Kangaroos facing toughest RLWC semi finals challenge since 1995

[arcticchris]

Has to be Australia. Nothing in Rugby League or any sports I follow would top getting over the Kangaroos in a major final. Only the first British Tour de France winner comes close as growing up that felt unimaginable.

Still remember the high hopes in 2004 when I truly believed we were going to win only for Darren Lockyer to rip us to shreds and win it inside 40 minutes.

[RP London]

On 06/11/2022 at 09:23, Gomersall said:

I’ll have to be neutral unfortunately. I don’t do red and white.

So you were the "focus group" Oxen contacted when working on the England kit.

[Gomersall]

19 minutes ago, RP London said:

So you were the "focus group" Oxen contacted when working on the England kit.

Problem solved thanks to Samoa and Oxen.

[Jim Prendle]

This is a tough choice for me. I want to see England beat Australia in the final but I also want Australia to lose every game they play so I want NZ to beat them on Friday.

The problem is that I don't think, having seen NZ's recent performances, that they have any chance whatsoever of beating Australia.

However, seeing as a lot of people seem to think that Samoa have now gone from being awful to being invincible, England probably won't be getting to the final anyway.

[MatthewWoody]

Looking forward.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkqCRqxMrNH/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[MattSantos]

On 06/11/2022 at 10:49, Dunbar said:

I was a bit torn last night.

I thought the Fijians played really well and NZ were poor by their standards.  This created a close game.

But despite my heart going for Fiji in the closing stages, logically I really wanted the Kiwis to win.  You only have to look at the last three semi finals to see that Fiji would have been beaten before the game started (as they were in the group game against the Kangaroos).  The Kiwis don't have this mental barrier to overcome.

The Kiwis haven't played well yet but they can.  I think it will be a close semi that can go either way.

A perfect end to the World Cup for me would be defeat Australia in the final but I am not hoping to play them!

This is exactly where i was / am

[corvusxiii]

On 06/11/2022 at 11:39, Tosh said:

I want to see a England v New Zealand final 1st and Tonga v NZ final 2nd.

Could shake the Aussies out of their international hibernation and apathy.

This. I'm not being Anti- Australia when saying I'd like them out at the semi final so much as Pro-RL. A non Aus final would be a breath of fresh air for the game. Many cages would be rattled, within the game and in the media. I see no negatives with this., Aussie egos aside.

[Welshleaguelover]

I want NZ to beat Australia.

But also want England to play Australia in the final.

So I can't really lose with the Elland Road semi final.

I listen to a lot of Aussie rugby league/general Aussie sports podcasts.

I will enjoy the meltdown if/when they lose.

Also, a tip for anyone that loves Andrew Voss. He does a radio show with Greg Alexander on SEN. You should be able to find the podcasts on any provider. Just search his name. They're quality for any rugby league fan.

[andyscoot]

 

26 minutes ago, Welshleaguelover said:

 

I listen to a lot of Aussie rugby league/general Aussie sports podcasts.

I will enjoy the meltdown if/when they lose.

They have a whole host of excuse lined up; If it happens (big if) expect the weather, small in goal areas and the jet lag to be trotted out.

[Welshleaguelover]

1 minute ago, andyscoot said:

 

They have a whole host of excuse lined up; If it happens (big if) expect the weather, small in goal areas and the jet lag to be trotted out.

Mate. If England beat Australia in the final they will not be making excuses. They will be offended by it.

They will whinge up the coaches... And yeah they will bring up all sorts.

But they will sit there and think "these poms, f them" more than anything.

And their whinging will encourage them to play a real series/get involved in tournaments.

We need it to happen. We need to beat Australia.

 

[burnleywelsh]

7 minutes ago, andyscoot said:

 

They have a whole host of excuse lined up; If it happens (big if) expect the weather, small in goal areas and the jet lag to be trotted out.

Big Mal getting in early.........

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/lightweight-english-rugby-league-balls-to-blame-for-nathan-clearys-poor-goal-kicking-says-mal-meninga-61767/

[GeordieSaint]

Australia not getting to the final would be massive. Absolutely massive. It’d absolutely put them back in their box. 

[Spidey]

24 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

Australia not getting to the final would be massive. Absolutely massive. It’d absolutely put them back in their box. 

