A sell out test match and barely a mention of the 4 Nations tournament.

Plus they've been trying to kill each other from the start,

Something tells me this is less a warm up match and more the main event for them.

All four nations matches coming up live on Gem, it's an early start at 5:30am. This is what I heard during the first half. Not sure what else you'd like from them.

Both teams will certainly be battle hardened after this. Hopefully France can make a game of it next week, at least for the 1st half.

NZ might pick up a ban for that high tackle.

Are Scotland playing a warm up game?

I understand that due to the sheer number of whingers that frequent the board you're assuming I'm complaining.

I'm not.

Just meant compared to how our match v France will be discussed with one eye on the 4 nations.

Not a moan, just an observation.

Not really impressed with either team here.

Pair of em look rusty.

New Zealand look very beatable. My only concern is how rusty are the England team going to be in game 1 v New Zealand.

Coventry

If Widdop is in form then I think we can be more confident after that.

NZ look poor and fragile in confidence, much like the Warriors when things went wrong from them in games, their heads easily drop.

The only worry is that was Gregg Inglis's best game in a while, and up against our right side we might struggle, plus pretty sure Australia can step it up a few gears if they're up for it.

They certainly looked like they had a few gears left. I thought Tommy was pretty good, but the Kiwis never looked like winning.

That's the side we need to attack, they were all over the place

On the Aussie playing shirts right sleeve, some of the players had a brown badge, others a white one and some nothing at all. What were the badges, does anyone know?

I expect better from New Zealand when not playing in front of an Australian home crowd.


Solomone Kata gave glimpses of his fearsome club form. He will massacre the defensively challenged England centres.

If New Zealand can improve their form (and I expect that they will) then they can still win the tournament.

Good to note the Aussies and Kiwis are allegedly looking very ordinary and are there for the taking by England's world class superstars.

Let's all hope it ain't just another false dawn, just like the one before, and the one before that, and the one before that... ad nauseam... going back four decades and a half and still counting.

It is only 10 years since we last beat Australia after all.