I dont want to see cricket scores but I think there may be a few unfortunately. Greece drawing with a pretty weak Bradford suggests the game at Bramall Lane may be a bit of a bending over.

Yeh I'd have stuck with the 3 go through in the good groups, 1 goes through in the bad groups format. Other bonus was the big4 played each other in the group's making more big games.

Happens in every sport



Hammerings happen end of

Over 40k sold for the opening game. Less than 9k tickets left

Ha. I didn't know people actually said that in real life.

Wane names the squad.



No Oledzki, Batchelor or Ackers. Instead he favours Cooper and Pearce-Paul, and probably Radley doing a spell at 9



Wow

Ackers allegedly has a small injury so probably explains that one. Can only assume the same for Oledski. Pearce-Paul is number 24 so well out of the line-up.



Batchelor is surely behind Whitehead, Radley and Knowles?

If Ackers and Oledski have slight knocks there’d no point risking them against Samoa as they will be needed later on in the tournament.



Be interesting to see who starts in the halves. Even though Welsby has squad number 6. Will he be used as a utility player (a place we have desperately lacked) as he’s class.

The Samoa squad is decent, could easily turn us over.

Think we could see Welsby on the bench would cover if the Williams/Sneyd partnership doesn't work out or if Tomkins knee plays up.

Not could, will easily turn England over

Need a good kicking game against Samoa to turn them around and make them do hard yards coming out of there own half.