0:00:19 > 0:00:24Hello, this is Melbourne, it is 26 degrees, sunny and lovely a wide --
0:00:24 > 0:00:28rugby league World Cup 2017 is about to get underway. Over the next five
0:00:28 > 0:00:29to get underway. Over the next five weeks, we will have it all covered
0:00:29 > 0:00:33on the BBC from three countries and 13 venues and it gets underway with
0:00:33 > 0:00:38one of the biggest rivalries there is, Australia against England. We
0:00:38 > 0:00:42have a top team down under to bring it to you, and I'm off to the studio
0:00:42 > 0:00:46in Salford to present it.
0:01:23 > 0:01:30What a try! France at their first drive.
0:01:33 > 0:01:40And outrageous rugby league drive. What a staring moment, it is the
0:01:40 > 0:01:51real thing, this. Bounced it out the back post! They get us under way!
0:01:51 > 0:01:55You just can't stop them!
0:02:01 > 0:02:08It is lying Sam! England have the lead!What about that for a start by
0:02:08 > 0:02:28the United States!High fives all around!Tonga goes wild!
0:02:36 > 0:02:45And these similar supporters are going mad, here!Elliot Kear has
0:02:45 > 0:02:59scored again!Australia, world-class!Is so, 14 teams with 14
0:02:59 > 0:03:05dreams of winning the Rugby league World Cup 2017. In just over an
0:03:05 > 0:03:09hour's in Melbourne, the 15th Rugby league World Cup will get underway
0:03:09 > 0:03:14with the sensational opener that is holders Australia against England in
0:03:14 > 0:03:18that very stadium. Forget about better homes for a cat under a
0:03:18 > 0:03:22hammer in the sun or whatever is on the other channels, this is where
0:03:22 > 0:03:26the entertainment is this morning. Australia against England will be on
0:03:26 > 0:03:30BBC Two, all the way until 12:15pm and then we will be on the red
0:03:30 > 0:03:34button for more reaction at analysis, all the way until 1pm. I'm
0:03:34 > 0:03:37delighted to say I have got three guys with me, Robbie Hunter Paul is
0:03:37 > 0:03:43going to be the neutral... Kevin Sinfield is the former England
0:03:43 > 0:03:46captain, who will probably be supporting England and Justin
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Holbrooke, the St Helens coach, is maybe the enemy in the camp this
0:03:50 > 0:03:55afternoon... This morning! Starting with you because your nation is not
0:03:55 > 0:03:58hoping, is expecting that in five or six weeks' time, Australia have
0:03:58 > 0:04:03their hands on the trophy. Absolutely, it is great to be
0:04:03 > 0:04:06hosting the World Cup for Australia, and they obviously want to win it,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09they expect to win it and they are going to be hard to beat, that is
0:04:09 > 0:04:15for sure so I think some key players that played together every week is
0:04:15 > 0:04:19going to be a big part in that and the fact that Mal Meninga has done
0:04:19 > 0:04:24such a good job as coach is going to make him hard to beat.The England
0:04:24 > 0:04:29players, we will see them now having their morning walk through
0:04:29 > 0:04:35Melbourne, did you find these walks beneficial?It gets the lads out of
0:04:35 > 0:04:40bed!LAUGHTER That is what it does! When it is an
0:04:40 > 0:04:44evening kick-off like it is in Melbourne, you find yourself sitting
0:04:44 > 0:04:46around all day and you don't know what to do with yourself, you're
0:04:46 > 0:04:49taking your heels or lying in bed all day and it's not good for
0:04:49 > 0:04:53performing later on in the evening. -- ready to your heels. For the lads
0:04:53 > 0:04:56to get out, have some breakfast together, bit of a walk, stretch
0:04:56 > 0:05:02their legs and it is good for them. Take their mind off the game in many
0:05:02 > 0:05:06ways.I've got to admit, I was the type of guy you like to lie in bed
0:05:06 > 0:05:11all day.That does not surprise me, considering you are 50 minutes late
0:05:11 > 0:05:16this morning!Manchester traffic!Of course.I was one of those players
0:05:16 > 0:05:22who liked my own space on game day, but when you go into camp and you
0:05:22 > 0:05:26are in those surroundings, you become a part of the system. It's
0:05:26 > 0:05:30not anything we used a fallout about but that was the focus and like I
0:05:30 > 0:05:35said, it keeps the continuity going, the ability to mix with the boys and
0:05:35 > 0:05:38have a laugh and just relax, take your mind off the game and that is
0:05:38 > 0:05:43important, don't play the game too early.Let's take you through the
0:05:43 > 0:05:47teams, starting with England, Jonny Lomax, a play that Justin knows
0:05:47 > 0:05:49well, will be full-back for England today, John Bateman is
0:05:49 > 0:05:52well, will be full-back for England today, John Bateman is in the
0:05:52 > 0:05:55centres, Luke Gale and Gareth Widdop at half-back and plenty of time to
0:05:55 > 0:05:59discuss the team in depth before kick-off, Kevin, but at the moment,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02where are the strength and who would you like to pick out.The half-back
0:06:02 > 0:06:08partnership to start is crucial and I think to see Luke Gale get given
0:06:08 > 0:06:11the number seven shirt and asked to control things like he does because
0:06:11 > 0:06:14of that, and if he can play like he does the government, it will be
0:06:14 > 0:06:19great for us. And also to have Sam Burgess and Sean O'Loughlin back in
0:06:19 > 0:06:22the team together, they were both outstanding in the 2013 World Cup
0:06:22 > 0:06:26and they are both desperate to do well this time, boast talismans and
0:06:26 > 0:06:29leaders for England and they will be expecting to have big games today.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34When you talk about desperate to do well, is there an element of May be
0:06:34 > 0:06:36making sure you don't try too hard?
0:06:36 > 0:06:39well, is there an element of May be making sure you don't try too hard?
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Yeah, but we sort of realise that it is 22 years in England have been in
0:06:42 > 0:06:48the World Cup final and I felt like in 2013, we were so close and we got
0:06:48 > 0:06:51beaten by the last play against the Kiwis but we probably did not
0:06:51 > 0:06:55deserve to be there and it has taken a period of time for us to build as
0:06:55 > 0:06:59a nation, to be in the right position to make a final and go on
0:06:59 > 0:07:03and win it. I think we are there now, for those guys in particular,
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Sam is no spring chicken any more. He will be in his early 30s and they
0:07:08 > 0:07:15may not make 2021 so it is their time.Let's take a look at the
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Australian team, which has strength forever you look. You would go
0:07:18 > 0:07:23through the spine, Justin, well, I say there is strength everywhere but
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, that is what you are looking
0:07:26 > 0:07:31at Oztumerdefinitely. They don't just play club football together,
0:07:31 > 0:07:36they dominate at that level, they dominate in State of Origin and for
0:07:36 > 0:07:39their countries. I think all three have played over 300 games the
0:07:39 > 0:07:45Melbourne Storm. Cameron Smith has an 85% win rate, I read, playing for
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Australia, so the fact that those three don't just play together, as I
0:07:48 > 0:07:52say, they have dominated all this year in the NRL and England have got
0:07:52 > 0:07:52to do
0:07:52 > 0:07:54year in the NRL and England have got to do a great job to stop those
0:07:54 > 0:07:58three. I would like to throw in Michael Morgan as well. Obviously
0:07:58 > 0:08:02without Thurston, it is a massive loss, he was the form player in the
0:08:02 > 0:08:06NRL final series, he almost carried the North Queensland Cowboys to the
0:08:06 > 0:08:12Grand Final by himself. I think those four players will be huge in
0:08:12 > 0:08:13today's
0:08:13 > 0:08:16those four players will be huge in today's game.Robbie?I think it is
0:08:16 > 0:08:20really important, you can't argue against the fact the spine of the
0:08:20 > 0:08:23team is great but I think there is some continuity and cohesion that
0:08:23 > 0:08:27England has been looking for, and the fact you have got Josh Hodgson
0:08:27 > 0:08:33and Gareth Widdop and Luke Gale, in the spine of that love triangle as
0:08:33 > 0:08:36well. I think that will be imported, probably the one element they are
0:08:36 > 0:08:42missing is that you throw into the mix the full-back, Jonny Lomax, so
0:08:42 > 0:08:44hopefully he will bring the excitable to Australia won't know
0:08:44 > 0:08:48much about him and that will play into his favour.Let's go to
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Melbourne and join the commentary team, Ian Millward, Brian Noble and
0:08:52 > 0:08:56our rugby league for respondents Dave Woods.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Thanks, Mark. The sun has come out in Melbourne, it's been quite chilly
0:08:59 > 0:09:03in recent days but its hot today and very warm, to say the least, mid
0:09:03 > 0:09:0720s, a bit of breeze around but it's going to be really good conditions
0:09:07 > 0:09:11to play tonight and we are expecting it to be a full house, come
0:09:11 > 0:09:14kick-off, these two unlikely characters alongside me for
0:09:14 > 0:09:17commentary, Brian Noble, the former Great Britain coach and in Norwood,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20good to see you, joining up with us for this World Cup. What do you make
0:09:20 > 0:09:27of England selection?Look, I think it is an evolving team. If you look
0:09:27 > 0:09:31at it, I expect it to genuinely be a team that can make a final, I
0:09:31 > 0:09:34predicted England against Australia in the final but there are certain
0:09:34 > 0:09:38things that have to be fixed. The centres, they are going to try Ben
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Currie and Bateman today. Will Lomax work with Gareth Widdop and Luke
0:09:42 > 0:09:47Gale? I think the more the tournament goes on, their forwards
0:09:47 > 0:09:50will match any team. If they get the other part right, they are a genuine
0:09:50 > 0:09:55threat.Dechaine at Alex Walmsley has had to pull out late and Ben
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Currie comes in.There are positives in anything, it gives the ability to
0:10:00 > 0:10:03bridge Sam Burgess a bit further infield and play him in some
0:10:03 > 0:10:06positions where he can cause more damage. I think they've got a
0:10:06 > 0:10:10settled half-back partnership with the -- which is exciting. I do think
0:10:10 > 0:10:12the Alex Walmsley thing will affect them too much, it gives them
0:10:12 > 0:10:15options. I would have liked to see him play myself because of what he
0:10:15 > 0:10:19has brought to Super League but I think Luke Gale has a point to
0:10:19 > 0:10:24prove, he's been the Man Of Steel this year and Gareth Widdop was
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Player of the Year in his position. I think they have a really exciting
0:10:27 > 0:10:31combination and the big question as Ian says is how they will cope with
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Australia's outside backs.The last Great Britain coach to win here
0:10:35 > 0:10:41against Australia in 2006. What did you say to the England players when
0:10:41 > 0:10:46you were there last night?Win or I will tell you! Something similar.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48No, I didn't, it's all about coping with the pressure at a high level,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51this is the best against the best and sometimes it is character that
0:10:51 > 0:10:55separate the teams and they will have to do the deed, England, to get
0:10:55 > 0:10:58what they want to night. I agree they will build, as Ian says, into
0:10:58 > 0:11:03the tournament but I want to see how they cope with the pressure.The
0:11:03 > 0:11:06whole tournament kicks off, it's not just a night, the whole tournament
0:11:06 > 0:11:09kicks off on how excited are you for the tournament when we have got the
0:11:09 > 0:11:14prospect of maybe Tonga, Samoa and maybe Fiji mating a breakthrough?I
0:11:14 > 0:11:18think New Zealand are under a lot of pressure, looking at Tonga and Samoa
0:11:18 > 0:11:23and especially Fiji, especially the pool that New Zealand are in is the
0:11:23 > 0:11:28pool of death.You're not allowed to say that!It is for New Zealand
0:11:28 > 0:11:30because they have a fantastic record in the southern hemisphere, they won
0:11:30 > 0:11:34the World Cup and the tri-series, it is the northern hemisphere they
0:11:34 > 0:11:39really struggle in but Papua New Guinea, their team is made up mainly
0:11:39 > 0:11:45of players who played in the second tier of the Australian Rugby league.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49They play three games in Port Moresby. Wales and New Zealand are
0:11:49 > 0:11:53up against it. England are straightaway being able to create a
0:11:53 > 0:11:57lot of atmosphere, game on, let's get it going.It is not the pool of
0:11:57 > 0:12:00death, pool B, Brian Noble has christened it the pool of limited
0:12:00 > 0:12:04expectations but when have we ever listen to him? We are going to get
0:12:04 > 0:12:08ready a bit more and looking forward to the commentary later.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Thank you, Dave, I'm not sure when or I will kill you is the most
0:12:12 > 0:12:15motivational speech that Brian Noble could have given! This is the
0:12:15 > 0:12:18England team arriving in Melbourne. You got a feel for one of your
0:12:18 > 0:12:21players, Justin, Alex Walmsley, being ill before the game when he
0:12:21 > 0:12:26was going to come off the bench? Definitely, I agree with Brian, we
0:12:26 > 0:12:30all want to see play, him I think he finished the Super League season the
0:12:30 > 0:12:34form front row and to see him play against Australia would be
0:12:34 > 0:12:37fantastic. The back tees missing it, disappointing for him and all of us
0:12:37 > 0:12:42at home for watching. -- the fact that he is missing it. Hopefully he
0:12:42 > 0:12:48will be playing in a final!Yes, still that opportunity. I suppose
0:12:48 > 0:12:51one man's misfortune is another's opportunity so now it is Ben
0:12:51 > 0:12:56Currie's opportunity.Yes and I think he is the right one to come
0:12:56 > 0:12:58and he will cover us out in the centre positions but also in the
0:12:58 > 0:13:03back row. It is interesting to hear Ian Millward talk about the centres
0:13:03 > 0:13:08for England, and to hear his opinion on the forwards. We talk about the
0:13:08 > 0:13:12forwards a lot and say how strong they are and competitive but I think
0:13:12 > 0:13:17our backline is just as strong, the half-backs are good. That left
0:13:17 > 0:13:21centre spot is always up for debate, whether that is Bateman or Currie, I
0:13:21 > 0:13:28think one of them, or even Mark Percival, will get a shot.Do you
0:13:28 > 0:13:32think the backs are underappreciated?Yes, massively, I
0:13:32 > 0:13:36thought Lomax had an outstanding four nations last year and the
0:13:36 > 0:13:40wingers, Jerry is very strong, Ryan Hall, 32, tries in 32 Test matches,
0:13:40 > 0:13:46not many around the game can do that. Kallum Watkins probably the
0:13:46 > 0:13:49best British centre we have got and arguably, if you put an Australia
0:13:49 > 0:13:54jersey on him, he would look the part. I think if we can nail the
0:13:54 > 0:14:00left centre spot, we have a really good backline.I tend to agree, what
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Australia will do with Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk is put them in top
0:14:03 > 0:14:05positions at the start of the set but I agree with Kevin that
0:14:05 > 0:14:09England's back five are all strong characters -- carriers of the
0:14:09 > 0:14:13football and that is what they need to get the set going and I agree the
0:14:13 > 0:14:16forward pack is outstanding. It's going to be a really good game.Kick
0:14:16 > 0:14:24off is somewhere between 10am and ten past ten, you can never be
0:14:24 > 0:14:30accurate, trust me but this is what is coming up between now and then.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33We hear from England captain Sean O'Loughlin, a man who knows what it
0:14:33 > 0:14:38takes to beat the Aussies.The excitement of thinking about it is
0:14:38 > 0:14:41massive for me but I think we've got something in front of us now that we
0:14:41 > 0:14:45can make history if we perform and do well.We will also hear from the
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, a man who knows how to win a World Cup.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53They have got a strong squad, they are coming here to ambush us, no
0:14:53 > 0:14:59doubt about it so I feel it certainly will be our greatest test
0:14:59 > 0:15:03and show which you will get into the final.How will Wales, Scotland and
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Ireland fair? I have a tough task ahead but they are hopeful of
0:15:06 > 0:15:10reaching the last eight. Tonga are tips to go far and they have
0:15:10 > 0:15:17Ormaechea we, Jason Taumalolo, a man mountain to call upon. And we will
0:15:17 > 0:15:20hear from slamming Sam Burgess and try machine Ryan Hall on England's
0:15:20 > 0:15:25chances.To go away with a win would be a massive confidence boost for
0:15:25 > 0:15:31the next six weeks, it would cover really long way.Lots to get through
0:15:31 > 0:15:34between now and kick-off so let's run through how the Rugby league
0:15:34 > 0:15:35World Cup works for you.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38run through how the Rugby league World Cup works for you. There are
0:15:38 > 0:15:42four teams in pool A and B and they played three matches, each team
0:15:42 > 0:15:46plays their opposition in the pool once and then the top three from
0:15:46 > 0:15:50pool A and B qualify for the quarterfinals. Each team in pool C
0:15:50 > 0:15:54and D play their pool opposition once but then for their third match,
0:15:54 > 0:16:00they play one game against pool C or D opposition so the pool C against
0:16:00 > 0:16:04pool D matches our against Italy, Wales against Fiji and Papua New
0:16:04 > 0:16:10Guinea against USA but in pool C and pool D, only the group winners
0:16:10 > 0:16:15qualify for the quarterfinals. Then obviously, who meets who in the last
0:16:15 > 0:16:18eight is anybody's guesstimate England top the group, they play the
0:16:18 > 0:16:22third team from group A, for Wales or Ireland can if they win their
0:16:22 > 0:16:26group, they could play England, if they finish second in their group.
