England/Great Britain has long been the sleeping giant of international rugby league. No meaningful rugby league silverware has left the southern hemisphere in the past 30 to 40 years.
However, in the England versus Australia game last weekend, there were signs that the giant is beginning to awaken from a 35-year slumber.
Of course, there have been signs for ages that England are finally getting their act together. But this is different. The game on Sunday morning felt like a fast paced, hard hitting Origin match.
England matched Australia in most departments, which is hard to do when the football gods aren’t smiling down upon you. Injuries to world-class forwards Gareth Ellis and James Graham and several dubious calls by referee Henry Perenara (namely the decision to keep Tony Williams on the field and the ‘double movement’ call) made beating Australia – already an extremely difficult task – even more difficult.
In years gone by England/Great Britain always had a decent team, especially in the forwards. Their weakness, however, has always been their outside backs. This looks set to change with the inclusion of the likes of Jack Reed in the side.
But what the English have lacked most in the past is genuine X-factor. That is, a Slater, Hayne, Marshall, Inglis, Luke or Uate – someone who makes you stand up out of your seat whenever they get the ball in their hands.
It’s really simple: without an X-factor player or players, your team will not win games that come down to the wire. Don’t get me wrong, England have some world-class players. But Gareth Ellis or James Graham, as great as they both are, will not win games for their team in the dying seconds.
I said before that this England side feels different to past England teams. This is not because the Super League is getting better, and not because of England’s increased presence in the NRL. It’s because of two players: Sam Tomkins and Rangi Chase, both of whom terrorised Australia with their fancy footwork, speed and skill.
These players are both X-factor players. Sam Burgess too, who is currently injured, is an x-factor player. Don’t forget about Jack Reed or Gareth Widdop, either. Both are young, up and coming players who potentially have the ability to turn games on their head.
This new injection of X-factor into the England team begs the million dollar question: can England win the Four Nations? My answer: it’s doubtful.
I think that the gap left by the absence of Sam Burgess is too big to overcome. He is such a rare breed of player. He can hit the ball up on tackle one or two with the same power and gusto that the likes of James Graham and Matt Scott do. But he also has a killer sidestep, great speed for a big man, and he gets great offloads away.
I think England will comfortably beat NZ this weekend and as a result, they will secure their rematch against the Kangaroos. I think the final will be a close encounter, but I can’t see the Aussies allowing Lockyer to go out with a loss.
But rugby league’s a funny old game, and as the Kiwis proved last year, miracles can happen.
Johnoco
Guest
Johnno, you are talking a good game but you are missing one slight point. The game of RU is pretty much appalling. Look at the recent WC, I would be embarrassed to be an England RU fan...the standard of play is utter garbage. They can't tackle or pass, yet get praised to high heaven by the fawning media? Give me a break. Players like Ashton are merely finishers and don't create anything. Eastmond will get stomped in RU, he just won't cut it. You seem to be implying that because RU has all the money and media coverage that means RL will disappear. That's like saying the future of music is the X-Factor...well it's dead popular isn't it, it must be better. RL is getting more popular than ever and most of us simply don't care what RU does or doesn't do..it's irrelevant to us. Players joining RU like Joel Tomkins shows to me a game with loads of money yet cannot develop players to a decent level...embarrassing. You'd do better worrying about the crossroads RU is at mate. The one where it has to decide is it about entertainment or a game where you need to have been raised on it to understand the rules? No pal, if I were you I'd worry more about the RU you grew up with because it almost certainly won't be the same game in 10-20 years.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Johnno. It is not in decline fullstop ,not totally or partially.And continual profits by the RFL and Sky monies,and the addition of high profile sponsors such as the likes of Alitalia ,is hardly going to hold the code back. It is all very well to secure rl players,but they have to adjust to the new code,and not all do.When there is talk of SBW wanting to come back to rl,one way traffic it is not. The timing is actually brilliant for the RLWC in 2013,just as the code is experiencing a growth spurt in Europe ,the Eastern part in particular.With the inclusion of Italy and the USA. The irony of it all,union is supposed to have this huge grassroots base in england and hundreds of thousands of players on which to call,yet have to secure rl players>Says little for their development,and more for rl development..
