m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/37601554 24 man squad announced as: John Bateman (Wigan Warriors); Kevin Brown (Widnes Vikings); George Burgess; Sam Burgess; Thomas Burgess (all South Sydney Rabbitohs); Daryl Clark (Warrington Wolves); Mike Cooper (Warrington Wolves/St George-Illwarra Dragons); Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors); Brett Ferres (Leeds Rhinos); Luke Gale (Castleford Tigers); James Graham (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs); Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos); Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves); Josh Hodgson (Canberra Raiders); Jonny Lomax (St Helens); Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants); Mark Percival (St Helens); Stefan Ratchford (Warrington Wolves); Dan Sarginson (Wigan Warriors/Gold Coast Titans); Scott Taylor (Hull FC); Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos); Elliott Whitehead (Canberra Raiders); Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons); George Williams (Wigan Warriors). Not much to complain at there really, a good squad in my opinion. From that I'd go with: 1. Widdop 2. McGilvary 3. Watkins 4. Sarginson 5. Hall 6. Williams 7. Gale 8. Graham 9. Hodgson 10. Hill 11. Bateman 12. Whitehead 13. Burgess, S 14. Clark 15. Burgess 16. Ferres 17. Cooper

m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/37601554 24 man squad announced as: John Bateman (Wigan Warriors); Kevin Brown (Widnes Vikings); George Burgess; Sam Burgess; Thomas Burgess (all South Sydney Rabbitohs); Daryl Clark (Warrington Wolves); Mike Cooper (Warrington Wolves/St George-Illwarra Dragons); Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors); Brett Ferres (Leeds Rhinos); Luke Gale (Castleford Tigers); James Graham (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs); Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos); Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves); Josh Hodgson (Canberra Raiders); Jonny Lomax (St Helens); Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants); Mark Percival (St Helens); Stefan Ratchford (Warrington Wolves); Dan Sarginson (Wigan Warriors/Gold Coast Titans); Scott Taylor (Hull FC); Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos); Elliott Whitehead (Canberra Raiders); Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons); George Williams (Wigan Warriors). Not much to complain at there really, a good squad in my opinion. From that I'd go with: 1. Widdop 2. McGilvary 3. Watkins 4. Sarginson 5. Hall 6. Williams 7. Gale 8. Graham 9. Hodgson 10. Hill 11. Bateman 12. Whitehead 13. Burgess, S 14. Clark 15. Burgess 16. Ferres 17. Cooper

Congratulations to the Leeds trio, thoroughly deserved.

Indeed, their performances in 2016 were thoroughly, erm...



Watkins played well against Fev away.



Yep.

Which English centre, winger and second rower not in the squad are better than Watkins, Hall and Ferres?

Why do people always suggest picking players out of position for the national side?

The three Leeds that were included were fair enough. Ferres has done a good job for England last year but not sure if he will feature this time around. Watkins gets in because there is no one else but it really is up to him to show some heart this year and generally turn up. Hall has had a mediocre year but is the best man we have for that position, there is hard running to be done not sure the young pretenders are readt yet.

I don't think many Leeds fans would disagree that our players included are a touch fortunate. England lack of centres is well documented. Hall fortunate that Manfredi is injured and likewise for Ferres and some 2nd row options.



However Ferres had a disappointing injury hit year for Hudds in 2015 but was one of our best performers last year. Hall is a rarity in that he's a back who has performed well at International level and he actually missed a lot of Leeds' struggles through injury and missing his carries was a key part of that. Watkins had a shocker for England last year no doubt but I think his tank was running on empty after playing a big part in helping Leeds over the finishing line last year and he'll arrive for England much fresher mentally and physically and I think he"ll show up well this time.

I'd rather have Bateman at centre than Watkins - he shouldn't be anywhere near the England squad on his form this year, he'll get murdered by the Aussies and Kiwis.

Matty Smith has been hard done too, he played in the team that beat New Zealand last time out and has just won a grand final, but then again Betts is on the coaching team and Brown plays for his club team.



Just happy he's picked English players.

Burgess, Atkins and Hughes to name a few.

Frankly it makes little difference who we pick - not because I don't think we can win, we can and we always could but for thirty years we simply haven't had a team who's mindset allowed them to do it.



Forget about size, skill and speed - we have that it just doesn't show up on the big occasion. What we need is the perfect storm which is what the Aussies always seem to create. That's 17 players, on form, all fit and all understanding the game plan and the ticker to carry it out.



It's not rocket science, when an ordinary player like Cooper can make a real fist of it in the NRL then you know they are not supermen. They are beatable if you believe they are.



In WW2 the British soldier considered the Japanese invincible in the jungle after suffering a number of catastrophic defeats. Then an eccentric officer called Ord Wingate took a group of ordinary (not elite) soldiers and created the Chindits. The effect the Chindits had materially on the Japs was small though more than was expected. However what it did prove was that we could fight just as well in the jungle as the Japs and ultimately we won. It was all about organisation, belief and proving a point.



That said the WW2 generation was made of far stronger stuff than more recent one