2 Dec: RLWC2017 (Final): Australia v England - Match Thread

[snapski]

4 minutes ago, MZH said:

I agree (On both points unfortunately).

I think any of the three I mentioned would do a good job and all bring something a little different to the role. 

Betts would at least be marginally better than, dare I say it, Agar, who seems to have a knack of getting jobs that he isnt even close to being good enough for.

Think you’ve just woken O F with a startle.

[Derwent]

33 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Annoyingly though we were a fingertip away from a try on Watkins break, and he should have passed to Jerry in that first half.

Whilst we were blunt we created enough half chances to win that game.

Agreed but the Aussies were out on their feet in the last 15 mins and we still never looked like breaching them. Its easy in hindsight but an unpredictable ball runner like George Williams coming off the bench in that last quarter would probably have made a big difference.

[DavidM]

Just now, redjonn said:

Yes, but I still think also that Whitehead had as equal a game and was every where...

Sam though did come charging out the line a few times and failed to make it stick putting the rest of defence in a little pickle...but I'm nit picking

Hill had by far his best game to in the middle

[Rhino in Oz]

Went to the game, not the greatest skill wise from both teams .
Never seen a Australian team that tired in the last 15minutes before and we were very close to forcing extra time .
Cronk and smith just wanted to find the touch line to eat down the clock as there forwards were goosed .
The ref was not biased to either team so please no whining from us poms because we hadenough field position to score points but ultimately came upjust a fraction short .
Thought Luke gale was in desperate need of some support from Brown and Kalum Watkins was the best centre on the field .

Our forwards were outstanding and the wingers made plenty of yards.
Bennett was just starting to get this team to gel but the final probably came 1 game too soon, would be great if he stayed to finish to job but doubt he will .

Congrats to Australia think you just deserved it but only ##### just

[MZH]

4 minutes ago, Allora said:

https://twitter.com/Kangaroos/status/936923249992011782/photo/1

Sometimes stats dont tell the whole story. This time they 100% do. Fag paper between the sides. Errors were the difference.

[redjonn]

Just now, DavidM said:

Hill had by far his best game to in the middle

all in all a great forwards effort, and as our interchange shows hard to pick one out,,,, now all we need to find is that half back that can maximise it

[Lowdesert]

4 minutes ago, redjonn said:

Yes, but I still think also that Whitehead had as equal a game and was every where...

Sam though did come charging out the line a few times and failed to make it stick putting the rest of defence in a little pickle...but I'm nit picking

With you on that.  Took some but came back and dished it out.  Great effort.

Many leaders on the pitch for England.  All by example.

[Futtocks]

2 minutes ago, MZH said:

Sometimes stats dont tell the whole story. This time they 100% do. Fag paper between the sides. Errors were the difference.

[Roughyhead true]

I agree around Williams Aus always knew Gale would pass and Watkins was are only centre. We didn' get best we lost that game. What stick on the throat is that we don' play  them till 2019. I'm not sure will there be a full Aus your in the future 

[Allora]

1 minute ago, Futtocks said:

Thanks Mate.

[DavidM]

I’m sure Gale for Cas takes the line on and runs  the ball ? He just seemed to be passing preline and not asking any questions , and sometimes pretty aimlessly 

[MZH]

1 minute ago, Roughyhead true said:

I agree around Williams Aus always knew Gale would pass and Watkins was are only centre. We didn' get best we lost that game. What stick on the throat is that we don' play  them till 2019. I'm not sure will there be a full Aus your in the future 

Williams offers a bit of maverick that might have helped, but hes a bit too directionless and often causes the play to break down. Not the answer for me. Not yet anyway, hes still young.

[Scubby]

8 minutes ago, Derwent said:

Agreed but the Aussies were out on their feet in the last 15 mins and we still never looked like breaching them. Its easy in hindsight but an unpredictable ball runner like George Williams coming off the bench in that last quarter would probably have made a big difference.

I was in the Williams for the bench camp, the game was just tailor made for him to come on at 65 minutes.

[Rhino in Oz]

Not sure why everyone is bagging Gale .

Watching live he had a very good game just needed help and brown not up to the job . Not having Hodgson didn't help .

Cant expect Gale to do everything , what did Cronk and Morgan do in 2nd half 

[MZH]

2 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I’m sure Gale for Cas takes the line on and runs  the ball ? He just seemed to be passing preline and not asking any questions , and sometimes pretty aimlessly 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Tje beauty of what Cas do doesnt lie with Gale, or Eden or McShane or any of them. Its the system. Powell has them coached to within a inch on their lives in attack, everyone knows their job and Gale is the focal point. 

He is a good player, but taken out of that structure he just isnt going to play the same way and isnt going to have anything like that success.

