25 Nov: RLWC2017 (Semi Final): England v Tonga - Match Thread

[John Drake]

Discuss the RLWC2017 semi final England v Tonga here.

[Sco77]

Can't flipping wait for this! Turned down overtime for this, so I'm Gonna treat myself to a McDonald's brekkie, then watch the boys do the business and get in to the final by a 10 point winning margin. 

[Futtocks]

This is what alarm clocks were invented for!

[jannerboyuk]

Tense.

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

Really looking forward to it. I think England will have too much for them in attack and while we have not been as good as I would have hoped we have been hard to score against. It'll be tough but England to step it up and have their best game of the tournament and win 20 - 12

[West Country Eagle]

Interesting one, this. If England get it together (IE keep hold of the ball and stop making the kind of idiotic errors that would irritate coaches at community game level, let alone in a World Cup) then they should have enough to win. I'm looking forward to seeing how the atmosphere at Mt Smart comes over on the TV - I'm sure the Tongan fans will make loads of noise.

Just one thing to work out beforehand: do I head out and then attempt to stay up all night, or go to bed early and set the alarm

[Celtic Rooster]

I would like to see Tonga win but I think England will have just too much for them. England to win by a couple of scores.

[Charlie RL]

Roll on 5am Saturday!

[RayCee]

if Tonga play at their best and England isn't then Tonga will take it. I'd give Tonga a 20% chance to make the final.

[Gray1967]

Got a decision to make about this one, as im working on the Sat. Have watched all the England games live(and quite a few others) and would have time to watch this before heading off to work, but Im very tempted to record it, avoid the score and watch it when I get home with a few beers(rather then have to worry about work after)....decisions, decisions?? Oh England by a couple of scores!

[leedsrhinos89]

England in a close bruising match 

[Scubby]

2 hours ago, Sco77 said:

Can't flipping wait for this! Turned down overtime for this, so I'm Gonna treat myself to a McDonald's brekkie, then watch the boys do the business and get in to the final by a 10 point winning margin. 

Great post. Glad there are more people than me absolutely pumped for this game. Sausage and Egg muffin or the works?

[Scubby]

14 minutes ago, Gray1967 said:

Got a decision to make about this one, as im working on the Sat. Have watched all the England games live(and quite a few others) and would have time to watch this before heading off to work, but Im very tempted to record it, avoid the score and watch it when I get home with a few beers(rather then have to worry about work after)....decisions, decisions?? Oh England by a couple of scores!

You know as well as I do you will be up to watch this! 

[Dreadnoughts back please]

2 minutes ago, Scubby said:

You know as well as I do you will be up to watch this! 

I've tried to avoid the scores a few times so far, the first wales game: ruddy today programme announced the score?!?, second england game, i don't know what i was clicking on bbc but it showed me the score, then to top it off i go and see my buddy who has only ever watched 1 rl game in his life because i dragged him to it told me that Fiji beat NZ. 

So i'll be up for it, as should all of you unless you want to repeat my tales of trauma.

[graveyard johnny]

tonga peaked against nz, struggled in the qf, it should be unthinkable they could turn us over

[graveyard johnny]

1 minute ago, Dreadnoughts back please said:

I've tried to avoid the scores a few times so far, the first wales game: ruddy today programme announced the score?!?, second england game, i don't know what i was clicking on bbc but it showed me the score, then to top it off i go and see my buddy who has only ever watched 1 rl game in his life because i dragged him to it told me that Fiji beat NZ. 

So i'll be up for it, as should all of you unless you want to repeat my tales of trauma.

both virgin and lbc radio stations have told me the scores of matches I have had recorded- spoilers everywhere

[Scubby]

1 minute ago, Dreadnoughts back please said:

I've tried to avoid the scores a few times so far, the first wales game: ruddy today programme announced the score?!?, second england game, i don't know what i was clicking on bbc but it showed me the score, then to top it off i go and see my buddy who has only ever watched 1 rl game in his life because i dragged him to it told me that Fiji beat NZ. 

So i'll be up for it, as should all of you unless you want to repeat my tales of trauma.

It is so annoying and soul destroying. In the 2008 World Cup I had to pause the NZ semi final to drop my son off at a friends. I turned the radio off, phone off everything. Dropped him off and there is a work van across the road with radio 5 blurting out that we were 10 points down!

[Dreadnoughts back please]

5 minutes ago, Scubby said:

It is so annoying and soul destroying. In the 2008 World Cup I had to pause the NZ semi final to drop my son off at a friends. I turned the radio off, phone off everything. Dropped him off and there is a work van across the road with radio 5 blurting out that we were 10 points down!

I had to stand outside the local butchers while he made me a sandwich because he had the 1st England game on, he looked at me like i was crazy but surely he understood? i did tel him, but i think it made me seem even more crazy.

[Jim Prendle]

39 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Great post. Glad there are more people than me absolutely pumped for this game. Sausage and Egg muffin or the works?

Double sausage egg McMuffin meal. The breakfast of champions, hopefully.

[Krzzystuff]

It's really David vs. Goliath in both semis so we will see if one or both Davids can make it through. As a neutral and brand spanking new to RL fan I'm going for Tonga by a try or less for the great vibes it would generate. Now i'm also hoping that Fiji can win for an all David final, heart says it would be awesome but all the stuff I've read from the begging of the WC makes the brain say Oz vs. Eng final...Heart vs Brain...the ultimate showdown!!!!

[B rad]

35 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

tonga peaked against nz, struggled in the qf, it should be unthinkable they could turn us over

I think both England and Tonga were thinking about the semi final last week instead of the games they were in. 

[Jim Prendle]

Tonga by 50. Taumalolololololo to score 10 tries.

[graveyard johnny]

14 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

Tonga by 50. Taumalolololololo to score 10 tries.

in the 1st half

[Jim Prendle]

Just now, graveyard johnny said:

in the 1st half

Then they can take him off, and keep him fresh to play against Fiji in the final.

[Krzzystuff]

1 minute ago, Jim Prendle said:

Then they can take him off, and keep him fresh to play against Fiji in the final.

it's all about strategy at this point in the tournament right?