You also make a massive assumption that the attacking option they used was their only option - they used the kicking option because it kept working - simple really.

The last 20 minutes was some of the best rugby I have seen live since the first 20 in 2004. Lockyear stepped up the gas and the rest is history.

It reminded me of the 2007 GF - where Saints hung on for 50 minutes until the floodgates opened and the best side simply destroyed their opponents

Your last paragraph say it all - without strike centres where is the threat coming from? I have had this debate with Gareth we will not trouble the Aussies until we can produce two high quality centres

I didn't assume that at all. And of course they kept using the kicking option when it worked.

Completely agree he and thurston had so much time and various options on every tackle in our half.
At one point it was as though they had 17 players on the field at the same time such were the over-laps and dummy runners in motion.

I actually thought that around 50-60 mins Australia looked to have really lost compsoure / ideas. they were throwing the ball left to right, and back with little or no stucture. Reminded me of leeds in headless chicken mode

Agreed

and the accidental injury to Shenton allowed them to refocus / regroup but we sadly seemd to do the opposite.

England's inability to hold a lead for any length of time really cost them in that department.

Couple of times they went in front only to then concede and be behind again the next five minutes, removing the opportunity to put more mental pressure on the Australians.

And is it just me, or did England's entire attacking and defensive structure fall apart around their ears when Roby came into the game, late in both halves?

We certainly didn't look as organised with him on the field.

NO its not just you...moving Sinfield away from the AHB was a disaster, What Smith should have done is send on a runner to kick the 2 halfbacks up the @rse

A few of England's supposed young "stars" had the deficiencies in their games cruelly exposed unfortunately. Whether they have the drive and enthusiasm to correct those deficiencies now they have "made it" will decide whether they become great players or simply good ones.

The ones who realise the way to compete is to play against them week in week out will be the ones who really improve - Ellis is a far better player than he was a year ago - that is the way forward

Roby will be spending another year as a bit player whilst Cunningham tops his pension up - as for Tomkins he will have to have more in his armoury than a simple step off his left foot and his defence - McGuire got a lot of justified critisism but if you use the same criteria then Tomkins cannot avoid similar. As for Eastmond - was he on the field - one speculative kick aside he contributed almost nothing.

I take it your basing that on his performances in the NRL because I didn't thin khe had the best of series.

Couple of good moments, but other than that I agree. Infact I actually thought Westwood had a better series.

[url=http://viewtopic.php?t=436958Saints fans don't think that.[/url

Just for the record, Anaconda's don't chew, or spit.

I'm not even going to ask what you have been trying to do with an Anoconda to find that out.

I was out of water melons.

Did you have a good birthday?

Better still, they swallow.

I did thanks, would of been better if England had of won.

The are a bit too handy with the teeth though.

We must agree to differ - I thought he was very solid - not much scoring down his side which in the most part was down to his organisation.

He played the vast majority of every week unlike some of the other forwards too.

One strange thing though he seems to have bulked out since his time in Australia and his jaw seems more square

What is he now, 28? I started "bulking out" at that age as well. His jaw is more square because of all the testosterone in the air in Australia. It exudes from every man, woman and child in vast quantities. Poms who go over there eventually become bigger, stronger and better at all sports.
Mind you, it shrinks their bollox and they have the brains of cave men (hence all the burning of food on outdoor fire pits) but swings and roundabouts eh?

Ellis was very solid. He and Burgess would quite easily have swapped with their counterparts in the Green and Gold.

Rather be Ron Jeremy than Ben Hannat

I hope Greg Inglis doesn't [istart[/i bulking out at 28 too. He's bigger than most Props now!