That will probably always be the case. Auntie is being shamed into [iseeming[/i to be more evenly representative, but it's all cockeyed. On the Beeb news this morning, they showed footage of Women's footie before the WC RL SF!

As it happens, Grimmo, the writer enjoys watching "yawnion" as well as the evolved (devolved?) code but he hates the protection that is given to RU by the, predominantly, (blindingly) white collar, media.

Back on thread, can't see an English win next week but where there's life there's hope. Will be screaming at the tele (as next weekend will not see the missus woken at an ungodly hour). Come on you Poms.

Chris H (sadly) has defo got to be seeing his last WC, Bateman shouldn't have seen this one (unless he paid for his own tickets).

Gayle's kicks, bar a couple, came under quick, heavy pressure and were therefore rushed, misdirected and ultimately fruitless (as were a couple of early hoists from Brown). Whilst it may signal intent, is it that revolutionary for the halves to drop three or four yards further behind the ruck later in sets? It can always be a bluff.

Sam has shone like a Toc H lamp so far this tournament - though at least he'd applied a bit of Prittstick to his paws this weekend. England need a big shift from him in the final.

Disagreeing with an earlier poster on this thread, thought Widdop was not just the MOM today but da DADDY too.

England need to improve, but they've done so week on week thus far.

Just bloomin' well go out there and 'ave a bloomin' go in what may well be the biggest game of your lives.

Hi mate! In this post you have basically rubbished every selection choice Bennett has made. We aren’t talking about some rubbish player turned rubbish coach like Radford, we are talking about a world class coach. As you obviously know more about coaching than Bennett, if like to know which professional teams you have coached?

Kind regards

King James

England reaching the RLWC Final was the main sport headline on the 10pm news on BBC1.

And a decent report, ahead of the RU internationals.

Wonder if it'll warrant a mention at any point before kick-off next week.

Yeah saw that afterwards as well, just don’t understand the inconsistency with their sports reporting

The DG obviously read Bongser's earlier diatribe. But, then again, it could've been merely a ploy to distract from other England sportsmen (more favoured by The Corporation) that may very well face a damn good aris-kicking at the hands of another team from Upside-Down. At least Scotland RU (that's the code where the Scottish players are Scots - confusing it has to be said) tonked some Aussies.

So you've had a go at someone criticising Bennett with basically "what have you done as a coach" yet you slag off a 2 time CC winning coach calling him rubbish? Do you have a few CC wins to your name to be able to critique him or are you determined lately to make yourself look daft?

We were so fragile during the last ten minutes yesterday that I'm worried we could get blown away if the Aussies get an early lead. I really hope that it's a close game though. It won't be good for RL if the final is massively one-sided. There will hopefully be a decent TV audience in England so I just want the final to be close so that it keeps peoples attention. Realistically I probably wouldn't give us more than a 10-20% chance of winning, but you never know. The Kiwis managed to surprise them in 2008 so maybe we can do the same.

Unless they were playing at 50% in the opening game, they are definitely beatable.

We were the better team in the second half but a penalty given to them (that shouldn’t have) at 10-4 took the game away from us.

We roughed Cronk up and took him out of the game, the only thing is Slater stepped up as the third pivot.

But yes we can beat them... BELIEVE!

So a few questions..
Will our patron be attending the final?
If we win, will our team be invited to the palace to receive their knighthoods like their union counterparts did?
Will there be an open top bus ride through the streets of the capital if we are crowned world champions?

I'm guessing it will be a no on all three accounts.

Can we win it? Yes
Will we win it? Will have to play the game of their lives
Will anyone in this country care if we win. Sadly not many

Amusingly the poster you are defending wanted his club coach sacking (even went to the lengths of starting an online petition) prior to said coach taking us to two Wembley winning finals and two SL play-off semi-finals.

dont give us much of a chance to be honest, Australia by 20+ i feel but we will give a good fist of it early on.

lost hodgson now, ok roby is a good replacement but hodgson helps with our kicking game... which is awful, gale is hit and miss and brown has never been able to kick.

one of the biggest things though that people seem to be forgetting is the amout of travelling this England team have had to do.. they must be exhausted and battered... the aussies will be much fresher.

been across australia twice, east to west and then a trip to auckland and now back to brisbane. recovery will be key but feel we are already burned out, yesterdays tonga game was a bruiser too