Quote ="FearTheVee"Strange that you included him in a list of failures that didn't make the impact required of a forward on the international stage then.
He picked up a knock and had missed the week before with a stomach bug.
Leon Pryce was "dropped" too, despite having a blinder. I wouldn't read too much into that 3rd test team.
I'm not arguing that SoL isn't a better option, just that comparing on the basis of that series (where Sinfield was ill and carrying a knock) is a little harsh.
FWIW I'd have SoL in there, just think you're being harsh on a few of the lads you singled out, Sculthorpe and Farrell in particular - both of whom have put in tip top performances in wins against Australia.'"
No, I'm not saying they were failures as international players, I'm saying that the concept of having a ball player playing loose has failed us on many occasions. It doesn't work, take a look at the results . I don't think this is the only reason that we have failed either, but I believe it's contributed to our failure.
Sinfield was fit to play in the 2nd test and 3rd test, he played in the second and played poorly, as a result he was dropped for the 3rd and rightly so, because O'L outperformed him.
Why not read to much into it, it was a strong team, selected to win the game against a world class international team, which is exactly what they did.
What other series could I use? It's the only one that we have won, and it came when we played a 'machine' loose forward at the back of the pack. Let's switch to the world cup with a fully fit Sinfield playing at loose forward for us, we come unstuck yet again, they get in the way and want to call the shots that the 6 & 7 should be calling. (Again not at all wholly the ball playing 13's fault, but in my opinion it doesn't help having this time of player in the game at that level)
Like I've said to you above mate Faz and Scully have had some brilliant games for GB, and I don't mean to single them out as 'individual' failed international players, that is not what I'm trying to do, hell I've even named 'arguabley' the greatest player to ever play the game in Hanley. I was just using them as examples that ball playing Loose forwards tend not to work for us in winning series' in the modern era.
