Re: England half backs : Mon May 09, 2016 2:45 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I think Hardaker is a much better option defensively and under the high ball than Tomkins. He has a good kick return as well whereas Tomkins tends to hand it off to the wingers.

So do I. Hardaker is one of the best defensive FB's I've seen, however I see the FB position more as an attacking one than defensive with the broken field running, support play & chiming into the line anywhere unmarked.

If only we could roll them up into one player. Shaul is the closest thing at the moment, as Willzay points out in his picks above. He's been brilliant for us this year, every facet of his game as improved.

Re: England half backs : Mon May 09, 2016 4:57 pm  

Anyone see Schoey's England team in his LE column today?

He had Lilley at scrum half, Lilley?? really?? yes he looks to be a good prospect in the next few years but England scrum half??

Re: England half backs : Mon May 09, 2016 4:58 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Gale at 7, probably S.Tomkins at 6 depending on how he returns from injury

Re: England half backs : Mon May 09, 2016 6:37 pm  

meast wrote:

Anyone see Schoey's England team in his LE column today?

He had Lilley at scrum half, Lilley?? really?? yes he looks to be a good prospect in the next few years but England scrum half??

Take it with a pinch of Salt, this is Schoey you are talking about and he likes to be controversial as it is his column and he wants people talking, if he had said Matty Smith and Gaz Widdop an eye lid wouldn't have been raised.

Re: England half backs : Mon May 09, 2016 6:37 pm  

The last time I saw Tomkins play in the halves, meast, it was at your place, beating Benji's Kiwis.

But of course he'd need to show club form first in that position, but it's hardly out of the question.

Re: England half backs : Mon May 09, 2016 10:28 pm  

I'd have Tomkins at 6 and Gale at 7 too.

Tomkins is too good a player to leave out and I'd get the ball in his hands as many times as possible.
It then means you can have Hardaker at full back too.
Plus it's not like there's another English stand off staking an indisputable claim for the position.

Re: England half backs : Tue May 10, 2016 5:21 am  

Tomkins in the halves for me too. The most gifted ball player we have that isn't 30+ years old.

Re: England half backs : Tue May 10, 2016 12:42 pm  

Tomkins hasn't played in a year. And when he did he was poop

Unless he turns in some vintage performances he won't deserve to be anywhere near the England team

But he will be picked, by rep and club rather than form or ability

Re: England half backs : Tue May 10, 2016 12:57 pm  

It's some Australian bloke picking the team, you know. Not Shaun Wane. Or the members of this talkboard.

Your chips will get cold if you leave them out this long!

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: England half backs : Tue May 10, 2016 1:14 pm  

bennett's first squad will be quite interesting