Jack Burton wrote:7 out of 8 Saints players have dropped out and are 'unavailable'. What a surprise.
Knowles, Makinson, Percy and Walmsley have also dropped out of playing for Saints recently, the lazy so-and-sos.
Dodd hasn't been kicking goals as he's clearly playing injured.
So that leaves two questionable actual drop-outs in Lees and Lomax. Haven't seen why they're not in there but wouldn't have thought Lomax would play anyway given this season's form - expect it would be Williams and Smith on form. Similarly Dodd is miiiiiles off being an international player on this season's form and would not have been in there even if he wasn't injured.
Which leaves Matty Lees - not sure what the rationale is there but suspect it's manufactured given he's about our only prop left.
Fully agreed it's not a good look and, as a big international RL fan, one or two manufacturd drop outs is one or two too many (if that's what it is). But let's not give it the 7 out of 8 nonsense.
As an aside, I was suprirised not to see Lomax retire from international rugby as can't see him being the pick for the next WC and the calendar other than that is a farce.