Is it only me got up at 5am to watch this or have you all gone back to bed??



Mixed feelings here. On the one hand Eng played really well first half, but did not make the superiority count with points on the board. Disappointing second half - as Nobby said, we went away from what worked for us first half and it seemed to be a "what we have we hold" attitude which was never going to work.

Seen this so often over the years with ENG/GB v Aus, its a mental thing. It looks to me like they dont BELIEVE they can win, even when they're pretty comfortably in front.

All that said (1) there was a very debatable 5-1 penalty count 2nd half (2) have seen several versions of the late Ryan Hall try and it is a nailed on 100%er - there are also views of Aus's first try and it is at least as debatable.

The Aussies are killing RL with their win at all costs attitude. We have never beaten them in a competition situation since 1970 so why do they have to stack the deck in their own favour with not just their own refs but their own video refs?

Contreversial decisions apart we should of beaten a far from full strength aussie team.

One word.....................CHEATS

Not the team, the aussie officials who run the show.

Two players who I thought were not up to the task were Joel Tomkins and Hodgson, today and last week.
Sheens at his best though today with the second half changes. Master stroke bringing on Hunt for a forward. I don't know if I'm being over critical but Australia's try's were pretty soft ones to concede. Sloppy defending. I was screaming for us to move up and pressure their attacks but we hardly even went anywhere near their kickers. You can't let a team, even a second string Aussie team run at you. Cherry Evans should have been flattened today. Instead he was allowed to run right across the line.

B
Just found out the video ref was the refs brother wtf

Joel & Sam are brothers as well.

Just seen the disallowed try.

Video ref got it wrong. End of.

Got up at 4.30 to watch that and felt robbed by the 2nd half performance of the ref and then the final decision of the Video Ref was just cheating, plain and simple. That was a try any day of the week. A flukey try, yes, but a try none the less! The VR knew that awarding the try would send Australia out of the comp and he bottled it. Appalling, corrupt decision by a 'home' ref

But the ref or the video ref didn't let them score the tries. We were poor against a poor Aussie side end of. Whitehead should have been out there today.

It was a dodgy decision but Hall didn't think he had scored. Australia are rebuilding and should have been beaten well before that decision.

First half territory and procession should have built a greater lead. Second half negativity, conservative and relatively no risk rugby let the Aussies back in it. The Inglis no try could have beengiven which negated Ryan Halls try. Joel Tomkins still of the pace and Jennnings was too much for Watkins. Another we "could and should have won"games. Oh well, reckon we are capable of beating the current best team in the world in a one off match by 10 so still a lot to look forward to.

It was never a try! The ball never changed direction when he put his finger on it. There was no pressure applied to the ball.

I think England need to drop Hodgson, had a shocker in defense. Joel Tomkins has been quiet as well and really poor defensively, my team for the kiwis would be:

1) S. Tomkins
2) J.Burgess
3) Hardaker
4) Sarginson
5) Hall
6) Widdop
7) Smith


G.Burgess
9) Clark
10) Graham
11) Whitehead
12) Ferres
13) O'Loughlin

14) Ratchford
15) Hill
16) T.Burgess
17) Westerman (if Farrell is banned)

Charnley, Watkins, Shenton, Cooper, Farrell, Hodgson, J.Tomkins

Great team that and whitehead must be outraged he's playing 2nd fiddle to an unfit union convert. I'd have young burgess in instead of Charnley to

To be fair, Charnley and Watkins aren't guaranteed spots like you say. Probably wouldn't be a bad call to drop Charnley and Watkins, however they bring so much attacking flair that it balances their defensive frailties.

I'll change the team above because your probably right above Charnley.

I agree, Joel Tomkins should not be in that England team when Whitehead has had a great season with Catalan. He must be well miffed. I also think the Burgess brothers and Clarke should be getting more time on the field. That pack of forwards should have steamrollered the patched up Aussies. I can only assume that Graham and both Burgesses are extremely tired from the aftermath of their season and the NRL Grand Final because they were all awesome in that game. Also, maybe put Zak Hardaker at full back for next game?

If England had continued to play has they had in the 1st half we could have put 30 or more past the Aussies. Instead they tried to hold what they had. Were they playing to instructions? I can only assume so and therefore the blame lies with Steve McNamara for adopting safety first tactics. Tim Sheens out thought him with the substitution of Sam Thaiday and bringing on a faster player. Let's hope they play an attacking game against the Kiwis.

Also a quick and educated thinking coach would have certainly seen that they had at least 2 half backs defending the middle 3rd of the pitch when we had ball after that substitution so the spot runs should have been switched.

Only 2

Is that now part of the VR process .... Ask the player if he thought he scored?

You've lost me Frank?

If you apply the rules the match was being played to, it was a try ( trys have been given by Australian VR in similar situations in NRL GF s and SOO )

Australia gained their second half lead on the back of some very dubious penalties for infringements the Aussies were committing all match

The refusal to allow the win against the head was strange " the scrum disintegrated " ,yes we know thats what happens when you get pushed off a ball that youve made a pigs ear of

How the Aussies managed to ' late hit ' almost every England kicker for the whole match without punishment is just incredible

Not often do we agree Starbug but the one above we are united!!

Australia did come out much better 2nd half but if England had pushed on with attack like we did 1st half we'd have scored a few and won.

Looking at Hall's Try/NoTry thnk it's quite clear the ball's in contact with the ground & he's got his fingers on top of it bent up, that's a try, not quite sure he was intending to but he got lucky and grounded it, then got unlucky when the Aussie Video ref bottled it.

Noticed all match Aussies taking the kicker very late, ref ignored it. Not sure why we had what I thought was the worst ref I've seen this tournament whilst the best one (Bentham, who everyone seemed to commend after Aus V NZ) was refing some curtain raiser between the police. Should still have been a neutral though.

My bug bearer was the Aussies being allowed to slow the play the ball down. We try it and get pulled up for it !!!

It was a match we lost due to sheer disbelief. Thats a mentsal thing and we should have continued with the same mentality as the first half when we quite literally blew them out of the water for a miserly 8 point lead.

Josh Hodgson and Joel Tomkins should not be in the team and Watkins' defence has alot to be desired, but irrespective, we should have blown them out of the water !!!

One question finishes the debate about try/no try......if roles where reversed and the Aussies where down by 4 and waiting for video ref verdict,,,, would it be given???? I think we all know the answer!