Jesus wept. Australia and New Zealand have both made errors and looked a bit lethargic and off their game at times against teams they are about to beat easily. You can only play what's in front of you and England did enough, tried a bit of flair, made a few errors and generally didn't over-exert themselves hugely.

France gave it a shot but were terrible in attack - their ball-handling and decision-making was awful. Their defence was excellent at times but inconsistent. They were never going to win.

Whatever. This is the same England team that stood up massively to Australia in Cardiff and but for a few terrible calls from the officials could have won. This England team has all the potential in the world and if they could perform for a full 80, could beat anyone. My one reservation is Chase - a brilliantly skilled player but no-one else seems to know what he's doing half the time.

Don't get to watch much SL.

Is Rangi Chase the best Stand Off in SL? Really?

Graham was superb, great hands for a big fella. The game looked lethargic and was sloppy. NZ are easily beatable. Chuck Widdop and Burrows on for next game. We need to do what our antipodean friends do. When we get in front, put your foot harder on their throats, not start trying to mess around and do stuff different.

Ruthless and Relentless. We can beat the kiwis. No Problem.

Cronus,

I wish to god McNamara read these pages and jettisoned Chase as far away from the squad as possible. He hasn't worked in all his internationals to date. He should have looked good against France but he looked rubbish.

Shame he will never get dropped while we have sulky in charge of the national team. Maybe the next coach will not bother with him and we can actually have a new half back pairing (surely Sinfield will retire after the tournament).

I have nothing much against Chase but playing like that against NZ would have killed us off stone dead. He was a liability. You cannot afford someone playing like that against Aus or NZ.

Some players know their guaranteed a spot for NZ match wether they play good or not. Chase being one of them! So 100% effort and concentration not needed for them! SOL, Graham, Hall, Ferres all had good games IMO and the team will raise their game against the kiwis!

God the Kiwis are going to wind up chase like their is no tomorrow at Wembley. This will end up with chase being a even bigger liability IMO.

Yep, If Luke doesn't succeed in removing his foot he may well be forced from the field for other reasons.

Hypothetical posturing:Had France kept out 2 soft tries ( Charnley 2 )and been able to finish off at least 2 of their attacking opportunities the score would have reflected a much closer game.theyre not a bad side but it also highlights Englands persistent flaw.inconsistency bring that game to NZ it'll be goodnight tater

So maybe this time Luke will be sent off?

Thought Chase was erratic but outside backs were good.
Ferris Hill and Graham were very good. Thought Sam Burgess was just going through motions.
If we can release our wingers I think we can trouble anyone.
Distribution is the issue. We actually looked better with Graham and stand off at times.

I should have been more clear.

Luke's a different player to the one who disgraced himself with the attempted leg break and a few cannon balls, he's showed a maturity this year.

France's forwards played pretty well. Their midfield defence was very good. Pelissier did some good things in attack, as did Casty and Fakir.

It was the French three quarter line, esp. after the loss of Duport, that let the team down.

If France would have played Aus or NZ they would have been made to look fools. France have the odd good player but we all know that they are most of the catalans squad but the good catalan players are imports like Menzies/Dureau & Webb.

Australia haven't conceded a try since, the opening game and NZ have looked like world champions in all their games, until they take the foot off the gas. But they are usually 40+ points up by then.

England have looked good in patches all tournament. I thought we played well against Ireland. Australia, good effort but we came up short against an under cooked Aussue team. Fiji we didn't look like scoring for 40 minutes.

We've been saying all tournament, if England put in an 80 minute performance they will do well. We've had four games now and still not done it. Now we're hoping it all comes together against the world champions?

Every man and his dog can see that our half backs are so poor in comparison, but Mcnamara is still goin to go with them in the semi. If Tomkins got injured in training this week I genuinely fear we could be nilled. He has offered more creativity than chase and Sinfield put together!

Chase and Sinfield will be dropped when hell freezes over, ok so it was cold in Wigan but the temperature was still in +

McIlorum and Roby are both 80 minute hookers IMO, it needs to be a choice of one, not both. I'd play Roby for the full match against NZ. McIlorum is a lot better than most on here give him credit for but he hasn't transferred his Wigan form to an England shirt.

The halves aren't working at all, and it's so bleeding obvious it's painful, especially as we all know he won't change them. This is our main problem. The passing across the line is slow and inaccurate. Tomkins and Watkins aren't getting their hands on the ball enough, we are trying too many inside balls and crash short balls to the forwards in good attacking positions when we should be utilising quick passing with dummy runners to find Tomkins out the back. Both wingers scored twice last night, but all of those tries were more down to shoddy defending on the edges from the French rather than clever attack opening them up. I really don't understand why Widdop wasn't given 80 minutes at 6 against either Ireland or Fiji, but McNamara's mind was made up 2 years ago than Sinfield and Chase were his halves.

We'll get well beaten next weekend, McNamara will step down as coach, Sinfield will retire from international RL, and English RL fans will once again have to think what might have been.