0:16:26 > 0:16:35Obviously, it will get much clearer as the tournament progresses!
0:16:36 > 0:16:40I suppose, Robbie, and it is a difficult question to ask because
0:16:40 > 0:16:43you are immediately disrespecting France and Lebanon but if England
0:16:43 > 0:16:48beat Australia today, they top the group?You would expect so, yeah,
0:16:48 > 0:16:55and thank you for coming to me with that question! Definitely, one thing
0:16:55 > 0:16:58from experience, and this is from a player who played all his rugby
0:16:58 > 0:17:03league in this country, and used a lie down under and represent New
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Zealand, one thing that I used to have an advantage over the
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Australians with was that Australia would spend all their time looking
0:17:07 > 0:17:10at the other Australians or those playing in the NRL and focusing on
0:17:10 > 0:17:15them. I used to get away with a lot because they did not know who I was.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19From my point of view, England have a real opportunity, as Mal Meninga
0:17:19 > 0:17:22says, to ambush them in their own backyard. Whether or not they want
0:17:22 > 0:17:27to do that, I'm not sure. One thing that happened in the 2008 World Cup
0:17:27 > 0:17:31was New Zealand was able to ambush Australia in the final because the
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Australian media, I think, played a part in that, pumping up Australia,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37they went through undefeated to the final, telling everyone how it was
0:17:37 > 0:17:42going to be a walkover and then in the final, New Zealand ambush them.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47There's an element of Wayne Bennet saying, we just want to play well
0:17:47 > 0:17:51and maybe that is a bit of gamesmanship by him but there is an
0:17:51 > 0:17:55element saying, if we take a loss, maybe we will get them at the right
0:17:55 > 0:18:00time.Do England players talk about permutations, "If we do this, we
0:18:00 > 0:18:06might get this team", or is it something the media RSS with more?I
0:18:06 > 0:18:11think they will be fully focused on this game.-- are obsessed with
0:18:11 > 0:18:15more?If you had asked me for weeks ago, I would say we have to win this
0:18:15 > 0:18:18game because you would want to avoid New Zealand in the semifinal but
0:18:18 > 0:18:21because of the strength of Tonga now, it completely changes the
0:18:21 > 0:18:27mechanics of the whole thing. If we don't get the result we would all
0:18:27 > 0:18:31like today, I think Justin is an England fan today as well, by the
0:18:31 > 0:18:34way...LAUGHTER If we don't get the result we would
0:18:34 > 0:18:38all like, it is not all better off, it is actually, we can still make
0:18:38 > 0:18:43the semifinal and we might actually dodge Tonga, who could be really
0:18:43 > 0:18:48difficult to get past in the semifinals. Today, for me, I know
0:18:48 > 0:18:52the head coach has talked about if we have a great performance and we
0:18:52 > 0:18:56lose by a couple of points, he would be happy. I think I would. I would
0:18:56 > 0:19:01love us to win today but you can only beat Australia -- if you can
0:19:01 > 0:19:02beat Australia only once, I'd rather it
0:19:02 > 0:19:05beat Australia only once, I'd rather it would be in a binder.These are
0:19:05 > 0:19:09the current world rankings, Australia top, New Zealand's second
0:19:09 > 0:19:14and England third, Scotland fourth, Tonga, who Kevin is worried about,
0:19:14 > 0:19:20is worried the right word? Concerned.They are way down in
0:19:20 > 0:19:2411th, that is how the world rankings pan out. If you look at the odds,
0:19:24 > 0:19:30Tonga are the 20-1 fourth favourites so would they be your dog causes as
0:19:30 > 0:19:39well?Definitely. --your dark horses.As worried as England should
0:19:39 > 0:19:44be, it is exciting for the World Cup. Gone are the World Cup is gone
0:19:44 > 0:19:48by when you might have half of them NRL players Super League and NRL and
0:19:48 > 0:19:52half of the knot but now Samoa and Tonga are loaded with star players
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and with a few of those guys deciding to opt out of playing for
0:19:55 > 0:19:59New Zealand Australia and to drop back and Playford Tonga, I think it
0:19:59 > 0:20:02strengthens the World Cup and I think it adds more excitement for
0:20:02 > 0:20:07the reasons we have just spoken about -- and play for Tonga. It is
0:20:07 > 0:20:12going to be exciting to watch every nation play.In previous World Cups,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15I agree with Justin, the semifinals have always been made up of the big
0:20:15 > 0:20:20three and one other. But this time we will have a serious fourth
0:20:20 > 0:20:24contender, a serious other threat which is brilliant for the
0:20:24 > 0:20:27competition.I wouldn't mind throwing Samoa back in there as
0:20:27 > 0:20:30throwing Samoa back in there as well.Yeah.Ben Roberts has had the
0:20:30 > 0:20:34best season ever for Castleford this year, the most premium season he's
0:20:34 > 0:20:41had in his entire career, taking ownership of it as well but you have
0:20:41 > 0:20:46got seven or eight out and out NRL players dying for them, Prichard,
0:20:46 > 0:20:50with so much experience also, they are another -- players playing for
0:20:50 > 0:20:54them. You can throw Samoa into the mix alongside Tonga, New Zealand and
0:20:54 > 0:20:59England.They have given their opinions and we've given you the
0:20:59 > 0:21:01odds and world rankings we want to know who you think will win the
0:21:01 > 0:21:07World Cup. You have got until 9:50am to vote on the BBC Sport website, so
0:21:07 > 0:21:17about half an hour. We will announce the result just before kick-off. We
0:21:17 > 0:21:23are going to hear from the England coach, Wayne Bennet, 67 years old,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26an Australian, of course, but brought in really last February with
0:21:26 > 0:21:30the plan to win the World Cup. This is what he said this week when he
0:21:30 > 0:21:38met the press.The World Cup is not one game in the tournament. We just
0:21:38 > 0:21:42have to get better each week. We won't be at our best on Friday night
0:21:42 > 0:21:46and Australia won't be, either. We will all build into it and that is
0:21:46 > 0:21:50my plan, I want us to play well and do the things we know we have to do
0:21:50 > 0:21:53to make sure we give ourselves a chance of being there in six weeks'
0:21:53 > 0:22:02time.So his record is played five, won three, lost two, with England.
0:22:02 > 0:22:10What has he changed with this England team since taking over?Big
0:22:10 > 0:22:16question, but it's only right for me to say what a great job Steve Mac
0:22:16 > 0:22:18tomorrow did previously, he said some fantastic foundations, he got
0:22:18 > 0:22:24the squad ready to go and make an impact at the World Cup. I think
0:22:24 > 0:22:31Wayne has brought in, I suppose, some magic dust. He's obviously done
0:22:31 > 0:22:38some media training this year! He's far more media friendly!Is he?It's
0:22:38 > 0:22:43great. But to be in his company, he has some magic about him and he
0:22:43 > 0:22:46looks after the players, he wants the players to be happy. It is all
0:22:46 > 0:22:50about the players for him, and from all the messages I'm getting out of
0:22:50 > 0:22:54the camp, it is what a great first two weeks they have had. Mid-season
0:22:54 > 0:23:04was a real success, beating Samoa down under with some of the
0:23:04 > 0:23:07congregations that came with that, coming in doing it in seven days and
0:23:07 > 0:23:11the lads have bought into it and he's brought a feel-good factor.How
0:23:11 > 0:23:15much dialogue does he have with club coaches, do you think? How much has
0:23:15 > 0:23:20he spoken to you about your players? I've only spoke to him the once, it
0:23:20 > 0:23:24was a lengthy conversation, probably half an hour, he asked me about my
0:23:24 > 0:23:29players as well as players in other teams over here. He has quite a few,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Kevin included, quite a few staff that he talked about the domestic
0:23:32 > 0:23:35petition so I was really surprised he knew a lot about every player
0:23:35 > 0:23:39that plays in Super League. The other big factor is the coaches
0:23:39 > 0:23:44against the Australian players every week. He knows the area and he is a
0:23:44 > 0:23:47big game coach. He won't let the players get overawed by tonight's
0:23:47 > 0:23:54occasional the tournament itself. Look, I think it is, you know, the
0:23:54 > 0:23:58experience he has got as a coach and the knowledge he has the domestic
0:23:58 > 0:24:03petition was really surprised.But he rang him, didn't you?I actually!
0:24:03 > 0:24:10I want to know how nerve-racking it is when you ring Wayne Burnett?I
0:24:10 > 0:24:17thought I was going to talk to him about 30 seconds, to be honest! At
0:24:17 > 0:24:21St Helens, we had Ben Barba cumin and I had to move Jonny Lomax to the
0:24:21 > 0:24:24halves and I rang Wayne to say I hooked it did not jeopardise his
0:24:24 > 0:24:28opportunity to be in England full-back. As I said, I thought he
0:24:28 > 0:24:33would talk but their deep second and I did not know how the conversation
0:24:33 > 0:24:38would go. -- talk for 30 seconds. But he saw Jonny Lomax could play a
0:24:38 > 0:24:41number of positions in the halves and even at centre and then he went
0:24:41 > 0:24:44on to elaborate about Mark Percival, and Alex Walmsley and then players
0:24:44 > 0:24:48for the clubs who I have coached against. As I said, I was surprised
0:24:48 > 0:24:53how much he knew and it was really good, actually, to have such a
0:24:53 > 0:24:56lengthy conversation after I thought it was going to be about 30 seconds
0:24:56 > 0:25:00and I was pleased for Jonny Lomax as well!I was going to say he's come
0:25:00 > 0:25:04under quite a bit of fire because he's got a full-time job in
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Australia and people are wondering how he can be doing justice,,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12understanding the Super League players here? But he's got Kevin,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Paul Sculthorpe, Paul Anderson, who I was talking to about this earlier
0:25:15 > 0:25:19this week, he's got more assistant coaches than you could dream of.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23These guys are operating in the game over here, like Denis Betts, all of
0:25:23 > 0:25:28them watching the specific players. Then he's got a team of people down
0:25:28 > 0:25:32under that are also scraping information and footage back. He's
0:25:32 > 0:25:40really well-informed. Even speaking to coaches!We do have seven English
0:25:40 > 0:25:43players in the Narelle so he's got those already and from what we have
0:25:43 > 0:25:47spoken about, he's got a mix of English Super League players. It's a
0:25:47 > 0:25:51really good balance of the side and as we have said, a really good
0:25:51 > 0:25:55coach.De Gea delegation, isn't it, in that sense? That is one of the
0:25:55 > 0:25:58main things he will have to do and then when he gets the players, coach
0:25:58 > 0:26:02them but it is how you delegate and who you choose to be your eyes and
0:26:02 > 0:26:07ears.Robbie is right, four England assistant coaches, Paul Wellens,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Denis Betts, Paul Anderson and Paul Sculthorpe, a constant dialogue
0:26:10 > 0:26:13between them and passing of messages, video footage has gone on
0:26:13 > 0:26:19all year. It has been interesting in that respect and interesting
0:26:19 > 0:26:22listening to Justin say about his conversation with Wayne because it
0:26:22 > 0:26:27is almost like talking to your dad! I mean that in the most respectful
0:26:27 > 0:26:32way, it is because you are very respectful of who he is and what he
0:26:32 > 0:26:35has achieved but you also understand that you need to build a
0:26:35 > 0:26:38relationship and the friendship and be able to be trusting and telling
0:26:38 > 0:26:44the truth.Does he send all his text messages in capitals because he
0:26:44 > 0:26:50cannot get it off like my dad?Is actually very good with technology.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Another good point and he spoke to me and how icebound the players at
0:26:54 > 0:26:57St Helens and I said fantastic and he can't speak highly enough of
0:26:57 > 0:27:00being players and I heard him on the radio about them again, saying how
0:27:00 > 0:27:03professional they are and how much of the pleasure they are to work
0:27:03 > 0:27:07with and he mentioned that to me after the Samoa test in May and I
0:27:07 > 0:27:11reiterated it with the players at St Helens. The good thing is, he's
0:27:11 > 0:27:16genuinely excited about the playing group. He's not like, "I'm coaching
0:27:16 > 0:27:21England", he's really happy to be in this position.And as well, he loves
0:27:21 > 0:27:26the English game. He loves working with the England team. He speaks so
0:27:26 > 0:27:30passionately about the refereeing over here, which, when you consider
0:27:30 > 0:27:34some of the abuse they get at times, he loves the fact that we still have
0:27:34 > 0:27:38one referee and we don't have two like the NRL. He loves a lot of
0:27:38 > 0:27:42things about the British game which is fantastic.His captain is Sean
0:27:42 > 0:27:45O'Loughlin of Wigan and we can hear from him. He has been talking to
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Dave Woods. You are in a squad with big
0:27:49 > 0:27:52characters who are captains of the NRL teams and Super League teams, so
0:27:52 > 0:27:56to be given the honour of England captain, what does it mean in that
0:27:56 > 0:28:02company?Yes, it is a huge honour. It is something you never expect.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Whether I was going to be captain this or not, I would have come
0:28:05 > 0:28:10undone exactly the same as I for my club. That is a bit of a luxury when
0:28:10 > 0:28:12you come to international some if you get the nod to be captain,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15having blokes around you that are captains at their clubs as well. I
0:28:15 > 0:28:19think we've got five or six of those boys, having people around you like
0:28:19 > 0:28:23that makes your job a lot easier.Do they listen or do you have to stamp
0:28:23 > 0:28:27your feet?Not really, not at all, the boys have come together and it's
0:28:27 > 0:28:31been a real focus, quite an easy job for me.A bonus for you and England
0:28:31 > 0:28:36that you are fit and playing because you've missed a few so how much does
0:28:36 > 0:28:39that add to the hunger to play?I've only been involved in one World Cup
0:28:39 > 0:28:42and this will be my last. There's definitely the hunger and the
0:28:42 > 0:28:46willingness to succeed this year. I was disappointed not to be involved
0:28:46 > 0:28:50in the international is in the last year, and to be involved with Wayne
0:28:50 > 0:28:53as well and see what he was about and what he brought to the table.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57Reimagined the coach and he has been involved a while but do you fill you
0:28:57 > 0:29:01are evolving into a Wayne Bennett team?I think so, the last game in
0:29:01 > 0:29:05the tournament against Australia, I was not involve playing but he
0:29:05 > 0:29:07invited me to watch the game with the staff. Even though it was a
0:29:07 > 0:29:12massive disappointment, Wayne orchestrated the World Cup and prep
0:29:12 > 0:29:16for this, and put the disappointment behind them. The traits, what he
0:29:16 > 0:29:18wanted us to do throughout the season, which was always building up
0:29:18 > 0:29:23to this, he wanted us to work on it at club level and go away and be
0:29:23 > 0:29:27conscious of all the way through the season.People talk about
0:29:27 > 0:29:29professional sportsmen having a mental vision of what they are going
0:29:29 > 0:29:33to do. Have you ever had a mental vision of lifting the trophy in six
0:29:33 > 0:29:37weeks?Yeah, I probably have! The excitement is massive. We have
0:29:37 > 0:29:41something in front of us, we can go down in history if we perform and do
0:29:41 > 0:29:45well but we also, not looking too far in front but we've got a great
0:29:45 > 0:29:49game to start off this week against Australia, we are going into this
0:29:49 > 0:29:54game confident but we know we have got a tough task in front of us but
0:29:54 > 0:29:59if we can put a performance in and do well, there's no reason we can't
0:29:59 > 0:30:03do well and keep building to the end of big opposition.How important is
0:30:03 > 0:30:07this experience? Not only did he play every game in 2013 World Cup
0:30:07 > 0:30:10but he beaten in 2006 when Great Britain beat Australia so that
0:30:10 > 0:30:16experience for the other guys in the squad?You know what it does for the
0:30:16 > 0:30:20senior players? It dispels the myth of the players. A lot of the younger
0:30:20 > 0:30:24players just coming into the England setup, you hear about the NRL all
0:30:24 > 0:30:28the time, the greatness of the competition and they do a great job
0:30:28 > 0:30:33in communicating how athletic they are and you go into those games a
0:30:33 > 0:30:36lot of the time, and you kind of have this apprehension about you but
0:30:36 > 0:30:39when you have got guys around you that have been there and done that,
0:30:39 > 0:30:43they are not fazed by the opposition, they have smashed them,
0:30:43 > 0:30:47scored tries, won games, that rubs off on you. That is the importance
0:30:47 > 0:30:51of being in camp because you get the influence from them and your beliefs
0:30:51 > 0:30:55starts so you get into the game, five or ten minutes, these guys are
0:30:55 > 0:30:57beatable, not superhuman.
