I don't know if it's been mentioned but Johnson actually missed with the drop goal. Just watched it again and paused the action at the time the ball passes the post. It clearly goes the wrong side of the post. Whoops

Nope not heard that one



I'll go check the footage again

It's been mentioned, but anyone who thinks it did is clearly desperate

Watkins got through a lot of tackling against NZ.

Wow no need for that. To be honest I don't give two shakes of a rats willy about the result.
I came across a video showing it on face book. So thought I'd check it out
from original version. It definitely looks like it missed.
Thought people might be interested that's all jeez

I think the thing that affects Watkins is the hype! When Sinfield is saying he's second only to Inglis as the worlds best centre before the game you then expect a performance fitting if that tag. We then get a guy who's decent at this level (doesn't let anyone down but doesn't terrorise teams as a centre of that billing should) and he gets bagged.

The reality is that he's massively over-rated. That's not to say he shouldn't be in the England team because of course he should but I think people need to stop expecting him to side step his way past seven men and fling out a 15 yard pass to send his winger in.

Couldn't agree more, we don't have anyone better, but we need to be realistic about the limitations of some of our players, especially where they have been over hyped. Part of the problem is the SL coverage which "talks up" players, and to be fair that is part of the job of people like Eddie & Stevo and the rest of the crew (employers don't tend to employ people who tell everyone their product isn't terribly good). Gale is "world class" when he tears through Wakefield's defence, Watkins is the "best centre in SL" when he beats three Salford defenders to score etc... but the reality is that the Aussie and Kiwi sides are orders of magnitude above the caliber of teams that make players like Gale and Watkins and others look so good in SL. Depending on who plays for England on Saturday I expect them to become "world class" again against Scotland. I'm reminded of the 2010 Four Nations, Atkins plays centre against the Aussies and is cruelly exposed, next game Clubb starts against PNG and score four tries!

pretty much this.

Same for me. However, should we blame Dave Woods and co. for generating hype? It's a frequent beef that the game and its stars lack profile and it's difficult to see that changing if even friendly media were to deliver entirely honest assessments. And Watkins certainly deserves no blame in this; a more self-effacing individual you could not wish to meet.

No harm in generating hype, and I think there are enough stories within the England set-up to justify generating it. One of the best coaches in the world? Tick. One of the best forwards in the world? Tick. One of the best hookers in the world. Tick. You've got to PR the heck out of this and generate as much of a buzz as possible. Although I agree about the Sinfield's comments reg Watkins - second best centre in the world my backside...

Erm, yeah, I've just watched the game back and the drop goal that won the game doesn't actually appear to have gone through the sticks......

Am I the only one to notice this?