What will happen in this weekends games ?

So what are everyones thoughts on this weekends games ?

Wales v Australia

England v New Zealand

Australia will surely rest a fare few 1st choice players but will still be to strong for Wales imo ... would love to see a Welsh win but the Aussies are just to good , hope it's not huge win for Aus that wouldn't do the game in Wales any favours .

England hopefully will maintain the standard they set against Australia and really take it to NZ who i think are beatable , we need to start strong and put them under pressure take our opertunities and put points on the board ... should be a good game with both teams knowing they have to win .

Australia have already said that they are going to use a few of there squad for this game, but they should still win, quite comfterbly i expect, Though i expect Wales to give another good account of themselves like they have done in there other 2 games.

I havn't been impressed with New Zealand so far, they have looked quite ordinary. So think England could win, espically if we get the ball out wide, which is when we have looked dangerous in this tournament. But like you say, we have to start with the right tempo and keep it going.
We need to cut out stupid plays, and stop giving away stupid penalties, and be more clinical, because otherwise even though NZ have looked ordinary, they have quality that could win it for them if we do make the above.
I possably wouldn't start with Chase for this game.

tiger
I agree, the kiwis have been very ordinary in all their games so far, and not only do I see a win for England but the Kiwis dont deserve to be in the final.
Last week in the second half the New Zealand defensive line was in tatters and England are good enough to take advantage of that.

Laurie

Whats happened to the Kiwis ? In tournaments like this they generally get better as a team. But in this one they not only look ordinary but dis-intrested, like they're going through the motions. Why is that? espically seeing as they are not only world champions, but this tournaments holders.

tiger
i think one of the reasons is that there are approx 14 or 15 seasoned International players who are "unavailable" for this tour, and half that team we saw last week against Wales last weekend are just not ready for this level.
What im about to say next is my opinion only and I cant back this opinion up, but I feel the team as a group do not hold the respect for Kearney like they did when he was at Melbourne Storm, He has since gone to Parramatta and come last in the NRL, whether this is the reason for players being 'unavailable' I cant say, But I have noticed that the players do react well to Tony Iro and Rueben Wiki who appear to have the title "Assistant coach",both of them, And they do hold the utmost for Benji Marshall.

So you think Kearney has lost the dressing room , that would explain the lackluster performances . Do you think the NZ board will see the same thing and think about a change laurie ?

people will run into each other, a ball will be thrown and kicked and some people will run around other people.

I can see a 60 + victory for the Aussies. The England v Kiwi game will be very tight and a victory for either team will come as no surprise to me.

George
On the New Zealand TAB .Head to Head NZ ar paying $1.55 and England are paying $2.35, for mine I think its a lot closer than that.

King Kenny
Yes,I cant se any other explanation for the Kiwis mediocre performance,an example being, just after half time,just after having a sit down and a drink of water the Kiwi Defensive line looked like the under 18s,In the background on the TV shots, we saw Rueben Wiki go out with the water bottle and organise the D line,these guys are meant to be test players.

Yes, should be a comfortable win for Australia and I'm slightly leaning towards a Kiwi victory against England... I'm thinking NZ will come out firing in this one.

I've just seen that Dale Cherry-Evans, Corey Parker and Beau Scott are to make their Kangaroo debuts against Wales.

Im going to back England and say a win by 34 -28 , the crowd in Hull can really get on an oponents back which may lift England .

I didn't consider the Hull crowd factor... you may well be right on that one Kenny.

I was kind of hoping for the England match to be on the BBC to be honest. Now i will have to find a stream somewhere. As a rugby man, i am starting to understand this game and am enjoying it alot. The only thing i dont understand is the scrums, i just see no point in them.

eirebilly wrote:I was kind of hoping for the England match to be on the BBC to be honest. Now i will have to find a stream somewhere. As a rugby man, i am starting to understand this game and am enjoying it alot. The only thing i dont understand is the scrums, i just see no point in them.

The srum in rugby league has just become a way of restarting the game , i agree as they are they may aswell be scrapped . Bring back contested scrums

Thanks KingKenny, it just has always puzzeled me. I cant deny the obvious brilliant skills in RL. I have been very impressed by them. The skills in Englands last match against Australia were sublime. It was very entertaining. I am just a bit mad that i live in Holland and only get the BBC and they are not showing the game today. I would have loved to watch it.

eirebilly wrote:Thanks KingKenny, it just has always puzzeled me. I cant deny the obvious brilliant skills in RL. I have been very impressed by them. The skills in Englands last match against Australia were sublime. It was very entertaining. I am just a bit mad that i live in Holland and only get the BBC and they are not showing the game today. I would have loved to watch it.