0:31:02 > 0:31:10They are outstanding. They are at the top of the tree for the
0:31:10 > 0:31:15competition, which only confirms for the rest of the players, we are up
0:31:15 > 0:31:21for this.How important is the captain, coach relationship?I think
0:31:21 > 0:31:25it is very important. I think what when his very good at, he will have
0:31:25 > 0:31:33a host of players, leaders, who he talks to. He doesn't say all that
0:31:33 > 0:31:37much. But what he says lasts a long time. It is very relevant. I mention
0:31:37 > 0:31:44Sam Burgess. I think Sam and Sean's combination today is crucial. There
0:31:44 > 0:31:49is a whole lot of experience. Sam is a big bundle of enthusiasm, a big
0:31:49 > 0:31:57personality. Sean O'Loughlin is almost the calm. He will help Gareth
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Widdop and Luke Gale. He will know what to do. He will know what
0:32:01 > 0:32:08buttons to press. Those two are really important.Let's here from
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Mal Meninga, one of the greatest of all time. He has won this World Cup
0:32:12 > 0:32:15as a player. Will he do it as a coach?
0:32:15 > 0:32:19How much are you looking forward to this, the tournament and the first
0:32:19 > 0:32:28game?It's an exciting time for a rugby league. It is a showpiece, an
0:32:28 > 0:32:33opportunity to display the players' talents around Australia, New
0:32:33 > 0:32:41Zealand and patria McGinley. -- Papua New Guinea. It is the biggest
0:32:41 > 0:32:45sporting event in Australia in the summer months. Would we want to kick
0:32:45 > 0:32:50off the competition in the right lane. We want to be entertainers. We
0:32:50 > 0:32:55have a competitive game against the English. I'm pretty sure they will
0:32:55 > 0:32:58set the trend for other matters.How important is that first game in
0:32:58 > 0:33:07terms of setting down a marker?It is important. Like England, we want
0:33:07 > 0:33:13to get away to a good start. For us personally, to get a victory in that
0:33:13 > 0:33:16game sort of holes us in good stead and gives us an opportunity to stay
0:33:16 > 0:33:24in Australia, possibly playing in the semifinals.What are you
0:33:24 > 0:33:28expecting from England?A very committed side. The sea disappointed
0:33:28 > 0:33:37by their Four Nations. -- obviously. It will be our greatest test until
0:33:37 > 0:33:43we get to the finals.Is this as good an England squad as you have
0:33:43 > 0:33:50seen for a while, given the error for players -- NFL players?Yes, the
0:33:50 > 0:33:58forward pack has got a lot of experience. Gareth is informed. We
0:33:58 > 0:34:05are expecting a torrid battle. We need to play at her best.No
0:34:05 > 0:34:12Johnathan Thurston. How much do you miss him?You are always going to
0:34:12 > 0:34:16miss a player of Jonathan's quality. Not only is playing ability but the
0:34:16 > 0:34:21person himself. He is great within the team environment. He is highly
0:34:21 > 0:34:34respected. We have got a whole wealth of talent vying for the
0:34:34 > 0:34:38number six jersey.The competition against Wayne Bennett, is a
0:34:38 > 0:34:43personal?It is not personal. We are competitive. We like winning. In
0:34:43 > 0:34:48that sense you can make it personal. But at the end of the day we are in
0:34:48 > 0:34:51charge of our football teams. We want to make sure that both teams
0:34:51 > 0:34:58are at their peak of their powers. We were having a chat of thereabout
0:34:58 > 0:35:03Mal Meninga and what he has brought to the Aussies since becoming coach.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07You were saying he has brought back a pride in the shirt. Explain what
0:35:07 > 0:35:15you mean?I think he said the jersey always had pride, but there is a
0:35:15 > 0:35:23real purpose. Over the years it was getting a bit lost, which was
0:35:23 > 0:35:29bigger? Queensland or playing clear country? It's sort of got lost.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34Since took over he has got the purpose in the jersey along with the
0:35:34 > 0:35:44players. They talk about the players' campaign, respect, desire,
0:35:44 > 0:35:50excellence... The players live and breathe the slogan. I think he has
0:35:50 > 0:35:55done a great job, along with the playing group. He took over for the
0:35:55 > 0:36:06May test. That was last year. We got to have a training session with him.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10To go out for dinner with him, back to their hotel, seeing the history,
0:36:10 > 0:36:15he has done a great job bringing all that together.The other interesting
0:36:15 > 0:36:19thing with the Aussie players is there was a feeling that because
0:36:19 > 0:36:23they are expected to win every time, that when they win it is just great,
0:36:23 > 0:36:30well done. But if they were ever to lose, they were absolutely hammered.
0:36:30 > 0:36:37It was a bit of a no-win situation? Yeah, a tough situation to be in.
0:36:37 > 0:36:42They are in this situation in this World Cup. But they have found a way
0:36:42 > 0:36:47to embrace it. Enjoy it and look forward to it. You mentioned about
0:36:47 > 0:36:51Captain and coach for England, I think it is huge for Australia. They
0:36:51 > 0:37:00work together for Queensland. The fact that those two... Mal is not a
0:37:00 > 0:37:05dictator. He will get the players' input, as he did for Queensland. He
0:37:05 > 0:37:10gets enjoyment and excitement and how they play.Let's get more
0:37:10 > 0:37:12reaction from the stadium in Melbourne.
0:37:12 > 0:37:19We can rejoin Dave Woods. Welcome back. We are joined by a couple of
0:37:19 > 0:37:25Australians, Steve massacred from the Sydney morning Herald, and a man
0:37:25 > 0:37:35who broke England hearts in 2007... The dynamic between the coaches, Mal
0:37:35 > 0:37:43Meninga and Wayne Bennett, is there a genuine rivalry?I think so. Wayne
0:37:43 > 0:37:49is an amazing coach. He has won the World Cup with New Zealand and
0:37:49 > 0:37:56Australia and now he wants to do it with England. We asked how confident
0:37:56 > 0:37:59the England side are, and he said, extremely confident because they
0:37:59 > 0:38:04have picked a great side this year. They certainly did a wonderful job
0:38:04 > 0:38:14in the mid season tests. They played like a Wayne team. Mal has known him
0:38:14 > 0:38:19for 40 years. Wayne took him into the police force. I think he would
0:38:19 > 0:38:25like to beat him, put one up and put some pressure on the favourites.The
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Australian side, there are a few players missing. Johnathan Thurston,
0:38:29 > 0:38:34Matt Smith... How good is this squad?It is a very good squad.
0:38:34 > 0:38:40Since Mal came in he has given them a new start culturally. 2014 was a
0:38:40 > 0:38:44low point for the spreading team, losing consecutive games against the
0:38:44 > 0:38:48Kiwis, losing the final. A lot of players cried off. That is not
0:38:48 > 0:38:52happening now. The players are available. It is the best possible
0:38:52 > 0:38:58side. It is hard to see them being beaten tonight. Based on the fact
0:38:58 > 0:39:03that it is the best available team and they have had a fresh start on
0:39:03 > 0:39:15Mal.I think England need to go close tonight. And I think they can.
0:39:15 > 0:39:21The fact there are ten changes, the pace of the game will be pretty
0:39:21 > 0:39:26fast. There are a lot of players playing in the Australian
0:39:26 > 0:39:29competition. You have the best of the Super League players. This is
0:39:29 > 0:39:33the best England team I have seen for a long while. If they can win
0:39:33 > 0:39:45the battle in the middle, they will go a long way to win the game.How
0:39:45 > 0:39:48much of an influence is the emotion going to have on the Australian
0:39:48 > 0:39:53team?When people are saying in Sydney that Cooper Cronk, talk about
0:39:53 > 0:39:57who he is going to join this year, it is outshining the World Cup, that
0:39:57 > 0:40:02gives you an indication of what a big start he is. They loved him
0:40:02 > 0:40:08here. The combination of those three tonight will be a really big hurdle
0:40:08 > 0:40:15for England to combat.I thought you were going to say something! Two
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Australians who reckon the strains might win tonight. Let's hope they
0:40:18 > 0:40:23are wrong. You can still vote online as to who
0:40:23 > 0:40:33will win the World Cup. As far as the other teams in the group are
0:40:33 > 0:40:37concerned, Lebanon and France, Lebanon coached by Brad Fittler,
0:40:37 > 0:40:50they have 11 NRL players.That gives them some confidence. The way they
0:40:50 > 0:40:54will approach it is, what have we got to lose? Pour it all on and
0:40:54 > 0:40:59leave it all out there. If they have some close wins, it grows
0:40:59 > 0:41:05confidence. More players want to pin their flag to the Lebanon post. That
0:41:05 > 0:41:09grows it for the future. There is a great opportunity. I don't think
0:41:09 > 0:41:15they can lose in this tournament.If people are watching and wondering
0:41:15 > 0:41:19how there can be 11 NRL players representing Lebanon, the
0:41:19 > 0:41:26eligibility rules were changed, so that if you want selected by a top
0:41:26 > 0:41:31tier country and you had connections to another country through parents
0:41:31 > 0:41:34or grandparents, there was that opportunity to switch. Do you think
0:41:34 > 0:41:38that has been a good thing for rugby league? It ought to make a more
0:41:38 > 0:41:44competitive tournament.Yeah, I do. When you look at the Nations and
0:41:44 > 0:41:48some of the squad lists, some of the players who have opted to play for
0:41:48 > 0:41:53second-tier nations, makes it a strong World Cup. It is interesting,
0:41:53 > 0:41:58Robbie's point 11. The big talk is about England and Australia. But
0:41:58 > 0:42:05that France Lebanon game is equally important. Arguably the winner will
0:42:05 > 0:42:09play -- feel the third spot and make the quarterfinal. That is a huge
0:42:09 > 0:42:13game. We understand how strong the French squad can be. A lot of the
0:42:13 > 0:42:20players are in Super League. It will be really interesting to see a mix
0:42:20 > 0:42:28of 11 NRL boys representing Lebanon against probably 13, 14 Super League
0:42:28 > 0:42:33guys from the Catalan Dragons.From previous experience, those kind of
0:42:33 > 0:42:38games are massively entertaining? Definitely. That is what makes this
0:42:38 > 0:42:44World Cup so exciting. We will be talking about players we have never
0:42:44 > 0:42:52heard of. -- we're not talking about players have never heard of. They
0:42:52 > 0:42:55are full of NRL and Super League players. The fact domestic
0:42:55 > 0:42:59competition is finished, it is exciting for rugby league that we
0:42:59 > 0:43:07get six weeks. On predictability in the results. We're talking about
0:43:07 > 0:43:14Lebanon, France, Fiji... Every country is going to have a good
0:43:14 > 0:43:18story to tell.The eligibility rules may not have gone down as well in
0:43:18 > 0:43:24New Zealand. They have been hit the hardest, haven't they? They are in
0:43:24 > 0:43:30with Samoa and Scotland and Tonga. They have lost players?They
0:43:30 > 0:43:34definitely have. One of the luxuries New Zealand have is they are deep in
0:43:34 > 0:43:36strength. There are quite a lot of New Zealanders playing in the aunt
0:43:36 > 0:43:50-- N O -- NRL and the Super League. I think it is -- he is the first
0:43:50 > 0:43:53forward ever to break 5000 metres in a season. They are just passing the
0:43:53 > 0:44:00ball.The New Zealand coach said if he had just spoken to him, he would
0:44:00 > 0:44:03have been OK. But the fact there wasn't a great deal of conversation,
0:44:03 > 0:44:07he might have posed in a New Zealand kit and scarf and then switched,
0:44:07 > 0:44:14that is what has annoyed him?Yeah, the official reason that Jason said
0:44:14 > 0:44:19is that he was hugely passionate when he played for tongue in 2013.
