I think we lost that game because we didn't capitalise early on when we dominated possession. Watkins dropping Mcgillvary's pass.. Sarginson keeping hold of the ball when all he had to do is pass it onto Hall who would have had a walk in.

I thought we defended pretty well. Our support play was shocking though.

Poor game management at the end with us not being able to score one drop goal with 15 mins left. So frustrating.

Sarginson had a shocker. Watkins, well I don't think he's ever going to fulfill his potential sadly.

Everyone else seems to have watched a game where Watkins was ever given the ball. He wasn't given the ball more than half a dozen times and only once with any space - give him the opportunities Sarginson had and I'm confident he would have delivered, as it is he got nothing like that so it's only really fair to judge him on his defensive performance which was actually very good.

Or am I just supposed to agree he was rubbish because that's the thing at the minute?

Last 15 mins of the first half and for some periods of the second we just watched them and invited them on to us. Got to be in their faces for the full 80.
Sam Burgess was trying too hard at times out there, just like earlier this season with Souths. Needed to just calm down and do his job.
Neither Gale or Widdop are match-winners - needs a spark like Williams in there, especially close to the line. Gale's kicking game was poor.
Wanted to see more of Hodgson with the ball in hand, especially when he came on for his second stint.
Lomax did enough to keep his spot for me. I think having Ratchford at FB would just complicate matters.
Sarginson and Watkins the weak links for me. I just have no faith they'll pick the right option when the ball gets out to them. I'd want to be getting McGillvray in space as often as possible.
Hard to be too critical when we just don't play enough together as a national side.

This. Stick Shaun Edwards and Andy Greg in that side and i'd be much more confident of winning. Also helped that they played club rugby together so were on the same wavelength.

Not a great deal in it.

Johnsons ability to continually get repeat sets with a cute kicking game was the difference. Taumalolo was immense, head and shoulders the best forward on the park. Ran it in once and twice every set. Typical of him to show up in that mood today as he was pretty anonymous against the Aussies the other week.

I also thought Taupau was a handful off the bench. Also their bench players were more effective than ours.

England rely upon the efforts of Graham and S. Burgess way too much as evidenced by the stats. Their contribution to the cause is lopsided. This is why I always scoff at the claim that we have the best pack in the world.

Note how the Kiwi pack shared the workload out more. Proctor and Harris concentrate on making the tackles... Taumalolo and Taupau on the yardage. Graham and Burgess have to do both (and more) to compensate for the rest of the England forwards who struggle over 80 minutes at international level.

Bromwich and Waerea-Hargreaves didn't appear close to 100% fit to me, yet the Kiwi pack still held its own in the forward battle.

Usual nonsense spouted by Leeds fans about Watkins.

No matter who's he plays for (Leeds or England), it's never his fault when his performance stinks. It's always someone else's fault for not providing him with enough ball.

His regular anonymity in games couldn't possibly have anything to do with him being a lazy get and a shirker who goes AWOL.

Player ratings, stats charts AND England lost.

Someone's had a wonderful day. Just look how excited he is.

And right on cue, the saddo, bet-welching stalker turns up with nothing of any interest to add to any debate.

Please do tell us what he could have done to ensure people gave him the ball. Switched sides perhaps? The thing is I don't agree with you that hours performance stank, he hardly handled the ball which plain and simple isn't his fault because our halves favoured left side. What he did in defence was generally good, I don't recall him missing any tackles he made a few good and important ones, so please tell me how his performance stank?

Are you suggesting he should abandon hours position to come infield and take the ball? Would that dereliction of duty make you happier?

Simple fact is you can't do anything of people aren't giving you the ball, and Watkins was given no ball today. Whatever your opinion of him, to suggest that is entirely down to him is just stupid.

Yes, i've been sat here all night refreshing my screen until some sadsack bell-end troll re-posted the same tripe he's been posting every season since RLFans went live.

No, really.

Oh and please provide ANY of evidence of ANY "bet welching".

Seriously, please do.

No? Didn't think so.

Guffaw!!!

I eagerly await your silence on that one until the next time you call me it, before going silent again.....