Re: Team to face Australia : Sat Nov 12, 2016 8:13 pm  

nottinghamtiger wrote:

Is this confirmed? On the photographs of today's captain's run, Gale and Widdop are both there.

If Brown does play, three different half back combinations in three games doesn't give anyone the chance to build the understanding half backs need to combine effectively.
I think Bennett needs to decide the best half back combination (whoever it may be) and play them consistently unless we suffer injuries.
However, I'm pleased for Brown who I have always liked watching as a player.
Overall, I'm not sold on Bennett and his boring style of rugby.

I think that you can have a go at Bennet's style in front of the camera but, his coaching ability is beyond question.
If the players take on board how he wants them to play, he will have us beating the Aussies, maybe not tomorrow but, he can get this England team to the next level.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:43 pm  

nottinghamtiger wrote:

Is this confirmed? On the photographs of today's captain's run, Gale and Widdop are both there.

If Brown does play, three different half back combinations in three games doesn't give anyone the chance to build the understanding half backs need to combine effectively.
I think Bennett needs to decide the best half back combination (whoever it may be) and play them consistently unless we suffer injuries.
However, I'm pleased for Brown who I have always liked watching as a player.
Overall, I'm not sold on Bennett and his boring style of rugby.

I think Bennett has run into an issue that he's probably not had to deal with to such an extent in his career so far - the lack of quality halves. I don't think it's such a big surprise that Kevin Brown is in there. In one of his interviews before the New Zealand game he was asked about picking Gale ahead of Williams and he said that halfback is a specialist position, clearly suggesting he saw Williams as a stand off only. Quite a few Super League clubs now play split halves, so the role might not be as specialised as Bennett is used to, but that's obviously how he's going about it. It seems likely that Widdop and Williams were his stand off options and Gale and Brown his scrum halves. Given that Gale has been a massive disappointment it's not a surprise that Brown is in the squad.

If he wants to bring in Brown at scrum half it would be a pretty big risk to then pair him with Williams, given both of them lack a decent long kicking game. I don't think he'd leave Widdop out for such an important game; he obviously sees him as the best of the four. I'd imagine Widdop and Brown will be the halves.

It's easy to say Bennett should pick his best halfback combination, but our halves have so many flaws and varying strengths that I don't think you can blame him for not knowing. Widdop is the player he knows the most about and he's probably his number 1 choice. I'd say Williams is the 2nd best but he's clearly not keen on pairing them because he sees them both as 6's (whereas McNamara was obviously more willing to use split halves with less of a clearly defined role as he picked Williams at 7 for 2 games). Few seemed to argue with Gale being picked, yet there were also plenty saying Brown's impressive cameo against France should get him in the side. I honestly think it's a very difficult choice to pick out our halves.

However, in my opinion it would be beneficial to get Williams playing at this level right now and gaining valuable experience. He's the best halfback prospect we've had in years but I don't see how he can improve at this level without playing it.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:01 pm  

Anyone in SE without a ticket - get along tomorrow you can pay at the gate.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:02 pm  

Teams in and he's gone with Brown and Widdop at HB. Williams on the bench and no Gale or Clark.

Quite left field to introduce Brown at this stage.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:26 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

Teams in and he's gone with Brown and Widdop at HB. Williams on the bench and no Gale or Clark.

Quite left field to introduce Brown at this stage.

That's 3 different halfback combinations in 3 games, needs to be some continuity, to drop the best player last week to the bench and replace with a player who has hardly played (only in the French friendly?) seems bizarre.

I hope I'm wrong, but not greatly confident with Brown and Widdop.

No problem with the Clarke decision ad Hodgy can play the 80, although looks like Williams might do a spell there.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:37 pm  

I'd say it's pretty clear that Bennett is using this 4 Nations tournament to build an idea of which direction he'll go with the halves for the World Cup.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:50 pm  

The funny thing is that it's also Australia 3rd different HB combination of the tournament. Difference is they make their's work each other.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 2:02 pm  

Bennet seems to have gone for the Aussie style selection, if you have not performed well enough your out simple as. No point brown being in the squad if he won't drop players who have not produced the goods. Gale for all the cas fans proclaiming him the best half back in the country has been poor, Williams has been ok but obviously not done enough, however Lomax has been and is poop and still gets picked.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 2:13 pm  

i just hope by the time the World Cup comes around there are more options at halfback. I dread to think what will happen if we're still resorting to picking the likes of Pinhead.

Re: Team to face Australia : Sun Nov 13, 2016 2:24 pm  

Nothing wrong with that from Watkins. Wasn't late and hit the hip of Cronk not the "standing leg" like Hicks said.