0:44:19 > 0:44:24Absolutely loved his time there. He is proud he is of Tongan lineage.
0:44:24 > 0:44:30There is another argument saying that because Jesse Bromwich and
0:44:30 > 0:44:37Kevin Proctor, included in the New Zealand squad, that close-knit
0:44:37 > 0:44:42squad, that could have made things come are at the seams.Are you
0:44:42 > 0:44:50worried about that group? Definitely. Players like Bromwich
0:44:50 > 0:45:00was playing for New Zealand. They had selection opportunities. A
0:45:00 > 0:45:05couple of players playing for tongue. Your debt becomes even
0:45:05 > 0:45:07better. But they are not playing. They are playing against New
0:45:07 > 0:45:15Zealand. One of the things it also throws up to me is what is going on
0:45:15 > 0:45:20in the New Zealand camp? I'm disconnected from it. I don't know.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23When everybody buys into something and you have that unit and it is
0:45:23 > 0:45:27crossing over a couple of years, people find it hard to leave their
0:45:27 > 0:45:33group. Because there are players out of there, I think that is why... We
0:45:33 > 0:45:38are talking about cohesion, the Australian spine of the team have
0:45:38 > 0:45:41been together forever. England have been working on that cohesion in the
0:45:41 > 0:45:46past couple of seasons. New Zealand have a fresh setup. That is what
0:45:46 > 0:45:51makes it nervous for me.What would be a good result for Scotland?I
0:45:51 > 0:46:01think to get out of it. It is a tough group.I know one thing, they
0:46:01 > 0:46:08will be sore after every game against Samoa, Tonga and New
0:46:08 > 0:46:16Zealand. Good luck! Let's head back to Melbourne.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20I don't know if you can see in the background, a few of the Aussie
0:46:20 > 0:46:28players warming up. Not many British players and coaches can beat
0:46:28 > 0:46:32Australia but this man has, Jamie Peacock. He played the last time
0:46:32 > 0:46:39Great Britain beat Australia. Is there a sense within the camp that
0:46:39 > 0:46:432006 could be revisited with this England A side?I think so. I have
0:46:43 > 0:46:46been around the team for the past couple of weeks. There is the belief
0:46:46 > 0:46:51there. They know they are good enough to beat Australia. If they
0:46:51 > 0:46:56play well and do the things Wayne asks them to do... I'm sick and
0:46:56 > 0:47:02tired of looking at the clips from 2006.Do you want a fight?I'm a bit
0:47:02 > 0:47:07too old to fight these days! I think they are far better team than the
0:47:07 > 0:47:12one we was. I think this is their time. Hopefully we will see this
0:47:12 > 0:47:17performance today.This fellow is still living that night. Gareth
0:47:17 > 0:47:22Raynor's match winning try and the emotion that came out of it?It was
0:47:22 > 0:47:26a great night of the others but it is about this current team. We want
0:47:26 > 0:47:31to replicate that. They want to replicate that. Having a brief
0:47:31 > 0:47:35encounter with them the other night, I can sense it is good. We will only
0:47:35 > 0:47:39find out when the kick-off starts. The reality is we need to find out
0:47:39 > 0:47:42how they cope with pressure and this intense level of having to
0:47:42 > 0:47:48concentrate for the full 80 minutes. You have seen what Wayne Bennett's
0:47:48 > 0:47:53influences like. What is it like?He gives the team confidence. He has
0:47:53 > 0:47:59been there, done it, seen everything. He has instilled belief.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02He has given them simple things to go and execute. It is about
0:48:02 > 0:48:06executing the simple things well. It is a lot more difficult than it
0:48:06 > 0:48:12sounds. If they can do that, they will win.Any game against the
0:48:12 > 0:48:17Australians, England wants to win. How significant is this game tonight
0:48:17 > 0:48:23given the rest of the competition? We want to perform well. We want to
0:48:23 > 0:48:27win, no doubt about that. But I think this team let themselves down
0:48:27 > 0:48:30when they played Australia in London a year ago. I think they want to
0:48:30 > 0:48:34improve on that performance. The majority of the squad is here. If we
0:48:34 > 0:48:40can go anywhere near their best, if most of the players play at nine out
0:48:40 > 0:48:44of ten, we can win.You talked about beating Australia twice in a series,
0:48:44 > 0:48:48which we have not done for a long time. How important you think
0:48:48 > 0:48:54tonight is?The task should be for them to mentally get their heads
0:48:54 > 0:48:58around the fact they may have to beat them twice. If there be than to
0:48:58 > 0:49:02night, they may have to again in the final. New Zealand come through, who
0:49:02 > 0:49:08knows what will happen? The mentality for me has to be, we are a
0:49:08 > 0:49:13good team also. If we beat them tonight, we may have to beat them
0:49:13 > 0:49:18again. The history of our game over the last 40 years, we haven't beaten
0:49:18 > 0:49:25them twice in a series. That's unusual. They didn't beat us twice
0:49:25 > 0:49:28for 30 years before that. Maybe its time.I will let Jayme Doll.
0:49:28 > 0:49:33Hopefully after tonight we can stop seeing clips of him pointing Willie
0:49:33 > 0:49:36Mason all those years ago. Jamie is off.
0:49:36 > 0:49:44-- Ponting. Let's show you some pictures from 2006. Do we need to
0:49:44 > 0:49:52challenge some of this? Goodness me. I'm not saying goodness me at the
0:49:52 > 0:49:57punches, I'm saying goodness me at the hair that Jamie had! Do they
0:49:57 > 0:50:03need to channel some of that fighting spirit?No. I think we need
0:50:03 > 0:50:08to be controlled. The squad is fully aware that of Australia want to mix
0:50:08 > 0:50:13it, we have got enough in there. Look at the Four Nations last year.
0:50:13 > 0:50:18Sam Burgess hit David Klemmer. The English boys aren't afraid to
0:50:18 > 0:50:21protect themselves and Stander up for each other. Jamie mentioned
0:50:21 > 0:50:29belief and confidence. I think there is big belief and confidence.I'm
0:50:29 > 0:50:31not advocating punching people, but if there is something like that
0:50:31 > 0:50:38early on in a game, everybody jumping in, how does that affect you
0:50:38 > 0:50:42on the field? Does it poorly together?I think it can do. It can
0:50:42 > 0:50:48go one of two ways. It would be interesting. I think we will be
0:50:48 > 0:50:54pretty controlled. If it ends up like that, we will get stuck in. The
0:50:54 > 0:50:58key today is to rattle Australia, and that doesn't mean by fighting.
0:50:58 > 0:51:03It means by playing rugby, by being physical and aggressive and
0:51:03 > 0:51:09executing properly.I agree. Those days have gone. You have to play
0:51:09 > 0:51:20better rugby league in Australia. They don't get fazed by that. I
0:51:20 > 0:51:24agree with Kevin. You have to put them under pressure and play rugby
0:51:24 > 0:51:30league and make them come up with plays. That doesn't last for 80
0:51:30 > 0:51:36minutes.Whenever stuff happened on the field, I used to sit down and
0:51:36 > 0:51:47picked daisies!People react in different ways.When we played Great
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Britain, on the other side you'd have Jason Robinson and he would be
0:51:50 > 0:51:53setting them picking daisies as well!
0:51:53 > 0:51:59We will be on the red Button after the game and we will talk more about
0:51:59 > 0:52:05Ireland, Wales and Scotland. With both of them playing pappy in
0:52:05 > 0:52:14Guinea, it is tough? -- Papua New Guinea.It is their national sport.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17They are not the tallest people in the world. But they are as wide as
0:52:17 > 0:52:26they are tall. It's like you are playing against 13 boulders. You
0:52:26 > 0:52:30have got eight people flying at you. Honestly, you come out of those
0:52:30 > 0:52:35games and you know you have been in a game. You are beaten up.Robbie is
0:52:35 > 0:52:40right. We played against Papua in the first game of the World Cup and
0:52:40 > 0:52:45I don't think we ever recovered. They were like lamp posts. They were
0:52:45 > 0:52:50solid. A really tough game. Especially for that group. Papua New
0:52:50 > 0:52:53Guinea's home games are in Port Moresby. That is a tough place to
0:52:53 > 0:53:02go.We will talk more Ireland and Wales between 12:15am -- 12:15pm and
0:53:02 > 0:53:06one o'clock. Let's go inside the England camp. We can hear from Sam
0:53:06 > 0:53:14Burgess. What are the feelings going into the
0:53:14 > 0:53:20game?We are really confident. We had a mid-season test against Samoa
0:53:20 > 0:53:24which we played really well in. It was important we played well in that
0:53:24 > 0:53:27game coming into a World Cup. We have that confidence in how well we
0:53:27 > 0:53:33can play as a team. We have had a couple of weeks preparation and
0:53:33 > 0:53:38things are running really smoothly. It is a World Cup and you are in an
0:53:38 > 0:53:43England shirt again. We know what happened last time there was a World
0:53:43 > 0:53:46Cup. Do you feel you have something to prove to the British sporting
0:53:46 > 0:53:53public?Not necessarily. Every time I get the opportunity to wear an
0:53:53 > 0:53:58England shirt, I will never take it for granted. I will give it my best
0:53:58 > 0:54:03shot. The only I feel is to not let my team down, do my job on the
0:54:03 > 0:54:07night. That is it really. But certainly the weight of everything,
0:54:07 > 0:54:11and the history of me wearing an England rugby union jersey, I don't
0:54:11 > 0:54:20think so.Sam Burgess, you played in an England team was he wasn't there
0:54:20 > 0:54:26because of his spell in rugby union. You feel the team got a lift on his
0:54:26 > 0:54:30return?Definitely. It is a fantastic player. It is uplifting to
0:54:30 > 0:54:35have someone like that and your team. I'm glad he is back.You're
0:54:35 > 0:54:39one of several based over here. The majority of the pack seem to be
0:54:39 > 0:54:45Australian -based. Is an advantage? I'm not sure it is. Maybe mentally.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48We play these guys week in, week out. We see their weaknesses and
0:54:48 > 0:54:55strengths. We have got six or seven players here now. They are all doing
0:54:55 > 0:54:59fantastically well. Transferring that to the international stage is
0:54:59 > 0:55:05our next step.32 tries in 32 games, a phenomenal record. You have scored
0:55:05 > 0:55:10at? Memorable tries against Australia, haven't you?Yeah, I
0:55:10 > 0:55:17have. It is not just the lower ranked teams he scored tries
0:55:17 > 0:55:22against, it is the bigger teams. It is always good to score tries
0:55:22 > 0:55:27against the best.He does all right, the big fella. He has got a good
0:55:27 > 0:55:32suntan he has been here. He doesn't go out thinking about scoring a try.
0:55:32 > 0:55:36Eagles are thinking about doing his job for the team. The tries comment
0:55:36 > 0:55:42his way. -- he goes out thinking about doing his job for the team. He
0:55:42 > 0:55:48is a world-class winger. I'm happy he is on our team. A
0:55:48 > 0:55:52magical way of scoring tries. His record is phenomenal. What do you
0:55:52 > 0:56:00say to your winger when they are against Ryan Hall?If he has the
0:56:00 > 0:56:05ball, move up quick to tackle him. He is a big, strong human. That is a
0:56:05 > 0:56:10strength were injured. The backfield, how strong at carries
0:56:10 > 0:56:14they are. They will need to be tonight. I think Ryan Hall is as
0:56:14 > 0:56:18strong as anybody else. He finishes really well as well. He can move
0:56:18 > 0:56:23quite quick for a big fellow. We heard Sam Burgess saying he doesn't
0:56:23 > 0:56:27think about scoring tries, he just thinks about doing his job, although
0:56:27 > 0:56:33arguably his job is scoring tries.I think the game has changed for
0:56:33 > 0:56:37wingers from what it was. It was all about tries. Now the game is very
0:56:37 > 0:56:43different. How they bring the ball out of our own territory is equally
0:56:43 > 0:56:51as important as scoring tries. Teams have such a threat from kicks, how
0:56:51 > 0:56:57they execute, how they catch high balls. Not only scoring tries but
0:56:57 > 0:57:03saving tries and gaining valuable metres is so important.I have only
0:57:03 > 0:57:06met him at? Times, you played with him for years. Nothing seems to faze
0:57:06 > 0:57:13him?He is very complex. He is chalk and cheese with Sam Burgess. Sam
0:57:13 > 0:57:21Burgess is a big personality. Ryan is quite in Syria at times. Almost
0:57:21 > 0:57:24the type of guy who is so intelligent but with very little
0:57:24 > 0:57:32common sense. A bit like rain man! You need a mix of every type of
0:57:32 > 0:57:37personality and character. He fits in perfectly point macro there the
0:57:37 > 0:57:48England team. You can see John Bateman who will be in the centre.
0:57:48 > 0:57:52The absence of Gale will be crucial today?It will be. It will be
0:57:52 > 0:57:58interesting to see who takes the leadership role? Luke Gale has been
0:57:58 > 0:58:06the man of steel.Who should take leadership?Luke Gale should be
0:58:06 > 0:58:11directing everything. Setting things up for a widow. You have Josh
0:58:11 > 0:58:16Hodgson in the middle who is very important. He has to make sure the
0:58:16 > 0:58:22takes every opportunity he can. Luke Gale for me needs time and space on
0:58:22 > 0:58:27the ball. I think we saw in the Super League Grand Final, when he
0:58:27 > 0:58:32doesn't get that time and space, he is limited. But with this pack, and
0:58:32 > 0:58:38with Jermaine McGillvary and Ryan Hall Ponting into the line, James
0:58:38 > 0:58:42Graham, Sam Burgess, Chris Hill, you should be able to get both of these
0:58:42 > 0:58:49have backs on the ball. This is an element Luke Hall has added to his
0:58:49 > 0:58:55game, his support game. If he can come up with the big plays at the
0:58:55 > 0:59:00right time, he has got a Canon for a boot. If he grabs the game by the
0:59:00 > 0:59:03scruff of the neck and gets time and space on the ball, that allows to
0:59:03 > 0:59:07achieve his ability. When he is achieving what he can come the team
0:59:07 > 0:59:14does.I am sorry, Justin! That was unbelievably cruel. I'll talk to the
0:59:14 > 0:59:20production team.He was man of Steel for the whole year, don't forget!
