The junior talent is out there

[ali]

The biggest problem for mine is the lack of quality outside backs and halves coming through. They just can't compete with the athleticism of the Aussie and Kiwi outside backs, which probably has a bit to do with the fact there are no Aboriginals or Polynesians in the UK. I think the lack of quality halves has a lot to with these kind of kids mostly playing football. I think England's current young 3 have potential, but none look like fully rounded halves at this stage.

If England wish to compete with Australia then they need to increase the player pool available. Thankfully the RFL does seem to be doing some good work here, particularly in London and I'm encouraged by news of Hull moving junior games to summer. I think London can become a regular source of international players within a decade. There is a now a regular London junior league and even this coming year there is a further expansion of RFL development officers. Quite often they are targetting the poorer African and Caribbean neighbourhoods, and these kids are born to play our game. In my opinion the big growth down here is still yet to come as the extra RFL staff start to pay off and we get economies of scale when teams stop having to travel 2 hours across London to play their fixtures. Just this year they managed to split the ever growing London junior league into north and south conferences, so i think this can only help.

The following article is an example of the very encouraging growth going on.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/e...igrating-to-schools-in-the-south-1814595.html

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Eastmond, Tomkins and Myler could very well be the best halves England have had since Offiah. But like Burrow and Long, they appear to just be ball runners. But I have seen good things from Tomkins and Eastmond to suggest they have play making abilities. Havent seen enough of Myler except he looks like a young Tim Smith.

Good times ahead for England, would like to see them use Leon Pryce differently though.

 

[JasonE]

There is another classy young half back at Wigan called Joe Mellor and he is almost the clone of Sam Tomkins, he is fast and lean but not really the Thurston type organiser.

Cain Southernwood the halfback at Wakefield would be the closest England have to a future organiser in the halves but he is only 17.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I saw alot of ball playing ability from Eastmond tonight, very very impressive. They are playing very unEnglish like.

 

[ali]

I saw alot of ball playing ability from Eastmond tonight, very very impressive. They are playing very unEnglish like.

I just hope Eastmond sticks around. There are rumours of Union circling. I don't trust his agent Martin Offiah one bit! He's starting to get a bad reputation the way he is hawking his young players around.

Eastmond was linked with Sale RU a couple of months back, but the latest rumour thankfully surrounds a move to Warrington where he would link up with Myler. Hopefully he is just trying to get more money of Saints, which given Eastmond's form in the Grand Final and recently should just pay whatever he is asking IMO.

 

[TimmyB]

Eastmond looks an absolute gem. Would be awful if union thieved him.

 

[WireMan]

I just can't see Eastmond coming to Warrington, i don't know why. We have just bought Myler, maybe he could be his partner, but they may be to similar Also we have Briers and Grix (and Vinnie Anderson!!) who can play that position. Our centre positions are fine, so he could play full back i guess.

I'd rather he stay at Saints (except be injured when we play them) but i fear he will end up at Sale. Sale however are not a super rich Union team, and if he comes in on big money some of there players will want pay rises which i doubt they could afford.

Things will get interesting after the 4 nations.