I think how far Wane will take it won't be far enough for Hall, Burgess or Hill tbh. He's loyal to fault sometimes but not to that degree. I do think he'll pick guys like Bateman and Clark though, as they will now be his experienced heads.  As you say, it'll be a balance. I think we'll see those guys like Bateman, Clark, Knowles, Williams etc, who are lads he trusts but he will probably just ease in a couple of younger players as well. 

The balance in terms of current form not ousting players with history of performing for England and in big games will come via the selections of players like Harry Smith and Welsby. They've not been at their best over the season but they're tried and tested in the big games and have that mentality of the bigger the game, the better they play. 

I have tickets for Wembley and Everton. Wembley is my 50th, so there are 9 of us going, and I'm doing hospitality with my mate at Everton. In all my years of going to internationals I've never seen Australia lose a game live. Honestly, I'll be fairly happy if we can win one game (just hope it's not the one at Headingley if that is the case!) as I think the gulf between them and us remains very wide indeed. That said, we do potentially have a pretty strong team and if everyone is fit and firing, and Australia are a little off their best because of their haphazard preparation, who knows?


Havard doesn't get in the squad on this year's form for me.It's certainly true that Wane is a loyal coach and is prepared to overlook dips in form for players who have done the business for him in the past, as shown by past selections of Harry Newman, for example. But, if they're both fit, it has to be Farnworth and Wardle in the centres, that's surely not even a discussion.

Talk that Haas, Tino and Tabuai-Fidow are going to defect over to Samoa. If that happens, I think the series becomes closer and with the poor preperation you mention and the atmosphere from home advantage, I think you might just get to see us win a game against them! The series will be a tough ask but I think we'll compete really well. 


In terms of the squad from Wigan's POV, there are a few lads in real danger now of missing out. If I was picking a team tomorrow, Havard and O'Neill wouldn't be in (and they would've been shoe ins for me previously) and Nsemba and Smith are pushing their luck. I'd say Wardle, Marshall and Thompson are all pretty safe from our POV. 

Smith is lucky that we don't really have a like-for-like replacement for him. Not having that Lewis is a replacement for Smith, he is a 6 every day of the week and twice on Sundays. I will admit that his kicking game seems to improved this season though but he is not an organiser and general like Smith is and Williams have proved in the past that he is less effective when he is forced to play that role too.


I do think Smith will have a bit of money in the bank with Wane too after 2 stellar Series for England, being player of the series vs. Tonga and being close to getting it vs. Samoa too in my opinion. He has also proved countless times that he turns up for the big games. The only other option in my opinion is Sneyd but i would rather go with Smith as he is the 7 most likely to line up for us in the world cup.

Agree with the above.  Smith, O'Neill, Havard and Nsemba really need to up their game in this next section of games in the run into the play offs.    Wane is loyal to those who played well in the past, but he's also said he want to see the intensity raised across the boards - and I think one thing we can agree on is that Wigan have not played with much intensity recently.   They do have big game experience which is why players like Thompson will get the benefit of doubt and players like Connor are likely to remain outside.      


Smith is the perfect foil for Williams or Lewis, but he has to start showing last years form pretty soon or I think far to hard to justify his selection.


As I'm based in the south I have 3 tickets for Wembley, son and daughter coming.   To date they have never seen Wigan lose when they watch a game - but we saw England go out to Samoa in the WC, behind the sticks when they hit the winning drop goal.............


As an aside, my daughter has lots of funny conversations about rugby at school causing confusion with the boys when she talks about RL and they have no idea what she's talking about.   Funny yet quite depressing at the same time......