0:59:20 > 0:59:28Cruel.Robbie has nailed it on Luke Gale. Last year during the Four
0:59:28 > 0:59:32Nations we were much or as an England team who was the boss, who
0:59:32 > 0:59:35got smacked around the field. Was it Luke Gale, was a brown, was it
0:59:35 > 0:59:41Gareth Widdop? Now Wayne has told him, you run the team. That frees
0:59:41 > 0:59:48Gareth. Will the same sort of discussion be going on in the
0:59:48 > 0:59:54Australian team about Thurston, who runs it?No. I also did would be
0:59:54 > 0:59:59Cronk anyway. Cupar organises the team better than anybody. He is
0:59:59 > 1:00:04familiar in that role.What does Morgan have to do alongside him?
1:00:04 > 1:00:10Just get the ball when he wants to. Cooper will organise the whole set.
1:00:10 > 1:00:17When he does, Morgan will overwrite Cooper. Try to make one play in a
1:00:17 > 1:00:25set of six count. Cooper can kick him into some tough places.I think
1:00:25 > 1:00:30Justin is described as the best outcome. He looks after your kicking
1:00:30 > 1:00:35game, he gets the field -- team around the field. Get the ball to
1:00:35 > 1:00:39him. He knows his field position and his space. That link between Morgan
1:00:39 > 1:00:43and Slater will be crucial. Johnathan Thurston bringing the flag
1:00:43 > 1:00:49and frustrated.
1:00:49 > 1:00:52-- in for Australia, which he would not want to be doing. You've got to
1:00:52 > 1:00:59feel sorry for him.Not too much! You know how we English feel about
1:00:59 > 1:01:03our Australian brothers.Maybe I've got more heart the new!Maybe but
1:01:03 > 1:01:08don't get me wrong, Jonathan has been and won accolade in the game. I
1:01:08 > 1:01:11think it helps the rest of the team that he is not part of the
1:01:11 > 1:01:18tournament, he's that good! It does the tournament justice, getting to
1:01:18 > 1:01:22play a part in the tournament.How do you view the Morgan and Cooper
1:01:22 > 1:01:27Cronk partnership.It's interesting because I read an article earlier
1:01:27 > 1:01:29this week when Michael Morgan said it was Cooper Cronk that brought the
1:01:29 > 1:01:32best out of him during one of the Australian camp 's mid-season,
1:01:32 > 1:01:36Cooper Cronk said to him you have got to own the game and grab it by
1:01:36 > 1:01:41the scruff of the neck and a lot of players have said since he came out
1:01:41 > 1:01:45of that Australian camp, he changed the forgings for the Cowboys and
1:01:45 > 1:01:51because of that, -- the fortunes of the Cowboys and he may still be in a
1:01:51 > 1:01:54subconscious with of trying to run the game and that is where friction
1:01:54 > 1:01:59might come in. But I will agree with both of these guys, you have do have
1:01:59 > 1:02:06a leader, a guy that can free himself up and blew everything else
1:02:06 > 1:02:08together and -- and glue everything else together and Morgan will have
1:02:08 > 1:02:11to play that role.What are you looking for from England in the
1:02:11 > 1:02:17first half?That we create pressure and rattle Australia and we go in, I
1:02:17 > 1:02:21would like to see us in front on the scoreboard but look, I said a really
1:02:21 > 1:02:25good performance in the first 40 minutes.You did your online vote on
1:02:25 > 1:02:32who is going to win the World Cup, 62% went for Australia, 23% went for
1:02:32 > 1:02:40England, 10% for New Zealand and 2%, obviously are paying attention to
1:02:40 > 1:02:45what you were saying this morning, have gone to Tonga. The teams are
1:02:45 > 1:02:48out, Australia against England, this is it, the opening match of the
1:02:48 > 1:02:54Rugby league World Cup. We will have it for you across the BBC, on TV,
1:02:54 > 1:02:58online and on radio five live and sports extra as well and we can join
1:02:58 > 1:03:01our commentary team out in Melbourne, led by Dave Woods.
1:03:03 > 1:03:06# God save our gracious Queen Long live our noble Queen
1:03:06 > 1:03:11# God save the Queen
1:03:11 > 1:03:16# Send her victorious
1:03:16 > 1:03:21# Happy and glorious
1:03:21 > 1:03:26# Long to reign over us
1:03:26 > 1:03:33# God save the Queen. #
1:03:36 > 1:03:44APPLAUSE COMMENTATOR: At the Melbourne
1:03:44 > 1:03:47Rectangular Stadium, the English National man them and now the
1:03:47 > 1:03:49Australian. -- national anthem.
1:04:00 > 1:04:02MUSIC: Advance Australia Fair.
1:04:02 > 1:04:10# Australians all let us rejoice For we are young and free
1:04:10 > 1:04:15# We've golden soil and wealth for toil
1:04:15 > 1:04:24# Our home is girt by sea
1:04:24 > 1:04:30# Our land abounds in Nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare
1:04:30 > 1:04:38# In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia fair
1:04:38 > 1:04:49# In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair
1:05:00 > 1:05:02APPLAUSE
1:05:02 > 1:05:03APPLAUSE
1:05:05 > 1:05:07We've had a fantastically atmospheric build-up to this game
1:05:07 > 1:05:11and tournament inside the stadium tonight, the 14 nations all
1:05:11 > 1:05:15represented by flags and some of their greats as well, Garry
1:05:15 > 1:05:24Schofield carrying on the flag remember, and assured way away from
1:05:24 > 1:05:26wherein 1992, inspiring England, Great Britain in those days, he
1:05:26 > 1:05:32inspired Great Britain to a win against Australia, Johnathan
1:05:32 > 1:05:36Thurston has been carrying a flag for Australia, not involved in this
1:05:36 > 1:05:40tournament, of course, just looking down, we see Petra Cinemas either.
1:05:40 > 1:05:45This is how they lie -- line-up, Dane Gagai on debut on the wing for
1:05:45 > 1:05:50Australia, as are two of their substitutes, Wade Graham and Jordan
1:05:50 > 1:05:55McLean. The England team, some late destruction, no Alex Walmsley would
1:05:55 > 1:05:58have been on debut, instead, Ben Currie comes in and he will be
1:05:58 > 1:06:03winning his first cap tonight and it is a very settled look to the
1:06:03 > 1:06:06England side as well. We will get a special presentation here tonight
1:06:06 > 1:06:11before the match kicks off, we are told, with Johnathan Thurston
1:06:11 > 1:06:21reading the poem The Rise, the Australian version of the haka.
1:06:21 > 1:06:25That's bringing Brian Noble and Ian Lohan. What have you made in the
1:06:25 > 1:06:29build-up of England's chances and the strength of this particular
1:06:29 > 1:06:34Australian side?The first thing Wayne Bennett said was he was not
1:06:34 > 1:06:43anticipating a bill, he wanted to give that Australian team a
1:06:43 > 1:06:48build-up, he was a high completion rate but Australia are very well
1:06:48 > 1:06:53oiled by, they have best players in the world in the spine, Cameron
1:06:53 > 1:06:56Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater and Michael Morgan for the North
1:06:56 > 1:06:59Queensland Cowboys has been absolutely sensational this year.
1:06:59 > 1:07:02That is where they have the advantage in this tournament, in
1:07:02 > 1:07:07those four key positions. I like the English pack of forwards but Wayne
1:07:07 > 1:07:11is very good at building.What about that fellow, Billy Slater? We
1:07:11 > 1:07:14thought we'd seen the last of him at international level a couple of
1:07:14 > 1:07:17years ago when he got that shoulder injury but to come back from that
1:07:17 > 1:07:21has been pretty phenomenal.The biggest thing is, he did not loses
1:07:21 > 1:07:24speed and honestly, everyone talks about how good he is with his speed,
1:07:24 > 1:07:28anticipation and skill with the ball but people don't talk about how well
1:07:28 > 1:07:32he organises the defence in front of him, they say he's one of the best
1:07:32 > 1:07:34talkers on the field and he will bring that to Australia tonight.
1:07:34 > 1:07:40Michael Morgan in your picture, there, another one who is very much
1:07:40 > 1:07:42the linchpin, the North Queensland Cowboys player and the Australians
1:07:42 > 1:07:49are coming together for this Rise presentation. We will keep an eye
1:07:49 > 1:07:54out to see Jonathan Thurston coming on the revealed, the Australians
1:07:54 > 1:08:00gathering together, the English lining up on the 40 metre mark. --
1:08:00 > 1:08:06on the field. Here comes Johnathan Thurston. He will enter the ring of
1:08:06 > 1:08:11Australian players in just a moment. You will see him walking into your
1:08:11 > 1:08:16picture, onto the screen, in a few moments time. He is a big miss for
1:08:16 > 1:08:22the World Cup, this fellow. In footballing terms, he is the Messi,
1:08:22 > 1:08:27the Ronaldo rugby league. But he's going to have a part to play
1:08:27 > 1:08:32nonetheless, rise is what this is called, respect, inspire, selfless
1:08:32 > 1:08:38and excellence. It is something the Australians have adopted for this
1:08:38 > 1:08:43World Cup. All aspects of their culture represented.
1:09:16 > 1:09:20We, the Kangaroos, acknowledge and pay respect to our traditional
1:09:20 > 1:09:25owners. We welcome all nations to our country, for this World Cup. And
1:09:25 > 1:09:31we will rise as one.APPLAUSE
1:09:40 > 1:09:46Like the coat of arms on our heart.
1:09:48 > 1:09:56We will be selfless.
1:10:00 > 1:10:08And with the Chevron on our chest, we will be selfless in victory.
1:10:14 > 1:10:20We are from different backgrounds but we strive for excellence and
1:10:20 > 1:10:32will rise united.We are the Kangaroos.Well, that is quite a
1:10:32 > 1:10:35performance. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that on the Rugby
1:10:35 > 1:10:38league field before. Let's hope they've been spending as much time
1:10:38 > 1:10:41in rehearsal for that as they have been for their planned moves.Let's
1:10:41 > 1:10:47hope they haven't!Since he came into the job, they have won seven
1:10:47 > 1:10:50from seven but he brought a bit more passion into the organisation and
1:10:50 > 1:10:57they have shown it with that and Sam Thaiday was a major contributor to
1:10:57 > 1:11:04penning those words when he was injured in the Four nations and was
1:11:04 > 1:11:09in hospital.Sound Thaiday Johnathan Thurston who were involved in making
1:11:09 > 1:11:13it not involved but these players are, and England are looking forward
1:11:13 > 1:11:17to the horizon of opportunities this World Cup offers, how far they will
1:11:17 > 1:11:23travel will be gauged in part the night but Australia, formidable
1:11:23 > 1:11:25opposition, Engelbach, Billy Slater, hooker Cameron Smith, for example,
1:11:25 > 1:11:31they can lay claim to being the best ever in green and gold in their
1:11:31 > 1:11:36position --. The referee tonight, Mike check-in, preparing to get it
1:11:36 > 1:11:43underway. Cameron Smith has planted the ball down. Billy Slater back on
1:11:43 > 1:11:49the international scene. James Graham, utterly prepared. Their
1:11:49 > 1:11:56countdown comedy gig after the 2017 Rugby league World Cup, it all
1:11:56 > 1:12:00starts in Melbourne, Australia against England. 12 more nations
1:12:00 > 1:12:06entering the fray this weekend but this is very much the voters. What a
1:12:06 > 1:12:10ferocious start we have got. Excellent, Test match football at
1:12:10 > 1:12:20its best!Worldy is going to be opening minutes.You've got to be
1:12:20 > 1:12:23concerned when you come out of the line, you have do be sure you nail
1:12:23 > 1:12:27it otherwise you will lose some space.Not fazed by that early
1:12:27 > 1:12:31contact, England. Pretty clear where they are going out of the rock at
1:12:31 > 1:12:40the moment. First touch was Ann Burgess who comes way but Valentine
1:12:40 > 1:12:43Holmes is up to catch the kick. It is a very good chase by the English
1:12:43 > 1:12:48defenders. Australia start from there.Wayne Bennett's coaching
1:12:48 > 1:12:53always talks about completing the first ten sets. He's looking for
1:12:53 > 1:12:56100% completion and will be ticking them off, no frills, just up the
1:12:56 > 1:13:00middle.And if you are looking for structure and line speed from
1:13:00 > 1:13:03England, I think if they have advantage today, England, it is with
1:13:03 > 1:13:07that big bag of forwards, that you can see going forward, big Sam
1:13:07 > 1:13:11Burgess with a hit on Cooper Cronk, back to six so they will have six
1:13:11 > 1:13:16more plays but they won't desist with that kind of attitude.A couple
1:13:16 > 1:13:21of winning moments for Sam Burgess in these opening stages. Here comes
1:13:21 > 1:13:24David Klemmer. Australia are in possession inside the English half
1:13:24 > 1:13:28for the first time tonight, in the opening two minutes. Grant with the
1:13:28 > 1:13:35short ball. Gillett. Cameron Smith sidling up to dummy half again.
1:13:35 > 1:13:43Aaron Woods. James Graham, wrapping himself around and the play-the-ball
1:13:43 > 1:13:46is still quick and Cameron Smith is away, looking for support. Back it
1:13:46 > 1:13:52comes again to David Klemmer, whose slams that huge body, that huge
1:13:52 > 1:13:56body, into the England line. Australia poised. Cooper Cronk with
1:13:56 > 1:14:05a kick, high over the double Ryan Hall. On the dead-ball line, it is a
1:14:05 > 1:14:09restart, England on the 20.Grant will be disappointed because he had
1:14:09 > 1:14:13it nailed, had the numbers on the left side of the England defence,
1:14:13 > 1:14:16David Klemmer into the line and then amid people, Cameron Smith
1:14:16 > 1:14:21particularly, probing in and around the rock. Good start from Australia.
1:14:21 > 1:14:28But two different styles, Brian, England going up the middle but were
1:14:28 > 1:14:32-- are they working to get to the edges Australia.And a lift for
1:14:32 > 1:14:35England because the penalty for offside and the chance for them to
1:14:35 > 1:14:39settle a few nerves, Luke Gale having a little chat with his
1:14:39 > 1:14:45team-mates and Aaron Woods is the man who has been pinged. Not the
1:14:45 > 1:14:53best touch by Luke Gale but it has at least given England a good start
1:14:53 > 1:14:57inside their opponents' half and here comes the Sam Burgess again.
1:14:57 > 1:15:02Hodgson out of dummy half. Graham. Carrying them on. Best position
1:15:02 > 1:15:08England have had in these opening stages. O'Loughlin. Gareth Widdop.
1:15:08 > 1:15:11Closed down, Lomax, but he has bounced away from the tackle of
1:15:11 > 1:15:19Dugan. Look how close they are, here. Hodgson again. O'Loughlin can
1:15:19 > 1:15:24deliver a pass and he does and Watkins... Trying to make his way
1:15:24 > 1:15:29through a couple of defenders. McGillvaray spinning it back.
