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

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Saint Toppy said:

Not sure you could class Farnworth as having a good game, he got swatted off a few times in the tackle, particularly in the 1st half and never really troubled his opposition centre for most of the game

Ah so now you finally decide to comment on Farnworth after 5 games of the World Cup when you see the opportunity for a dig. 

Its no surprise you ignored his 2 tries, including his first which was from nothing and where he bulldozed through 5 Samoan players. His 2nd showed great pace late into the game.

Farnworth had a great World Cup and fully vindicated his selection. He'll be an England centre for years to come.

[north yorks trinity]

2 hours ago, Roy Haggerty said:

Makinson bombed a clear opportunity in the 2nd minute which could have set the scene for a very different game. 

This has been said a lot. I thought it looked an incredibly difficult opportunity. Admittedly I've only seen it live so far so may think differently with a better view, but I hadn't put this in the same error bracket as Watkins, Watkins, Young, Welsby, Whitehead, Tomkins and maybe some others I've missed. Does everyone think it was such a clear opportunity?

(Not meaning to crucify the players named as mistakes happen but they were all game changing to a significant extent and were all basic poor skill or major errors of judgement for international players)

Edited November 14, 2022 by north yorks trinity
To qualify my remarks

[Chrispmartha]

1 minute ago, north yorks trinity said:

This has been said a lot. I thought it looked an incredibly difficult opportunity. Admittedly I've only seen it live so far so may think differently with a better view, but I hadn't put this in the same error bracket as Watkins, Watkins, Young, Welsby, Whitehead, Tomkins and maybe some others I've missed. Does everyone think it was such a clear opportunity?

It was easier than the Fox’s try on Friday

[north yorks trinity]

6 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

It was easier than the Fox’s try on Friday

Really? Addo-Carr's try was spectacular and relied on great skill, speed and a bit of luck. But having got to the ball you'd surely back him to catch it 9 times out of 10 wouldn't you? Would you say the same about Makinson?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 hours ago, Archie Gordon said:

Let's give the really upset folk saying it's the last straw for them a tiny bit of a break.

I think most don't have a club they follow. I'm in the same boat. This is effectively our only team. The rest of you guys know your teams are up-and-running again in February. 

England may or may not be playing FRA, CNAS (eugh) mid-season and may or may not be playing [someone] in Autumn 2023. When that's the state of play for your only team, it feels depressing.

Picks team Archie ....choose your own reason which one and enjoy the weekly torture/drama/upset/joy

[ivans82]

Can`t believe how bad we were first half , and must assume Shaun Wane went for a hot dog at half time because we carried on with the same "game plan" second half , one of forcing passes , unforced errors , falling asleep at acting half and poor kicking game . And the way we approached the golden point scenario , well a Team of under 11`s would have had more composure .

[Saint Toppy]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Ah so now you finally decide to comment on Farnworth after 5 games of the World Cup when you see the opportunity for a dig. 

Its no surprise you ignored his 2 tries, including his first which was from nothing and where he bulldozed through 5 Samoan players. His 2nd showed great pace late into the game.

Farnworth had a great World Cup and fully vindicated his selection. He'll be an England centre for years to come.

Someone's got their knickers in a twist again !!

Nobody was faultless in that game. While Farnworth did OK with his try's he was also brushed off in the tackle a few times - thats just a fact so I don't know why your getting so defensive over it. Farnworth was OK but he wasn't great, just like many of the England players. IMO the 3 players that posed the biggest threat all match were Williams, Makinson & Whithead, but all 3 of those also made mistakes

[Farmduck]

Every player makes mistakes. The lucky players make their mistakes when their team is leading 40-0

[OMEGA]

25 minutes ago, ivans82 said:

Can`t believe how bad we were first half , and must assume Shaun Wane went for a hot dog at half time because we carried on with the same "game plan" second half , one of forcing passes , unforced errors , falling asleep at acting half and poor kicking game . And the way we approached the golden point scenario , well a Team of under 11`s would have had more composure .

In the final 23 minutes we actually woke up and started to play, during that time it was 14 - 6 to England with Samoas only Try coming from an intercept against the run of play.

[Farmduck]

Further to that point I just watched a highlights package of France v AUS in the 2017 WC. Slater caught a kick right between the posts but before he could ground it -  there were no tacklers - he dropped the ball. Absolutely butchered a try under the sticks.

The in the same match, the French charged down a last-tackle kick which rebounded back 20m to Slater who grabbed it and hoofed it downfield. Turns out he was inside the 40m line and it ended up a 40/20!

[Damien]

24 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

Someone's got their knickers in a twist again !!

Nobody was faultless in that game. While Farnworth did OK with his try's he was also brushed off in the tackle a few times - thats just a fact so I don't know why your getting so defensive over it. Farnworth was OK but he wasn't great, just like many of the England players. IMO the 3 players that posed the biggest threat all match were Williams, Makinson & Whithead, but all 3 of those also made mistakes

It's just weird how you are obsessed with criticising him and continually make up random errors to slag him off. There is never anything positive, no praise from you for his appearances in the last 4 games. However you then pounce with your usual he did this a few times or didn't do that when England lose. All because you like to push Percival as England centre because he plays for Saints.

