England V ASSRL

[cpwigan]

I missed the first 5 mins myself TEW. We were 6-0 up and Jack was off when I got on.

We seem to be fine if the game is a forward battle but the more rugby is played the more we struggle. However, it is getting more and more difficult to get some rugby moves into games. Best bit of skill for me was when Henare Wells produced a step to get a 2 v 1 blindside breakaway after fielding a kick. It must have been damn dificult to play though as it was freezing and the constant drizzle made handling / footwork incredibly difficult. Whether it was good coaching and spotted beforehand Aus seemed skinny down short blindsides al a the King try but England could have scored more in a similar maner. In an open game of RL the Aussies look a far better bet. Whatever the conditions if the match official repeatedly penalises you, marches you 10 and sin bins players you will struggle.

[cpwigan]

Whether it is a selection issue before and during the tour, Australia were less impressive than the last squad that came here. The last squad had the skill out wide but were also rock solid up front. The results for this current party v NZ and now England have been bizarre. Rarely have they managed an 80 minute game and in their last test v NZ they threw away a big to nil? half time lead and conceded 30 odd unanswered points in the second half to lose. In the 2nd half v England they looked to be ready to turn the screw and win by plenty but then England created mayhem by just hitting the ball 1 up and kicking high. Australia must have faster wingers than the winger who took the intercept kick. He only just out run somebody and then Lynne got him easily. The best feature of Australia was the way they defended with 12 men.

I just hate seeing a game destroyed by a referee.

[cpwigan]

One of my primary thoughts coming away from that match and indeed RL in general Internationally is how rarely the ball actually goes through the hands of several players in any move and how little outside backs are used other than to scoot hard yards.

Australia scored the best try in the first half where the centre literally turned his opposite number inside out but opportunities created of that ilk for both teams were so few and far between with both teams bashing it up 1 one repeatedly. Australia were able to excute drop off / angled runs far more precisely but rarely used it.

England were far more adventurous with their kicking game although they relied on it solely. For me every team in RL should execvute a short chip kick from their own half at least once in a game. Others may argue the conditions were awful and they certainly were but I remember watching Mitchel Pearce's team in similarly poor conditions play as if it was perfect dry and sunny. Wells the Australian full back is an exceptional talent IMO but we never really saw the best of him because the ball never went wide enough.

I know England were offside in the second half out wide but you can use players leaving the line to your advantage. Australia tended to turn the ball back inside. The delayed short crash pass for the Aussie captain cartyer to score was a touch of class. Having watched some real beast forwwards playing in Aus at schoolboy level you wonder if they selected the best players for Australian conditions not British conditions.

I actually want to see far less interchanges and players fatigue in RL to give the small guys more of a chance. George Burgess had a huge impact but I could not envisage him playing 80 minutes and yet he is only 18. As a sport we need to bring fatigue back and a fairer deal to the small skillful players.

[gpartin]

One of my primary thoughts coming away from that match and indeed RL in general Internationally is how rarely the ball actually goes through the hands of several players in any move and how little outside backs are used other than to scoot hard yards.

Australia scored the best try in the first half where the centre literally turned his opposite number inside out but opportunities created of that ilk for both teams were so few and far between with both teams bashing it up 1 one repeatedly. Australia were able to excute drop off / angled runs far more precisely but rarely used it.

England were far more adventurous with their kicking game although they relied on it solely. For me every team in RL should execvute a short chip kick from their own half at least once in a game. Others may argue the conditions were awful and they certainly were but I remember watching Mitchel Pearce's team in similarly poor conditions play as if it was perfect dry and sunny. Wells the Australian full back is an exceptional talent IMO but we never really saw the best of him because the ball never went wide enough.

I know England were offside in the second half out wide but you can use players leaving the line to your advantage. Australia tended to turn the ball back inside. The delayed short crash pass for the Aussie captain cartyer to score was a touch of class. Having watched some real beast forwwards playing in Aus at schoolboy level you wonder if they selected the best players for Australian conditions not British conditions.

