By the next WC we'll probably be able to find 12 sides that play at a professional level.
I'd say we have about 8 now, with 4 more that are improving.

I'd be happy to see us go back to a 12 team main draw and a 12 team emerging nations draw, to give teams like Serbia, USA, Canada, Malta, Soloman Islands etc a chance to play.

The next world cup is only 3 years away and we will probably need around 10 new players of international standard, the likes Burgess, Hill, Cooper, Whitehead, McLLorum. Makinson, Watkins, Tomkins, Walmsley and Percival will probably be all internationally retired. I also think Wane won't go around again knowing some of his decisions didn't work for him.

England's performance didn't match their previous matches, possibly a mental thing with them beating Samoa so convincingly in their first match plus of course but errors at vital times. Dom Young's defence was found wanting in particular.

The biggest positive for me was that we managed to get 41k for a semi final in London, and the amount of new fans that were there. People that say have it in the north...England games in the core areas this tournament have had 21k, 23k and 18k. Need to ensure going forward we always have at least 1 England international a year in London.

There was 28k at Elland Road on a Friday night and it would have been predominantly northerners at the game….if it’d been a Saturday game you could’ve added at least another 5k to that figure in my opinion.

Gutted for the Team,lost to a better team on the day.
Stupid to blame Wane as he didnt drop the ball or give a interception try.
We need stability not get shut soon as we lose.
Every game England won someone has stated Wane should have picked this player over that player now we have lost some say Wane should have picked this player over that player,nothing changes always someone knows better than the coach.

Backwards step in my opinion, keep it at 16 and keep planting them small accorns. Competitiveness will eventually come.

Samoa were a side that would usually get beaten by tier 1 teams prior to this world cup...tamalolos defection to Tonga was a huge movement for making international RL more competitive

I personally don’t agree with some on here slating Young’s defence. Anyone who has played the game in the back line knows that if there’s a 3 on 2 and your centre jams in, you follow suit. Watching it back. Watkins goes with Young about two steps behind. That indicates Watkins hasn’t let Young know that he’s jamming. Watkins missed the one on one for Lafai’s try, dropped the ball when over the line for a certain try, jammed in, missed the tackle, switched off and jogged for the Ligi Sao try. Insaod before the tournament playing players out of position would be the undoing of England. This was just one instant.

I’m not saying Young wasn’t at fault at all. He dropped a sitter which led to a try.

Radley intercept was a shocker. Could see it coming a mile off especially when Crichton put himself in the line.

Tomkins at fullback was a bad call. Always passed to the winger, never linked out the back very well. Kicking game was good until the semi in which he became remarkable average. But to be fair his positioning was good for receiving kicks.

Williams, Whitehead, Farnworth and Burgess were all class yesterday. Neither of them 3 deserved to lose. Especially Whitehead.

We go again in 3 years!

Should have a permanent 6 nations every year for me:

Australia
NZ
England
Tonga
Samoa
PNG/Fiji/France/Wales/Cook Islands etc to play for the 6th spot.

Could have maybe done with one Semi on Sat and one today, but then it cuts down recovery time for the final. I thought Elland Road and the Emirates were good choices of venue.

Emirates was a great stadium, easy access from kings cross too, wouldn't be a bad place to host the challenge cup final in the future