1:15:29 > 1:15:35Hodgson. Dummies inside to Hill and it comes to Luke Gale and Lomax
1:15:35 > 1:15:40joins from full-back, set up by Bateman, Grant can't keep hold of
1:15:40 > 1:15:44him. Burgess slipping it back towards the middle. Looking to cause
1:15:44 > 1:15:53some damage. The last tackle coming next. Hodgson. Laughlin. Good pass
1:15:53 > 1:15:59by him, over the Doctor McGillvaray! Get in, I tried for England.England
1:15:59 > 1:16:04claimed the opening try of the World Cup. Matt Cecchin will give it, no
1:16:04 > 1:16:07recourse to the video referee and what a terrific start this is for
1:16:07 > 1:16:12England. Look at those faces.They are happy, for sure, McGillvaray
1:16:12 > 1:16:16finishes what has been a pretty competent opening attacking set,
1:16:16 > 1:16:19they have asked questions on both sides of the field and O'Loughlin is
1:16:19 > 1:16:24the key on both sides, unleashing Gareth Widdop with a great out ball
1:16:24 > 1:16:29and McGillvaray just as to catch it. The last tackle as I do it was a
1:16:29 > 1:16:32good set, prepared to play the ball, what was in front of them, great
1:16:32 > 1:16:37off-load and great vision, because when the play came outside in, you
1:16:37 > 1:16:40were not surely if he was going to pass short and force an error for
1:16:40 > 1:16:43Australia but he went over the top, great vision and that will give them
1:16:43 > 1:16:49great confidence.Keeping up a fine record, Jermaine McGillvary, five
1:16:49 > 1:16:54tries in his last five appearances for England and there will be in
1:16:54 > 1:17:02excitement amongst the group now. What a start.Sam Burgess did a
1:17:02 > 1:17:05great job in that set, his footwork but also they put him on top of
1:17:05 > 1:17:09grant a few times and they won the ruck, and with his ability to
1:17:09 > 1:17:14comeback on the inside, he didn't panic.The two best buys, O'Loughlin
1:17:14 > 1:17:18featured three time so we are doing the right thing.Gareth Widdop from
1:17:18 > 1:17:24near the touchline, close but not close enough. So just four points.
1:17:24 > 1:17:27That is what you need, when you are underdogs in a game and everyone
1:17:27 > 1:17:30talks about building up to the tournament...Great movement,
1:17:30 > 1:17:35O'Loughlin goes at the line, Gareth Widdop has a four against two and
1:17:35 > 1:17:39find the right pass to McGillvaray to finish, asking questions, Adam
1:17:39 > 1:17:43Brimelow three, great start for England.Lomax caused the problems
1:17:43 > 1:17:47because they had a number up on him and then went over the top. It is
1:17:47 > 1:17:50like the way they got out of their half, England, I thought they would
1:17:50 > 1:17:54be a bit more pedestrian, a bit flavour but they went right down the
1:17:54 > 1:17:59middle of the park. They had a bit of confidence about them. -- a bit
1:17:59 > 1:18:04safer.All the talk is about the England centres but who need them
1:18:04 > 1:18:11when you got a loose order that can deliver passes like that? Sam
1:18:11 > 1:18:15Burgess is just sizing himself up again to take on the big fellows in
1:18:15 > 1:18:23the middle. Smith and Woods, doing the job. A little bit of footwork as
1:18:23 > 1:18:27he hits the line.Chris Hill with terrific footwork. He always find
1:18:27 > 1:18:30his feet to do that.
1:18:37 > 1:18:42James Roby is on the bench as well, so they have that potential to
1:18:42 > 1:18:46switch the dynamic that dummy half. It is a good kick, high in the air
1:18:46 > 1:18:53from Gareth Widdop. Taken by Billy Slater. We all remember his debut
1:18:53 > 1:18:58for Australia, his debut season for Australia, in the World Cup in 2008,
1:18:58 > 1:19:03when he scored a hat-trick in this fixture against the English.
1:19:03 > 1:19:05Chambers.
1:19:13 > 1:19:20David Klemmer, just inside the England half. Smith. Switched away
1:19:20 > 1:19:26and a step from Michael Morgan and a good pass as well and Kronk is in
1:19:26 > 1:19:30support, the cover comes back across and Cooper Cronk's pass is straight
1:19:30 > 1:19:35into the hands of the recovering McGillvaray.They cut England apart
1:19:35 > 1:19:38with Cooper Cronk and it was David Klemmer with the short ball and
1:19:38 > 1:19:41McGillvaray's Johnny on the spot with one of those try saving plays
1:19:41 > 1:19:46you will need in a game like this but dangerous signs from Australia.
1:19:46 > 1:19:50Normally very clinical at the back end, Grant and that was a bit of a
1:19:50 > 1:19:55Hail Mary from him.The Melbourne tram Britos later, Kronk and Smith,
1:19:55 > 1:20:01here, playing together in the same team on this pitch for the very last
1:20:01 > 1:20:09time. Gareth Widdop with the kick away under pressure from Woods.Was
1:20:09 > 1:20:15that an early kick?No, it was the last tackle.Cooper Cronk is in a
1:20:15 > 1:20:20bit of strife at the moment, by the way. He has just put his thumbs up
1:20:20 > 1:20:23to the bench to say he is OK but we will keep a careful eye on it.
1:20:23 > 1:20:30Trbojevic.I'm a bit worried about how quickly the Australians are
1:20:30 > 1:20:34getting off the ground. They need a bit more stick from the English
1:20:34 > 1:20:42defence.Cameron Smith, towards Woods. Looking to get the off-load
1:20:42 > 1:20:48away but the English defenders are there quickly. On the last play,
1:20:48 > 1:20:51Kronk, recovering enough to take part and the reverse kick that is
1:20:51 > 1:20:56causing all kinds of confusion and James Graham in the end can only
1:20:56 > 1:21:00take it and concede the drop out but more strife for Cooper Cronk after
1:21:00 > 1:21:07he got that kick away. This will be a major concern for the Australians.
1:21:07 > 1:21:11There was nothing in the tackle from Burgess, he's gone through the
1:21:11 > 1:21:16middle so it is not late and high. That is the two card trick you get
1:21:16 > 1:21:22with Kronk and Smith and Slater and Kronk do it as well, they kick it
1:21:22 > 1:21:26back against the grain, to the post, so England will have to be very
1:21:26 > 1:21:28conscious of that because they scored numerous tries in the error
1:21:28 > 1:21:33with that play.It is a form of telepathy, they all know where the
1:21:33 > 1:21:36other is so it might be kicked to the inside or outside or over the
1:21:36 > 1:21:42top. It is like they've got it on a wire, so in thing.They first
1:21:42 > 1:21:45started buying all three together in Greenland when they were 17 and
1:21:45 > 1:21:49their whole careers, they've played together. They certainly know
1:21:49 > 1:21:54without having to acknowledge what they are going to do.Have a look at
1:21:54 > 1:22:00this, in the tackle, he was carrying an injury already, in the set
1:22:00 > 1:22:03before, he needed a bit of treatment, Cooper Cronk and I think
1:22:03 > 1:22:08that has exacerbated things. Taking a bit of a settler and Josh Hodgson
1:22:08 > 1:22:11has been getting some treatment as well but I think that is more to do
1:22:11 > 1:22:14with England's slowing things down before the drop.Interesting that
1:22:14 > 1:22:20Mal Meninga went with four forwards on this page, not an outside back or
1:22:20 > 1:22:23utility player, if something was to happen, Wade Graham has the ability
1:22:23 > 1:22:28to go to the back row.Gareth Widdop with a high kick, taken by Slater
1:22:28 > 1:22:35and David Klemmer will take it in. He made his Australian debut on this
1:22:35 > 1:22:44very ground in 2014. Trbojevic. Cameron Smith prowling into dummy
1:22:44 > 1:22:51half again. Woods. Showing some dangerous touches. And a lovely
1:22:51 > 1:22:55off-load. Smith with Kronk to his right. It is back towards the
1:22:55 > 1:22:59middle. Trbojevic. Trying to bulldoze his way through but
1:22:59 > 1:23:06England's line stands for the moment. Smith again. Morgan. A pass
1:23:06 > 1:23:11away and Slater is in the back and his kit as well which McGillvaray
1:23:11 > 1:23:14has fielded in the field of play in the first instance but has been
1:23:14 > 1:23:17forced back into the in-goal area for the drop out again, the pressure
1:23:17 > 1:23:21is building.Their kicking game is clinical in this part of the field.
1:23:21 > 1:23:25This is their third set for England on their own line.This is their
1:23:25 > 1:23:31trademark, this is why Melbourne Storm run the error because of the
1:23:31 > 1:23:35way Kronk, Slater and Smith build pressure, if they be they can't get
1:23:35 > 1:23:38anything out of the set, they put the ball in the in goal and get
1:23:38 > 1:23:41another set of six, it is so great, the way they build pressure, anyone
1:23:41 > 1:23:44who sits out there who is a half-back worker, just watch the way
1:23:44 > 1:23:47they read the game and build.Gareth Widdop with another clearing kick
1:23:47 > 1:23:52which will take and Woods was quickly involved in the action. --
1:23:52 > 1:23:59which Slater will take. How long can England withstand this pressure?
1:23:59 > 1:24:05They are being tested, here.
1:24:05 > 1:24:10Trbojevic to the ten metre line. Across to Kronk again. Slater
1:24:10 > 1:24:13charging from full-back with the ball in one hand but England's
1:24:13 > 1:24:18defenders have got covered and drag him down but more comes. Kronk again
1:24:18 > 1:24:23to Smith. They are numbering up. Morgan a pass out for David Klemmer
1:24:23 > 1:24:26what's more, he's dented the line but not punched through. Tackle is
1:24:26 > 1:24:33running out. Kronk with a kick, too much on it again. His kicking game
1:24:33 > 1:24:38at the moment has not been a list and he's given England another
1:24:38 > 1:24:42advantage and what about that lived for the England side, to have
1:24:42 > 1:24:45survived that pressure?The execution might not have been right
1:24:45 > 1:24:51about the opportunity was there both times, and if he has precision
1:24:51 > 1:24:54kicking, they will come up with boys.But the positive for England
1:24:54 > 1:24:58is that four sets on the bounce, they defended on their own line, in
1:24:58 > 1:25:03data in times gone by, they might not have had that kind of character.
1:25:03 > 1:25:07Yeah, but we're working on that it has taken something out of these
1:25:07 > 1:25:10two.Graham's inside ball that would have intercepted. A bit of history
1:25:10 > 1:25:18between those two. Graham moving away from the Canterbury Bulldogs
1:25:18 > 1:25:21next year to St George Illawarra Dragons before Ian Millward says
1:25:21 > 1:25:25anything.What you don't do is give a team like Australia free
1:25:25 > 1:25:32possession which England just did. Gillett. Having survived one spell,
1:25:32 > 1:25:41England have do survive again, here. Smith. Kronk. Klemmer. Hammering
1:25:41 > 1:25:46forward again. It is a good matchup, James Graham and David Klemmer going
1:25:46 > 1:25:51head-to-head on soma negations. Smith again, but it was a little
1:25:51 > 1:25:56wide.Good tackle.One to go, one more opportunity for Australia. Left
1:25:56 > 1:26:04again, Morgan this time and McGillvaray takes no chances.Just
1:26:04 > 1:26:07begun the England wicketkeeper, that is the fourth time you clean
1:26:07 > 1:26:11Obrenovac and booted the ball out. Well played Jermaine McGillvary.You
1:26:11 > 1:26:15made a point it was a great tackle from Gareth Widdop with Elliott
1:26:15 > 1:26:19Whitehead, Gareth really stood his ground and stepped in on the player
1:26:19 > 1:26:22and that is what you had to do, build confidence in the defence,
1:26:22 > 1:26:26that is what most teams do, build confidence, England getting the
1:26:26 > 1:26:31chance to do plenty of it now. Cooper Cronk seems to be recovering
1:26:31 > 1:26:40his boys level. -- his poise a little.You are hoping.We hope he's
1:26:40 > 1:26:44OK the mad at a becomes a problem for Australia, Morgan cannot get to
1:26:44 > 1:26:48it and England have it back, another bonus.That is big for England,
1:26:48 > 1:26:51getting the ball back from the restart. Jermaine McGillvary, now,
1:26:51 > 1:26:58making miles of it.England riding their luck but they have made their
1:26:58 > 1:27:04own luck, no doubt about that, with their strength of will in defence.
1:27:04 > 1:27:11And now another potential attacking opportunity. Inside to Burgess.
1:27:11 > 1:27:15Slamming Sam takes England beyond the 30 metre line. This is Hodgson.
1:27:15 > 1:27:21It is now with O'Loughlin. They have been doing a tough stuff down the
1:27:21 > 1:27:26middle is one of the fancy stuff out wide. One played to go. -- as well
1:27:26 > 1:27:31as the buddies die. Slater is keeping an eye on this, and he
1:27:31 > 1:27:36caught it.Smart play, wasn't it? His first thought was to catch the
1:27:36 > 1:27:40ball and the second was to get out of there is we had to do it quite
1:27:40 > 1:27:45sensibly.Sam Burgess looks sharp, playing in the back row, in the NRL,
1:27:45 > 1:27:48he plays in the middle and has a lot of wearing tear. But like this, he
1:27:48 > 1:27:53looks sharp.Got some criticism in the four nations from his coach
1:27:53 > 1:28:00about his discipline. To did well, by all accounts. -- took it well.
1:28:00 > 1:28:04Was guilty of giving away a few tries and penalties, and here is
1:28:04 > 1:28:13Josh Dugan, who can certainly run. Cameron Smith puts it high. The
1:28:13 > 1:28:15first test in the air for Jonny Lomax but no real pressure as the
1:28:15 > 1:28:23ball comes down and England will start from there. Ryan Hall. Talking
1:28:23 > 1:28:28in a build-up about the role he has done not just about scoring in every
1:28:28 > 1:28:32game he's played so far an average but that kind of carry. Bateman
1:28:32 > 1:28:34again.
1:28:36 > 1:28:43It is slow, Luke Gale goes left and Burgess is left free and will bring
1:28:43 > 1:28:47it back towards the middle.Good carry from Burgess.
