thanks for that Donny

Photos of them in training on the Keepmoat pitch this morning. r82photography.photoshelter.com/ ... bNWdRi7TF4

Photos of them in training on the Keepmoat pitch this morning. r82photography.photoshelter.com/ ... bNWdRi7TF4

Tommy Leuluai out (Hamstring strain ) Kieran Foran the Number one New Zealand half to pair with likely halves partner in the test Shaun Johnson.

I left with 15 mins to go ... need I say more?
And guess what, I wasn't alone?
A boring miss-match.
Was it that serious that the Cook Islands got their try disallowed and NZ got a penalty try?
Bentham ....WTF??

Oh Stand-offish come on. It was a friendly. The game was about the spectacle and the prestige og hosting the World Champions. It is a game I will long remember, not just for the match but what the two teams have done in Doncaster over the past week.

Oh Stand-offish come on. It was a friendly. The game was about the spectacle and the prestige og hosting the World Champions. It is a game I will long remember, not just for the match but what the two teams have done in Doncaster over the past week.

Sorry, I would sooner have watched a contest.
The Dons would have put on a better show.
Was it really a spectacle?

Yes it is nice to see good players from far flung places and that is the lasting memory, but it was like Tyson versus Popeye.

Difficult to assess how good new Zealand are from the game, had it pretty easy, one thing we did learn was that the cook islands will not feature in the world cup for long. But still enjoyed it. Roll on the new season

Australia will win it.
Unfortunately.

Well done to the Dons for staging the game , pleased with the crowd of 4638,hoped we made some money.

Your stadium looks fantastic on the telly. I wish My Club side the NZ Warriors were set up at a pitch that is so close to the action.

The Penalty Try was rubish. It wasn't Benthams fault at all , over the Refs Mic you hear the Video Ref say ' Penalty Try Cook Islands kicked the ball out of the NZder's hand , in the nrl that would be a penalty at worst.
Benthams reaction to that instruction is a clear stunned " Penalty Try ?!?!!!! FOR WHAT ? ! ?!! ?
The Cook Islands equipped themselves well in their edge defense , up the Middle it was a horrible Miss Match.

Clearly NZ were practising drills , kicking early in the tackle count a lot in the first half in prep for being pinned by England / Australia.
It's a shame the Score blew out.
I'm surprised England haven't included Crabtree and Tom Burgess with George in your 17.
The Kiwis and the Aussies will launch everything off big packs. Expected England to do the same ?

That NZ Backline is missing a decent , it's pretty clear to me that when they include their top players against Samoa they have to play SBW at .

There's a better off loader than Wiliams to come into that pack ( Hargreaves )

I didn't see Englands friendly of course but I expect they will be a very different outfit come the opener.

NZ's only chance is they have a better forward Pack than Australia.

In the Burgess you have two twins as good as big......and throwing in Crabtree to dwarf the Aussies would have made a lot of sense for mine.