When the game is in such a financially precarious position, can someone explain why an expensive training camp to south africa was booked?

Catching practice in the october drizzle of this country would have been more valuable.

England have just lost a friendly to a team largely made up of second rate/past it nrl players, queensland cup players and even the odd couple of Italians who have played a handful of games.......in their lives.

Whilst you should never read too much into friendlies, surely the poor nature of this result and performance can not be overlooked, it is the writing on the wall.

We'll get all the usual cliches and talk coming out of the camp. 'It was a good test......a nice hit out........we've shaken off a few cobwebs'' ad nauseum.

It's a good thing we've had such good pre sales because englands stinking performances as the host nation, could well put a downer on what should be a festival of rugby league.

I'm really looking forward to the world cup. But i think it's best to take an interest in the smaller nations and obviously watching the top top players when australia and NZ play, because if you pin your enjoyment of the world cup on englands performance.......well...this tournament will really suck donkey d*ck.


Heyyyyyy Mcbanana!

Its both funny and embarrassing at the same time.

What a joke. Our 4th team should beat the italians on one leg.

Forza Italia. Hopefully this is a wake-up call for the England fans who disrespect the sport.

Knee-jerk city.

what on earth would that have to do with anything?

maybe a touch, but we should have decimated Italy!

Those exiles games were well worth it

Hang your heads in shame England.
Whose brainwave was it to have 20 players and unlimited interchanges.
Bet it was McBananas to create competition for places.
Next week will be a close game for the first 5 minutes.
What a waste of time and money!

I think such a torrid result and performance warrants abit of knee jerk.

Yes it is knee-jerk and we can't make any judgements until next week. The problem was the camp in SA coming so close to the WC trial match. England needed a solid week in this country after that trip.

I just hope it is the kick up the backside that is required.

The whole point of a warm up game is to get combinations in sync and to get an understanding between players in live game situations.

The way Mcbanana has treated this has rendered it pointless. A day of massages and ball work woukd have been more use.

I agree we should have. But I'm not overly worried that we didn't.

The intensity of the game next week will bring out the best in our players.

After the 2008 debacle down under, I promised myself I wasn't going to allow England to interfere with my enjoyment of the sport at international level, hence why I'm attending the fewest number of England games as possible.

Wonder what today's McNamaraisms will be

Great news for international RL

It has to do with the fact that a lot of England fans including McNamara think that the be-all and end-all of international RL is 'beating the Aussies', and disregard anything else as a waste of time. Hence the ridiculous matches against the Exiles which were supposedly intended to try and 'emulate Origin',

give me a break.

That's got to be zero Engalnd games then. Sensible.

Such is that obsession with beating the aussies, we've barely heard anything about the reigning world champions, and (IMO) favourites to win the tournament - NZ.

We are so zeroed in on beating australia, but if we come up against NZ at any time in this world cup we'll be systematically destroyed.

Dis McNamara forget that Italy are the equivalent of an Australia 'Z' side?

I have tickets booked for all England games, and potential games right through to the final. I didn't go today as I genuinely didn't see anything to suggest it wouldn't be a 30-40 point win to England. I've even been to France twice to watch them in the last few years. But i'm sorry that is a bloody disgrace.

Got a ticket for England V Fiji but I like Fiji so I'll be attending.

Congrats to a half ar*ed England team for killing the tournament's momentum amongst England RL supporters.

Ridiculous result.

The Bookies gave Italy 56 points start!

Maybe he'll play the knights next week instead.

They seemed to take it seriously.

I remember when GB played in the 1999 Tri Nations down under. They played a warm-up game against Queensland Cup side Burleigh Bears and only narrowly won 10-6.

Today's result is more embarrassing.