Back to my original post - in my view the Australians are also now a long way down from their team of the 80's and 90's. In those days they did thrash us regularly but our team did contain what i would world class players - Edwards, Hanley, Offiah, Woods, Drummond, Gregory, Gregory, Platt, Davies, Goodway, Farrell + others.

In this full time pro era it seems that a players ability to do well in the gym, become strong and fast, has taken away from the development of skills in other areas.

Oh for a forward with the ball skills of Derek Pyke or Eddie Bowman, a side step like Tommy Grainey or Bev Risman, an eye for a gap like John Woods. To be a little more contentious and referring to more recent times i would say that Neil Turley had more basic rugby ability than most of our current crop of so called internationals.

I disagree, as this Aussie team is supposed to be one of their weekest in years. They have a lot of class out.

Well you are entitled to your opinion but we were missing players too. Gone are the days they regularly put 50 plus on us.

I think we avoided a thrashing against the aussies by not getting to the final.

I'm with you on this one Frank, they used to put 50 on us, in England against our best side. We have took a team with an average ave of 23 and lost by 14 and we were robbed by the ref. In Australia. Without about 5 key players. The future looks good to me.

So they used to put 50 past us now its only 40, eeh just another 5 years to go then before we start to beat them