Johnno
Guest
Good point Ray indeed. Ye scrosscoader league is not totally in decline, but the salaries are better undeniably in rugby ion now in the big leagues, so the rugby union clubs will be able ot recruit the best kids who played league at junior level cross coader and in the armed forces and universities. SO rugby union has an advantage there. Yes the Rugby league world cup 2013 may help rug league, but then rugby union will have a big showpiece in the uK in 2015, the timing could hardly be better for rugby union crosscoader hosting the rugby world cup in england in 2015.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Jaceman The 2010 stats I have by the RFL has 71,391 adults(16+) players who played the game in 2010.That no doubt would include Armed Services(800 players) and Uni teams( 2,500 players). You can speculate as much as you wish,remember don't smile at a crocodile,,but the figures suggest a decent base on which to build The so called small base that you continually try to drum up,seemed to be able to handle the Kiwis yesterday. There is pro union in NZ and australia,that has not prevented the code(rl) from growing.It did not diminish rl in 2003 after the RWC,nor will it diminish rl after the 2011 RW.. Keep speculating,the code will continue to develop much to chagrin of other code'supporters..
Go warriors
Guest
It would be good to see Locky go out a winner. The bloke is an absolute champion and deserves a fairytale finish. It does not always pan out that way though. Either way what ever the result it will be great for RL. If Australia win Lockyer goes out a winner and if the poms win it will be great for the international game. The final next week has a got a real origin feel to it. The poms have a lot of belief and have the team that can rattle Australia.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Johnno. Rugby union has always been bigger than rugby league in England,that cannot be denied. You seem to forget that ru has been pro in the Uk ,officially that is since 1995.The numbers of rl players going over to union,is hardly a tsunami. In fact the RFL has for the last 8 years ,has experienced continual profits. Might I also remind you that it was not that long ago,that rugby league was not available in the armed services.In 2010 the last stats I have in the combined armed services (army,Navy and air Force)there are now in excess of 40 teams with over 800 players. There are 120 college and university teams(HE & FE)within the UK with 2,500 players. Throw in for good measure the record number of schools and teams playing in the Carnegie schools championship,with it close on 30,000 ,making it the largest schools rl comp in the world. There is a grwoing base on which the code can work. The 2013 RLWC wont be deemed a failure if it is profitableThe last one in Oz made $5m plus,and the money was used for further intnl development.intentiaona. lRugby union in the OPs is 7s not 15s. Rugby league in its small way,has been given approval for its first stage in getting into the commonwealth Games. Ummm the code is already attracting grassroots talent,well before 2013.I don't know whether your last line using the description "druggy"was accidental or deliberate.If it was the latter I suggest is poor form. Funny I have never been more optimistic about the code than I have this year.With what is going on in Europe,andt the Americas.Many are rugby union players who have warmed to the running game,and the involvement needed.Many are new to any form of rugby.
Renegade
Guest
Yeah it's a big call but i said the same about the kiwis in 2006 heading into the last world cup but then retreated when we beat em 58-0 in 2007....having attended the 2008 world cup final, i well and truly know what happened and its still hard to accept lol. I think we will knock the Poms over next week to take out the four nations - (i hope so anyway for Locky's sake) - but as i said above these guys are building towards 2013 and their side will be even stronger come then.
go warriors
Guest
Big call Renegade but after their performace against the Kiwis overnight it would be hard to argue. At home they are a very tough team and it is going to be a cracking four nations final.
Johnno
Guest
Well crosscoder rugby league may not be going just yet and there is development going on, but I have still doubts about rugby leagues future . Rugby world cup in 2015 going to be big advertisement for rugby union. The fact that the HEK cup is goring in leaps and bounds. The fact the salary cap in the aviva premiership s2.5 times that of the English super league, has to say something about who is winning in the popularity contest crosscoder. And now with rugby world cup 2015 in the UK, and sevens olympics in 2016 more big ads for rugby. 2013 rugby league world cup better hope it has a decent tournament if it wants to attract grassroots talent. Maybe eland road Aus V ENG will be sold out at 38,000 capacity, anything less than 30,000 crowd for a 4 nations grand final if the weather is good in my opinion will be deemed a failure for the 4 nations an druggy league corsscoder.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Then the victory against the Kiwis last night was an illusion.
