Because they are so proficient at what they do - the skill levels are so high - their isn't a team in world sport that consistently delivers high quality performances as often as they do.

I think we're being a bit tough on Gale, the guy is a great 7.......in the Cas side, and that's where he's losing his edge, I can see the frustration in his face that he's not able to pull the strings and be more influential.
Make no mistake, nobody wants to win more than Gale but its a team game and generally the England side does not offer him the same opportunities Cas do.
Its too easy to look at what he did for Cas and expect that to be transposed in to a completely different team, he doesn't have the same support, protection, understanding or influence that he has at Cas

I don't think there's much mileage and changing things at this stage, he still has the potential to make some big plays and is playing well enough despite not being able to click 100% with the squad.

He is also playing against a different quality of player - he doesn't have the time and space afforded him in SL.

His kicking is for the most part has been poor to abysmal.

His tackling technique is laughable for a professional player - I lost count of the number of times he was pushed off or failed to execute a tackle - embarassing.

Well, like I said....



you don't, for reasons I can't be bothered to challenge....fair enough

I don’t think it’s right to say he’s not had the support he has at Cas. In three games v PNG, France and Lebanon, our pack was completely dominant and he had all the time, space and opportunity any halfback could have wanted. He just didn’t do much with it.

He’s not a bad player. I’d happily have him at Saints. But the fact that he has a almost certainly the best English scrum half tells us much about the lack of our talent in that position.

Like others have said, our kicking game needs to improve 100%.

Our defence is actually capable of winning the WC. In the first game against OZ, we dropped so much ball yet OZ couldn't break through. OK we nearly imploded in the last 10 mins against Tonga. But the 70mins before that, we were fantastic. If we can improve and get an 80mins performance, you never know.

Firsr WC final in 22 years. IM going to dare to dream. If they wallop us, they wallop us. Lets enjoy the build up.

I can't see how that judgment can be made when they have no real opposition. Brazil and Germany have done very well in the football World Cup over the last 6 decades in the most competitive sport in the world. Why are they not so good?
Your view is based from the perspective of a weak RL nation making them seem great, If UK football clubs were all RL clubs and as well financed as they are, do you seriously think Australian's RL team would get within 60 points of England very often? What if RL was the national sport of 100 other nations, would Australia really be seen as do good?

For us to have any chance we need to play at 100% for 80 minutes and just hope Australia have a off day

I had a dream that we won 12-6 and then I work up and new it was just a dream and then I started crying

We need Steve Ganson to come out of retirement for us to win this one I'm afraid

Im starting to think Gale just cant handle a pressure game, unfortunately the guy who schooled him in the GF is sat at home, as is the Lance Todd winner. Bennet is just making the same mistake as previous coaches who picked Pryce over the Leeds halves because e looked great against rubbish teams.

Anyone think the godfather of rugby league coaching, Wayne Bennet, has something up his sleeve?

Just hope that he gives England the belief in themselves that they can win, just like he did for NZ in 2008.

Well he’s got us to the first World Cup final since 1995.

If he does have an ace (rather than just an arm) up his sleeve then hope he keeps it up there rather than PM anybody "in confidence." The guy has proved that he can work magic, but it wouldn't be in our interests for the contents of this wizard's sleeve to be leaked. Then we'd have to accept coming in sloppy second! Loose lips sink ships!! Sssshh!!

got to give him that! suppose its objective achieved really.

another semi final loss would have shown we havent progressed

England 7/1 to win the world cup...

Think that's worth a punt.

Who with?

England will need to keep Australia to around 8-12 points in order to stand a chance of winning,sadly I can't see this happening and that the Aussies will win by at least 14 points

They were only 15/2 to win the tournament before the Tonga game.
Virtually the same odds now.
You could always put sixteen pound on Australia to win a whole shiny pound.

England hasn't beaten Australia for 22 years (excluding GB). Australia hasn't lost a game for circa 2 years.

England will never win in a million years, right guys?

As an ex engineer I would like to see your calculations based upon the given data before deciding whether you're right or wrong.

I can see England beating them myself.

Regards

King James

Get the feeling they will target Bateman and gale again similar to the first game. Realistically England can't give away any soft tries like the first two in that game to have any chance.

So you would there is a plan to stiffen up that edge.

I expect the game to be tight for the first 30 minutes then Australia ping a couple of tries before H/T on the back of our mistakes. We will have a mini fightback but they will always be just out of reach and will crown the win with 2-3 late killer tries.

Aus 30-10 Eng

That's what my head says.

My heart says we CAN do it but I would rather we chuck it about and chance our arm than try to grind out a win - we have no chance of winning that way, IMO.