Comments on: Get set for a battle royale at the Four Nations

By: Crosscoder

Crosscoder — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:13:26 +0000

The Kangaroos V Kiwis was a smasher of a game.Seven tries in all,aaprt from the dumb penalties and the usual idiotic antics of Gallen,a thoroughly enjoyable spectacle.
Brumbie fan.Please get a life.France is in it ,because they actually play the game and are growing the game in that country.The game is getting back on its feet after bad administration and being nearly wiped out by your code’s officials, dalliance with a certain despised govt.

By: M1tch

M1tch — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:13:50 +0000

We did against France, its really exciting time for the game Steve.
Tomkins, Eastmond and Myler..I dont rate McGurie though and I thought he was lucky to get picked, he has failed before for the Poms.
The game next week will be massive in Wigan, I tend to think with their forward pack, and if young Briscoe v Hayne they might cause the aussies some headaches

By: Dogs Of War

Dogs Of War — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:53:02 +0000

Enjoyed the game immensely. Worth getting up early for.

NZ really deserved the win, but the Kangaroos never say die.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:47:21 +0000

A good game. I never thought I’d see the day when an Australian rugby league fan cheers for a draw.

By: westy

westy — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:44:35 +0000

I know a young bloke playing for the Cook Islands and after beating samoa 22 to 20 they have beaten Fiji 24 to 22 in rugby league’s Pacific Cup. Good luck to them they play the final against the winner of papua new guinea and Tonga.

By: Working Class Rugger

Working Class Rugger — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:18:24 +0000

After watching this morning’s match. I’m backing the inevitable Australia vs New Zealand final. Neither England nor France have the ability to really challenge either one of them. Bloody average.

By: Jeff Baxter

Jeff Baxter — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:55:12 +0000

Mick i was that was true but it strikes me that there are plenty of people within the game ready to decry any innovation and risk taken to expand the game, especially at the international level.

By: macavity

macavity — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:39:59 +0000

Sau > Inu

I would have Inu in for Goodwin (has he ever run further than 10m for a try?) but Sau is a fantastic centre – he would make an interesting NFL running back, he makes so much ground after the first contact and often shrugs off a few on his way.

Inu is more of a classic outside back, but Sau genuinely damages people and thoroughly deserves his position.

By: michaelunt

michaelunt — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:30:26 +0000

The AFL would kill for a tournament like this. It can spend all the money it likes but with Rugby League at last expanding its International agenda, it will have a greater capacity to grow the game and the player base to improve the profile and sponsorship of the game.

There is a long way to go but we are stepping in the right direction.

By: The Answer

The Answer — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:12:31 +0000

That may have been the result both sides wanted.

England had a tougher hit out than expected and will hoepfully now wake up. France would have got a lot of confidence from their first half but too much ill discipline cost them dearly.

By: Mick from Giralang

Mick from Giralang — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:07:41 +0000

Good point. In fact the NRL is so determined to further enmesh the islander community in our great game that it’s recently appointed a development officer in western Sydney with the sole job of getting more kids of islander heritage to play the game. They are an ornament to the code.

By: Mick from Giralang

Mick from Giralang — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:05:42 +0000

Jeff I think you’ll find most of the contempt directed at rugby league’s international program is driven by ignorance or envy from supporters of other codes. Anyone with a genuine interest in the game fully supports these tournaments, even ( or should I say especially) the qualification competitions where you see the game played from the heart. It’s a breath of fresh air in an increasingly commercialised and cynical sporting landscape.

By: Mick from Giralang

Mick from Giralang — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:02:16 +0000

I hope that’s the one shocker England needed to get out its system…

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:47:56 +0000

FT: England 34-12 France

England win the second half 30-0. France tired, and the English victory was inevitable. England improved but not massively. In many ways the game was a typical first hit out with lots of errors and sets not completed.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:44:08 +0000

HT: England 4-12 France

Horrible first half from England. Their kicking game is non-existant and their general tactics are poor – far too many intricate dummy runs and dummy runners instead of allowing the England pack to grind out the middle of the field. France look good value for their lead.

By: Steve Kaless

Steve Kaless — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:10:58 +0000

I agree Alan, a strange call. However, Kearney must be thinking it is going to be blood and thunder at the Stoop and figures that Sau might offer some extra grunt.

By: wannabprop

wannabprop — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:16:46 +0000

Wanted to say this for a long time… Thank god both Rugby League and Rugby Union have Pacific Island nations to draw on for player talent – no mothers telling them they can’t play – where would both codes be without them?

By: Jeff Baxter

Jeff Baxter — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:04:52 +0000

And to think some rugby league ‘fans’ dont want to see these match ups and these tournaments! These guys are fighting for a place in the four nations and will be playing there hearts out, risking life and limb for their mates and country while sneering ‘fans’ of the sport are posting what a waste of time it all is. Always astonishes me. Any highlights anywhere? I hear that the pacific tournament will be broadcast live on the internet for the international audience. Can’t wait.

