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

[Chrispmartha]

6 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

You didn’t and you’re thriving on the defeat. It’s embarrassing.

Im not the one thriving on defeat am I, its the poster claiming the death of the sport because of the defeat that are  thriving on it.

Im just being pragmatic 

[THE RED ROOSTER]

As someone who was there. Well played Samoa. They were marginally the better side and deserved the win. Kudos to England in the way that they fought back from the dead but in the end it was the lack of a cutting edge from the halves and the own errors that cost them dear.

Negative postings about Shaun Wane, as someone who was critical of his appointment, I have absolutely no issue with his coaching over the world cup. He is the latest in a long line of coaches who have been charged with making a silk purse out of the English sow's ear, so to speak.

It's a sad but true fact that the Pacific Island nations have caught up and overtaken England. IMO the world ranking is now:

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Samoa
4. Tonga
5. England
6. Fiji
7. Papua New Guinea

Now there can be some movement between 3 to 5 as, the way things currently stand, it's a coin flip between England , Samoa and Tonga. But this was not the case previously. And as for the impact of England's exit on the Northern Hemisphere's credibilty, as has no doubt been mentioned, the bulk of the England side is either current or ex-NRL players. The NRL of course being a Southern Hemisphere competition.

If you want to see how a Super League side fares against an NRL side, note France's performance in the tournament, and as a poster on the French thread pointed out, it matters not how many French clubs there are in Super League but more how many French players get into the NRL that will determine if French RL upgrades it's international standing.

I was part of the third of the ground (in the corner in section 12) that spent the first half with the sun in their eyes and was plesantly surprised at the 40,000 plus figure announced. which must reflect seats sold as the middle tier was empty behind the sticks.  At least four merchandising outlets around the ground but sadly selling tat (i.e.. Just how hard is it to produce a tournament cap with the correct official logos of the competing nations on it as opposed to your unofficial logos) but that's a seperate thread  I do look forward to next weeks fire sale outside Old Trafford though.

Got the old London Broncos jacket out of mothballs today and spotted just one other similarily attired bloke outside the ground. If you do not live in the M62 bubble coverage of the World Cup has been sporadic It's now going to fall off a cliff.

A lot being posted on how England will have to get on bended knee to get southern hemisphere sides up here but it has always been the case if there are enough dollars involved an Aussie or Kiwi side is more than happy to come up here give England aa absolute trouting and count the dollars on the return flight.

More likely with the NRL's proposed International window will be England travelling down under to play the pacific nations in Australia / New Zealand, as with the NRL contingent in the England squad likely to increase further in future, going to where your players are based is only logical even if it means fans up here may be starved of international footy.

England's exit absolutely is a blow to the sport in nthe Northern Hemisphere, when your a minority sport you need all the publicity you can get. There is a lot being posted at present in the heat of the moment but some sober reflection as to how the game iteself got to where it is in this country is required and that will be unpleasant reading for many "heartland" fans who fought against expansion of the game in the UK.

 

 

 

[Madrileño]

At the end of the day, the NRL based teams have made up 7 of the 8 quarter finalists, vs 1 team with a Super League core.  In fact, the Lebos and PNG are mostly chosen from the Australian minor grades.

Wales and Scotland offered nothing, with their lower league English players, while Ireland's Super League contingent frankly embarrassed themselves. 

England, who are chosen from the upper echelon of Super League, have operated with a strong core of NRL experience.

We now have 2 NRL based sides in the final, and I feel the game is better for it.

#Levels

[Chrispmartha]

5 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I’ve no interest in club dogma at this point. He probably would have but that question was never asked, you’ve taken the national teams lowest point to promote your clubs player 

Calm down i was just offering an opinion on a player who was n the reckoning who may have been better.

National teams lowest point? Really! How long have you been watching RL because losing by 1 point in extra time in a semi final of a WC is not really the National teams lowest point.

[GUBRATS]

Not going to trawl through pages of this thread 

We were beaten by a very good RL team by one point , they scored a ' wonder ' try 

It's not the end of the world , disappointing yes , but that's sport 

It's not life or death , it's just a game , get over it 

Next week , come on you Samoans 

 

 

 

[Tippytoe]

1 hour ago, Dunbar said:

Just a quick follow up to this.

Thomas Burgess left the pitch after 19 minutes and didn't come back until the 68th minute.

Despite this, he ran for the most metres of any forward on the pitch (165 metres).

He was criminally underused in the second half as he has been the biggest contributing factor to England's go forward in this World Cup.

Totally agree, also why Cooper gets in place of Oledski I can't fathom we needed big minutes from big men.

[Tippytoe]

3 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Not going to trawl through pages of this thread 

We were beaten by a very good RL team by one point , they scored a ' wonder ' try 

It's not the end of the world , disappointing yes , but that's sport 

It's not life or death , it's just a game , get over it 

Next week , come on you Samoans 

 

 

 

Nothing changes though dose it we can't match intensity at highest level. 

