It won't be this. Farrell is on the bench with Ferres starting. Ablett is also on the bench.

Australia 42, England 12. (HT Australia 24 England 6)

BBC Commentators will be asking whether Graham could have made a difference.
Sinfield's kicking was not impressive. BBC Commentators will be asking why Widdop was not starting No. 6.

Second game Italy 46, Wales 6. (HT Italy 30, Wales 0)

BBC commentators wonder whether this World Cup is going to be a series of blowouts, except for a preordained final of Australia vs New Zealand.

I didn't hear O'Loughlin's name mentioned in relation to the disciplinary issues so think his is just based on fitness.......which is actually more of a worry. Hopefully he can play a part in the other group games, if not then his involvement in the knockout stages doesn't look promising. After the Italy loss and off field stuff then another big leader on the pitch would be very important.

If Parker can make the Aussie team Ablett has nothing to worry about. I like Parker but he is solid, no frills was an offload. Ablett by plenty.

He's a fabulous player and his form for England has always been top notch. I'm sure he'll be right for next week or at worst the Fiji game. He's the ultimate professional so he'll do all he can to get it fit.

You certainly won't catch him skipping a booze ban or missing training.

You may not be far wrong their my pseudo French buddy!

Brian Noble talking about the "calibre" (mispronounced) on show.

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall
Chase
Sinfield
S Burgess
Roby
Hill
Farrell
Ferres
Westwood

G Burgess
Ablett
Widdop
Mossop

So we expect Roby to do 80 but we'll rotate our halves?

Good plan.

1. Tomkins
2. Charnley
3. Watkins
4. Cudjoe
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Sinfield
8. Gurgess
9. Roby
10. Mossop
11. Westwood
12. Farrell
13. Surgess

14. Hill
15. Turgess
16. Ferres
17. Burrow

Can someone explain to me how Tom Burgess got into the squad? He's played 9 first grade games in Oz.

And the last game he played was one of his many game in the reserves for North Sydney where he was stretchered off!



Surely we're not picking players cos they play in the NRL???

Who is international class?

We have plenty of players that perform very well at club level, both here and the NRL, but how many actually perform at international level?

After every tournament we have all the usual inquests. Fundemental reasons why we don't beat the aussies. Playing numbers, quality of competion, size of the sport in the respective countries etc, take your pick.

But we should be better than we are. Am I the only one who thinks that?

This is sport, why can't we put out a team that performs above themselves and produces an upset?

Yet year after vear, we see our players just doing stupid stuff at international level. Australia may be a cut above us, but we also implode as well. I just remember in 2008 against australia when under little pressure ade gardner was floundering on the wing and ran into one of our players then fell to the ground. I mean, what in the blue f*ck were they doing?

We make ourselves look like complete nonces at international level. Our players step onto the field and look like they have played only a handful of first team games.

This seems to be something specific to australia because we have no problems performing against the kiwis. It also seems to be something that has developed fairly recently as we went through a phase in 03/04 where we could really stand up and give them a game.

Anywho, i expect no different on saturday. They'll be stupid offloads in the wrong position gifting australia field position (makes me laugh people claiming x factor with hock, because this is exactly the thing he would be guilty of) 1 decoy runner close to the line will see a parting of the red sea. When we attack players will be stood flat and stationary, headless chicken stuff. The forwards will be largely dominated and will struggle for field position despite them apparently being awesome.

Negative? It's just the script over the last 6 years.

Thats the spirit, i hope the team are reading!

All very true mind, but at least we get another 24hrs or so to hope and clutch at straws before the inevitable pin gets put into the balloon.

Mcnamara couldn't tell him or George apart?

Tom has played more first team rugby than his brother George