Good to see Ian and Robbie on the beeb together, enjoyed the coverage.
Shenton MOM for me, decent team performance just not much kicking direction.
Brown's try should have stood for me, but can't see us getting anything against oz.

Carp game plan first half, looked a bit like startled rabbits. At 18-0 we started to play, with Tomkins at 1. A few interesting calls by the convict in the middle the 'forward' pass to Ellis, the 20m restart and the interpretation at the ptb. Video call could have gone either way.

I thought that about the ref we didn't really get any 50/50 calls.

I managed to watch it out here on Eurosport 2 only down side was that bloody Offiah was commentating

What was with the PTB? The Kiwis never regained their feet once but weren't penalised.
In SL every one would be a penalty!

The shirt looked good.

Shirt looked brill! Thought it was the leythers playing this morn when I put the tv on!

The problem is we play to different interpretations of the rules, and until we play to their rules we will never win. The other problem is that when we have one of our referees, he changes from how we play week in week out, and refs to their style.

How have we ever come to a place where by we play to two separate rules, only sport in the world that has managed this.

It's not just different rules it's also different interpretations of them which can be bent to suit a team or country. This game needs to get itself a set of simple rules that joe public can understand and are not open to ambiguity. Forward pass, play the ball and completed tackle are the worst set of rules of any sport I know. How can a ref see all round a gaggle of players on the floor and give a decision of laying on the ball carrier and then the next couple of plays we see it take sometimes 6 or 7 seconds for players to get off the ball carrier and nothing is given. Same with the wrestling on the floor. Get back to a simple open flowing game is what I say and sod this rubbish in the "ruck". "Ruck" theres a word thats not part of our game. Give it back to the kick and clap wallies.

I had a bet on Junior Sau for 1st try at 12/1



Westwood MOM for us I thought.

I thought their 1st try was 2 yds forward and why did we need 2 Video refs.Do we not penalise for grapple tackles down under, if not why bother up here.

I went for Vatuvei for 1st clean break.Can`t remember the odds.

I took England -14. Hate it when that happens.

I'd play Sam at 1 and Widdop int' centres now Shentons injured. Robinson and Brown at 6 and 7 and Lunt on the bench.

I agree with all that. I would also drop Atkins and move Briscoe to centre. Then put Cudjoe on the wing. I would also drop J.Tomkins for Ben Harrison as he has been poor the last 2 weeks. And bring in Crabtree for either Fielden or Griffin who made little or no impact.

While watching the Aussies v PNG the commentator said that you can tackle a man in the air if he is going to score but an attacking player can't tackle a defender in the air ,is this different to our rules as well

So, in summary - you'd play Huddersfield Giants against the Aussies??



I thought Ben Harrison was an Irish International - what's he doing in the England squad????

I'd swap Griffin for Crabtree and bring Cudjoe in. So only one more Hudds player in the team. If McBanana had had the sense to pick Gleeson then it would be a lot easier to replace shenton and we could make a straight swap. As it is Shenton is injured and Atkins was probably the worst player on the field leaving us with the scary prospect of Tony Clubb playing against austalia despite missing more tackles than ANY other player in SL.

I would prefer instead to move briscoe and widdop into the centres and put cudjoe on the wing with Goulding on the other. At least all those players can tackle and it will allow S.Tomkins to move to Fullback where he looked far more dangerous.

And Ben Harrison is from Cumbria, god knows why he was ever in the Irish team. Deserves his spot in the england team though.

The Irish team have gotta be from somewhere - cos they're not from Ireland!!!