It was boring, error strewn and not exactly the advert the game needed.

A NZ side missing loads of players and the rest were lethargic and didn't seem too fussed.



Unless its a 4 nations comp - its a Waste. Of. Time.


PS - Calling it a 'rampage' is a bit OTT too don't you think?

Sadly have to agree with all that....less intensity and excitement than Leeds V Wigan GF or most NRL matches. Almost as boring as watching Northern Hemisphere RU

Rugby league fans eh? Just what the sport needs.

Waste of time? Let's cancel international RL then. Never happy.

Good write up - thanks for that!

If it wasn't for the 'Rugby league fans' who else would go watch an 'international'? Great adverts always for the game n'est ce pas, especially England v France?

For me, 3 test series are far more interesting than the 4 nations concept of the last few years .

What's your suggestion? Who needs other sports belittling ours when we have fans with such a negative outlook on everything

We just beat the world's #1 team in front of a packed house, live on the BBC and people are moaning

It was a weakened team etc.

"Everything" ?

Don't know is the short answer. But thrashings like England v France are def not the answer; nor is sadly a boring forward fest like the one against NZ. Purported world's best team or not the spectacle has to be a lot better than either of the last 2 internationals to attract new fans.

You get those situations in any sport at any level it doesn't deem them pointless does it? If you don't play the games you're never going to get the spectacle, bizarre comment.

Personally I don't mind seeing some good forward bashing from time time, sure it may not be the most exciting stuff but it's still nowhere near as bad as you're making out.

Exactly, I think some people have got carried away with our last two games vs the Kiwis and were expecting that every time. Wasn't the best game but neither was it a bad game. Can certainly point to much worst international games in other sports.

It should also be pointed out that some of the withdrawals were definitely due to serious injury - JWH and Johnson for starters. Foran also not being in the squad actually shows that in terms of halfbacks the Kiwis have a first choice pair on a par with Australia, but almost zero beyond that (an over-the-hill Marshall should have been picked but he and Kearney don't get on). England's best isn't as good, but at least we have three or four combinations who actually play 6/7 for their clubs.

Although I'm glad from a Leeds point of view McGuire didn't get selected. The form he was in that last month of SL, a big part of me would have loved to see him play the kiwis. I expect he'd be able to fill what we're lacking in our half back partnerships. Even if he is over 30...

If only it was that simple. Most of us agree we have the best, most exciting sport on the planet. But still we play to play to crowds of 10k. While borefests in yawnion, soccer & American football sell out due to the hype surrounding them & the desire to want to be seen to be there.

Yes, I'd agree that marketing is probably of greater importance than performance in terms of attracting new fans. But if you are looking to performance, I'd suggest any type of win holds greater interest than another gallant, albeit stylish, defeat.

Well, if you consider who they have missing

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Kieran Foran
Tommy Leuluai
Shaun Johnson
Manu Vatuvei
Simon Mannering
Jason Taumalolo

That's 7 KEY players. including their halves, captain and NRL loose forward of the year.

Seven key players in one team? Don't think I've seen the like in 40-odd years of watching the game.

Are the stats from the game available anywhere?

if Leuluai and Vatuvei are "key players" then the Kiwis really are struggling.

So what? If Australia have an injury chrisis before the World Cup should we not bother with that? Why do people still bang on about Vatuvei too? He really isn't missed that much.

World Cup isn't as problem.

4 nations, isn't a problem.

A Test series IS a problem - NZ and Aus have never been that bothered have they?


You can BET your bottom dollar that if it was a World Cup, rather than a one off test series, some of those 'injured' players would be over here.


Its always 2-1 - certainly keeps ticket sales flowing if nowt else innit?

Dont you think?

Leuluai would be off the bench and a half option and Vatuvei would replace Kenny-Dowall on the wing who would replace Kahu in the centre to the bench.


Fair enough if you don't keep tabs on the NRL though - understandable.

Bit of a mix of two threads and a tad unrealistic / over optimistic BUT if Burgess was to sign for Leeds / Souths this week would he be brought into the England RL team? He still looks fit but surely the number of runs / tackles in league would be hard for him to keep up with so quickly? Would be a great media boost for RL.

I've seen enough of both players thanks. Leuluai isn't a massive upgrade from Nikorima, and Vatuvei is either famine or feast, quite often a famine of catastrophic proportions under kicks in particular. SKD is a much safer, if less spectacular option on the wing.

Johnson, Foran and JWH are major losses and would be to any side. The rest of those you've named are hardly "key" losses by any stretch of the imagination.