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A very good assement of the cup so far, It has been very enjoyable.

I agree that quick play of the ball and running from dummy half is the most important factor for england against australia. In Roby and Burrow england have two genuine exponents of it and they must go for it from the off on sunday to cause as much disruption to the aus line as early as possible.

If they don't then I think Aus will take control of the game and eventually overrun england just as they did to the kiwi's on sunday.

It's not how you start the tournament its how you finish! Think England may surprise a few of the punters on Sunday - they have got to win the battle up front which will prevent quick ball to the superior and essentially speedier Aussie backs. This will need a marked improvment than the form they showed against PNG - conceeded far too many yards up the middle.

Great World cup so far hope it proves the doubters wrong!

Maybe if Australia had to rely on players ONLY born in Australia but the other countries were allowed to keep all the 'ringers' that they have, that may be a decent way to handicap them.
I am only half joking about this - I am disgusted with the way that players seem to play for what ever country they feel like in League, it makes amockery of wearing the international shirt. I give you Mark Calderwood and the two Tongans as examples, MC was selected to play for Scotland but when he found out he was in with a chance of playing for England, he dumped Scotland and jogged of to the England camp - WHAT A JOKE, the 2 Tongan boys BOTH played for NZ a couple of years ago but now that they are not good enough to get a game for NZ, they are back with Tonga. INSANE

stuzroz

Unfortunately, this is not just league this happens in - it is happening in union too!!

As much as I like Brent Cockbain, I half agreed with Henson when he stated that only properly Welsh players should play for Wales - similarly Sonny Parker...

But the most outrageous ones of these definitely happen with England. How can Lesley Vainikolo play RL for NZ, and then play RU for England. How English is he? You can argue it is a different sport until you are blue in the face (which many English fans do) but ultimately, this shouldn't happen in rugby - how demoralising it must be to great players in their own right like Simpson Daniel to be as good as (if not better) than Vainikolo, only to be shunted straight behind him in his first season. Very similar to the Tongan 2, and obviously these people have NO pride in the countries shirt they pull on!! To play for YOUR country should be an honour, but this seems to be overlooked.

Have the RFU no shame?? I just hope they don't go down the same road with Ricky Flutey...tut tut tut!!

I am not a weekly league fan, but I do keep close tabs on league as I find a good game of league is probably a better form of football than any other - round or oval ball.

Fact of the matter, as Paul rightly eludes to, Australia are not just a better team, they are better physical specimens from 1 - 13. I mean they are huge men, bristling with aggression, pacy, skillful and focussed only on scoring tries.

I think the English side is a good side, with some fine individual contributors, but in particular the comparisons of the two pairs of props up front and the two centres in the two teams - both in my view key positions in the modern game - doesn't stack up from an English view on either front. That is no disprespect, but these guys are beasts.

All I can say is good luck, I will be hoping and praying that our boys can use a bit if bulldog spirit to counter the physical differences and just make sure we pip the Kiwis to the only spot I can truly believe to be up for grabs - runners up!

An accurate précis of the World Cup so far, although initially sceptical I too believe the pool format of pairing like with like is somewhat of a masterstroke. Indeed, the pool 2 and 3 games have been the most entertaining so far and the decision to include PNG with the ‘Big Three’ has also clearly been vindicated. The Ireland v Tonga match was one of the most enjoyable 80mins of rugby league I have watched for some time. Just a thought, but does anyone agree with me that the Sky commentary on the Ireland game was far more engaging and informative than Eddie’s usual hysterics?

Although I agree that Robey will be key against Australia to enforce quick play at the ruck (a role that Higham is also equally adept at I might add), I feel that England’s forwards must face up and put in some hard yards, which was something they failed to do against PNG. It is important that we get on the front foot early, and if a big hard tackling forward is to be sacrificed to include Sinfield in the loose, then it is imperative that he is on top of his kicking game like he was in the Grand Final to counter his perceived deficiencies. I thought that McGuire performed well when he came on and I would like to see the Leeds halfback combination of Burrow/McGuire against the Aussies with Pryce switched to centre at the expense of Senior.

England will improve for next week and a big hit out against PNG under pressure was the ideal tonic to prepare for Melbourne on Sunday. Australia is potentially suspect up front and if our forwards get at them and in their faces from the outset and if our hooker/half back combo inject speed at the ruck (without forcing it unnecessarily) then we have a genuine chance. However, if we just play the percentages game and try to grind out text book sets of six and high punts than I fear that the Aussies will kill us off with the same clinical efficiency they did to the Kiwi’s.

I cant believe the 'aussie hype' already being generated by messrs Stevo and Eddie. The cold hard facts are that Australia didnt need to get out of second gear to beat a very poor kiwi outfit. The tough work out against a proud PNG was just what our boys needed to get focused and thats the key at the top level, mental application. Ability wise we arent far behind the green and gold and the key to beating them is belief. Tony Smith will employ British Super League tactics i.e. fast flowing rugby league which will at times appear reckless. But this is essential to knock the well oiled Aussie machine out of its stride. Contrary to popular belief I think the Aussie strengths, Folau and Inglis on the fringes, can also be their achilles heel, they arent established international centres and are therefore vulnerable to a well directed attack down either flank. Folau in particular is an out and out winger in my position and could suffer against Gleesons quick feet and handling. The Aussies purr about Folau's ability, but politics aside, they would have Gasnier in that position everytime. A prediction? England to win a free scoring match AND PNG to upset the Kiwis. Thus, England can top the group after disposing of the crestfallen Kiwis next up and set up an eventual final rematch against the green and gold, which will be an absolute cracker! Key men: Gleeson, Roby and Pryce. Final word James Graham dragged our pack back into the game single handed against PNG and to me is the world's best forward at present!

