improve, we need to produce more players to that level.



Ryan Hall was never going to produce the amount of tries he scores for Leeds at international level. This is because one of the strengths of Leeds Rhinos is their back line and ability to score fantastic tries out wide and subsequently Ryan Hall scores a lot of tries. But for England, this is not the case. Our strengths are in the middle of the park and not out wide. We simply do not produce a backline with the same natural talent and athletic ability as the Aussies do and subsequently we have never really had a backline that has shined at international level. But nevertheless Ryan Hall has not looked out of place. In defence he has been excellent. I don't ever recall him dropping a high kick or England conceding a try due to any errors made by him. He can finish tries when given the chance, but at this level he wont get that many very often. Even so, he still managed to pull of an excellent length of the field try at the beginning of the series. He has had a very good series, considering he has never played at this level before and it is only his first full year of Super League.

Oh and Ade Gardner does have pace, so I don't understand that point.



Is that not an oxymoron considering he is a forward? and the idea of a forward is to keep going forward?




Here you have offered nothing as to why he has had a poor tournament. Sam Tomkins is an unpredictable player unlike Danny McGuire. Why do you think he was such a marked man tonight? Because of his unpredictability. I think you should quit with the club bias and applaud players for the talents they are.

I rate him but I think he’s gone backwards and yes he does have the best work rate in super league but that’s only because he has no choice. He gave away a silly pass tonight as did a few players on our team. It’s a shame that the OP didn’t put average along with the limited positive and negative points we had to choose between. He’ll be in the international set up for years and I agree with it if that’s what the coaches picks but I’ll always have my own opinion.



You post a good point about Ryan Hall not been able to score tries that he does for the Rhinos. He scored possible one of the best ones of the tournament against France. However like Graham I’d put him as average. Nothing special just average after watching him have a fantastic season for Leeds.

Like Graham he’ll be one in the international set up for years.



I’ve been shown up here









Average tournament IMO. Danny McGuire is way better than Tomkins in my personal estimates. He’s just had a poor tournament. I’d like to see Sam build on from his potential like McGuire did but I still rate Myler better than Tomkins of which is probably the basis of why I put Tomkins in the negative section. At least Myler dragged us from embarrassment against the French. Tomkins has just been a part of the team and looked remotely average apart from the odd kick that’s been put in.

If either Tomkins or Eastmond started against France I don't think we'd have been in an embarrassing position in the first place!

Its all if and buts rather than dealing with Reality. When Tomkins and Eastmond start doing the stuff that Danny McGuire does I’ll highly rate Tomkins. Eastmond is in a league of own and only time will tell whenever he’ll go on to be better than Danny McGuire.