GB squad for france!!

[teamGB]

Great Britain 23-man squad for France Test:
Kevin Brown, Rob Burrow, Gareth Carvell, Jon Clarke, Andrew Coley, Gareth Ellis, Ade Gardner, James Graham, Gareth Hock, David Hodgson, Jamie Langley, Andy Lynch, Danny McGuire, Chris Melling, Adrian Morley, Sean O'Loughlin, James Roby, Kevin Sinfield, Paul Sykes, Chris Thorman, Stephen Wild, Jon Wilkin, Kirk Yeaman.

Bit dissapointed not to see briscoe, platt, aspinwall in there but the rest looks like a good young squad (with a few exceptions...)

 

[Evil Homer]

I'd have included Ryan Hudson, Sam Burgess, Gareth Raynor, Martin Aspinwall, Lee Gilmour and Jame Jones-Buchanan for Andy Coley, Jon Clarke, Chris Melling, Sean O'Loughlin, Gareth Hock and Adrian Morley. The latter six players shouldn't be anywhere near the squad, Melling and Clarke in particular are absolute jokes.

 

[nadera78]

I'd have included Ryan Hudson, Sam Burgess, Gareth Raynor, Martin Aspinwall, Lee Gilmour and Jame Jones-Buchanan for Andy Coley, Jon Clarke, Chris Melling, Sean O'Loughlin, Gareth Hock and Adrian Morley. The latter six players shouldn't be anywhere near the squad, Melling and Clarke in particular are absolute jokes.

What has Chris Melling done to upset you? He's looked a good player on the odd occasion i have seen him play.
Sam Brugess is a great prospect but he only gets minimal time at Bradford, who are bringing him alng slowly.
Clarke is there as a steady-eddie hooker for half an hour before Roby comes off the bench. Although, I'd have gone with Hudson.

Agree entirely about Coley and O'Loughlin and I'd add Kevin Sinfield. They can count themselves very lucky to be there.

Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Eorl Crabtree should be very hacked off right now.

Rob Purdham and Ashley Gibson would definitely have been there if not for injury.

 

[bartman]

This squad took me a bit by surprise, I must say.

I know he's resting a lot of his senior players, but there's a lot of players who have been cusp GB players or England players who haven't earnt a run here? I figure he's just giving some of these guys a test here to see if they have any potential internationally during his tenure, and maybe helping guys see that they don't have to go to Union to get a rep game etc.

As well a chance to tell people that no positions are safe, play hard and earn it etc etc. Who makes the final 17 is anyone's guess... debutantes marked (*):

1. Chris Melling *
?. Chris Thorman *

2. Ade Gardner
5. David Hodgson

3. Kirk Yeaman
4. Paul Sykes *
?. Kevin Brown *
?. Stephen Wild

6. Danny McGuire
7. Rob Burrow
?. Chris Thorman *

9. James Roby
17. Jon Clarke * (although Smith doesn't usually go with the two hookers in the 17, so maybe Thorman gets the utility bench spot?)

8. Adrian Morley
10. James Graham
14. Andy Lynch *
15. Gareth Carvell
?. Andrew Coley *

11. Jon Wilkin,
12. Gareth Ellis
16. Stephen Wild
?. Gareth Hock
?. Andrew Coley *

13. Kevin Sinfield (his Leeds coach will give him a run ;-))
?. Jamie Langley *
?. Stephen Wild
?. Sean O'Loughlin

 

[JasonE]

My biggest whinge is the selection of Jon Clarke, fair dinkum this bloke shouldn't even make the Warrington team he is that bad.
Kirk Yeaman dosen't deserve to be there either because he has been crap all year and thats coming from a fan of Yeaman.

Apart from that i'm ok with the squad but i think Platt is unlucky to miss out.

 

[nadera78]

I did hear something about Platt being on the verge of an operation (knee i think) but apart from that he's superb in loose play, but absolutely awful under the high ball.