Sun 5th Nov: Wheelchair International: England v France KO 3.15pm @ First Direct Arena, Leeds (BBC Two)

[snapski]

England’s tactic of playing like Bradford Northern of the 80s on a mud heap  definitely not working.

[moorside roughyed]

Just now, Padge said:

They certainly needed it, they were looking a bit lost.

We need a polar opposite second half. Words need to be had in the break. Yes they were looking a little lost.

[Futtocks]

Jack Brown is finally off the bench.

[Futtocks]

That's better! Collins gets through a tight gap out wide to score.

[EagleEyePie]

56 minutes ago, north yorks trinity said:

Enjoying this but am I being paranoid in thinking the French are using stronger velcro on their tags?! We seem to be having to pull a lot harder to get them off.

There's definitely something in that. Whether it's France having stronger velcro or England not strong enough but there's a noticeable difference. You'd have thought it would be standard for all teams.

[Futtocks]

France strike back just before the hour mark. This will take an almighty fightback from here.

And Halliwell goes in almost immediately under the posts!

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, EagleEyePie said:

There's definitely something in that. Whether it's France having stronger velcro or England not strong enough but there's a noticeable difference. You'd have thought it would be standard for all teams.

England do seem to be having real trouble reapplying them and them sticking after after they are tackle.

[Damien]

A crowd of 2311.

[Futtocks]

England have been a bit short of ideas, while the French were, despite their claims, really pumped up for revenge.

Lots to do before the return fixture.

[moorside roughyed]

France tbh were the better team tonight. An excellent, entertaining game. We were a bit short if ideas at times. We came back at them but it wasn't enough. Still well done lads, there'll be other games against them.

[north yorks trinity]

Well played France. Deserved win over the whole game but sure England could play a lot better.

[moorside roughyed]

There'll be much garlic chomped on tonight

[Futtocks]

Okay, let not leave the world #1 player on the bench for the entire first half next time.

When England tried to play a more complex attack, they dropped the ball a lot, and France were more than up to talking all  the one-man charges.

[Futtocks]

3 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Okay, let not leave the world #1 player on the bench for the entire first half next time.

When England tried to play a more complex attack, they dropped the ball a lot, and France were more than up to talking all  the one-man charges.

England 34:43 France at FT, so some of the deficit got made up at least.

[Padge]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

The French are trying to force the game's hand regarding full-time wheelchair users. 

Just managed to throw it into the post match interview. They are definitely on a mission. "It is the way forward" is what was said.

[Futtocks]

5 minutes ago, Padge said:

Just managed to throw it into the post match interview. They are definitely on a mission. "It is the way forward" is what was said.

A very pointed comment about that, as well as another complaint about the physicality of England. If Fassolette is the custodian of the game, will he make it a less accessible sport, just as we've had this great spike in interest and participation from the RWC? That would be very RL.

Edited November 5, 2023 by Futtocks

[Just Browny]

It's easy to dismiss it as French moaning but I can see why you might be a bit put out if you are disabled. This is going to be in the spotlight more and more as the game becomes better known.

[Futtocks]

9 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

It's easy to dismiss it as French moaning but I can see why you might be a bit put out if you are disabled. This is going to be in the spotlight more and more as the game becomes better known.

The game needs to decide what it wants to be.

Ideally, it should have done so before the last RWC, which enthused and engaged a whole swathe of people who might suddenly find themselves ineligible if Wheelchair RL changes its requirements and its identity. The longer they leave it, the worse it will be.

[doc]

In the rules it says only 2 non disabled players can be on the pitch at any time. Maybe drop that to one? Still keeping it inclusive. Also a limit on the squad. 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

It's easy to dismiss it as French moaning but I can see why you might be a bit put out if you are disabled. This is going to be in the spotlight more and more as the game becomes better known.

Yes this would be my take on it too. I can see both sides but as the game progresses and gets more professional this will become a bigger and bigger issue and could hinder disabled participation. 

Maybe some sort of hybrid setup is the way forward where able bodied people can compete at a lower level but at elite level, such as international and Super League, it becomes more stringent.

[Hopie]

Decent crowd today, but for a tenner or less I'd have hoped to see even more there. I think if there was another one coming up maybe there would be? Plenty of sections blocked out that could have been filled with fans instead, if you didn't attend you better have had a good reason, great sport and plenty of places to eat an drink in Leeds City Centre before and after the game.

Best atmosphere of the 5 games I saw this Autumn, they had made an effort by handing out noise makers (and there were no horns!) asked the crowd to count down to the players walking out, and played music in the breaks in play. Just tiny things that made it a better experience.

I thought England got their selection a little off, the best players were on in the second half when England came back into it. England started slowly, and France moved the ball better, although them using tags they shouldn't use (dark on dark) probably helped them be harder to tackle, along with their skill. I also thought they played with a bit of niggle and got the calls they wanted from the ref. A comment further up states the French were complaining about physicality but Seb was certainly targeted with 2 big hits in his first 2 possessions, so they gave as good as they got, and on occasion I thought they went to ground more easily than the England players to push that narrative. In the end both teams scored the same number of tries, and one of the french tries came from an obvious forward pass.

It is a great sport and I really think it should be played in arenas week in week out, if we had well balanced sides playing out of venues like they did today week in week out, there should be an audience out there to watch it. I don't really understand the complaints about including non-disabled players. Disabled team sports often have those with a variety of ability/disability making up a team, even many of those who are disabled don't need to use a wheelchair, would they be moved onto PDRL?  The inclusivity of sport is important, but there is an elite nature to international sport, so everybody can play Wheelchair rugby league which is great, but only the best players play internationally. Give there is a maximum number of able bodied players then the best disabled players will also play internationally, in many cases they will be the same people, but when they aren't they will play together. 

[daz39]

Just got back from Leeds with my Grandson, and we both had a fantastic time, free access to the VIP lounge started it off then the build up to the game was incredible and the pre-match stuff was certainly spine tingling stuff.

The game started well and the atmosphere when and after England scored the 1st try was amazing, as good as any atmosphere i've ever encountered at a sports event.

To their credit France were bloody good and were visibly quicker and better in every aspect in the 1st half.

England were miles better once Collins and Brown were introduced, did Coyd get the selection wrong by not bringing them on sooner?

Anyway it was a marvellous game and a marvellous occasion and hopefully those who did go will return next time with others.

Well done France, unlucky England.                                      

[daz39]

1 hour ago, Hopie said:

Plenty of sections blocked out that could have been filled with fans instead

I presume these weren't going to be onsale as they looked to be in the corners so the sightlines wouldv'e meant missing parts of the pitch due to the configuration but i could be wrong, either way it looked busy and looked like a great crowd who were enjoying themselves.

[sam4731]

5 hours ago, snapski said:

Hope the French touch judge from the World Cup is in attendance.

Alas he is suspended for 3 years.

[Northern Eel]

6 minutes ago, daz39 said:

I presume these weren't going to be onsale as they looked to be in the corners so the sightlines wouldv'e meant missing parts of the pitch due to the configuration but i could be wrong, either way it looked busy and looked like a great crowd who were enjoying themselves.

I would imagine there wouldn't be space for any more than 3k. Even in the corners that were open, there was a limited view of one of the corners. It was a really good crowd and quite a different demographic from other forms of the game.