I know i couldn't see any bite marks

No Graham, Hardaker or McIllorum for Saturday...

At a time when all available funding streams have been diverted to McNamara and his England team, the net result having a serious impact on the junior game, this is not the kind of start we wanted. Smacks of a group of players with little to pn respect for the coach IMO. We will be lucky to beat Aus with our best 17, let alone with one our starting props on the Touchline. Crazy behaviour by the players.

Being reported that Graham was banned for one game for drinking offence, with Hock.

Banana trying to play at having a pair.

Presumably his puritanical and ego-trip takes precedence over team bonding. Given the previous widely-reported issues about 'camps' within England squads, there were apparently 4 players from different clubs having a quick beer & getting along with each other.

Total over-reaction - but sadly predictable. Our sport is a sodding joke, with positions of power packed with self-important, pompous pillocks

I agree entirely. He is trying to assert control and authority through absolute jurisdiction rather than through being a leader, coach and mentor they look up to and respect.

I have no problems with him excluding Hock, he should never have been selected on form and previous anyway. But to rest Graham from the toughest match in the group and the one that winning could force Aus and NZ into a semi together is just silly.

If England rally and beat Australia he can claim vindication, but if we are trampled in the pack (Which looks very likely with Mossop starting prop and Farrell on the bench) he will lose any lingering bit of respect anyone had for him. Instead of that pair he could have had Graham and Crabtree. The mind boggles.

He shouldn't be in the job in the first place as he has no CV or capability to do it. This is just adding stupidity to the embarrassment as it's self inflicted.

Or any credibility as he showed at the press conference looking like a water carrier with e eyes of the world on him, throwing his toys out of his pram.

Cheeky sod has also asked for a contract renewal.

Predictions for today anyone?

I got evens on Aus with a -12 handicap. I'll be amazed if I don't double my money.

Great start!

That Slater try was a hammer blow - England switch off from the scrum: Cudjoe slips, Sam Burgess falls off the tackle.

Overall a great start & superb to see England go toe-to-toe (and be on top). But the convicts cut out the errors, England started to rack them up. It put pressure on the defence & sapped stamina levels. Missing Graham's 'old head' IMO.

Is there some unwritten law that whenever there's a crucial game between England/GB and Australia that's close, the convicts will ALWAYS get a dodgy decision go for them that tips the match fully in their favour?

FFS, they're good enough without needing help from the officials.

And again - how the feck it can be judged England knocked on when the convicts dropped it...

Mossop & Hill offer very little at this level. Can't help but think that Graham would have made just that little bit extra that we've needed.