He is regarded as a golden boy due to his performances in the NRL at a very young age. Before he got injured he was THE most exciting player in world rugby. He has finally got back playing this season and its taken him time to get his confidence back.

Nobody has ever said he is proven at International level and whether or not he produces his best in this comp he will still be the no.6 for NZ next year. I would strongly doubt there is any timescale for him to 'turn it on soon' in all honesty.

He can do things that no one else in the NZ team can, all he needs is the right platform.

That is the Kiwis problem. Since Stacey Jones they have not had a world class scrum half. Marshall is an out and out stand off who probably has the weight of the Kiwi expectation on his shoulders...or he will have if they dont improve this weekend with a different 7 next to him.

Losing the experince in the pack and the sheer class of SBW leaves the Kiwis looking fairly ordinary to me.

The ones in bold are in the Samoa squad iirc, think that Pritchard maybe as well but thats more of a guess than knowledge

Mostly injured although some of them were not going to play for NZ anyway, they had opted to play for Tonga or Samoa.

Just watched Tonga v Ireland, great game.

Willie Manu played very well, as did both centre's Jennings was great, Leo Latu was awesome from dummy half, and the Forwards were tough, if they cut out the ill discipline and errors they would have looked loads better.

Wouldn't mind a couple of those players in a Hull shirt.

Glad Jennings who i have been putting massive raps on, on here for over a year showed up well. That said he wasnt anything special compared to his performances for Penrith.

The Tonga v Samoa game will be a penalty-athon.

Got to agree with most others on here, the Tonga-Ireland game was the best so far.

If you ask me, the only ones letting this tournament down are the Aussies. The press and the general public over there have been pretty negative towards every other team. I know the Aussies are by far the best team in the World and will no doubt win the comp but, there hasn't been a bad game up to now, (except for the Aus - NZ game perhaps?) and I have been very impressed with the performances of the so called minnows. Hopefully their attitudes will change after seing the games so far.

Now for a very radical idea, I think in some ways it would be better if the Aussies weren't in the comp at all. Sure, it wouldn't make financial sense and it would never happen but, it would be a very exciting World Cup non the less.

Just watched the Ireland and Tonga game.

A couple of the Tongans impressed me,the centre Etuate Uaisele ,and the bullocking 22 year old prop Sam Moa.

it seems that most so called rugby fans have england beat at every game they are gunna play,they have had one bad game same as most ov the "top" superleague teams last season when they played the "beatable castleford"who whupped there ass they obviously had a bad game and so have england but to say they wont beat anybody after scraping through against png is just dumb,ok they were pretty dire in defence and not fantastic in attack but png gave em a good game and that can only wake em up(better do),australia were at best above average against the kiwi`s,on form england can and have beat the auzzZZZzzZZies when they had a decent side....lets get behind our awesome bunch ov players(they are the best the country has got)and beat the living crap out the so called champions.........COME ON ENGLAND


ENGLISH AND PROUD

is that a war cry .....................

maybe "O/T" but could find another thread.. Are any places like Barracuda with a big screen open on Sunday morning for the Oz game?

Watched the highlights this morning on Indian TV Channel 10, see the word is spreading.
Thought Manu looked as tho' he'd been eating all the pies.
What a gob on that no.6,had he never heard of Ganson,surprised he stayed on the pitch as long as he did.

Read in the Mail last night Caldy might get to play, where are you all watching the game ?