[graveyard johnny]

On 12/11/2022 at 15:51, Futtocks said:

Oh, Dom...

watched the game on holiday - am sure a certain poster on here predicted DY would make a massive blunder under the high ball in a crucial situation can't remember who it was though ? most disappointing thing for me is after waiting all this time to see us play against oz and nz it's not happened - what a let-down ? hope everyone adopts Samoa at the weekend but can't see any upsets on the cards - Fridays game should have been the final- what a load of rubbish 

[SUPERSTUD]

18 hours ago, Josef K said:

Halfway through Saints season in 2022 and near the end of the season i had a few heated arguments with some of my mates at the games when i said “i don’t understand all the hype over Knowles”. He has become more of a liability than anything, with his discipline. If (and it would be a massive if) a NRL club came in and offered Saints £150,000 id bit their hand off. 

Another Bentley and both Saints in their time.

[SUPERSTUD]

10 hours ago, jacobus said:

In the interest of not feeding the trolls, I wanted to just add that the atmosphere that last 20 minutes was something quite remarkable with the stands rocking as the crowd got behind England and got us to golden point, something that looked unlikely at that time in the game. 

If we can play matches as England more often and engage people more in that way then we will grow and be even better next tournament. 

The best team on the day won. That's why we play the matches, to see who does the best between the whistles. 

What did please me was the non "regular" RL fans talking on the train home about what a sport it was and what a game it was. 

So if a few angry posters on here leave the game as a result of this defeat, let's do our best to welcome the new fans who loved it and celebrated the occasion, not just the outcome. 

Attended Elland Road on Friday night and that was also fantastic atmosphere. Some people were saying that the venues ended up being the wrong way round. Meaning the Emirates would have been better hosting Aus and NZ on the basis that more Aus and NZ residents live down south. They reckon attendance would have been higher. England at a packed out Elland Rd would have been brilliant.

[redjonn]

I've said this a few times but for me it was indicative of the approach to the game, so to repeat...

Why on earth in such an important game against top opposition did we not take 2points from the penalties early on...

That as I said to my missus was huge mistake and suggested over confidence based on how easy we had made and taken tries in the other games...

It reminded of when Cas had had a brilliant season but ignored the penalties early on against Leeds in the GF, same reason over confidence

[Wakefield Ram]

Too many players past their best. McIorum, Tomkins, Watkins. Not one England player would get into Australian side and only a few into Samoan side.

[anjado]

4 hours ago, Wakefield Ram said:

Too many players past their best. McIorum, Tomkins, Watkins. Not one England player would get into Australian side and only a few into Samoan side.

I think Tom Burgess would be in the Australian squad. Plus a couple of others would be close.

[Loiner]

On 13/11/2022 at 02:49, Dunbar said:

What do you mean I have have managed to say nothing about Jack Welsby, I have said plenty about him?

It wasn't you.

[ivans82]

14 hours ago, redjonn said:

 

Why on earth in such an important game against top opposition did we not take 2points from the penalties early on...

 

Agreed , when you are massive underdogs , take the tap , when you are favourites and expect more territory and possession , then take the 2 with the confidence that you have the ability to get back up the field again .

[Wakefield Ram]

9 hours ago, anjado said:

I think Tom Burgess would be in the Australian squad. Plus a couple of others would be close.

Okay I'll give you that

[OMEGA]

21 hours ago, graveyard johnny said:

watched the game on holiday - am sure a certain poster on here predicted DY would make a massive blunder under the high ball in a crucial situation can't remember who it was though ? most disappointing thing for me is after waiting all this time to see us play against oz and nz it's not happened - what a let-down ? hope everyone adopts Samoa at the weekend but can't see any upsets on the cards - Fridays game should have been the final- what a load of rubbish 

So he dropped 1 high ball in 5 games and nothing came of it, what’s your point?

[OMEGA]

On 14/11/2022 at 10:25, Saint Toppy said:

Welsby was left on the floor from the tackle and never got back into marker properly. In hindsight maybe he should have attempted the tackle and given away the penalty for being offside, but he didn't. This coupled with Watkins making a wrong decision in deciding to go early and run infield left a huge gap on the outside for Sao to stroll through.

Both players made the wrong decision, but they weren't the only ones who did that all match. Some they got punished for by conceding points like the Sao try and others they managed to get away with. It was an all round poor team performance with some poor individual dislays

Welsby completely switched off and didn't even know Sao had jumped out to the blind side at first because he was facing infield. Watkins has to go on the open side or the numbers are wrong and he has to do it quick because they were only a few metres from our try line. It’s the markers job to watch the dummy half and Welsby didn't square up at marker he just turned his hips and looked infield obviously expecting Samoa to go that way.

[redjonn]

1 hour ago, OMEGA said:

So he dropped 1 high ball in 5 games and nothing came of it, what’s your point?

Not sure what you mean... if regards Dom Youngs drop ball it led to a attacking position that led to a try

[Dunbar]

14 hours ago, anjado said:

I think Tom Burgess would be in the Australian squad. Plus a couple of others would be close.

In the last 2 or 3 years, Tom Burgess has developed into one of the game's elite props.  I would have no doubt in saying he would be part of a world best 17.

[anjado]

9 hours ago, Dunbar said:

In the last 2 or 3 years, Tom Burgess has developed into one of the game's elite props.  I would have no doubt in saying he would be part of a world best 17.

 He would definitely be in the 17, probably from the bench more because this is how he is used for Souths. I think even Chris Hill would have an outside shot. I would argue outside of Carrigan it's Australia's weakest position, it's a shame New Zealand didn't exploit it more. It's also Samoa's only way for victory they need Paulo and Papalii to dominate.