Jump to content

Sun 22 Oct: International: England v Tonga (at Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens) KO 2.30pm

League Express
 Share

Who will win?  

68 members have voted

  1. 1. Who will win?

    • England by 13 points or more
      21
    • England by 7 to 12 points
      25
    • England by 1 to 6 points
      10
    • Tonga by 1 to 6 points
      4
    • Tonga by 7 to 12 points
      4
    • Tonga by 13 points or more
      4

This poll is closed to new votes

  • Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.
  • Poll closed on 22/10/23 at 14:00

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 799
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

bobbruce
bobbruce

He should probably play for England I don’t see any benefit in him going to yours to play for you. Plus it’s just a bit weird. 

DavidM
DavidM

Whatever the doubters say Test rugby is the best bar none 

Josef K
Josef K

I am looking forward to the match now, but yesterday i wasn’t. Storm Babet had put me off and i was going to give it a miss, I was wondering if Peasley Cross Bridge was flooded as well.  But everyth

Posted Images

Dunbar

Dunbar

Posted
Posted

OK, we have proved a point.

So.

And hear me out before you dismiss it.

We take a dive for the next two tests. 

The RFL can bung a few quid on Tonga to build up their cash.

And we can avoid the Super Group at the next World Cup.

See, this is what I do, I think strategically. 

  • Haha 6

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hull Kingston Bronco

Hull Kingston Bronco

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, crashmon said:

Yes...  And for those watching in the southern half of the country, will fire up ticketmaster now and go... I'd like to go see them live...

Hmm 2nd Test Huddsfield... thats a 4 hour drive there and another 4 hours back... Or £200 quid for a last min train ticket....  Ok lets look at test 3

Hmm thats in leeds thats a 4/12 hour drive there and another 4/12 hour trip back, or £200 on the train...

OK I'll get some jars in and watch it on TV

 

Spot on. 2nd test should have been in London. That it isn’t says everything about the RFL’s competence. 

  • Like 2

Apparently this site says I "won the day" here on 23rd Jan, 19th Jan, 9th Jan also 13th December, whatever any of that means. Anyway, 4 times in a few weeks? The forum must be going to the dogs - you people need to seriously up your game. Where's Dutoni when you need him?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EagleEyePie

EagleEyePie

Posted
Posted

It will go a bit unnoticed but I thought Harry Smith's defence was really impressive. Made some really good cover tackles but also his pressure on the ball carrier that led to a rushed pass and the Johnstone interception. Add that to some good kicks and a smart passing game to get Lewis and Welsby into space I thought he was pushing Lewis for man of the match in terms of overall performance.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bedford Roughyed

Bedford Roughyed

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Bedford Roughyed said:

They did one training session in the hotel conference room... 🤣

Thinking about it more, its a bit rubbish that we didn't have access to a proper indoor facility?  Indoor 4G seems pretty standard at football premiership level.  

With the best, thats a good bit of PR, though I would say the Bedford team, theres, like, you know, 13 blokes who can get together at the weekend to have a game together, which doesnt point to expansion of the game. Point, yeah go on!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Gomersall said:

Thoroughly enjoyed that.  I wonder if this will spur the RFL to open the upper tiers at the John Smith’s?

Sell them for a fiver. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Loiner

Loiner

Posted
Posted
30 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Newman hasn't had a game that makes him a cert over a better player. You'd replace him no probs. 

 

You really hate him don't you? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dunbar

Dunbar

Posted
Posted

Over the last few years, I am sure people have been fed up with me saying that the area we have been furthest behind the Aussies is the kicking game.

Today, Harry Smith showed the value of a game management half with a strong kicking game.  His kicks played a big part in ensuring the Tongan's didn't get any momentum from play one and forced them to come away from their line and tire them out.

The value of a game management half cannot be underestimated. 

  • Like 7
  • Thanks 1

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeordieSaint

GeordieSaint

Posted
Posted

Second half, we were much better, bar the last 5mins. Much much better. I thought McMeekan and Knowles really set the example in the first part of the half, supported by Clark. Whitehead was good in defence as well. Really impressed by Smith. He won’t get the headlines Lewis will but I thought he was very good. Really like the idea of him and Williams in the halves.

King and Newman were alright but the back three played well. Definitely need some rockets fired into the front row for the next game as Tonga will be back firing on all cyclinders. 

Great game though. Looking forward to next week now. More please! 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Agbrigg

Agbrigg

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

Second half, we were much better, bar the last 5mins. Much much better. I thought McMeekan and Knowles really set the example in the first part of the half, supported by Clark. Whitehead was good in defence as well. Really impressed by Smith. He won’t get the headlines Lewis will but I thought he was very good. Really like the idea of him and Williams in the halves.

King and Newman were alright but the back three played well. Definitely need some rockets fired into the front row for the next game as Tonga will be back firing on all cyclinders. 

Great game though. Looking forward to next week now. More please! 

Agreed, thought mcmeekan was our best prop. Chris Hill was poor in my opinion.

Edited by Agbrigg
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dunbar

Dunbar

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Agbrigg said:

Agreed, thought mcmeekan was our best prop. Chris Hill was poor in my opinion.

Burgess and McMeeken for me.  While not scattering players, Burgess still made comfortably the most metres of our middles and found a couple of quick play the balls we took advantage of.

The Fox stats show Matty Lees made 29 metres.  While he is an effort player in defence, I just don't think that is good enough for an international prop.

  • Like 1

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dunbar

Dunbar

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

 

Marvelous. 

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tre Cool

Tre Cool

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, crashmon said:

Yes...  And for those watching in the southern half of the country, will fire up ticketmaster now and go... I'd like to go see them live...

Hmm 2nd Test Huddsfield... thats a 4 hour drive there and another 4 hours back... Or £200 quid for a last min train ticket....  Ok lets look at test 3

Hmm thats in leeds thats a 4/12 hour drive there and another 4/12 hour trip back, or £200 on the train...

OK I'll get some jars in and watch it on TV

 

You must live way south of London for it to take 4 hours. A coach from MK to Leeds is like £30 and takes max 3 hrs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EagleEyePie

EagleEyePie

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Burgess and McMeeken for me.  While not scattering players, Burgess still made comfortably the most metres of our middles and found a couple of quick play the balls we took advantage of.

The Fox stats show Matty Lees made 29 metres.  While he is an effort player in defence, I just don't think that is good enough for an international prop.

Burgess is one of those players who always seems to make good metres even if they aren't at their best. The same goes for John Bateman, who I thought was largely ineffective but still one of England's best metre makers.

I agree about Lees. I'm not sold on him as being one of England's best props at the moment. I thought he was our poorest prop in the World Cup and while his defensive effort is outstanding I feel like ideally you want more of an all rounder at the highest level who will have a bigger impact with ball in hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DoubleD

DoubleD

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Leonard said:

For once the crowd mirrors pretty well the availability on the ticket site. My side of the ground pretty full. 

You can see the selling of alternate rows in the north stand. Crowd was respectable if somewhat disappointing. Others loss for missing a great test match 

My only gripe was that Saints hadn’t opened some of the F&B facilities so there was over 30 minutes wait at the start of the game and at half time. I gave up waiting and so didn’t buy anything but it’s really poor

Edited by DoubleD
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
crashmon

crashmon

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Tre Cool said:

You must live way south of London for it to take 4 hours. A coach from MK to Leeds is like £30 and takes max 3 hrs.

I live in surrey... to get to MK takes me at least 1 hour and thats assuming no traffic holdups on the M25 / M3, M25 /M4 and M25 / M40.  In reality it takes me about 1 1/2 hours to get to MK

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.