Kiwis struggle to sell tickets as Tonga paint Auckland red

[Dunbar]

Good win for the Kiwis. As expected, the lack of game management from the Kangaroos really came to haunt them. With Cook and DCE you get some attacking flair but not as much nouse as Smith and Cronk.

For that 20 minute period in the first half when NZ were camped on the Kangaroo line taking their energy away you just know that Cronk or Smith or Thurston would have found a way to get them up field and relieve the pressure. It was really loose in the second half from both teams which was great to watch though.

This Kangaroo side is dangerous from anywhere on the park but has come back to the international pack somewhat.  I don't think NZ have improved as much as Australia have fallen away a little. Can't wait to see what the Tongans manage against them.

Again though... nothing beats test match Rugby League. 

[Davo5]

41 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

That Manu kid looks quality... 

If the Roosters keep him and Mitchell together they could go down as the best club centre partnership to play the game

[GeordieSaint]

43 minutes ago, Allora said:

Many English fans take satisfaction when another team beats Australia because their team have not had a victory in two lifetimes.

#whataboutism

We take satisfaction from it largely due to the arrogance displayed by Aussies - your early post of Aussies by 20+ a prime example.

[MrPosh]

50 minutes ago, Allora said:

Many English fans take satisfaction when another team beats Australia because their team have not had a victory in two lifetimes.

Yeah, but we win in other ways that you just couldn't understand. 

[East Coast Tiger]

7 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

#whataboutism

We take satisfaction from it largely due to the arrogance displayed by Aussies - your early post of Aussies by 20+ a prime example.

Anyone who saw the first five minutes would have thought the same, if not by way more. 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

NZ having a population 5-6 times smaller than Australia yet beating them in both codes of rugby. What does that say about Australia? Even more what does it say about a tiny nation like NZ? Biggest rugby talent factory

What about Tonga then? Their population is tiny.

[GeordieSaint]

14 minutes ago, East Coast Tiger said:

Anyone who saw the first five minutes would have thought the same, if not by way more. 

Nah - not having that ECT; he made the comment at half time. 

[deluded pom?]

57 minutes ago, Copa said:

I kinda want to see England defeat Australia in a RL tournament.

I like to see England thoroughly defeated at every other sport though!

I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.

[B rad]

57 minutes ago, Copa said:

I kinda want to see England defeat Australia in a RL tournament.

I like to see England thoroughly defeated at every other sport though!

same

[Yorkshire Knight]

10 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

What about Tonga then? Their population is tiny.

What about Tonga? Majority of the team weren't even born in Tonga 

[ELBOWSEYE]

3 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

What about Tonga? Majority of the team weren't even born in Tonga 

Isnt that the same with all Tonga, Samoan sides, most people on the islands migrate to aus/NZ for work the population is 100k/150k so neither country could supply a competitive international side. In any code. 

[East Coast Tiger]

15 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

Nah - not having that ECT; he made the comment at half time. 

Even so. Not a shocking prediction. I support NZ but I expected similar. 

[ghost crayfish]

1 hour ago, deluded pom? said:

Of course we do in any sport. You can’t tell me most Aussies don’t want to see England lose. 

I go for England in rugby league, because cheering against them almost seems unethical... 48 years... geez, there's certainly no joy in beating them! I was going for NZ today too. Really glad to see them win. On the back of a good season from the Warriors, this stops the recent slide for NZ rugby league and should add even more to the build up for both the Tonga game and the NZ-England series.

[GeordieSaint]

29 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

What about Tonga? Majority of the team weren't even born in Tonga 

Half the England cricket team isn’t born in England. Where you are born really doesn’t matter in the modern world. Your cultural identity and/or citizenship are what count.

[Damien]

It's always great to see teams beating Australia. Not because it's Australia per se but because they are the best and winning for years at a time is not good for international Rugby League. Id say the same about a dominant  international team in any sport. It's not even good for the game in Australia.

Now if Tonga could follow that up by beating Australia then that really would be something, when was the last time that Australia lost 2 games in a row against 2 different nations?

[JM2010]

I wasn't overly excited about the upcoming test series against NZ but their win and performance today has got me looking forward to it. 

I think today's game might help with ticket sales

[Damien]

7 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

I wasn't overly excited about the upcoming test series against NZ but their win and performance today has got me looking forward to it. 

I think today's game might help with ticket sales

Yeah it's certainly a shot in the arm for the test series.

[Davo5]

56 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

What about Tonga? Majority of the team weren't even born in Tonga 

If only they had the amount of Pacific Islanders that the England Union side regularly draw on

[Futtocks]

 

[henage]

just watch highlight on ytube , great game great tries from both teams 

[Futtocks]

Shame about Nati; that looked painful even before she tried to play on. Same goes for Kezie Apps.

[westlondonfan]

Brilliant highlights. That kiwi try on 69 minutes was great. I didn’t think much of the bunker though.

[redbeckroad]

Anyone on here know if this game is going to be replayed on Sky, and when? Thanks in advance of any help.

[GeordieSaint]

2 minutes ago, redbeckroad said:

Anyone on here know if this game is going to be replayed on Sky, and when? Thanks in advance of any help.

It’s on catchup TV on SKY already...

[redbeckroad]

Thanks very much for that. Tried there earlier but I must've been too early! That's the first non NCL Saturday afternoon sorted roll on March!