Sat 12th Nov: RLWC SF: England v Samoa KO 14:30

[N2022]

Just now, N2022 said:

Well the next games are 4 years off ...

EDITS - 3 years - you get the point.

[Balmainboy]

1 minute ago, N2022 said:

EDITS - 3 years - you get the point.

Only if they refuse to play France. Ball is in England's court. 

[The Legend]

I think the only thing that can beat Australia in the final is their own complacency. But I think they're far too professional to let that happen. I think Australia will win by 20 to 30 points. 

[Maximus Decimus]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Guys, don't knee-jerk. We lost an epic world cup semi final. They are meant to hurt, take it, just as we enjoyed the victory over Samoa a few weeks ago. 

There will be lessons learnt, but we lost a great game of Rugby. We need to play more, sort combinations, bring the right coaching team and structures in, basically do a lot of what we did under McNamara that it could be argued Bennett benefited from. We saw after another two years that Bennett's impact led to us being 3mbarrassed on tour. 

I don't think it represents some major crisis like others do.

We started really flat which was likely a result of having previously well-beaten them and also having it relatively easy.

In hindsight, Samoa had a fair bit of luck too. The bombed England chances, the interception and the wonder pass that 9/10 probably doesn't lead to a try.

Ever since I've been alive there has been the adage that Eng/GB can produce one team to compete with Aus and they can raise 5/6 to compete with us. With no disrespect to Samoa, this is a reflection of that. I don't believe they are a heritage side comparable to Scotland/Ireland or Italy, but they are definitely a product of the Australian system.

It's easy to criticise perceived failure to bridge that gap, but the game over here is minute to over there. They have far more players, far more money and a much greater profile. We are a struggling regional team sport that is dwarfed by others.

[ELBOWSEYE]

13 minutes ago, The Legend said:

I thought England without playing well showed a lot of character out there. They kept getting up off the floor and coming back. I just don't think we handled the pressure moments welll enough. 

Even in the last minute when Whitehead made a break, he flung the ball out blind when he just needed to take the tackle. With one more play after that we'd have been in position for a shot at the drop goal. 

First thing in extra time both me and my son both retired amateur players said we should have played a solid 6 and kicked too the corner instead Welsby ( I am a big fan of his) messed around with a good ball and lost it. Then we get out of jail (whitehead) and our fresh hooker is no where to be seen( at the play the ball) and Sam throws a dodgy pass. 

But Samoa deserved the win. 

[Chrispmartha]

2 minutes ago, The Legend said:

I think the only thing that can beat Australia in the final is their own complacency. But I think they're far too professional to let that happen. I think Australia will win by 20 to 30 points. 

If England had scraped past Samoa we could be looking at the same points difference against England, we aren’t as good as those drubbings suggested

[Big Picture]

1 minute ago, Jughead said:

What on earth does the Premier League and Southampton (you seem to really like bringing them up) have to do with rugby league? That’s just knee jerk babble at this stage.

The Premier League is relevant because it's an English league and it's the richest league in the world's biggest sport.  That makes England one of the major countries in world sports.

Southampton is home to a soccer club which has managed to beat the odds and hold onto a place in that league albeit by the skin of their teeth some seasons.  The city isn't really big enough to support a club able to be a regular contender for the title or even for a place in UEFA's competitions, yet it's a good bit more populous than Samoa.  Portsmouth is more populous than Samoa too, maybe that will make the point clearer to you?

In short, the public out there will not be remotely impressed to see a team from a tiny country which in other sports either doesn't even qualify for World Cups or when it does never gets past the group stages in the Final of this World Cup.  It's an embarrassment for the game which will only showcase just how small it is and that will serve to confirm the negative view of it which is apparently common among outsiders.  And that will make IMG's job even more difficult than it was before.

[The Legend]

5 minutes ago, MatthewWoody said:

So McNamara for England? 

Lee Radford is your man. 

He's the guy who finally ended the Hull FC Wembley drought (he did that twice just to make sure) and he'll be the one to end the International drought. 

Get him in with Wane for the time being and eventually to take over. 

[St Reatham]

I think the biggest travesty for me is that I don’t know when England are playing their next game, and where it will be.

[Jughead]

Just now, Big Picture said:

The Premier League is relevant because it's an English league and it's the richest league in the world's biggest sport.  That makes England one of the major countries in world sports.

Southampton is home to a soccer club which has managed to beat the odds and hold onto a place in that league albeit by the skin of their teeth some seasons.  The city isn't really big enough to support a club able to be a regular contender for the title or even for a place in UEFA's competitions, yet it's a good bit more populous than Samoa.  Portsmouth is more populous than Samoa too, maybe that will make the point clearer to you?

In short, the public out there will not be remotely impressed to see a team from a tiny country which in other sports either doesn't even qualify for World Cups or when it does never gets past the group stages in the Final of this World Cup.  It's an embarrassment for the game which will only showcase just how small it is and that will serve to confirm the negative view of it which is apparently common among outsiders.  And that will make IMG's job even more difficult than it was before.

All post match psycho babble. You can carry on bringing up random things and banging the drum for a non-descript place on the south coast.

Samoa, with some of the best players on the planet in their respective positions, getting to a World Cup Final is great. It’s a great story and one to shout about. It’s a shame for England followers that they lost.