Not got sky in here either , i was sent some links which i have forwarded to you in a PM. Hopefully one will work and we both can watch it .

Thanking you kindly KinKenny. Much obliged. I hope one of them work

eirebilly wrote:Thanking you kindly KinKenny. Much obliged. I hope one of them work

Me to or it's the radio or opening the window and listening to the roars

Well i am really hoping for an England win this evening. They played very well last weekend and the scoreline really flattered the Aussies

Thanks anyway KingKenny but none of the links work. I will just have to watch the BBC text and watch the highlights tomorrow. I wish England the best of luck though

Good Morning guys.
Congratulations England,by far the better team,and you deserve to be in the final, its good for English league and its good for Rugby league full stop.
many issues could be cited as the reason for the Kiwis pathetic performance but if I was limited to one it would be lack of attitude, England forwards did their yards up the middle, made easier by piggy backs off penalties, but also they werent distracted into tryig to put rubbish in.

Just a question for the UK viewers, Do you think that one possible reason for Englands improvement in this years tournament is the growing English players with NRL experience? I'm not trying to be condescending to Super League just I at times get the feeling that those few players raise the pace of the English team.

I'm looking forward to next week ,which I will watch as a neutral,Its good for rugby League..

I missed the game - fell asleep just before the the 4:30am kick off here but I've just seen the score now. Seemed like a very convincing win for England.

Congrats Kenny. I'll watch the replay in about 3 hours time.

KingKenny7Heaven wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Thanking you kindly KinKenny. Much obliged. I hope one of them work

Me to or it's the radio or opening the window and listening to the roars

That must have been a unique experience - so the ground is not far away from the hospital? The pubs must be packed with many happy people!

You can see the ground from the rear of the hospital , just the railway lines and a bit of land between them . Sounded like a good game on the radio (could get a link to work either) wife has recorded it onto disc though .

Lots of noise from the ground and can now hear lots of merry fans

I thought England's forwards were absolutely immense today, constantly driving England up the field when they had possession. And England were superb in defense to a man too.

Thoroughly deserved win, and interesting to note that the Kiwi coach reckons they have a chance of beating Aus if they can repeat that performance.

Thought England played well, and gave a solid team performance. Though they where helped by a poor disciplined kiwi team.

Laurie

I think yes, there's no doubting that players like Ellis have improved since going to the Nrl (Don't think that you can count Widdop & Reed as never played SL). And think Graham will also become a better player.
I think that the NRL is a more intense league, because of it's more open nature. Making a more compertive comp.
But i thought tonight that Sinfield, Hall where very good also.

Great start for Wales!!!!

Listening to it on radio , nearly in again . Love to think it could stay like this but cant see it happening .

Yeah I've got a feeling Oz may pull away towards the end

hows this for entertainment?

Australia ended the first half strongly , been really impressed by Wales though they need to start the second half well and not let Aus score first or i fear a big score and on the first half display Wales wouldn't deserve that .

Think this could turn into a rout!!

It's not looking good for Wales is it

Come on Briers lets get back into it...kick them off the park

I feel a come back on the cards

Wales seem to have 5mins of good rugby and then switch off

It is a Big step up though prop , from playing Ireland and Scotland .

Can we stop this match now please? Fair play to Oz they're not milking their celebrations which is good to see.

i'm enjoying the spirit of Wales, but you do have to shake youre head at just how talented the Aussies are,either way just sit back and enjoy it.

Not enjoying the score , but it has been a good game

Fair play that kid's years just been made with that scrum-cap!! Guess Wales can only get better....going to miss Briers pulling the strings mind.

Good to see the change of jerseys again too.

Hats off to Aus they took their chances in the second half and were worthy winners .

Yeah I agree to both!!

England will need to play error free rugby and have a little luck to win next saturday , but i think they can do it !

Any small gap and Oz will be through...Wale tired in the tackle front but I don't think England will.

The lesson here for England if they didn't already know is that at all times against Australia you can't relax for 1 second
For England to win next week it will require them to metally switched on for the whole 80 minutes a lesson they haven't learnt in the recent past.