Agree with Paul that the group format is working well. No-one wants to see one of the top teams take one of the 'lesser' teams to the cleaners. However, its fine to see Aus, NZ and Eng thrash each other as you can guarantee the quality of any such performance will be top notch - bit like the '82 Roo tour.

There are some damn good players in the teams in Groups B and C. RL is on a bit of an up and this tournament will help promote the game in Group B and C nations. It will take time but I can see one or two of these countries becoming the Croatia of RL, exporting their best players around the world and periodically re-uniting for a World Cup. Eventually they will be really solid throughout the squad.

As for 2008, Inglis, Folau and Monaghan look a different in a different class to the English backs. Our only hope is to match their size. Ellis at centre for Gleeson, McGuire at stand-off and Pryce on wing for Smith. But honestly can't see any combination that will work as far as backs go. Only chance is to keep it tight up the middle, gang tackle, play possession football and hope its enough.

Besides, when it gets to a one-off game in the semis and final Australia will still need to perform well to win it.

Nice thoughts Paul - well written as always.

I do think pundits are going a bit OTT in heaping praise in the Kangaroos though. Yes, they were very good, but they weren't at their fluent best. It should also be pointed out that New Zealand are on a big losing streak - they've not won against one of the "big two" for a year at least, possibly longer. They look directionless, clueless and lacking in passion. On Sunday, they were terrible - they gifted the Roos so much possession there was only ever going to be one outcome. It should be remembered that the Kiwis had something like four sets of possession in the Aussie 20 and crossed the line twice. Australia, too, were guilty of plenty of errors.

There's no doubt that England will have to up their game significantly on Sunday, but we are capable. Australia aren't the unbeatable machines the Aussie media would like to make out.

I'll be in the Telstra dome cheering on the lads in white. Let's hope they can perform and give the Kangaroos a sterner test than the Kiwis provided.

Good article.

I agree about the speed around the ruck. It's england's greatest asset and key to success.

Ricky Stuart knows this hence his recent comments in the media about hoping the refs allow a ''wrestle'' in the tackle... he wants referees to allow slowing down tactics of the play the ball.

This is one thing that worries me. Australia are very good at controlling the ruck and slowing it down. They pile 3 or 4 tacklers in who each vacate the tackle one by one, they turn players on their back and turn them so they face their own line. These contribute greatly to slowing down the play the ball.

In Super league our players generate quick play the balls by going to ground fast, or dominating the collision. Resultant lying on is penalised.

So we better hope damn well we get an ESL ref against australia otherwise we are screwed. The aussie refs will allow lying on much more.

There are obviously heaps more factors in the game, but the ruck area seems to be the main one regarding england success.

England biggest chance on Sunday isn't anything to do with their players - it's the Weather. And thankfully, the forecast is for Wet & Windy conditions.

Good article and some very good points made in replies.

I particularly agree with coments about Senior - he's OK at club level still, but has been poor at international level for a couple of years at least, and was awful on Saturday. I'm not sure about putting Pryce in his place and McGuire at 6 - that would leave us with a small 13 and a small 6, which might be inviting trouble against Oz. I thought McGuire was excellent coming on and running against a tiring defence and I'd leave him with that role again and consider Ellis in place of Senior - probably at least as quick and much better defence (what do Leeds fans think?) - and put JJB in second row. I think it's also worth considering the suggestion about adding in Higham, even at expense of Wilkin, to maintain pace at dummy half when Roby is spelled.

However, what we really need is all four props to play as well as Graham and the ref to stop the blatant lying on. First half of that statement might be more realistic than second!

Well I'm a Leeds fan and I'd replace Senior with Ellis. Nothing to do with pace but I think Senior's decision making on Saturday was very poor for someone so experienced . Ellis is less likely to come flying out of the line as we just cant afford to do that on Sunday. Plus, maybe Ellis' reputation (what with going to play in the NRL )will just give Inglis and Folau something to think about before taking him on because after seeing Senior's perfomance on Sunday they must be licking their lips.

I would too put JJB in the second row, he'd was almost back to his his best form at the end of SL after being out.

I wouldn't change anything else, I don't think we were quite as bad as some are making us out to be.

Oh and Nice to see Ricky Stuart already trying to infuence his fellow Aussie ( sorry...the ref ) already with his comment. I can't see how an Australian ref can allowed be in charge on sunday, just doesn't seem right to me, are there no neutral refs available or something?

I agree with all of that. Roby and the half backs need a good game or we'll be dominated.

I think our pack may be equal to theirs with Graham and Peacock, so if they have a good game, and knock the Aussies out of their stride we might surprise a few people.

that said, I'm not so hopeful, they've got a BIG advantage at half back and centre, I dont think we can afford a single player to have a bad game.