We showed some nice touches in the 2nd half but let's not kid ourselves about the gulf between the two Nations. I still don't think we have seen the best from the likes of Slater, Inglis, Hodges etc and I fear for whoever faces them in the Final if they put together an 80 minute performance.

We need to massively improve the quality of our backs if we're to compete with Aus at International level.

Totally agree, the difference between their backs and ours in staggering.

England upped their game in the second half but lets not kid ourselves, Australia took their feet of the gas.

I don't think for one moment the Aussies took the heat off, it's not their style.. In fact I am sure they were looking at getting a forty plus score. When we get a sense of belief we play, and at last we are getting some youngsters with talent. When we have good halves we can scare them.
Since 1946 when our halves dominated the games we have won. Alec Murphy helped that dominance, and I am sure others will recall the great halves who have frightened the Aussies.
Read 'the Indomitables' covering the 46 tour, the Aussies threw everything at our boys but they couldn't beat the skills of the halves. Even the most wonderful half I have ever seen. WHT Davies. too good to be called Willie was kept out of the Test side.

But lets not act like it was all about Aussies easing off.

Our forwards actually tired the Aussie forwards in second half and we got on top.

I agree about a gulf but i don't think this england team is that bad.

Come on England! Most on here have faith in the Bulls, can't be hard to put same faith in England.

Huge effiort from the England forwards matching Aussies for intensity through the game, coming out slightly better to the end of the game.
Awesome attacking from the Aussie backs in the first half with pace and support play that England had not experienced before.
Credit to the England backs that they adjusted in the second half.
And, NO, I dont think that the Aussies took their foot off the pedal.
Their nature is to dominate ad infinitum.

Only good players we had today were Burgess, Sinfield, Ellis, Tomkins, and Eastmond. McGuire has to go it should be Eastmond and Tomkins in the halves, they are the future. The rest of them ranged from average to awful.

Inglis should have to play with his laces tied together, he is too good otherwise.

First half was a shambles but as soon as Burgess came on (and I aren't just saying this because of the Bulls connection) the game changed. He looked like he had been playing against the Aussies for years and showed no fear or respect at all. Crabtree took it too them too and was very good.

I would stick with the same 13 that started the second half. if we lay down and watch the game, Australia will score at will, if we get into them, they get rattled. Thurston & Slater are particularly prone to losing their rag...needle them for a start.

Thought Danny McGuire was FANTASTIC in attack AND, particularly, in defense




































. . . . For the Aussies

Burgess was as dodgy as everyone else in the first half. He played much better in the second, as did everyone else bar McGuire and Roby, who both had poor games throughout. Peacock wasn't up to much either and this should be his last international stint IMO.

However, if coach Smith had plugged the leaky right wing during the first half instead of waiting for 26 points before doing so, we might have stood a better chance.

Lee Smith was an embarrassment.

But as a Welshman...quality performance. More of the same against the Kiwis please.

Australia didn't put any effort in once theyknew they had it won. If we'd have got close to drawing or winning they would have turned it right back on.

Why the hell is Lee Smith even playing? He should be no where near the national if he is turning his back on the code, plus i'm not even sure if he's good enough anyway!

Danny Maguire brings very little to the team in my opinion, start with Eastmond. Electric pace and will attack the line.

That is rubbish mate. Like they would go through a whole half without scoring a point. Yes, they thought they had the game in the bag and probably [idid[/i relax a bit but to imply they wouldn't have loved to rack up 50 or 60 (like they did last year) is way off the mark.

The only thing that changed is that England started playing in the second half and didn't let them score at will!!

Seconded. Great support player in superleague but sets up nothing. He's not a halfback in that sense. He looked pretty poor yesterday.

Is it just me or has he also lost some pace?

Christ if he loses that then he has literally nothing going for him as a player imo.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... of_it_yet/

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... of_it_yet/

Maguire has always had good acceleration, but he's never been that quick over more than 30 yards or so. Still not slow mind.

That's the way i've always seen him anyway in Super league.

Maguire looks better with Burrows.

Not that old chestnut again. This isn't 2004. McGuire does set things up - just look at his try assists this season (15 IIRC). Unfortunately he's still not the complete stand-off - maybe if he'd gone to the NRL early in his career some of these deficiencies could have been sorted out.

I agree he had a very poor game though, and it wouldn't be unfair to drop him for next week. That said he was one of the few players to cause NZ serious problems in the WC last year, so it's not like he's incapable of putting in the good performances at this level.

On the defence issue, any of the England backs would have looked poor having to defend an overlap against the likes of Inglis and Slater. This has to be a failing of the sliding defence in operation rather than the fault of any individual player. If you want someone to blame it should be the coach.

Also, FWIW, although Burgess looked good when he ripped in in the second half his ball security needs some work for him to be better at this level.

I'd disagree with that. He was very quick when he burst onto the scene in 03/04 but since getting a few injuries in 05 he seems to have slowed down a fair bit now. Same goes for Brent Webb since his spate of recent injuries.

Why do we care about what Burgess needs?

and

Steve Mac needs to be England Coach

I think England missed someone to marshal the troops properly in the middle. A good organiser with a quality kicking game like Deacon With Tomkins and Eatmond playing off him it would have been a different score line.

What do you reckon Hari?

And scrum half?