[uPlayer Stats[/u

[uENGLAND[/u
Most metres: Graham 160m, S. Burgess 147m, Hill 96m
Tackles: Graham 35, Hodgson 33, S. Burgess 33
Hit-Ups: Graham 18, S. Burgess 18, Sarginson 15
Offloads: Hill 4, S. Burgess 3, Sarginson 3
Missed Tackles: Gale 3, Hodgson 2, McGillvary 2
Errors: S. Burgess 3, Sarginson 2

[uNEW ZEALAND[/u
Most metres: Taumalolo 213m, Rapana 165m, Taupau 128m
Tackles: Harris 30, Proctor 28, Blair 26
Hit-Ups: Taumalolo 24, Bromwich 15, Taupau 15
Offloads: Taupau 4, Proctor 2
Missed Tackles: Blair 3, Johnson 2, Rapana 2
Errors: 9 Kiwi players made 1 error

Alex Murphy was a pretty good half back with a pretty good kicking game.

Top level games are won by small margins.
For me, our centres aren't good enough. We don't have a half anywhere near as good as Johnson (or Thurston or Cronk).
Also thought Taumalolo was superb. Best forward on the pitch, despite the hype surrounding the Burgess brothers, James Graham etc.

I thought Widdop was one of our better players. The only thing he really got wrong was the intercept pass. I appreciate he's not the most off the cuff creative, but he was pretty much managing the game himself for England as Gale was anonymous (I don't think Gale is really good enough for this level where defences are going to be much tougher). If we need creativity bring in Williams for Gale, but dropping Widdop would be a mistake, he's the half with the most experience at the highest level. I trust Widdop to put in a solid performance against the likes of the Aussies and Kiwis, I don't get the same feeling from any of our other options, I think his critics don't properly factor in that this isn't like SL where halves can look classy against softer defences.

Not convinced Ratchford offers more than Lomax, who wasn't disgraced, but like Gale suffers from tighter defences snuffing out the attacking space that SL offers. Sarginson had a poor game, but If he looked poor it was because he was visible, which is more than can be said of Watkins. Thought the wings did what was required of them, with McGilvary looking the more industrious.

It's disappointing, but we shouldn't overreact, we were always competitive in a close game against a good side. If we could find from somewhere one world class half and one world class centre we'd be ahead of them.

Thinking back to the G.B v NZ in 1985. We had gamebreakers all over the backline.....Drummond,Hanley,Lydon,Schofield,Myler. Compare to todays backline or who could/should replace them in 2016.

Its a sad reflection on Super League.

Graham was our best player by miles . Pointless Gale playing if they are not going to give him any responsibility . Sarginson was dire and no excuse for not passing to Hall for an almost certain try . Switch Watkins to left centre its not his fault he never gets any quality ball . Get a proper ref not one who thinks if he lets the Kiwis mess about at the play the ball they will want him again for an international .

I can see smith being called up again if its allowed.
Madness leaving him out in the first place

Given James Graham's stats why did you rate him a 7 like, for example, you did Widdop?

The stats show what was clear at the time - NZ made easy yards. Was that Bennet's defensive structure?

Because he conceded two penalties.

I think we lost that game because we didn't capitalise early on when we dominated possession. Watkins dropping Mcgillvary's pass.. Sarginson keeping hold of the ball when all he had to do is pass it onto Hall who would have had a walk in.

I thought we defended pretty well. Our support play was shocking though.

Poor game management at the end with us not being able to score one drop goal with 15 mins left. So frustrating.

Sarginson had a shocker. Watkins, well I don't think he's ever going to fulfill his potential sadly.

Everyone else seems to have watched a game where Watkins was ever given the ball. He wasn't given the ball more than half a dozen times and only once with any space - give him the opportunities Sarginson had and I'm confident he would have delivered, as it is he got nothing like that so it's only really fair to judge him on his defensive performance which was actually very good.

Or am I just supposed to agree he was rubbish because that's the thing at the minute?