[DavidM]

1 minute ago, Rhino in Oz said:

Not sure why everyone is bagging Gale .

Watching live he had a very good game just needed help and brown not up to the job . Not having Hodgson didn't help .

Cant expect Gale to do everything , what did Cronk and Morgan do in 2nd half 

Exactly what they had to 

[Scubby]

5 minutes ago, Rhino in Oz said:

Not sure why everyone is bagging Gale .

Watching live he had a very good game just needed help and brown not up to the job . Not having Hodgson didn't help .

Cant expect Gale to do everything , what did Cronk and Morgan do in 2nd half 

England need to stick with Gale and he will improve test by test. His long kicking improved in this game and he showed glimpses. Is he World class? No. But he is the best 7 we have by a long way IMO.

[Rhino in Oz]

7 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Exactly what they had to 

Gale did his job 

[SilentAssassin]

6 minutes ago, Rhino in Oz said:

Not sure why everyone is bagging Gale .

Watching live he had a very good game just needed help and brown not up to the job . Not having Hodgson didn't help .

Cant expect Gale to do everything , what did Cronk and Morgan do in 2nd half 

I thought Gale's kicking game (long) in the first half was world class, really impressed. Second period not so great and a couple of cases in point where he gifted them 7 tackle sets by not executing. like we keep saying, thems are the differences at this level but Gale will be a far better player for this tournament and on the whole i would give him a 7/10, pretty good.

[DavidM]

Just now, Scubby said:

England need to stick with Gale and he will improve test by test. His long kicking improved in this game and he showed glimpses. Is he World class? No. But he is the best 7 we have by a long way IMO.

Given that , and the need to start concentrating on attack now we look a very solid unit defensively and physically , can we not get Powell into the set up even alongside Bennett . A good mix there you’d think 

[graveyard johnny]

Just now, DavidM said:

Given that , and the need to start concentrating on attack now we look a very solid unit defensively and physically , can we not get Powell into the set up even alongside Bennett . A good mix there you’d think 

might not be a bad idea, but we need some backs with a bit of pace as well to make the attack effective

[Just Browny]

8 minutes ago, Rhino in Oz said:

Not sure why everyone is bagging Gale .

Watching live he had a very good game just needed help and brown not up to the job . Not having Hodgson didn't help .

Cant expect Gale to do everything , what did Cronk and Morgan do in 2nd half 

His long kicking was 7 out of 10 today. Far above the standard we usually get against Australia.

His short kicking didn't really work at all and the last one was a horror. Just never gave the chasers enough time to compete.

His passing was fine. What he lacked, as has been said above, is the confidence to take the line on which he shows week-in week-out at Cas. When you know the half isn't going to drop the shoulder and attack the line, you get half a yard start on the other runners. That is what is hard to understand when you watch Gale in test matches 

[Scubby]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

Given that , and the need to start concentrating on attack now we look a very solid unit defensively and physically , can we not get Powell into the set up even alongside Bennett . A good mix there you’d think 

Yes good call. Bennett needs to hang around as long as he wants to. There has been a upward curve from 2016 and tonight we were outstanding with players missing.

That ricochet from the kick not going to an English player, Watkins' ankle tap etc. we deserved a touch of luck. It was that close.

[GeordieSaint]

1 hour ago, Allora said:

Well done England, played really well tonight.

If it wasn't for a few bad passes and wrong decisions by the outside backs it could have been a different result.

I was sat with about 50/50% Aussies and English fans and I enjoyed the Englands outlook and banter more than my fellow Aussies to be honest.

Its a shame the two teams do not meet each other very often, the game would be the better for it.

Good post - completely agree and glad you enjoyed it. We always knew you loved the English despite your chat on here... ?

[ivans82]

Great effort by England . A few points though , i thought initially and i still do watching it back that the try was forward , only marginally , but the passer`s body position gives it away i think . Having said that i would have given Morgan`s try , Whitehead milked the "obstruction " and they would have scored anyway .It would have been interesting to see the Lomax "try" sent up to the screen , Aus knocked the ball out , it went backwards we kicked on ? Maybe the Ref had already blown anyway ....We lost because we overplayed/panicked on first or second play , 3 times firing it out wide to marked wingers on first tackle and losing possession , or knocking on as we did another 3 times .Even near the end we kicked when near their line on 2nd tackle and lost possession due to a poor kick .We turned down 2 pens in front of the sticks first half which would have put a bit more pressure on .In the end composure won the day .On the Bateman argument , in my opinion he is no centre at international level , and too small for the pack at international level too .Percival should have been in from the first game , but blame the coach not the player , he picked him .............With the lack of international rugby in league , why don`t we have the World Cup every 2 years , there`s no logical reason why we couldn`t , we need to keep the momentum going .