By: Tom Alexander.

Tom Alexander. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:21:49 +0000

The Cook islands on Saturday night were determined to win at all costs. The Samoans in those opening minutes were genuinely rattled by the intensity and agression shown by the Cook Islanders. After letting in those opening 2 tries, the Samoans were always playing catch up football. In that 2nd half they had the Cook Islanders on the ropes a few times but just couldn’t deliver the knockout punch. Tony De La Heras was pretty lenient allowing a lot of holding down in the tackles which effectively slowed the play the ball down. The Cronulla player Terence Seu Seu had a pretty solid game at halfback, unfortunately, he was taken out by a late shot that fair dinkum almost cut him in half. Some of the hits in this game were massive. Kyle LeuLuai and Jack Afamasanga were busy all night with some big defence and were able to make some good busts up the middle of the park. Samoa just couldn’t take full advantage by finishing them off. Leaving Tony Puletua and Francis Meli in the stands probably went against Samoa in the end. Some of the last tackle options by the lesser experienced players were pretty poor. Rugby League needs this tournament to be a permenant fixture in order for the International game to improve.

By: The Link

The Link — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:10:08 +0000

Hardly a sham, these nations have been playing each other for over 60 years.

If you’re a Rugby fan in Australia you’ve got bigger fish to fry sorting out your own patch at the moment.

By: Michael B

Michael B — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:04:06 +0000

Alan, its a disgrace. I feel Steven Kearney doesn’t rate Inu that much. He is so much better than Goodwin and Perrett. He would have been great on the wing. Oh well, lets hope he gets a fair go, because this guy is a classy player, something Kiwi’s are lacking in the backline.

By: Steve Kaless

Steve Kaless — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:21:22 +0000

Surely the most pleasing thing going into this tournament for any rugby league fan is that it is finally part of a larger strategic plan. These tournaments in the past have been treated as too much of an afterthought.

Maybe finally we are getting somewhere.

By: Steve Kaless

Steve Kaless — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:18:37 +0000

Good queston Mick, I’m not sure off the top of my head. I’ll ask around this weekend and let you know.

I’ll really look like I’ve done my homework!

By: The Answer

The Answer — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:04:25 +0000

England will be in southern hemisphere four nations as well.

I;d imagine a Pacific Nations Cup will be run at the same time again.

By: Jeff Baxter

Jeff Baxter — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:26:28 +0000

Nice post westy. This site seems to veer between insightful, detailed and worthwhile contributions to the kinda of stuff you would find on a videogame fanboi site, ‘sony sux’ etc.
We’ve added France for the same reason the six nations added italy and the tri-nations are adding argentina. Enough said.
The rugby league tri-nations have been a modest success and the modest approach in creating a four nations is working best. We will make a profit on this and we will create two modest qualification comps in the pacific and european cups, giving a real meaningful boost to the secondary levels. Hopefully we will expand to a five nations soon enough, with both qualifying comps providing a team every year rather then alternately. All very modest and realistic for league fans. We don’t have to justify that to anyone. Instead we might just enjoy the sport – shocking idea i know.
The funny thing about england is despite the whole game and the press playing down our chances as soon as we see a glimmer of hope we will start expecting something. We are miserable gits mostly but there always seems to be an underlying and unquenchable optimism underlying it all.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:35:58 +0000

Full of old poms.. like whom?

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:35:27 +0000

Really? I only saw the highlights. I’ll keep that in mind.

Lee Smith at full back?

By: westy

westy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:01:55 +0000

Brumbie fan we have at least nine players in the current wallabies squad born overseas with a foreign coach. I have no problem with this as we are a migrant nation. However it does remind us to take care in throwing stones. I applaud rugby league on again trying to forge some international focus. It has left this far too long. It is along long way behind rugby union but it is genuine attempt at rebuilding more genuine internationals building on its small but profitable World Cup.
The reason I take this view is that one local Cook islander lad I know was very proud to be selected for the Cook islands in rugby league’s pacific Cup played in the islands. . He sent me an email that they beat Samoa . I am not going to tell him he is a joke.
I have to remind you that our clear superiority in the international aspects of rugby union is no excuse to attack what i consider to be genuine effort to try and improve engagement internationally. Australian rugby union usually reverts to this attack because we fear we have nothing else when we have much more.
I think it is a little beneath us actually.

By: MyGeneration

MyGeneration — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:44:24 +0000

Or half the teams in the RWC? Bangladesh in the cricket? Should we revisit the history of French RL? Really shouldn’t feed the troll, Dogs. Whoops, now I have too…

By: Hermin

Hermin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:42:05 +0000

I’m in the same boat as you Brumbie fan however word of caution, isn’t that the same kind of talk that came back to bite Australia in the ass at RLWC 08.
My pick is Aus – England Final
France well anyones guess where they’ll end up ……………………..