1:28:51 > 1:28:55O Loughlin, again, the pass misses out a couple but he also misses his
1:28:55 > 1:28:58own man, Ryan Hall.That'll be the disappointing thing for England,
1:28:58 > 1:29:03they have not finished the sets probably in the last three, two them
1:29:03 > 1:29:06have gone to ground or gone to Australia. Just a bit more method
1:29:06 > 1:29:12about what they are doing, Dave, getting to the corner and leaving at
1:29:12 > 1:29:15Smith and Kronk.With the characteristics of Wayne Bennett as
1:29:15 > 1:29:18a coach, two things are his team are the most disciplined and also they
1:29:18 > 1:29:21have the least amount of errors. Their discipline has been good but
1:29:21 > 1:29:26the errors are coming out at the end. It is a cruel blow. I've got to
1:29:26 > 1:29:29say, if you look at the body language at the moment, there's a
1:29:29 > 1:29:32bit of wearing tear in England because they've had to do the most
1:29:32 > 1:29:35work coming out of their half and Australia have not done much yet
1:29:35 > 1:29:41will stopEngland have had a lot of defence to do so this break and the
1:29:41 > 1:29:48scrum should give them the resolve and the recharge they need.16
1:29:48 > 1:29:55minutes played, one tried so far, Jermaine McGillvary. Are a lot of
1:29:55 > 1:29:58pressure since then and here they come with a little more. . Getting
1:29:58 > 1:30:06it away. Dane Gagai putting him down. 35 hour from where they want
1:30:06 > 1:30:11to be, Australia, Trbojevic bursting in. A bit of a gap and some cover
1:30:11 > 1:30:15required from England. Taken on by Klemmer, who is pulled down with
1:30:15 > 1:30:21just over ten metres to go. Cameron Smith waiting a dummy half. Kronk,
1:30:21 > 1:30:28the step by Dane Gagai is stopped in its tracks. Luke Gale and Graham
1:30:28 > 1:30:32getting there but they are in a familiar position, Australia. Smith
1:30:32 > 1:30:37to Morgan and now is later trying to create a bit of space over there but
1:30:37 > 1:30:39someone double defending from Watkins in the first instance and
1:30:39 > 1:30:45the recovery to make the second tackle a good one as well.
1:30:48 > 1:30:56Last tackle. Smith takes it. Morgan. Going nowhere. The ball has been
1:30:56 > 1:31:05lost. McGillvary alive again. Really good defence.How much can they do?
1:31:05 > 1:31:11England have dug in. They have found the extra special effort to keep
1:31:11 > 1:31:19Australia out.The big thing with England, when they work together as
1:31:19 > 1:31:28a line... When they work as a line together, they are doing very well.
1:31:28 > 1:31:34I thought Slater was going to skin him. But England were nice and
1:31:34 > 1:31:36patient. It was good.
1:31:44 > 1:31:53Bateman in danger of letting the ball slip. Here comes Burgess.
1:31:53 > 1:32:03Trbojevic rounding him up. A sweeping kick from Gale. Towards a
1:32:03 > 1:32:15Valentine Holmes.I think England's kicking game could be a bit better.
1:32:15 > 1:32:23Yeah. Always kicking from the halfway. You want to see them
1:32:23 > 1:32:31kicking into space. The ball is going past the 20 metre line.Kevin
1:32:31 > 1:32:36Smith with a kick from just behind the halfway line. This is a decent
1:32:36 > 1:32:45chase by the Australians. Morgan bringing his man down.Something
1:32:45 > 1:32:50that players struggling to get back behind the ball. That is Smith
1:32:50 > 1:32:54reading the play. Let's kick early. Force an error or get field
1:32:54 > 1:33:13position. Smith has a great feel for the game. Extra yards gained.
1:33:13 > 1:33:21Burgess with a step but Cooper Cronk not beaten. Gale Angling it towards
1:33:21 > 1:33:28the touchline. Never any danger of it getting there.The chase was
1:33:28 > 1:33:34pretty good. Although it was not the longest of kicks... This is
1:33:34 > 1:33:39dangerous.
1:33:51 > 1:34:00Woods is looking for a penalty. Slater comes from the back. But
1:34:00 > 1:34:04again the passes loose. And again it is England who dropped on it, Sam
1:34:04 > 1:34:09Burgess this time.Australia Day the first bit real well. They did not
1:34:09 > 1:34:15execute the second bit. -- Australia did the first bit.I think there is
1:34:15 > 1:34:20a lack of respect for England. They are breaking up their signature
1:34:20 > 1:34:31plays.The ambition was there, the execution was there to keep that
1:34:31 > 1:34:38ball alive. Lomax will take it on. We have seen some good off-loads
1:34:38 > 1:34:49from both centres. Good flowing movement from England. Gareth
1:34:49 > 1:34:55Widdop... A loose pass from him, intercepted by Will Chambers.
1:34:55 > 1:35:03Mistakes from both teams with the handling.The final pass was loose.
1:35:03 > 1:35:07There was hope. Hope is not a good strategy. That is where Gareth was
1:35:07 > 1:35:19coming from.Nearly 22 minutes of this first World Cup match played.
1:35:19 > 1:35:26Have we seen an interchange so far? No interchange yet. I don't think
1:35:26 > 1:35:31they -- we are too far off it. There are a few big boys blowing at the
1:35:31 > 1:35:40minute.England already back on their own line. It is the sixth
1:35:40 > 1:35:50tackle. Gillette... I think he has found a way to get over! The referee
1:35:50 > 1:35:56again absolutely certain. The finger pointed. For all the defending that
1:35:56 > 1:35:59England have done, they will consider that a real disappointment.
1:35:59 > 1:36:07Matt Gillett gets over.This is fatigue. Too many breaks, too much
1:36:07 > 1:36:13defence. Smith is smart. Jumps out at dummy half. Going at the line.
1:36:13 > 1:36:21Gillet steps up. He was too fast and too strong. Stepped on the inside of
1:36:21 > 1:36:26Luke Gale. Smith picks out that Gale is going sideways. Gillet puts his
1:36:26 > 1:36:32foot on the gas and get over the line.The England defence held back
1:36:32 > 1:36:35because they thought they may have to retreat back to get the ball.
1:36:35 > 1:36:41They didn't get forward. All of a sudden Gillet had space. The biggest
1:36:41 > 1:36:47problem for England at the moment, one Australia goes Dillie edge, and
1:36:47 > 1:36:52we talk about the fourth defender, they are making some really good
1:36:52 > 1:36:59makers. -- when Australia goes to the edge. That momentum they are
1:36:59 > 1:37:04making, on the next rucks they seem to be able to dominate. That is
1:37:04 > 1:37:09something they will have two get forward and make their tackles on
1:37:09 > 1:37:13the edge. Because it is creating the momentum for Australia. Did you hear
1:37:13 > 1:37:19what Cooper Cronk said? We need to complete the next five sets, let's
1:37:19 > 1:37:24get in a rhythm. That will be the same for both teams.It looks like a
1:37:24 > 1:37:41double interchange for England. Tom Burgess is ready to go.
1:37:41 > 1:37:47Cameron Smith kicking terrifically well. Australia have the lead for
1:37:47 > 1:37:52the first time by 6-4.This is a major example, Gale charging too
1:37:52 > 1:37:56hard because they are expecting the kick. Galette is too much of an
1:37:56 > 1:38:03athlete. Sometimes you just have to get forward and relying on the
1:38:03 > 1:38:11full-back. When they sit back... He's probably the form back row in
1:38:11 > 1:38:22the NRL. Tremendous player from Brisbane Broncos.
1:38:23 > 1:38:36Klemmer... Smith again. Trbojevic down the middle. Three tackles gone.
1:38:36 > 1:38:4440 metre mark. Australia trying to make some indentations. Quickly by
1:38:44 > 1:38:57Smith again. Trbojevic. The pass was late. Tackled by O'Loughlin. Kicked
1:38:57 > 1:39:11away by Cronk. Lomax trying to thread. Bateman is quick. Graham and
1:39:11 > 1:39:23Hill have come off. Here is a first curry from Tom Burgess. A real
1:39:23 > 1:39:35freshness now to the England pack. Good kick from Hodgson. Slater will
1:39:35 > 1:39:47catch the ball. Australia making a change as well. Both teams changing
1:39:47 > 1:39:58their middle pack. Josh McGuire comes on. Can they increase the
1:39:58 > 1:40:03antique? Both packs have done a good job so far.I agree with that. They
1:40:03 > 1:40:09have been very tight in and around the middle.Jordan McLean making his
1:40:09 > 1:40:22debut. Another of the Melbourne contended. -- contingent.
1:40:30 > 1:40:33I think this is the big difference between the teams at the moment, the
1:40:33 > 1:40:39quality of the kicking.England start every set coming off the line
1:40:39 > 1:40:42inside 20 metres. Australia are 40 metres out from their try line. It
1:40:42 > 1:40:50is a big difference. Australia definitely winning that battle.Tom
1:40:50 > 1:40:57Burgess with the effort again. O'Loughlin... Down the centre
1:40:57 > 1:41:03passage. Hinting at potential width. The defence was good enough. Gareth
1:41:03 > 1:41:16Widdop kicks away. England quick to get up. A one-handed pick-up from
1:41:16 > 1:41:19Billy Slater. Gathered in but not quick enough -- good enough.Imagine
1:41:19 > 1:41:27having to tackle him, Brian.Which bit of the body do you get? It
1:41:27 > 1:41:29moves.
1:41:36 > 1:41:53Michael Morgan keeping it alive. Josh McGuire. They have got time.
1:41:53 > 1:41:57Frizell as come onto the field. Watch International in the last
1:41:57 > 1:42:01World Cup. Part of the Australian scene. He has won a penalty.
1:42:01 > 1:42:08O'Loughlin all over him. Very capable. Do they go for two?I feel
1:42:08 > 1:42:12like they have got good possession. They feel like there is wear and
1:42:12 > 1:42:20tear on the England team. I think it is a good play.Five tackles to go.
1:42:20 > 1:42:23Cameron Smith trying to work a passage around those big English
1:42:23 > 1:42:32defenders. It is Smith. No Cronk. The letter. Slater! It is all too
1:42:32 > 1:42:42easy again. Billy Slater bamboozling the English defence with the pass
1:42:42 > 1:42:46and a skip to the line. Australia have back-to-back tries and a lead
1:42:46 > 1:42:52of ten points to four.Tough penalty, Brian. Gives him the field
1:42:52 > 1:43:02position. They gave him too much on the off-load. Too quick.Bateman has
1:43:02 > 1:43:07to go. He has nothing to work behind him. You have to get forward. He
1:43:07 > 1:43:14sort of backpedalled. He had to go forward at him. It is the weight of
1:43:14 > 1:43:22the possession and the weight of the field position. You feel get very
1:43:22 > 1:43:27confident when it gets into the hands of Slater or Cronk. They are
1:43:27 > 1:43:34going to execute well.Speedy on the outside. I think a little bit of
1:43:34 > 1:43:37fatigue is buying its part in relation to the England defence. All
1:43:37 > 1:43:45their ball has been in their own half.As the Australians talk among
1:43:45 > 1:43:50themselves, England making another change. Sean O'Loughlin is coming
1:43:50 > 1:44:00off. He has just had a word with the referee.There have been no
1:44:00 > 1:44:04penalties. Sean is saying, did that really warrant that much on a late
1:44:04 > 1:44:08tackle when you have been pretty lenient on most of that stuff in the
1:44:08 > 1:44:15game? He is saying, I can get it but are you going to do it in every
1:44:15 > 1:44:19ruck? I felt we were under the hammer.
1:44:24 > 1:44:39There have only been two penalties in the whole half.Yeah. One apiece.
1:44:39 > 1:44:43Cameron Smith looking to keep up the 100% record but he pulled it wide.
1:44:43 > 1:44:49It remains 10-4. Nervous moments for Ben Currie as we watch the try
1:44:49 > 1:44:58again.John Bateman back in his armchair on his haunches. You can't
1:44:58 > 1:45:03give Billy Slater that much time.If they can get the ball over the top,
1:45:03 > 1:45:11they beat us on execution. They need to take away their time.Nervous
1:45:11 > 1:45:19moments for Ben Currie. He is on the field for his England debut. He is
1:45:19 > 1:45:25wearing number 18. He would have made his debut in the Four Nations
1:45:25 > 1:45:29last year if it had not been for injury. His season has been
1:45:29 > 1:45:36decimated by injury. He could finish on a high in an England shirt.A big
1:45:36 > 1:45:40ten minutes. England don't want to league one before half-time. A
1:45:40 > 1:45:52different atmosphere at half-time for both cultures. -- coaches.
1:45:52 > 1:46:03Frizell does so much when he comes off the bench. A little bit of
1:46:03 > 1:46:09protection from the defenders. Josh Hodgson is racing to the sideline.
1:46:09 > 1:46:18James Roby is going to be coming on. Roby with his first involvement.
1:46:18 > 1:46:25Lomax, his team-mate at St Helens. Morgan gathers McGillvary on.
1:46:29 > 1:46:33It has been a story of a half that has seen Australia dominate for the
1:46:33 > 1:46:38most part. England starting really brightly. Those opening five, six
1:46:38 > 1:46:43minutes, in which they scored. But they have had to soak up a lot of
1:46:43 > 1:46:49pressure ever since then. A kick away from Hodgson. Slater with the
1:46:49 > 1:46:58catch.This is a big defence of said Farrington. They have to restrict
1:46:58 > 1:47:03the territory of the Australians. -- this is a big defensive set for
1:47:03 > 1:47:13England. An important last eight minutes.England have spent the
1:47:13 > 1:47:22whole game coming out of their half. If you look at tackles in the
1:47:22 > 1:47:28opposition half, they have made a lot. England haven't done much at
1:47:28 > 1:47:33the moment.
1:47:38 > 1:47:43Australia will have to think about a kick. Morgan this time gets the
1:47:43 > 1:47:52height.They start on that ten metre line. They are striving to get over
1:47:52 > 1:48:00halfway line. Australia are kicking from 30 metres out every time.There
1:48:00 > 1:48:09is no mental pressure of Australia either. -- for Australia.There is a
1:48:09 > 1:48:18concern for Burgess here. Matt Gillett seemed to be worried about
1:48:18 > 1:48:23Sam Burgess' health for a moment. He just get up and plays the ball. He
1:48:23 > 1:48:31may need some treatment.That was a good carry.Switching a little. I
1:48:31 > 1:48:41think he is off here. That sign from the pitch.Nice play and well
1:48:41 > 1:48:47executed.He is not off. He is getting involved here again. Ryan
1:48:47 > 1:48:56Hall did really well. There was an Australian touch. The referee says
1:48:56 > 1:49:03it is still the sixth tackle. It was taken well in the end by Dugan.I
1:49:03 > 1:49:10thought Will Chambers got a touch. He definitely got a touch.Slater
1:49:10 > 1:49:14carries it really dangerously. The English defence not allowed to
1:49:14 > 1:49:38settle. It comes right. Back on the inside. Morgan. Smith. Josh McGuire.
1:49:38 > 1:49:42Groans around the crowd. The referee said it's all right, he wasn't hurt.
1:49:42 > 1:49:55Smith again. McGillvary happy to see the ball go away.I am just watching
1:49:55 > 1:50:02Sam Burgess. He is struggling.The physio came on straightaway and said
1:50:02 > 1:50:08he is off. Burgess wanted to carry on. But the way he is walking but
1:50:08 > 1:50:13what is it, a hamstring?I don't know if it is a hamstring. Possibly
1:50:13 > 1:50:23a medial in his knee. Having said that, I did play when I tried to
1:50:23 > 1:50:29become a doctor!If it is a medial in his knee, that is the end of the
1:50:29 > 1:50:37tournament, isn't it? It would be a blow for England. It
1:50:37 > 1:50:43is certainly a blow for England that he is off at the moment. Here is
1:50:43 > 1:50:47Ryan Hall. This is what he does really well. Bringing the ball out
1:50:47 > 1:51:04from inside his own half. Bateman adding to the effort.They have
1:51:04 > 1:51:07moved Ben Currie ode to the left and broad James Graham back into the
1:51:07 > 1:51:17middle.That was not the best pasta Jonny Lomax. Australia win it back.
