The Kiwi’s are now the number one world ranked Test nation
following three consecutive wins over Australia and are the current Four Nations
champions.
However, they have been hit with a raft of withdrawals of
major players due to injury headed by Golden Boot winner Shaun Johnson and
including all-time leading try scorer Manu Vatuvei, experienced hooker / half
back Thomas Leuluai and star prop forward Jared Warea-Haergreaves.
Johnson’s half back partner Kieran Foran has joined that
list this week and will miss the tour because of an elbow ligament injury.
Even with these great players missing, I still expect it to
be a hugely competitive Test Series as the Kiwi’s strength in depth is greater
than it has ever been and competitors like Isaac Luke, Simon Mannering, Shaun
Kenny-Dowall and Simon Mannering will not want to relinquish their hard earned
no.1 status too easily.
Therefore, England will have to be at their best to win this
series and take out the Baskerville Shield.
Head Coach Steve McNamara will be selecting a squad of 23
players and is already without the services of centre Dan Sarginson, who had a
brilliant Four Nations tournament last year, and prop forward George Burgess –
both of whom would have been highly likely to be in the starting 13.
McNamara still has a lot of quality players to select from
and I found it difficult to come up with the right squad variation to get the
players in place that will be needed to win this series.
The New Zealanders will be big in the forwards and our pack
will need to more than match them and we will also need to be highly skilled in
the backs.
Here is my squad for the Test Series – followed by my first
choice 17 to start the series:
FULL BACKS
We are blessed to have two high quality full backs and it is
easy to select SAM TOMKINS
and ZAK HARDAKER. Tomkins has
had an injury hit 2015 but is still a high quality player whilst Hardaker has
been in the form of his life. To add to the options of the squad Tomkins can
also play in the halves and Hardaker in the three quarters. I think England need to have both of these
players in their starting 13 to win this series.
WINGERSWe have top quality wingers in abundance. RYAN HALL has not had the greatest year of his career but he is a shoe in on the left wing spot. His experience and ability to score tries from nothing is a must have and I cannot see an England side without him in it. JERMAINE MCGILIVARY is another player in the form of his life and is Super League’s leading try scorer. He should have done enough to earn a place in the squad and will also be joined by JOE BURGESS. Burgess overcame a shaky start to the season to once again become a regular try scorer for the Warriors and he and McGilivary earned selection for the Super League Dream Team. My main query here was how many wingers do you pick in a 23 man squad for a three match series? I have gone with just the three mentioned and that means big name players like Tom Briscoe and Josh Charnley miss out.
CENTRES
As much as Hall is a shoe in on
the wing, his Leeds Rhinos team mate KALLUM
WATKINS is also certain to fill one of the centre spots. I think the
injured Dan Sarginson would definitely have been selected alongside Castleford
Tigers captain MICHAEL SHENTON.
As with the wingers I have selected just three centres and my third selection
is St. Helen’s three-quarter JORDAN
TURNER. Turner is big and strong and has pace and an eye for the try
line. Brisbane Broncos Grand Finalist Jack Reed has had a good season in the
NRL but I am more than happy with the above selections.
STAND OFF
Incumbent GARETH WIDDOP has had an excellent season for St. George
Illawarra Dragons and will keep his place as long as he is injury free. I have
also selected Warrington Wolves STEFAN
RATCHFORD as he can also cover full back, centre and loose forward
positions. He had a strong season in a struggling Wolves outfit. Young Wigan
half back George Williams was not far away from this squad but, like his coach
Shaun Wane, I think it is a little too early for him and he is better off having
an off season with a full pre-season. Kevin Brown can also consider himself to
be incredibly unlucky.
SCRUM HALF
I am torn here between the
organisational ability of Matty Smith and the more dynamic play of Castleford
Tigers LUKE GALE – the winner
of the Rugby League Express Albert Goldthorpe Medal. Do we need two scrum
halves in a squad of just 23 when we went into last year’s Four Nations
tournament with just one?? It’s a tough one - but to give us an extra forward
in the squad I have selected Gale only as I believe he will offer the team more
in attack and is a better player than Smith.