Aussies will find a way to win.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

15 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Boy, how much did we miss the distribution of James Roby today.  There were so many times the English first receivers were reaching over their heads or having to adjust their body position to take a pass... with the laser like passing of Roby the attack such an advantage. 

I was critical of him not putting his hand up but if we fans are fed up with missing out then maybe he is even more so.

You also told us Samoa were terrible and it was stupid to think they could beat us so…

[Tex Evans Thigh]

14 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Im not the one thriving on defeat am I, its the poster claiming the death of the sport because of the defeat that are  thriving on it.

Im just being pragmatic 

If you’re pragmatic at the moment you don’t care.

[Chrispmartha]

Just now, Tex Evans Thigh said:

If you’re pragmatic at the moment you don’t care.

Eh?

Don’t care about what?

[Maximus Decimus]

Everyone needs to stop moaning, we just beat them 86-33 on aggregate.

Now's the time for the RL authorities to organise a true fudge and award England the result.

Go England!

 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

13 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Calm down i was just offering an opinion on a player who was n the reckoning who may have been better.

National teams lowest point? Really! How long have you been watching RL because losing by 1 point in extra time in a semi final of a WC is not really the National teams lowest point.

It’s a very low point. Home semi loss to Samoa…tell me a lower or more damaging point. It’ll be 30 years before we even have a chance of winning a World Cup, if ever 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

2 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Eh?

Don’t care about what?

Ok I’m done. You got me with the trolling. Enjoy your rugby league, hope you get some success. 

[Chrispmartha]

1 minute ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

Ok I’m done. You got me with the trolling. Enjoy your rugby league, hope you get some success. 

Trolling, what on earth are you going on about?

[The Masked Poster]

26 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

How many years did it take for the England football team to make a final.l? Decades. Yet the fans were still there. The fans that we have will still be there, and there will still be fans to attract in the future. No need for such hysterics. Today was stil a disappointment nonetheless. 

Don't talk cobblers mate. Since formation of the football league, England were one of the top dogs. And it was seen as a disaster for instance, when they lost to Hungary in the 50's. They didn't even bother to enter the first few world cups as they thought they were above it. 

This is not a case of glory hunters losing faith, you're talking to people with 30/40 years of experiencing this routine. And it gets wearing mate, let me tell you. 

[Chrispmartha]

3 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

It’s a very low point. Home semi loss to Samoa…tell me a lower or more damaging point. It’ll be 30 years before we even have a chance of winning a World Cup, if ever 

It will be 3 years, HTH.

I take it you didn’t see the last GB tour?

[sentoffagain2]

21 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Boy, how much did we miss the distribution of James Roby today.  There were so many times the English first receivers were reaching over their heads or having to adjust their body position to take a pass... with the laser like passing of Roby the attack such an advantage. 

I was critical of him not putting his hand up but if we fans are fed up with missing out then maybe he is even more so.

    We did not create enough at 6 and 9 both positions under performed today.I thought the forwards  played well enough at times and they defended well.

[GUBRATS]

4 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

It’s a very low point. Home semi loss to Samoa…tell me a lower or more damaging point. It’ll be 30 years before we even have a chance of winning a World Cup, if ever 

No it'll be 3 years 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Just now, Chrispmartha said:

It will be 3 years, HTH.

I take it you didn’t see the last GB tour?

England will be significantly worse in 3 years and you’ll be able to revel in it again. Only 3 years til you feel something again

[Tex Evans Thigh]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

No it'll be 3 years 

We have no chance. Zero.

[Chrispmartha]

1 minute ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

England will be significantly worse in 3 years and you’ll be able to revel in it again. Only 3 years til you feel something again

Who’s revelling in it?

[Damien]

1 minute ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

England will be significantly worse in 3 years and you’ll be able to revel in it again. Only 3 years til you feel something again

Why will they be significantly worse? I think England can be far better. All of the younger players on show in this World Cup will be 3 years older and wiser and there are no older players that they will particularly miss.

[Chrispmartha]

4 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

We have no chance. Zero.

In 2018 would you have said Samoa would have had a chance of being in the WC final in the next WC?

[The Masked Poster]

28 minutes ago, Madrileño said:

At the end of the day, the NRL based teams have made up 7 of the 8 quarter finalists, vs 1 team with a Super League core.  In fact, the Lebos and PNG are mostly chosen from the Australian minor grades.

Wales and Scotland offered nothing, with their lower league English players, while Ireland's Super League contingent frankly embarrassed themselves. 

England, who are chosen from the upper echelon of Super League, have operated with a strong core of NRL experience.

We now have 2 NRL based sides in the final, and I feel the game is better for it.

#Levels

Yes because you can't see past the NRL. 

It is no good for a truly international game for one league to call the shots. You are clearly laughing today (as evidenced by your reaction) but enjoy it. Because you won't have any other outsiders bothering you soon.  Take care xx

[Tex Evans Thigh]

3 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

In 2018 would you have said Samoa would have had a chance of being in the WC final in the next WC?

Yes. I wouldn’t have backed it but they had a chance if they took it seriously.