You mean where each side usually resorts to biff to try and unsettle the opposition?

You can't play fast, skillful rugby at this level without battering them. If you hold off them and play nicely, nicely they'll walk over us. They're a better team. The better teams never lose if their pack is dominant.

Its test rugby league. A bit of Biff should be mandatory. Im not generally in favour of it but if you can’t hit a guy wearing a green and gold jersey in a rugby league test match then we have lost something beautiful.

+1
In a Nutshell.

History really does repeat itself. Same old opinions expressed immediately prior to an encounter against Australia. Australia aren't that good, average players, etc.

Where is Roughyedspud these days? : Australia 52 England 4



Here's hoping for a close and competitive game on Saturday as it's the only opportunity to grab a win for the first time in 7 years.

The strength and weakness of the Aussies are the same thing really. They have a plan and stick to it, some call it relentless, some call it rigid.

If the Aussies go 6 nil down, they won't change anything. Just get back to the plan. And if they go ahead by 6 they will just keep at it.

To even get close to them, you have to defend smart. Get your numbers right on the edges and stop the pack rolling and getting on top.

I think we'll play a bit more ad lib in attack, mixing up the kicking game. But if we are to get close, or win, we must must must defend well. Especially on kick chase. Make Slate carry it back at us instead of handing it off to Boyd or Morris.

It's do-able, but we have to concentrate in defence and keep turning up.

I'd rather Burgess smashed them in the tackle and got them to react, than just punch them.

Hard tough rugby - yes
Defend your mates if anything kicks off - absolutely
Go in with intention of roughing them up against the rules - penalty....Aussies get good ball on our line....try

I have seen stronger Australian sides in the past, the likes of Tate, Boyd, Bird & Scott don't particularly worry me too much.

But the spine of the team is very strong though...Slater, Thurston, Cronk & Smith are class and know each others game inside out via Queensland dominance .

Gallen is very good too but we could knock him off his game with some clever niggle.

Inglis in the centres is interesting...will playing full back all season at his club affect him?...I hope it does

I'm not sure why anyone is surprised how strong their team is.
They could have swapped a few players around and still had the same effect.

But ther is only 13 on the field at any one time same as us. We only need the 13 on the field to be better than theirs....that's all

I'm one of the most realistic fans you could meet, but let's see some positivity guys. As has been mentioned, our pack is as good as theirs. If we can utilise the pace we have on the flanks, we can score points. Hit them hard, hit them early, keep turning them round.

We'll sh*t 'em

Maybe, just maybe, this is because the Aussies trying to win the NRL aren’t actually that good

Looking at the NRL Grand Final, there were three outstanding wingers on display in Tupou, Tuivasa-Sheck and Taufua who are representing other nations in the world cup. I would take all three of these over the two wingers named for the Kangaroos. Only one of the four centres on show in the Grand Final (Jennings) was available for selection for Australia, Lyon retired from representative football years ago and Kenny-Dowall and Matai are Kiwis

In the pack it is even more telling. Probably only Souths have come close to the Roosters in dominating up front this year and the Roosters key men in the Grand Final were Waerea-Hargreaves, Moa and Sonny Bill Williams

I remember the time when the Kangaroo touring team was dominated by the two Grand Final teams and a winning run to the Grand Final was a key selection metric. Not this year though because clearly the best players in the NRL are not actually Australian

Our discipline has to be spot on because usually if they get in our 20 they score. If we cut out the cheap yards and make them actually earn their way up field then that will go a long way towards getting the result. I've seen us be ahead or close so many times and then give away a few penalties and be 18 points down and game over. It's easy to say I know but we need to stay calm. I think a lot of the mistakes we make are down to not knowing how to control our emotions against them.

I take your point and agree to some extent but you missed out the spine of 1,6,7 and 9.In Slater,Thurston,Cronk and Smith they have clearly the best players in their positions in the World.As long as players in the other positions are up to a good standard it will more often than not be enough to get them over the line against any team.