The final will be over as a contest inside the first 20 minutes - Australia are just too strong

There needs to be a balance. If we try and chuck it about too much we'll gift them field position. We need to complete early and get a foothold in the game. If we can stay within 6 points (if we aren't able to be ahead) then anything can happen as this is afterall sport.

Because most of the great Brazilian footballers are either dead or too old to play at a competitive level. I am talking about now.

English football and RU are the best funded in the world in their particular sport - how long since England won the soccer world cup? How well did England RU do in the last world cup? So your idea that money and participation levels lead to automatic success doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

NZ are as well funded as the Aussies i.e. all their players play in the same competition the NRL how come the Aussies are so far ahead?

The All Blacks come from a country with a population <5m yet they are able to beat England with a population 10 times the size - Australia like NZ in RU will always be a dominant force in RL no matter how many countries played the sport.

Same for Tonga, Italy, Samoa.......it's just that if you're Australian Born then you only ever want to play for the Kangaroos.....until you're overlooked and then you'll find a Grandparent who can make Pasta or who once drank a pint of Guinness......so the Kangaroos selectors get the first draft every time and the other nations get second best.

In the specific case of the Kiwis, they have been atrociously managed as a group in recent years and the defectors did untold damage to their hopes this time around, but at least they have won 3 of the last 10 v Australia....if you remove the Kiwis then the Kangaroos haven't lost a game against anyone else for 21 years.

Quote: Call Me God "Same for Tonga, Italy, Samoa.......it's just that if you're Australian Born then you only ever want to play for the Kangaroos.....until you're overlooked and then you'll find a Grandparent who can make Pasta or who once drank a pint of Guinness......so the Kangaroos selectors get the first draft every time and the other nations get second best. In the specific case of the Kiwis, they have been atrociously managed as a group in recent years and the defectors did untold damage to their hopes this time around, but at least they have won 3 of the last 10 v Australia....if you remove the Kiwis then the Kangaroos haven't lost a game against anyone else for 21 years.'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 112502.stm

Quote: Call Me God "Same for Tonga, Italy, Samoa.......it's just that if you're Australian Born then you only ever want to play for the Kangaroos.....until you're overlooked and then you'll find a Grandparent who can make Pasta or who once drank a pint of Guinness......so the Kangaroos selectors get the first draft every time and the other nations get second best. In the specific case of the Kiwis, they have been atrociously managed as a group in recent years and the defectors did untold damage to their hopes this time around, but at least they have won 3 of the last 10 v Australia....if you remove the Kiwis then the Kangaroos haven't lost a game against anyone else for 21 years.'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 112502.stm

England can beat Australia, but its a very low probability.

In defence we need to not miss tackles, and pressure Cameron Smith. Against Fiji he was doing what he did this year for the Storm, getting out of acting half and wandering around taking his time to pick a pass and effectively playing both hooker and first receiver. It added so much width to the Australian attack it was almost impossible for Fiji to number up. If he starts doing that our defenders at acting half have to chase him all game, and make him at least take tackles. He's a great player with an amazing engine, but he won't enjoy being knocked over every couple of minutes (not to mention it would take him out of the next play).

In attack we have to play with more variation. Gale and Brown are doing exactly what Bennett would want them to do as he likes to play with structure and use his full back as the playmaker out wide. We need to change things up - inside passes, short passes, dummy half runs etc to stop the Australian defence getting set. Oh and not drop the ball whilst doing that.

Realistically Australia should easily put 30 on us, and we'd be lucky to make double figures. I just hope Bennett has some plays or tactics up his sleeve which he's been saving for the final.

Probably not but we will turn up to play the game anyway.

Sorry...11 years. That makes it so much better by the way.....Australia have lost 11, drawn 2 and won 79 of their tests this Century....SO MUCH BETTER

I think we've suffered for not taking Tomkins. That would have given us the option of having Widdop in the halves without losing the pivot at FB as favoured by Bennett. With Tomkins, Widdop, Roby & O'Loughlin through the spine there would have been enough creativity and threat to at least trouble the Aussies and give us, on a good day, at least a fighting chance. Big selection error once Hardaker self destructed for mine.

Unlikely but it would be the most Wayne Bennett moment ever for England to somehow pinch it. I just don't see us causing them enough problems though. Luke Gale looks sub-standard at this level.