The question posed is whether or not they had sufficient knowledge to avoid the GF. I think they did and took a calculated risk that they could get using the Etihad on the same day past the police. That they took that decision is, in my opinion, a demonstration of their lack of foresight. It COULD also be argued that they made that decision with some malice.

It could, but you'd have to be an idiot to think that the IRB organised one of the biggest sporting tournaments in the world in such a way as to "damage" an insignificant (in both national and global terms) sport such as RL.

I don't see anyone suggesting that the Ireland-Italy game on Sunday has been scheduled for the Olympic Stadium specifically to clash with the NFL game at Wembley.

Dead Rubber at the Etihad Stadium it is then. That was an England build up followed by an epic collapse and exit that our Footballers would be pushed to beat. I have to admit that I'm gutted, didn't think we'd win, but didn't expect us to be dumped out of our home World Cup at the first cut. Big Sam Come back to where your phenomenal talent would be both appreciated and used, turn away from the dark side.

England got what they deserved for negative team selections and tactical approach. Rugby union has evolved beyond a game for eight donkeys up front and two half-backs who can kick.

Sadly, England don't appear to have grasped that. Left their best back-rower in France, kicked their best centre and hooker out of the squad on disciplinary grounds, picked Farrell for his kicking over Ford and Barritt over Burgess for his tackling.

Bet they're glad they gave Lancaster a five year contract.

They do have a feel of England Cricket about them in terms of what happened to the cricket team at the recent Cricket World Cup.

Playing a style that's negative and cautious what other teams have moved on from. Need a similar kick up the backside and shake up as the cricket team took afterwards.

Glad England lost; they deserved to. Will never understand how anybody can enjoy watching such dross. As you say what a waste of talent in having Burgess play and barely get a chance to show what he is capable of. Surely any impartial sport lover must recognise how telling it is that a guy who plays PROP (damn effectively) in RL plays CENTRE for the RU shower.
The times I watch the game and see players turn back inside with an overlap or bomb a chance by an inability to pass accurately down the line. I'm talking about the international side not a lower league club side. Awful. Some of the tries scored in a RL season would be viewed as extraordinary/exceptional/hugely praiseworthy and repeated ad infinitum if the RU international side were actually capable of scoring anything like them.

For god's sake Watkins do NOT be tempted

Two of the best RL players of their generation wasted in RU.

Don't get me wrong I prefer to watch league. And also agree Sam is a waste in the sport for me.
If you give the super 15 a go you would probably enjoy it. Played with more of a running game and better handling. I agree England were poor, but thought the handling and try for Australia, particularly the second was good.

You cannot really compare league and union in terms of the try scored, for a start there are 4 extra players on the pitch making it more difficult to score. Secondly in league you can have your edges try there luck as you get the ball back. In union if a winger goes for broke and gets isolated then the ball is usually turned over. The seemingly pointless short runs by forwards near the ruck are to try and suck in defenders to make space out wide. England's handling was poor last night

Couldn't have put it better. Spot on.

You can add to that the fact that Lancaster has been unable to win the big competitive games that really matter. He's taken England as far as he can. What worries me (as I do actually care) is that parallels with Clive Woodward's first WC in 1999 are being drawn and Lancaster will be given 4 more years to "finish the job". He's not Clive Woodward, Andy Farrell is not Phil Larder and Chris Robshaw is no Martin Johnson.

Barritt was an embarrassment in the midfield. He took every pass stood still and simply shuffled it along - something i used to try and get 8 year olds not to do, and spent most of his game laying on top of rucks having a rest. As for Farrell, well you sort of knew he'd do something stupid at some point.

Lesley Vainikolo's playing!!!

It really is the world's elite playing.

The money this competition will generate is ridiculous. Why can't we attract people who don't care about RL all year long to our international competitions like RU does?

Was reading something on the BBC and it gave some stats:

Sure enough, Pocock - outstanding at the last World Cup - was unstoppable once again. On Saturday he made nine tackles, six carries and 14 metres, four passes, two offloads and, most importantly, three turnovers.

Robshaw? Six tackles, five carries, three metres, two passes, no turnovers.

Unstoppable!!! I know their defence is closer but those stats don't look too amazing to me. And considering these are meant to be the tackling machines, they only made 15 between them. Sums up the speed of the game

I went to Leicester to watch Argentina vs Tonga. It was a phenomenal game. It confirmed to me that I like union as a game to watch but just not the northern hemisppheres way of playing it. Both teams using the full width, running from deep, minimal kicking, good movement and offloading. It just showed that the game can be good to watch if played with the right attitude

I really don't like England RU, to me they've always played boring rugby and run by an organisation who are so far up their backsides it's unreal.

However I'll gladly watch other watch Union games, Wigan vs Huddersfield last Thursday? Nah it was dull, Canada vs France was much more entertaining