Wakeham certainly has a good short kicking game

He’s paid to be controversial, don’t be surprised when he is… it’s the newspaper equivalent of click-bait.

I think that undersells the result. Young is a promising NRL winger but in NRL circles not in the same league as To'o. Wiliams had a good spell in Canberra but nowhere the standard of Luai. Tom Burgess is a strong prop but Junior Paulo is a genuine top-draw prop, whereas Burgess is just a big guy who knocks on a lot. For every NRL player in the England side, their Samoan counterpart is a far better player, apart from Radley, which makes the result stand out more.

The only thing I'm worried about is that Wane is saying that the team against France is his best team, which will include Ryan Hall. Really? Good from five yards out, but Young is better at scoring

Not sure where the Farnworth is from Skipton line came from, Noble mentioned it yesterday too.

He went to school in Skipton but born in Burnley and Wigan background. Played at Newton Jets and St Pats and his uncle who moved him to Australia was lead scout at Wigan.

It matters not though in my opinion. I don’t care where they are from as long as they have a passion to play for England and qualify. Radley being a great example of that.

Thought we were very good yesterday across the field. Aggressive defence and line speed is a hallmark of a Wane coached team and it totally unsettled the Samoans from the kick off.

Good mix of youth and experience in the squad all it bodes well now for a semi spot and a realistic tilt at the final.

i think next two games we may see a couple of the other players have a game. However that team yesterday was obviously Wanes first choice. What will be interesting is when we get to the knock out stage, who out of that 17 will miss out if all fit. The reason I say that is because I am sure Wane will want Bateman in there.

Don’t disagree with that but I think he’s genuinely clueless or stupid or a bit of both

I used to listen 40/20 live which he was on all the time
His knowledge of modern players is utterly awful his opinions outdated and he struggles to get a sensible point across

Which is why he’s deemed a laughing stock and completely irrelevant

Don’t disagree with that but I think he’s genuinely clueless or stupid or a bit of both

I used to listen 40/20 live which he was on all the time
His knowledge of modern players is utterly awful his opinions outdated and he struggles to get a sensible point across

Which is why he’s deemed a laughing stock and completely irrelevant

I think his upbringing is in that hinterland between Burnley and Keighley, where it was maybe Yorkshire at some point. I know his neighbour.

As a matter of interest, I was chatting to his neighbour last year about Herbie, who was starting to cement his position at Brisbane, and his neighbour had been told by his father that he would end up playing for England rugby union. Now, his neighbour is quite-posh, a Burnley solicitor and proper-posh, boarding school background, so maybe that reflects the neighbour's wishes or his dad's ambition, but I keep looking out for that.

I think he was on a sporting scholarship to a private school in Skipton so probably played a lot of Union at school alongside his amateur league and football as I believe he was an outstanding footballer too on the books of Manchester United.

England RU did get mentioned at some point when his next contract started to hit the news in Aus. He clearly loves league more, so maybe the Aus lifestyle and NRL cash will keep him in the game.

It was great to be there.
I guarantee there wasn't a dry eye in the (east) stand around me when Rob Burrow was introduced.....
Great performance, but the atmosphere was a bit flat even with 43,000 in there.............

Not sure if this is the right thread

Like to wish former Trinity player Greece coach Steve Georgalis

Gigot iis really rubbish

Never got him, had one decent season and that was it.