Renegade
Guest
I'm going to make a massive call here and say England will win the 2013 World Cup! Now as much i hate to say it being a proud kangaroo, I think England are setting themselves up for a massive crack at the world cup in 2013 and i think they will make the final at the very least....Steve McNamara has really brang this team together and got everyone playing their roles. Sam Tomkins is WORLD CLASS, if it wasn't for a bloke called Billy Slater i'd be comfortable in saying Tomkins is the best fullback in the world and without doubt the most exciting talent that resides north of the equator. Someone else wrote earlier the clash at Wembley felt like State of Origin, i actually thought it was better than state of origin - that game had everything! It would be painful to see the Roos not be named world champions again but McNamara has always said his goal is 2013 and their preparing well.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Johnno The Crusaders are now the nth wales crusaders accepted in the Championship 1 div next season.With a board of professional people from Wrexham and the suppoorters club. So as the saying goes the "fat lady hasn't sung"and rl continues to grow at grassroots level in Wales. Steve is right about the development work being carried out in non heartland areas.The code is played in just about evey tertiary institution and the armed services,so it äin't going awsy"but is in fact growing.Many of these non heartland areas have players coming from union,some who have never played either rugby code,so it is not all one way traffic. As a sidelight on .rugby league in ireland has now had their application to be recognised as a national Sporting Body by the Irish Sports Council(ISC) accepted. The first ever under age club game took place in 2010 between Tallaght and Clondakin ,where the u18s faced off in Tallafght Stadium>this was followed by the first Universities game between Limerick IT and IT Tralee in 2011. Rugby league is hardly sitting on its hands in the UK and Ireland,despite the odd movement of players to union.
Queensland's game is rugby league
Guest
I get sick of the people who always knock England. I find it amusing that most of the people who are knocking England are Aussie rules fans who don't understand the tactical side of rugby league.
trakl
Guest
Gareth Ellis has been among the NRL "supermen" for 3 seasons. In each of those 3 seasons he has been voted Wests' best player by his peers. Morley in his prime - and admittedly he is past his prime now - was as feared and as fearless as any forward in the NRL. Sam Burgess - potentially - has it in him to be the world's most explosive forward. And yet some posters on here can say of England only that they're "downright useless." Charming!
trakl
Guest
In your previous post you refer to rugby union and rugby league clubs. Which "rugby" is on the up now? And cricket?
Ray
Guest
im sure we werent talking about football here trakl. rugby is on the up in the uk and its one of the major sports along with cricket and football which is well ahead.
Queensland's game is rugby league
Guest
Sam Burgess is probably the most talented second-row forward in the world. Gareth Ellis won the Tigers' Player of the Year award. Again. England played the second half without their two props, yet were well in it until the ref made a few blunders that should see him never referee another game. A lesser team would have crumbled and conceded 50 points. Australia fouled up the play-the-ball by holding down too long in non-dominant tackles. The referee allowed them to get away it it. Australia took up this option after England's halves and dummy half were carving them up. If the ref had have been competent then Australia could very well have lost that game by a large margin. Tomkins tore Australia to pieces. The Burgess brothers and Shenton aren't availble for this year's team, so it'll only get better. This is an England team on the rise.
trakl
Guest
The plural of Morley is Morleys and not Morley's etc... We are told constantly that Australians never rated Farrell anyway - and while Senior proved effective he was essentially limited in talent - far inferior to his predecessor in the left centre position, Paul Newlove.
trakl
Guest
You forgot the prefix "future" that I placed before "all-time great" with the added proviso that he stays fit and is in form. Changes things somewhat, don't you think?
Jaceman
Guest
Its in a sense been confirmed by the NRL who refuse to hold a RL international in Sydney or have the World Club Challenge in Australia