RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2017

GAME ON GROUP SF : England v Tonga - Sat - 05:00:00

GENERAL CHAT ABOUT THE GAME, BUILD UP, THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENS AND AFTERMATH BELOW.

Tonga will be well up for this and will want revenge for last time the 2 teams played that was spoilt by the english forwards spoiling for a fight.

Tonga by 6-10

Regards

King James

good effort

Really looking forward to this! Going to be a monster of a game. Whoever wins will have had to have earnt it big time. I truly believe this is where England will stomp their mark on the World Cup though and get that 80minute performance!

England by 20 if they can hold the ball.

Can't afford for our forwards to let the side down this week, they need to run hard and cut out the errors. Our outside backs can be more devastating on the back of a strong, no nonsense pack.
Happy Brown is okay to continue his decent WC.
Happy Bateman can continue to work on his centre position.

Tonga's success so far makes this a semi final worth watching for a change. I'm exited for it.

Bateman at centre still leaves us pretty much without a left edge in good ball, he's not even dominated many collisions to justify the physicality argument. Hodgeson has contributed largely to the lack of cohesion and errors.

I predicted this SF at the start of the comp once the "defectors" flip-flopped on which country they wanted to represent. The reality is that England have the better side without a doubt, but the Kiwi connection is massive and this is a game being played in the home town of the majority of this team. Of the 21 man squads selected so far, there are 13 Kiwi born players in the initial 21 who will have grown up not a stones throw from Mt Smart......and this will be a massive impetus for them......I still say a Tongan win is on the cards but England can't play another bad/average game...can they?
Tonga with a 12 point start....

Totally agree with this.
Apart from our halves being behind many of the other nations, Bateman is the weakest link and stifles our left edge offence.
Nobody can question his effort or willingness to get stuck in but, he shouldn't be playing centre.
This isnt Wigan v Widnes (where it wouldnt be a problem) it's the biggest game that England have had since we blew our chance in the WC against the Kiwis.
If we can make the final and I think we can, them it's all on.

Come on England !

I agree to an extent, however defensively we are solid on that edge. I think that's why he's there, for his strong carries and strong defence.
It's a poor do, for Hall who doesn't get a chance
Most of our attack comes down the right and I assume it's just instructed that way.

Not having a real threat on both edges is going to make Englands attack easy pickings for aus (if they get there). And I don't see the defence argument at all as he's not excelled in that area, his positioning defending his own line isn't cracking either in the centre position.

In a one on one collision I think he is better than percival, but his defensive decision making at centre will cost us against quality attack, as Slater showed in the first match