I’d take beating NZ in the final and wait to beat the Aussies in an ashes series - if they ever show up for one

[zylya]

If England make the final, would prefer them to be playing New Zealand.

Would be cool if England could beat Australia in the final, but tbh I think there are a lot of people who see Australia winning as a foregone conclusion, so NZ vs England in the final is going to stir up a lot of interest in this country.

[GUBRATS]

On 05/11/2022 at 22:34, The Partisan said:

2000 - v Wales (Won 46 -22....albeit after an early Welsh challenge) 

2008 - v Fiji (Won 52-0)

2013 - v Fiji (Won 64 -0)

2017 - v Fiji ( Won 54 - 6)

1995 saw Australia get home in extra time against a gritty New Zealand team. 

 

I think this could be a defining moment for the sport.

 

Could be the first RLWC final (where finals have been played) to not feature Australia since 1954. 

 

So to my English compatriots of international Rugby League, IF you guys make it to the final ...what scenario would you prefer to see ? 

 

England playing a semi final winning Australia so you can possibly have that occassion of enjoying a historic win over the arch enemy in a RLWC final to reclaim the trophy after 50 years .....

 

or

 

.... seeing New Zealand end Australia's campaign setting up a historic first ever final between England and New Zealand and hopefully avenging the 2013 heartbreaking semi final loss ? 

No fence sitting ...pick a scenario

 

 

 

 

 

 

It does show how easy they've had things doesn't it ? , And some on here are complaining of a ' rigged ' draw ? 

[Shaggy]

4 hours ago, burnleywelsh said:

Big Mal getting in early.........

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/lightweight-english-rugby-league-balls-to-blame-for-nathan-clearys-poor-goal-kicking-says-mal-meninga-61767/

FFS. 

[FearTheVee]

4 hours ago, burnleywelsh said:

Big Mal getting in early.........

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/lightweight-english-rugby-league-balls-to-blame-for-nathan-clearys-poor-goal-kicking-says-mal-meninga-61767/

You have to feel for them - I don’t know how they’ve made it this far given how difficult using squad numbers has been for them.

[Wigan Riversider]

So it's the rugby balls is Mal?

Legend of the Kangaroo tours of yesteryear.

Nudge nudge,

wink wink,

say no more...

To quote Monty Python.

[Niels]

45 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

It does show how easy they've had things doesn't it ? , And some on here are complaining of a ' rigged ' draw ? 

It was to England and NZ's advantage not to play Australia in the semis remember. 

Besides, what would have been harder semi finals draw where they could possibly have lost? 

[RP London]

15 hours ago, Spidey said:

I’d take beating NZ in the final and wait to beat the Aussies in an ashes series - if they ever show up for one

be nice to stir the pot with "running scared" if they keep putting it off though.. 

[The One]

If England win the World Cup without beating Australia, they will whinge until the next one.

[FearTheVee]

2 minutes ago, The One said:

If England win the World Cup without beating Australia, they will whinge until the next one.

There is no combination of outcomes from here where Australia does not whinge until the next World Cup.

[Mattrhino]

NZ have regressed in recent years, not sure it will be that close tbh 

[Hanover XIII]

On 06/11/2022 at 10:37, The Masked Poster said:

I've seen many Australian teams and even written some of them off....only for it to bite me on the R's later. This team is undoubtedly talented but I think they are inexperienced in this sort of situation. 

When they had Thurston, Lockyer etc etc I sort of knew I was kidding myself and they were too good and would somehow win in the end. 

But I don't know.....this current team look very beatable. 

But I've been here before too many times to really believe it until it happens. 

Couldn't agree more. Every time a new generation comes along I think this is going to be the time only for the dreams to be shattered - usually by about 20 mins in.

At the moment they don't put the same fear in me as their predecessors but I can't help feeling that they inevitably will.

Although I would like them to win their semi-final so that if we do manage to win the thing, it will be the Aussies we beat in the final. With a Dom Young interception from our own line fractionally before the hooter sounds so that we can cheer for ten seconds and there's no time for a restart.

[stookie]

On 06/11/2022 at 22:45, Dirkgee said:

Didn't change anything when the Kiwis won in 2008. I'm not sure it would now to be honest. They just don't seem to care about the international game.

What?!? The early-mid 2010's were a mini golden age for international rugby league.