Abysmal showing from both sides. Lack of skill all over the park.

Southern Hemisphere teams aways seem to get the decisions

I can guarantee in the first 5 mins nz will get a penalty for a phantom technical offence giving them good early position. Watch out for it, guarantee it happens.

Not just Aussies who have the rose tinted glasses on. We were at Limerick last week and Bentham CANED Ireland, making the game even more one-sided than it needed to be. I think Klein has been the same at least for the NZ v PNG and England v France matches.
On the other side of the coin I thought Ben Cummings did a fair job for Scotland v NZ.

Anyone who thinks we should drop one of our halves now is crazy. You can't build a partnership for four weeks then just abandon it. If McNamara was serious about Widdop playing, he should have gave him some more game time during the group stage.

I would swap McIllorum for Burrow and maybe get rid of Farrell from the 17.

For me - our biggest problem is intensity. Against Italy, Fiji and France England have allowed themselves to be drawn back to the level of their opposition - their line speed in defence and pace in attack is shocking. Not to mention disrespect of possession.

Chase did play poorly against France but he was the man against Fiji.

My 17 v NZ:

Backs - the same (maybe Briscoe in for Charnley - not too fussed)
Forwards
Hill, Roby, Graham, S Burgess, Ferres, O'Loughlin
Bench
Burrow, G Burgess, Westwood, Mossop

Scotland had as many good positions v NZ as France had v England, you could make exactly the same arguement about NZ.

I saw NZ live on Friday night and I am certain that England can beat them. Of course if either side doesn't perform they will lose, but if they both turn up I see it as a 50/50 call. The match is unlikely to be decided by the forwards (unless Roby or Luke produce some individuasl brilliance). I think NZ have a pace advantage in the backs but the England outside backs are physically much bigger, if England can exploit that advantage that is how they will win.

England's left edge has been very good this toutnament, I thought that was stifled last night by playing Surgess there, Chase, Cudjoe and Hall need good ball not Sam taking the ball up. Ferres should be at Left Second Row, Farrell and Ablett are options that would compliment that edge, Sam Burgess is a great player, but the wrong player on that edge. I think Farrell yed his way past Ablett in the last two games, not that Ablett has done anything wrong.

On the other side I think Westwood needs to be told not to come inside too much on defence, the problems around Sinfield and Watkins are coming from Westwood not drifting leaving too much space for the others to fill, that is a minor adjustment.

England must also resist overplaying James Graham, with a prop rotation of Surgess, Gurgess, Hill and Graham, there is no need for anyone to play 60+ minutes, I am sure they will all want to, but they should not.

Burrow changed the Fiji game, can't believe he was left out v France.

So for me England's 17 should be:

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall
Chase
Sinfield
Hill
Roby
S Burgess
Westwood
Ferres
O'Loughlin

Graham
G Burgess
Farrell
Burrow