Am I the only one who wonders why the Australians 1, get to play a day earlier than the other semi finalists? 2,with their own countryman as ref? 3,wont have to travel overseas to play the next match? 4,plus playing on the same ground as the final (no travel at all)?
If we had done that to them they would have whinged the ears off the world!

I just assume that they have their reasons. There's clearly nothing sinister about it in terms of the playing side of things because they easily beat everyone anyway. I think RL has more important things to worry about than that.

Was hoping for a much closer game, but a 38 point gap with 30 mins still to go is only looking like it will get wider!

Their the hosts - that is exactly what happened when we hosted the WC - what did you expect to happen. If NZ had won their games they would not have had all their games apart from the final in NZ?

England should have played PNG in PNG IMO.

I'm done with it now, didn't think Fiji would win or anything but I thought they might have had a bit of a go. Roll on Tonga!

Well this is turning out as expected.

I know it is a bit of a feat to score 5 tries, but my nan could have scored these!

It's as one sided as when Rovers got drubbed at Wembley the other year.
Mind you, at least Fiji have managed some token points on the board.

Convincing!

Disappointing but not unexpected. Fiji tried hard but the Aussies are a different class.

Does underline just how badly the Kiwis underperformed last week.

Amazed Kidwell is still in a job.

Bulls here he comes.

A lot of talk at the moment of the big three becoming a big 5 or something, think it is more like becoming a big 1 with australia and best of the rest if the new zealanders have an off day. I dont think anyone is beating the aussies for a long time now.

As we Castleford supporters know, form can completely go out of the window in an one-off game.
Australia might look far and away the best team in the games before the final, but if they have an off-day anything can happen.
I’d say it would be the biggest shock since Sheffield won the Challenge Cup, but I’d never write any team off in a winner-takes-all game.

Who replaces Cronk, Slater and Smith for Australia - that has to be the worry for them, when they retire from rep footy

And if they had played tomorrow, you would be whining that they got an extra day to recover (after playing in the Darwin heat and humidity).
Let's face it, whatever happens you'll blame the Aussies.

Would have been too cruel to make your blokes play in the Top End though. 30 degrees C and 80% humidity; heat strokes left, right and centre.

Exceptional effort by Holmes.
Yes he was on the end of a pretty good backline, but there have been plenty of bigger name players in teams as good or better who have not done as well.
6 in a game is pretty special at any level, and 11 in 2 games is phenomenal.

Agree with this.

Could have been a draw if the clown on Fiji's right wing didn't go on the pitch. Has there ever been such a poor display by an individual in a test?

Moses looked quality for Lebanon. No idea what he's like at club level but it wouldn't surprise me to see him as half back in the future.

Absolutely. They are the huge difference between the Aussies being a good team and an almost unbeatable one with them in it.

I don't think its any coincidence that Queensland have won almost every SOO and we have not beaten the Aussies over the last decade.

I know they have always coped replacing great players in the past but there is a pretty big gulf between the quality of those 3/4 if we are including thurston as well and their next in line, particularly in the halves and at hooker.

He definitely made Australia's job easier.

Never ceases to amaze me seeing top level wingers (and centres) flying out the defensive line. It almost never works and inevitably leaves a channel for the attackers to develop and usually score.

Australia were good but not amazing. Fiji went away from what worked previously and turned into the stereotypical island team - big, strong and passionate, but indisciplined, prone to error and defensively fragmented, handing Australia far too much territory and possession.

All in all - even though a Fiji win was always unlikely - that was a hugely disappointing game.

If england do get there next week i cant see them getting within 20.

If we do not get within 20 I will want the full aussie team drug tested

14 world cup finals what are they Machines like the sky advert