1, ball retention.
Too many of our forwards make crucial mistakes at vital times. Mossop, Tom B and Benny Westwood have a habit of dropping the ball.

2 Discipline
We cannot afford to give away too many penalties
Westwood and McIlorum and Chase cannot play in the same team and expect to win.
Chase and McIlorum need to concentrate on their performance not sticking their hand in opponents faces at every PTB.


3 Half Backs
are not creating enough to break down better defences. Passing the ball wide and exposing poor defence wont work against NZ.
McNamara does not know who to play at half back and in what combination.

4 Squad selection mistakes were made in the squad selection and it means S Burgess has to play at prop with Graham , Hill and G Burgess in the rotation.

5 The bench.
McNamara does not know what his best team is yet. Charnley or Briscoe on the wing. Burrow or McIlorum at hooker, What to do with Widdop, Sam B in the second row or Ferres and Farrell swapping around.

For England to have a chance all of the above need to be corrected, we need an error free game with superb discipline to give us a chance.

McNamara will not get it right.

With 'supporters' like you it's a wonder we're even in the semi!

Get a life! Support the team!

I was supporting Ireland.

I am only supporting England because it think it will be good for RL internationally and in this country . Otherwise i dont give a FF who wins. HTH

Go and support the Kiwis....

It wont be as advantageous for RL if NZ win. HTH.

Agree, although there is a sixth reason:

6 McBanana

The negativity that has been spouted about England's WC campaign had frankly been both dissapointing and a tad depressing, I get the feeling certain 'fans' want England to fail so they can say 'I told you so'.

We are through to the semis we have hammered 2 sides comfortably beaten a much improved French side and came the closest we've been to beating Austrslia since 2006.

Oh and the childish McBanana name calling is now getting tedious.

i agree

Pretty much sums some people up. They just want to be able to jump up and down in mock rage because their favourite player isn't included in the squad.

Think of Leeds in the years when they shocked the league when they hadn't been playing great and it all clicked at once at the right time. Playing bad sides sometimes pulls the worst out of teams with the scrappy nature the same way playing the best allows the team to rise to their very best. and the likes of Sam B and Tomkins have the potential to do amazing things.

Tired of this negativity no wonder the sport wont get huge internationally with fans like we have. England football are never going to win anything anytime soon but it doesn't stop fans believing in them and getting behind them with the hope and passion that with a good run of form it may all click.

Truth is that there is no pleasing England fans full stop. Even when we win, we can always find ways to poke holes in the performance. IF we do beat New Zealand next week it won't be through a great England performance, it will no doubt be due to the kiwis playing crap followed quickly with articles of why England won't beat Australia in the final!

Durham Giant is the most childlike of all the posters on rlfans. He's a reminder of what we might have been like when we were teenagers. But the poor petal never grew out of it. It's all simplistic thoughts, angst-ridden vendettas and schoolyard tantrums. Booo hoo.

It is rubbish pathetic posts like these that prove once and for all that the enemy is within. RL FANS, and I use that phrase carefully are the biggest problem within our game. With idiots like this bloke who needs enemies. Either get behind the team or clear off. Yes the game and parts of England's performances could have been better, but we are in the semi. It is 17 blokes against 17. Neither NZ or the Aussies have fired on all cylinders for a full 80. Everything to play for on Saturday.

England could win he cup and idiots on here would still complain about this or that player, the coach, the team bus, the shade of white in the shirt, the pies, the seats, certain clubs fans not turning up, the weather, London tube, M62 junction 8 the list goes on.

For once, just once could all fans of all clubs get behind England, pack Wembley and just shut up moaning. Sing your bl@@dy hearts out for the lad's who get battered time and time a gain and do it for us and themselves.

If you can't afford the train or petrol then set off tomorrow and walk to the game and raid money for a charity, but get there give it 100% unconditional support! and then and only then if we play poorly come on here an moan.

Of course failing that you SUPER COACHES / PLAYERS could always take up the game and get picked! Then Chase, Sinfield, McM, T Burg, and all the others you spineless muppets moan about can have a pop at you!

Rant over. Come on England, for Queen, country, the fans and yourselves time to get this monkey off our backs. The Kiwis and Aussies are just blokes like you. Give them HELL!

It's similar to when Sinfield won the golden boot, you would think that would be something to celebrate, but not in an English RL fans eyes it was just something to denegrate, it's been the only downside to a wonderful WC.

I can't see us winning but it's not any sort of huge mismatch that some would have you believe. They're slightly ahead of us in the talent stakes but any team that has Tomkins, Hall, Sam and George Burgess, Graham etc will have a chance of getting a victory in any game.

I will be going to the game with more hope then expectation but I went to the same Stadium in May hoping Wigan Athletic wouldn't embarrass themselves against the Billionaires of Man City and that turned out ok! If that can happen this is a doddle!