The informed viewer can pick holes galore in a lot of the commentary. They certainly can with Davies; I can't abide his nasal ramblings. But for the casual viewer, who these games need to attract, they don't generally know their butt from a wing forward. So if Davies says something it must be accurate as he was a great player, albeit his contribution was massively overstated. I get it on other sports from friends and family who have little idea of the sport. They just repeat what they have heard in commentary or read it in the gutter press. So we do need informed, educated and well-known figures to present and keep other media interested.

Some Davies bingo:

"hee shot out of the line there!" "Where's the dummeee runnner?" "Very pooooor defence".

Ray French:

"I did my pre season training on Blackpool beach!" "boots like carpet slipppers these days". "has he got the legs to go all the way?" fnarr

My favourite Frenchism was "and he's thur", which he used to describe routine barge overs and length of the field cup winning efforts alike. All said and done, I can't say today's replay obsessed controversy monkeys have taken RL commentary forward.

And the classic "I played with his Dad".

The comment about Paul Anderson being left in the 'growing bag' as a youngster stuck with me.

And was it French who liked a good 'raw-boned front row forward'?

University of Leeds alumnus as well

Tempted to mute the game and watch in blissful silence

Nsemba is looking good early on

If the tackle on Bateman warrants 10 mins, it was a forceful shot to the head according to Kendall, then player saftey would demand Bateman needs an HIA, surely?

Sounds more like ref fed up of repeat hits to the head on the border of being a penalty and his warning was ignored.

Deffo the softest of the high hits so far

As for HiA do international have different rules ?

Don't know, but surely protocols should be universal given the rationale around player safety. The risks don't change depending on whether the game is domestic or international. So, this being RL, they probably are different, yes.

Welsby's defence in this game

Clark non too impressed with it either it seems.

Farnworth, though... When was the last time England had the best centre in world? The best since prime Senior.

We've had a few good ones (Senior, Connolly, Newlove, Schofield) since I've been watching the game, but I don't think any of them could truly claim to be the best in the world. Farnworth has that acknowledged from his peers in the NRL. You'd have to say that makes him probably the best British centre since the days of Neil Fox.

Senior was voted into the world 13 2 years running in the early 2000s, Gleeson and Watkins were decent, but Farnworth is genuinely world class.

Yep. Watching him in the flesh today, he doesn’t just look like a world class a rugby player, he looks like a world class athlete. That's the measure for the best three quarters in the NRL, and he clearly exceeds it. England need to find two or three more (Young probably hits the mark) before we can be confident of giving the Aussies a game.

The Saints fans think that he's the messiah
but he's just a very naughty boy

IMO Farnworth,Joey Manu and Stephen Crighton are currently the best centres in the game

Did not see the game today , how did Palasia go?

Manu doesn't play league anymore.

Was good for 15 minutes but then became anonymous, but so did Somoa at that point

Some talk of a return of Yorkshire v Lancashire.

Torn on it tbh. Think it could be great if done properly but doesn’t/ won’t push the international game.

Used to complain about the Aussies not been interested. But in the last few years they’ve got the pacific cup right. Yes lots of work on player pools have helped the likes of Tonga/samoa/png but at its core I think regular games have been essential too.

We just don't have enough of talent pool for international to run two competitive teams like origin does imo