*Official* Rugby League World Cup 2013

[Goughy]

It is going to be a tough game to watch today. Im sure like most England League fans, I am devoid of any optimism.

 

[Hurricane]

NZ should have been the number one seed in this and instead they will match up against England in the semis while Australia or whoever wins their group get some free walk in the park.

 

[Furball]

What time's the game today anyway?

 

[NUFAN]

The game starts at 2:30 UK time, perfect timing to switch over from the Arsenal match.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Will be ugly, IMHO. If we hold the Roos to 20 I think we'd almost have done well.

Pack will match up well (might even say ours looks very slightly better, if anything; will take odds on one of the Burgesses squaring up to Gallen at some point) but the difference between the backs is just huge. Reed (an Aussie, pretty much, obvz) is a massive miss in the centres & the comparison between the halves makes one weep.

Italy/Taffs might be a better game, tbh. Taking the Eyeties after they dicked us last Sat.

 

[NUFAN]

I mentioned earlier that Italy actually have a decent lineup so on paper they deserve to be favourites but home ground advantage you would imagine will help Wales.

I'm looking forward to Australia's match. I feel better knowing Graham isn't playing. Betting sites have the margin now at 13.5, it was 12 earlier in the week. For Oz I think Tate and Tamou are lucky to have a starting spot for the opener, Sheens has said that the 7 who miss out will play next game against Fiji.

 

[Burgey]

Be good for some UK league fans to hopefully get a decent look at Fifita. Maybe the fastest front rower I've ever seen, great leg drive and hits like a Mack truck.

Kid has game.

Looking forward to this tourney. It should be good watching all round IMO.

 

[Burgey]

Lee Mossop is meant to be playing at parra next year isn't he? Be interested in seeing if he can make 368 tackles and 239 hit ups per game and make a difference to our side.

 

[Burgey]

How is Thaiday playing for Australia? Fmd he had a dud year and did **** all in origin too.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah mate, he is at the Eels.

Pretty happy to hear the familiar voice of Vossy in the box!

 

[Burgey]

Big improvement on Hadley.

League really is the ultimate TV sport isn't it? If you wanted to design a footy code for TV watching you couldn't do much more than league as it is played. And loving it on the HD channel.

Decent start from England here. Beware the embarrassed team etc etc

 

[NUFAN]

Nice try but how the **** did Australia get so outnumbered there? Well done England.

 

[Burgey]

Tate and Morris gonna have some traffic sent their way.

Let's be honest, you wouldn't run at inglis would you?

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah exactly. I would definitely be running at that pairing. Not that they aren't good individual footballers but Inglis and Boyd have a strong combination. I like Tate but I think we should have had Jennings in the centres and probably Hayne on the wing.

 

[Burgey]

This Hill **** is having a red hot go. Looks the goods.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah exactly. I would definitely be running at that pairing. Not that they aren't good individual footballers but Inglis and Boyd have a strong combination. I like Tate but I think we should have had Jennings in the centres and probably Hayne on the wing.

Hayne is certainly fresh, having played all of three games since Origin, the soft ****. Surprised he isn't at Canberra, the way Stuart kept him in cotton wool.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah he has had a good couple of offloads (Hill). Pretty alarming actually from Australia's point of view how many offloads England have already managed.

 

[Burgey]

Our blokes look flat don't they? England well up for it.

Noted former Penrith and Parramatta half back Henry Perenara getting that call correct.

 

[NUFAN]

He's had a massive rise in the ref ranks hasn't he?

So stupid that we didn't have a warm up match considering who our first match was against. I mean if we were playing Ireland first game I could understand it a little more but this match is important to win.

 

[Burgey]

Lost that but piss week from our blokes that George Burgess could drive his legs for five metres to the try line through an Australian forward pack.