Sam was excellent today, I thought, especially in the second half when he really started taking on the line. I also thought Burgess, Graham, Crabtree, Sinfield, Eastmond and Westwood had good games.

I disagree with Conroy's cynical view about the second half. I don't think Australia took their foot off the gass or anything like that. Given their tonking of us in the world cup, if they'd have had opportunities to muller us they would have done, and gleefully. As it is they got all petulant and dropped some ball too. I think it was rather fortunate for them that we were so totally rubbish in the first half. Had we played in the first half like we did in the second, I think we might have won that game. It certainly would have gone to the wire anyway.

I liked what I saw in the second half, bar a couple of players who can't seem to get their act together (McGuire and my own dear Roby, who really does need to practise his passing, bless him). If we can take that level of energy, skill, inventiveness and determination - or even a greater level of all those - to the match next week then I think we could beat the Kiwis. So long as our forwards can handle their big guys!

I'm not saying we WILL beat the Kiwis, but I have more hope after today's match than I did after seeing England play the Kumuls last year!

Are you Paul Cullen

You are correct though, its not rocket science, you can get up easier if you are not on your back. We let them dominate the collision too much sometimes.

Some chap at the game kept screaming at the ref for letting the aussies hand on longer in the tackle..

But it was the fact there PTB was so much faster than ours. really hope MM can bring that into our game next season becauses a killer for defences