[Jughead]

1 minute ago, St Reatham said:

I think the biggest travesty for me is that I don’t know when England are playing their next game, and where it will be.

This is the big thing from this. Not losing to a good side. 

[DimmestStar]

A number of big name players were found wanting in this game especially Welsby, Young and Watkins.

[EastLondonMike]

Travelling back from the game and I am thoroughly depressed. 

[Chrispmartha]

5 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

The Premier League is relevant because it's an English league and it's the richest league in the world's biggest sport.  That makes England one of the major countries in world sports.

Southampton is home to a soccer club which has managed to beat the odds and hold onto a place in that league albeit by the skin of their teeth some seasons.  The city isn't really big enough to support a club able to be a regular contender for the title or even for a place in UEFA's competitions, yet it's a good bit more populous than Samoa.  Portsmouth is more populous than Samoa too, maybe that will make the point clearer to you?

In short, the public out there will not be remotely impressed to see a team from a tiny country which in other sports either doesn't even qualify for World Cups or when it does never gets past the group stages in the Final of this World Cup.  It's an embarrassment for the game which will only showcase just how small it is and that will serve to confirm the negative view of it which is apparently common among outsiders.  And that will make IMG's job even more difficult than it was before.

Samoa getting to the WCF is an embarrassment?

absolute rubbish and disrespectful 

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

If England had scraped past Samoa we could be looking at the same points difference against England, we aren’t as good as those drubbings suggested

 

Just now, Chrispmartha said:

Samoa getting to the WCF is an embarrassment?

absolute rubbish and disrespectful 

Leave them to it. 

[Big Picture]

Just now, Jughead said:

All post match psycho babble. You can carry on bringing up random things and banging the drum for a non-descript place on the south coast.

Samoa, with some of the best players on the planet in their respective positions, getting to a World Cup Final is great. It’s a great story and one to shout about. It’s a shame for England followers that they lost.

As you can say in the eyes of some Southampton is "a non-descript place on the south coast" and that underlines my point.  For a country less populous than a non-descript place on the south coast as you put it to get out of the group stages of the RL World Cup routinely let alone get to the Final is embarrassing for the sport.  What part of that is any way difficult to understand?????????????????

[Tippytoe]

7 minutes ago, The Legend said:

Lee Radford is your man. 

He's the guy who finally ended the Hull FC Wembley drought (he did that twice just to make sure) and he'll be the one to end the International drought. 

Get him in with Wane for the time being and eventually to take over. 

Ok Lee if you say so!

[Dunbar]

Absolutely gutted.  As I said before, it's the hope that gets ya.

As for the performance. 

Well, a couple of very close calls early doors with two short kicks (one with Williams collecting and one with Makinson) that could have led to tries on another day.  But let's not take anything away from Samoa who have shown fantastic resilience in this competition and again today with the HIA incident. 

Overall, I was probably most disappointed with Welsby as he can be a game breaker but the last two weeks he was off his game.

Williams on the other hand constantly took the line on and so you can't fault his effort and his break for the Farnworth try was class.

After all the talk of whether Bateman and Whitehead were past it, they were two of England's best and Whitehead in particular in this game stood out.

I thought Burgess was under used today as Hill stayed on longer in the first half and came back first in the second.  I don't think it was any surprise that England's go forward improved when Burgess was back and putting Samoans on their ***** with the ball.

The other players to get praise are Makinson and Farnworth.  The former because he was everywhere and Farnworth came out in the 2nd half with his calf strapped again and so he was clearly struggling but bagged two good tries.

Come on the England women and Wheelchair teams.

[Stuff Smith]

11 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

In short, the public out there will not be remotely impressed to see a team from a tiny country...

I'm not sure the UK general public has a clue about the size of the population in Samoa. I was surprised when I Googled Tonga's.

Edited November 12, 2022 by Stuff Smith

[Chrispmartha]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

 

Leave them to it. 

You’re right, it’s pathetic 

[The Legend]

Just now, Tippytoe said:

Ok Lee if you say so!

I went to school with him, he's a born winner. 

[Jughead]

Just now, Big Picture said:

As you can say in the eyes of some Southampton is "a non-descript place on the south coast" and that underlines my point.  For a country less populous than a non-descript place on the south coast as you put it to get out of the group stages of the RL World Cup routinely let alone get to the Final is embarrassing for the sport.  What part of that is any way difficult to understand?????????????????

It’s really not, though, is it?

It’s great for the game. First new nation in 34 years to make a final, first tier two nation to make a final, to go from 60-6 or whatever it was to a final is sensational and to have some of the best players in the game lining up against each other is fantastic. 

Sport is fantastic. When sport is played like that today and ends like that, it’s superb. It’s elation for some and heartbreak for others. That was sport at its best. 

[Tippytoe]

4 minutes ago, DimmestStar said:

A number of big name players were found wanting in this game especially Welsby, Young and Watkins.

Watkins didn't look fit to me I agree with other 2 Welsby reminds me of Sean long world beater on front foot, complete passenger when going gets tough. 

[Jughead]

Just now, Tippytoe said:

Watkins didn't look fit to me I agree with other 2 Welsby reminds me of Sean long world beater on front foot, complete passenger when going gets tough. 

You must have never watched St Helens play Warrington, then. 

[Jughead]

1 minute ago, Chrispmartha said:

You’re right, it’s pathetic 

What?