PROPS
The big boys up front will need
to be at full tilt and George Burgess is a big loss. However, we have strength
in the front row like no other position. JAMES
GRAHAM, CHRIS HILL AND TOM BURGESS are certain selections and I would definitely
select St. Helen’s prop ALEX WALMSLEY
to come from the bench and provide impact. The fifth prop is likely to be the
Dragons MIKE COOPER who has
had another strong year in the NRL. Hull FC prop Liam Watts will just miss out.
HOOKER
The hooking position is another
area where we have a number of options. JAMES
ROBY missed last season’s Four Nations through injury but is a
certainty for this squad. Last year’s Man of Steel Daryl Clark has had a poor
first season at Warrington Wolves and I would not select him for the squad.
Instead I would select JOSH HODGSON
as the back-up hooker. His performances in the NRL for the Canberra Raiders
have drawn great praise in Australia and I believe he deserves to keep hold of
his squad place. Wigan’s Michael McIlorum will also be in contention but in my
mind he give’s away too many penalties and Isaac Luke would seriously try to
wind him up. Plus Roby and Hodgson are all round better players.
SECOND ROW
ELLIOTT WHITEHEAD was severely underused in last year’s Four
Nations competition and has had another very good year for Catalans Dragons and
fully deserves to retain his place in the squad. LIAM FARRELL has again been a model of consistency for Wigan
Warriors and I think 2 young guns also deserve to be selected. Warrington’s BEN CURRIE has had a great year.
He is a class act with strength, power and pace and can also play centre if
needed to as can Wigan Warrior’s JOHN
BATEMAN. Bateman has been described as freak by Shaun Wane. He is the
ultimate competitor and does not give an inch. I am hoping McNamara does not
make the same mistake as last year and pick Joel Tomkins on reputation only –
he does not deserve a place. The experience of Ben Westwood makes him a
contender but I think his time as an international has come to an end.
LOOSE FORWARD
SEAN O’LOUGHLIN is the team captain and a certain starter.
After missing 3 months early in the season O’Loughlin has played consistently to
his usual high standard. He needs to be on top form to provide the leadership,
aggression and skill that England will need to win this series.
My full squad is as follows:
Sam Tomkins, Zak Hardaker, Ryan Hall, Jermain McGilivary,
Joe Burgess, Kallum Watkins, Michael Shenton, Jordan Turner, Gareth Widdop,
Stefan Rathford, Luke Gale, James Graham, Chris Hill, Tom Burgess, Alex
Walmsley, Mike Cooper, James Roby, Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, Liam
Farrell, Ben Currie, John Bateman, Sean O’Loughlin.
My 17 for the First Test would be:
FULL BACK: SAM
TOMKINS
WINGERS: RYAN
HALL and JERMAINE MCGILIVARY
CENTRES: KALLUM
WATKINS and ZAK HARDAKER
STAND OFF: GARETH
WIDDOP
SCRUM HALF: LUKE
GALE
PROPS: JAMES
GRAHAM and CHRIS HILL
HOOKER: JAMES
ROBY
SECOND ROWS: ELLIOTT
WHITEHEAD and LIAM FARRELL
LOOSE FORWARD: SEAN
O’LOUGHLIN (captain)
SUBSTITUTES: ALEX WALMSLEY, TOM BURGESS,
JOSH HODGSON, BEN CURRIE
I have dropped 6 players from the 2014 Four Nations squad –
Josh Charnley, Daryl Clark, Brett Ferres, Joel Tomkins, Matt Smith and Joe
Westerman and 2 players are out injured - Dan Sarginson and George Burgess.
7 new players come into the squad - Jermaine McGillivary,
Jordan Turner, Luke Gale, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, John Bateman and Ben
Currie.
But what do I know – I just find it fun to have a look at
the squad and open a debate.
Feel free to criticise or make your own selections.
COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!
You can follow me on Twitter@sharpster69
You can follow me on Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment