Is it only me got up at 5am to watch this or have you all gone back to bed??

Mixed feelings here. On the one hand Eng played really well first half, but did not make the superiority count with points on the board. Disappointing second half - as Nobby said, we went away from what worked for us first half and it seemed to be a "what we have we hold" attitude which was never going to work.

Seen this so often over the years with ENG/GB v Aus, its a mental thing. It looks to me like they dont BELIEVE they can win, even when they're pretty comfortably in front.

All that said (1) there was a very debatable 5-1 penalty count 2nd half (2) have seen several versions of the late Ryan Hall try and it is a nailed on 100%er - there are also views of Aus's first try and it is at least as debatable.

The Aussies are killing RL with their win at all costs attitude. We have never beaten them in a competition situation since 1970 so why do they have to stack the deck in their own favour with not just their own refs but their own video refs?

Contreversial decisions apart we should of beaten a far from full strength aussie team.

One word.....................CHEATS

Not the team, the aussie officials who run the show.

Two players who I thought were not up to the task were Joel Tomkins and Hodgson, today and last week.
Sheens at his best though today with the second half changes. Master stroke bringing on Hunt for a forward. I don't know if I'm being over critical but Australia's try's were pretty soft ones to concede. Sloppy defending. I was screaming for us to move up and pressure their attacks but we hardly even went anywhere near their kickers. You can't let a team, even a second string Aussie team run at you. Cherry Evans should have been flattened today. Instead he was allowed to run right across the line.

B
Just found out the video ref was the refs brother wtf

Joel & Sam are brothers as well.

Just seen the disallowed try.

Video ref got it wrong. End of.

Got up at 4.30 to watch that and felt robbed by the 2nd half performance of the ref and then the final decision of the Video Ref was just cheating, plain and simple. That was a try any day of the week. A flukey try, yes, but a try none the less! The VR knew that awarding the try would send Australia out of the comp and he bottled it. Appalling, corrupt decision by a 'home' ref

But the ref or the video ref didn't let them score the tries. We were poor against a poor Aussie side end of. Whitehead should have been out there today.

It was a dodgy decision but Hall didn't think he had scored. Australia are rebuilding and should have been beaten well before that decision.

First half territory and procession should have built a greater lead. Second half negativity, conservative and relatively no risk rugby let the Aussies back in it. The Inglis no try could have beengiven which negated Ryan Halls try. Joel Tomkins still of the pace and Jennnings was too much for Watkins. Another we "could and should have won"games. Oh well, reckon we are capable of beating the current best team in the world in a one off match by 10 so still a lot to look forward to.

It was never a try! The ball never changed direction when he put his finger on it. There was no pressure applied to the ball.

I think England need to drop Hodgson, had a shocker in defense. Joel Tomkins has been quiet as well and really poor defensively, my team for the kiwis would be:

1) S. Tomkins
2) J.Burgess
3) Hardaker
4) Sarginson
5) Hall
6) Widdop
7) Smith
G.Burgess
9) Clark
10) Graham
11) Whitehead
12) Ferres
13) O'Loughlin

14) Ratchford
15) Hill
16) T.Burgess
17) Westerman (if Farrell is banned)

Charnley, Watkins, Shenton, Cooper, Farrell, Hodgson, J.Tomkins

To be fair, Charnley and Watkins aren't guaranteed spots like you say. Probably wouldn't be a bad call to drop Charnley and Watkins, however they bring so much attacking flair that it balances their defensive frailties.

I'll change the team above because your probably right above Charnley.