: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:29 am  

i would,nt let sinfield near an england shirt again,daft penalty,s and stupid options cost us dearly.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:31 am  

The Hollywood Frasier wrote:

Think thats harsh on Higham as thought he was our best today and its no coincidence that once he got took off we started loosing the ruck due to Sinfield and Burrow taking it in turns as dummy half.

Would agree with that. It is also no coincidence that the Kiwis played their better rugby when Lulu went off.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:33 am  

Come on PNG!

I can't believe how arrogant Sky and Tony Smith are being. The game next week has already been advertised as NZ v England. Even the BBC are saying we "meet again next week". OK it will probably happen but they're discussing it as if it is already agreed and set up. Tony Smith says he'll look at the tape of the match tomorrow, but he might be packing his bags for the journey home and watching the semi final from England next Saturday. Monday morning's video might be the inflight movie.

We were shockingly poor in the second half (although the Warrington players did OK eh, Mr Cullen?). I can't honestly see any of the missing players (if we go through) improving us. Sliding defence was awful and contributed to the massive overlap for Vatuvei. My mum might have scored those tries. And moving Burrow etc round was tactically stupid. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:44 am  

Despite the appauling showing so far if we win next week then we are in the final.

I would not put it past us to beat them next week.

Gleeson at 6 was an awful decision.

My team:-

Wellens
Calderwood
Senior
Gleeson
Smith
Pryce
Burrow
Graham
Roby
Morley
Peacock
JJB
Ellis

Higham
Hock
Purdham
Sinfield

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:45 am  

yet more of our so called super league superstars being found out again today

give burrow the captains armband for the last match next week, at least hes got guts and the kid can talk, hes the only voice i heard out there today.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:48 am  

A unknown superstar wrote:

Hardly, when were carrying players like Sykes, Westwood, Higham and Langley. Even players like Sinfield, Wellens and Senior arn't International class and are only in the team because there is no one else upto a good enough standard. Although Calderwood has played fairly well. England has only one world class winger, and that is Raynor.

Yet we still led 24 - 8! Who would you take then? The team from yesteryear that was arguably no better? Smith took a gamble by not taking players based on their reputation, but took players who had never played for England before. If it had payed off, everyone would have been singing his praises. It hasn't so far, so people start shooting down the Coach. We in England are so far behind in development standards compared to the NRL, but slowly, we are starting to see a difference. The new rules introduced by the RFL re: the number of 'homegrown' players that have to be in the 20/18/17 each game will also make a difference to the future of International standards within England, and other countries as well.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:53 am  

Faithful One wrote:

The new rules introduced by the RFL re: the number of 'homegrown' players that have to be in the 20/18/17 each game will also make a difference to the future of International standards within England, and other countries as well.

Yeah it will make them lower.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:54 am  

Chris28 wrote:

Come on PNG!

I know it sounds unpatriotic but i find myself saying the thing.

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:56 am  

The Hollywood Frasier wrote:

Yeah it will make them lower.

But at lease we'll have a greater pool of mediocrity to chose from

: Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:08 pm  

The Hollywood Frasier wrote:

Yeah it will make them lower.

How?

Surely, if the rules were kept the same, we would have a worse situation than we have now as all the 'heros' and 'senior/must have' players within Super League would have retired. The RFL are trying to help the International team by having a higher concentration of homegrown players training full time within their clubs, rather than crocked Aussies and older British players looking to increase their earnings before they retire.