I actually want to see far less interchanges and players fatigue in RL to give the small guys more of a chance. George Burgess had a huge impact but I could not envisage him playing 80 minutes and yet he is only 18. As a sport we need to bring fatigue back and a fairer deal to the small skillful players.

totally agree with last bit about interchanges as a sport we've gone too far. What I'd actually like to see is a bench of six but with fewer changes allowed meaning coaches would have to react to how the game is going more rather than rely on changing by the clock.

[No straw damn us]

One of my primary thoughts coming away from that match and indeed RL in general Internationally is how rarely the ball actually goes through the hands of several players in any move and how little outside backs are used other than to scoot hard yards.

Australia scored the best try in the first half where the centre literally turned his opposite number inside out but opportunities created of that ilk for both teams were so few and far between with both teams bashing it up 1 one repeatedly. Australia were able to excute drop off / angled runs far more precisely but rarely used it.

England were far more adventurous with their kicking game although they relied on it solely. For me every team in RL should execvute a short chip kick from their own half at least once in a game. Others may argue the conditions were awful and they certainly were but I remember watching Mitchel Pearce's team in similarly poor conditions play as if it was perfect dry and sunny. Wells the Australian full back is an exceptional talent IMO but we never really saw the best of him because the ball never went wide enough.

I know England were offside in the second half out wide but you can use players leaving the line to your advantage. Australia tended to turn the ball back inside. The delayed short crash pass for the Aussie captain cartyer to score was a touch of class. Having watched some real beast forwwards playing in Aus at schoolboy level you wonder if they selected the best players for Australian conditions not British conditions.

I actually want to see far less interchanges and players fatigue in RL to give the small guys more of a chance. George Burgess had a huge impact but I could not envisage him playing 80 minutes and yet he is only 18. As a sport we need to bring fatigue back and a fairer deal to the small skillful players.

totally agree with last bit about interchanges as a sport we've gone too far. What I'd actually like to see is a bench of six but with fewer changes allowed meaning coaches would have to react to how the game is going more rather than rely on changing by the clock.

At first team level six substitutes, two who are 21 or under at the start of the season, no interchanges, once you're off you're off.

Same at U20 level with two of the subs having to be U18
At U18 same again with two of the subs being 16.
I agree with CPW in that Burgess was lucky not to at least concede a penalty for his forearm to the throat of the Aussie player whilst running the ball out, but some of the Aussie discipline, particularly back chat, was out of order. Had Ganson reffed the Grand Final James Graham would have had at least 10 mins in the sin bib.

[cpwigan]

I like the idea of more substitute options, no multiple interchanges and age rules. Fatigue leads to mistakes and open RL which we need far more of.

Here is a scary thought. I used to think League and Union were totally different but on reflection yes we achieve things differently but the basic premise is virtually identical. We play sets and completion to achieve territory whereas Union ruck and maul and kick to achieve exactly the same territory. As the players become better athletes in Union they are facing the sasme dilemna that we face in League as to how to get open rugby. League IMO has the better option with our sets and 6 tackles but we neddmore uncertainty, more turnover of possession. More reward for risk.

[cpwigan]

A frustrating thought. Owen Farrell and Ian Thornley at centre and we beat Australia fairly easily and without Mr Gamson being odious and corrupt. George ford for the Wire 6 too.

[cpwigan]

I am really torn with the 10M rules. I know Shaun/Jackie Edwards were against it and it does make scooting /one up yardage runs an easier option.

40-20 is an example of a fantastic rule.

[The Eclipse]

That's the thing for me, if anything we went to pieces when burgess and Milner went off we had no real mongrel on the pitch until burgess came back.
We are over reliant on burgess that is a concern

I thought it was strange that his twin Thomas wasn't selected, from what i have seen of them they are very similar in ability and not much between them at all.
In fact Tom is a little bit bigger so he would have been ideal to have on the interchange bench to maintain go forward and momentum.

[TSB]

Surely now our coaches will have learned from this. Burgess will be a marked man on friday which should give us plenty of spaces on the flanks. Lets hope for a big game from the two Reece.s. Come on England.Can't wait.