Last 15 mins of the first half and for some periods of the second we just watched them and invited them on to us. Got to be in their faces for the full 80.
Sam Burgess was trying too hard at times out there, just like earlier this season with Souths. Needed to just calm down and do his job.
Neither Gale or Widdop are match-winners - needs a spark like Williams in there, especially close to the line. Gale's kicking game was poor.
Wanted to see more of Hodgson with the ball in hand, especially when he came on for his second stint.
Lomax did enough to keep his spot for me. I think having Ratchford at FB would just complicate matters.
Sarginson and Watkins the weak links for me. I just have no faith they'll pick the right option when the ball gets out to them. I'd want to be getting McGillvray in space as often as possible.
Hard to be too critical when we just don't play enough together as a national side.

This. Stick Shaun Edwards and Andy Greg in that side and i'd be much more confident of winning. Also helped that they played club rugby together so were on the same wavelength.

Not a great deal in it.

Johnsons ability to continually get repeat sets with a cute kicking game was the difference. Taumalolo was immense, head and shoulders the best forward on the park. Ran it in once and twice every set. Typical of him to show up in that mood today as he was pretty anonymous against the Aussies the other week.

I also thought Taupau was a handful off the bench. Also their bench players were more effective than ours.

England rely upon the efforts of Graham and S. Burgess way too much as evidenced by the stats. Their contribution to the cause is lopsided. This is why I always scoff at the claim that we have the best pack in the world.

Note how the Kiwi pack shared the workload out more. Proctor and Harris concentrate on making the tackles... Taumalolo and Taupau on the yardage. Graham and Burgess have to do both (and more) to compensate for the rest of the England forwards who struggle over 80 minutes at international level.

Bromwich and Waerea-Hargreaves didn't appear close to 100% fit to me, yet the Kiwi pack still held its own in the forward battle.

Usual nonsense spouted by Leeds fans about Watkins.

No matter who's he plays for (Leeds or England), it's never his fault when his performance stinks. It's always someone else's fault for not providing him with enough ball.

His regular anonymity in games couldn't possibly have anything to do with him being a lazy get and a shirker who goes AWOL.

Player ratings, stats charts AND England lost.

Someone's had a wonderful day. Just look how excited he is.

And right on cue, the saddo, bet-welching stalker turns up with nothing of any interest to add to any debate.

Please do tell us what he could have done to ensure people gave him the ball. Switched sides perhaps? The thing is I don't agree with you that hours performance stank, he hardly handled the ball which plain and simple isn't his fault because our halves favoured left side. What he did in defence was generally good, I don't recall him missing any tackles he made a few good and important ones, so please tell me how his performance stank?

Are you suggesting he should abandon hours position to come infield and take the ball? Would that dereliction of duty make you happier?

Simple fact is you can't do anything of people aren't giving you the ball, and Watkins was given no ball today. Whatever your opinion of him, to suggest that is entirely down to him is just stupid.

Yes, i've been sat here all night refreshing my screen until some sadsack bell-end troll re-posted the same tripe he's been posting every season since RLFans went live.

No, really.

Oh and please provide ANY of evidence of ANY "bet welching".

Seriously, please do.

No? Didn't think so.

Guffaw!!!

I eagerly await your silence on that one until the next time you call me it, before going silent again.....

I wouldn't defend him if he was genuinely poor/ awful as described by some, but i don't think he was today. he was just ok as were many others. I think he suffers from over hyping big time. Truth is he is a decent centre who can have great moments but nothing more. Summed up by Kevin Sinfield stating he was 'arguably the second best centre in the World behind Inglis' before the game began. That is laughable and after the season he has had i would even go as far as embarrassing to hear. Wonder if Kallum believes these kind of things said about him?

And just remind me, with that amazing, awesome backline, what was the the score of the opening test?

I thought it was a great game, and the kind of game I want to see on a regular occasion, with the best players in the World taking on each other.

Johnson just did everything right. And apart from him, there was nothing between the two teams. Bring on the villains.