1:51:17 > 1:51:24Three and a half minutes of the half remaining. England a score behind.
1:51:24 > 1:51:36They try and a goal. Here is Smith. Cronk. Cameron Smith as three on the
1:51:36 > 1:51:44outside, including Morgan. He slips it to Dugan. Valentine Holmes...
1:51:44 > 1:51:54Smith... McLean. His off-load is good. Cronk did well.Great tackle
1:51:54 > 1:52:09from Roby.There is a threat here. Ten metres out. Back to Cronk. He
1:52:09 > 1:52:16kicks across field. Low trajectory. Anybody's ball. Taken really well by
1:52:16 > 1:52:24Ryan Hall.An outstanding leap in the air, especially from an area
1:52:24 > 1:52:27that is famous for Australian rules. That would have been up there with
1:52:27 > 1:52:37the best. It wasn't a high kick. Low trajectory.
1:52:46 > 1:52:49A collision that is left Tyson Frizell feeling the pain of the
1:52:49 > 1:52:56competition. Australia catch easy enough. They can bring it back. They
1:52:56 > 1:53:02start on the 40 metre line.The same old story. Getting to half-time will
1:53:02 > 1:53:07be a benefit to England rather than Australia.Wayne will tell them
1:53:07 > 1:53:11about the positives they have done. And how meticulous and clinical they
1:53:11 > 1:53:21have to be. There will be a little bit of a shift. Australian defence
1:53:21 > 1:53:29up the middle is very good.Cameron Smith. Frizell.
1:53:36 > 1:53:44Slater... The triumvirate strikes and puts Australia in this position.
1:53:44 > 1:53:47McGuire held up short. Some brilliance in the middle by the
1:53:47 > 1:53:53Melbourne three. Now it goes left. McGilvray with the interception. A
1:53:53 > 1:53:59massive lift. How many times has he been the last ditch defender that
1:53:59 > 1:54:05has come up with something special? What they say that was. McGillvary
1:54:05 > 1:54:09to the rescue. They were done and dusted, England. He picked it out of
1:54:09 > 1:54:19the air and saved England. He came up with the ball.That little
1:54:19 > 1:54:30player, you talk about the band playing their best tunes.A quick
1:54:30 > 1:54:39closing down job on Gareth Widdop. Nothing he could do. Roby to Graham.
1:54:39 > 1:54:45Looking for a honest endeavour to give England a platform. The hooter
1:54:45 > 1:54:49sounds in the background. This would be a good time to score. The ball
1:54:49 > 1:54:55out of play. They will take that, Australia. And they will take the
1:54:55 > 1:55:04lead of 10-4 at half-time.Both teams have come up with some errors.
1:55:04 > 1:55:09Australia have made more clean breaks. 16 breaks to one. Probably a
1:55:09 > 1:55:12true indication of the game because of the possession they have had.--
1:55:12 > 1:55:16six clean breaks. Australia lead by 10-4.
1:55:29 > 1:55:32It feels like a very dominant first-half performance from
1:55:32 > 1:55:41Australia. But England are still in it. Just a converted try behind.
1:55:41 > 1:55:45Look at the difference in missed tackles. Nearly three times as many
1:55:45 > 1:55:53missed tackles from England. England completed 13 of their 17 sets.
1:55:53 > 1:55:58Australia 17 of their 21. It feels like a dominant first-half from
1:55:58 > 1:56:04Australia and yet England are by no means out of it?No. And that is a
1:56:04 > 1:56:08positive. I'm sure Wayne Bennett will be stressing that. They are
1:56:08 > 1:56:12only one try behind. Australia dominated field position. The big
1:56:12 > 1:56:16three in Melbourne have been the difference. They have come up with
1:56:16 > 1:56:23three Melbourne Storm plays. They nearly scored before half-time.
1:56:23 > 1:56:28Those three are probably the difference. For England, outstanding
1:56:28 > 1:56:32to be only one try behind.The England defence has been the big
1:56:32 > 1:56:39positive?Yeah. It has certainly been our goal line defence. That is
1:56:39 > 1:56:45a huge positive. Last plays, Australia have been far in front of
1:56:45 > 1:56:50us. It was mentioned in commentary how far up the field Australia are
1:56:50 > 1:56:56kicking the ball and how little we are kicking the ball. It is not all
1:56:56 > 1:57:01down to who is kicking the ball. The variety in the Australian game as
1:57:01 > 1:57:07well. Smith has been brilliant.One other thing on the kicking, you can
1:57:07 > 1:57:12get into a vicious cycle, can't you, depending on where you are in the
1:57:12 > 1:57:17field? It must be difficult to break out of it?Very much so. Momentum is
1:57:17 > 1:57:20massive at this level. When you get in an arm wrestle with Australia,
1:57:20 > 1:57:24when Australia have the dominance of the last plays, we need something
1:57:24 > 1:57:30special to break that down. At the minute we haven't found it. I think
1:57:30 > 1:57:34the minute Wayne's line after the Four Nations defeat to Australia
1:57:34 > 1:57:39last year was, we beat ourselves. That is how I feel. But like Justin
1:57:39 > 1:57:45said, we can turn around quickly. Half-time will be good for us. Let
1:57:45 > 1:57:50us regroup. Get some key messages out and have another go.I thought
1:57:50 > 1:57:56the positive was that England started well. They scored the first
1:57:56 > 1:58:01try saying, we are here to play. That was a positive. Cameron Smith's
1:58:01 > 1:58:05two kicks, they were huge.
1:58:05 > 1:58:05That was a positive. Cameron Smith's two kicks, they were huge.
1:58:05 > 1:58:11Here is the first try.Here is what we were talking about, England
1:58:11 > 1:58:14playing rugby in the right half of the field. They have gone away from
1:58:14 > 1:58:25that of it. Simple play from O'Loughlin. Gareth Widdop picked the
1:58:25 > 1:58:29right man. He could have picked one of three players and they all would
1:58:29 > 1:58:33have scored. When they are playing composed, controlled rugby league,
1:58:33 > 1:58:37England can score. There is too much talent in those 17 players for them
1:58:37 > 1:58:42not to get over the try line. When we look at Australia's first
1:58:42 > 1:58:46try, talk about controlled and composed, Gareth Widdop said that
1:58:46 > 1:58:53one up. Is that less enthralling and composure because his misplaced pass
1:58:53 > 1:59:00set Australia up?This was on the back of three or four sets. But
1:59:00 > 1:59:03yeah, Gareth Widdop skips across and this is a ball to know one. A ball
1:59:03 > 1:59:09into space. They have made about 30 tackles before this. Their energy
1:59:09 > 1:59:16levels were going low. Just pointing holes into the England setup. The
1:59:16 > 1:59:20markers do not get said. Josh Hodgson still left on the ground.
1:59:20 > 1:59:24Someone is out of the line somewhere. This is exactly what
1:59:24 > 1:59:30Australia now capitalise on. Defensive holes. The line is not
1:59:30 > 1:59:37set. Great sidestep by Galette. He scores a try. Too close and too much
1:59:37 > 1:59:40hard work for England to do anything about.A good sidestep for a centre
1:59:40 > 1:59:47row.They'd -- this is a chronic, Smith, Slater special. A simple pass
1:59:47 > 1:59:57to a back row forward. When we look at what said that try up, and Gareth
1:59:57 > 2:00:00Widdop's pass, that piece of play before that is stuff we have to
2:00:00 > 2:00:04carry on doing. We have to play football against this team. If we go
2:00:04 > 2:00:08into a shell because we are tired, we are just going to fall into
2:00:08 > 2:00:12Australia's hands. We have to ask questions.That was unfortunate. A
2:00:12 > 2:00:18huge error.
2:00:18 > 2:00:22Australia were getting tired as well.Do you accept that as a coach
2:00:22 > 2:00:26because you are trying to play football? You don't accept the error
2:00:26 > 2:00:29but...He should have thrown it to someone, it was second phase and we
2:00:29 > 2:00:33thought England were generating something and they came up to nail
2:00:33 > 2:00:36one and if you've defended a lot on your try line and then you make
2:00:36 > 2:00:39errors, then the speed of the Australian ruck becomes important
2:00:39 > 2:00:43and that is what led to that try, they could not contain around the
2:00:43 > 2:00:46ruck, the speed of the ruck will hurt England if they keep on making
2:00:46 > 2:00:51errors but they keep on having to play, that is the only way you can
2:00:51 > 2:00:54win.Kevin Connolly you talk about beating yourself and Austria's
2:00:54 > 2:00:58second try came from a penalty that O'Loughlin conceded.Yeah, I think
2:00:58 > 2:01:02it has been refereed really well, the game, only two penalties awarded
2:01:02 > 2:01:07so the game has been allowed to flow. Probably could have been a
2:01:07 > 2:01:14couple of these in the first half. Sadly... You know, it was right on
2:01:14 > 2:01:16the goal-line, we've done a lot of defence, late in the half and we
2:01:16 > 2:01:25could not keep Australia out. A big positive for me is, look, Australia,
2:01:25 > 2:01:30if it was like a boxer's scorecard, Australia are up 14-4 but they got
2:01:30 > 2:01:33three repeat sets to zero which shows the field position and
2:01:33 > 2:01:36dominant that Justin has mentioned, when a team in attacking line at
2:01:36 > 2:01:38this level for that amount of time, they are going to score tries and
2:01:38 > 2:01:45get points.As Kevin said, one penalty each and actually, it is
2:01:45 > 2:01:48hurting England because Australia's dominance with field position and
2:01:48 > 2:01:51possession. To be honest, it would help England if there were some more
2:01:51 > 2:01:55penalties to slow it down. If you are on the wrong end of possession
2:01:55 > 2:02:00and it is a fast game, you are in trouble so that is why I think 10-4
2:02:00 > 2:02:04is an outstanding position for how it panned out.As we can see, it
2:02:04 > 2:02:05looks like
2:02:05 > 2:02:06it panned out.As we can see, it looks like Wayne Bennett is getting
2:02:06 > 2:02:11his captain to do the team talk at the moment, or get his message
2:02:11 > 2:02:13across to the players.The conversation before the game, Sean
2:02:13 > 2:02:18O'Loughlin was saying they need to complete their sets, pull the ball
2:02:18 > 2:02:22away from a strenuous does not mean shut up shop, it means they have to
2:02:22 > 2:02:26make better decisions. I think that he'd played its part in the first
2:02:26 > 2:02:30half, three back-to-back sets by one team means that you have to do a lot
2:02:30 > 2:02:34more defence. I don't think England have had a single back-to-back set.
2:02:34 > 2:02:37That is putting pressure on the Australian line and I think it has
2:02:37 > 2:02:42been most evident in the yardage. England are falling on the ground,
2:02:42 > 2:02:44their defensive sets, their defensive positioning from their
2:02:44 > 2:02:48markers, a lot of the time they are only getting one player into mark.
2:02:48 > 2:02:52Cameron Smith will eat that a life all day long. You will constantly be
2:02:52 > 2:02:55on the back foot which means their halves will be able to play in space
2:02:55 > 2:03:00and their edge players will play and set up a lot better and you will
2:03:00 > 2:03:05have a constant barrage of green and gold coming at you.I was trying to
2:03:05 > 2:03:08pay real attention to the England dressing room because I was trying
2:03:08 > 2:03:11to see if I could see Sam Burgess and I couldn't add that stage.
2:03:11 > 2:03:12to see if I could see Sam Burgess and I couldn't add that stage. That
2:03:12 > 2:03:16will be a worry if he has gone off, well, he did go off injured with
2:03:16 > 2:03:19what we think was a knee problem but until that point, he was putting
2:03:19 > 2:03:26himself about.I thought he had a fantastic first stint. To see him
2:03:26 > 2:03:32back on the edge is great for England. Sam does what he does best,
2:03:32 > 2:03:37big, strong, ball carrying, with an off-load, plus he's very good
2:03:37 > 2:03:41defensive work. We will miss him in the second half. I think so far, I
2:03:41 > 2:03:45feel like we were a bit subdued in summarising and talking over this
2:03:45 > 2:03:51but we are still in a really good position. Wayne Bennett will fix
2:03:51 > 2:03:55some things now. They will come out and have a real go.That has got to
2:03:55 > 2:03:59be a concern, doesn't it?It does not look good but hopefully it's
2:03:59 > 2:04:04only minor. You have different gradings, 1-3, so hopefully for Sam
2:04:04 > 2:04:10and England in the tournament that he's not a long and it would be
2:04:10 > 2:04:10great to see
2:04:10 > 2:04:12he's not a long and it would be great to see in the second half.
2:04:12 > 2:04:17Anna Green it concerns me because he's not the type of player to walk
2:04:17 > 2:04:23off,.He plays one club rugby league in a correctional body has to take.
2:04:23 > 2:04:26We will be back in the second half surely as we begin our World Cup
2:04:26 > 2:04:29rugby league coverage but there has been some sad news in Rugby league
2:04:29 > 2:04:35this week, losing two of its former players, Ken Gowers who was a
2:04:35 > 2:04:37Swinton Lions rugby league legend and still holds the record for the
2:04:37 > 2:04:43most appearances, points scored and goal-scorer for the club. He was
2:04:43 > 2:04:46also an Ashes tourist and the proud recipient of 14 great written caps,
2:04:46 > 2:04:53one England cap and 12 Lancashire caps. And rugby league also lost the
2:04:53 > 2:05:01legend that was Tom Van Vuuren Hoven this week, a rugby league star and
2:05:01 > 2:05:10St Helens star when he switched codes, Ray French was his team-mate.
2:05:10 > 2:05:16The former South African Rugby union player, is Saint Helens rugby league
2:05:16 > 2:05:22player, 397 tries in all. What can you say, one can say plenty. Amazing
2:05:22 > 2:05:27speed, in fact he'd done 9.8 in 100 yards at the Commonwealth Games 200.
2:05:27 > 2:05:32He could beat man after man. But the beauty of him was his pace, his
2:05:32 > 2:05:35sidestep and his swerve.
2:05:35 > 2:05:36beauty of him was his pace, his sidestep and his swerve. Give him
2:05:36 > 2:05:40six inches, give him nine inches, he wanted to me, "Ray, don't bother
2:05:40 > 2:05:45making a level up, just give me the ball", and he would support. Before
2:05:45 > 2:05:49signing the St Helens, Tom Van Vollenhoven was a player for South
2:05:49 > 2:05:54Africa Rugby union, especially in the visit of the 1955 British Lions.
2:05:54 > 2:05:57What seriously had.Van Vollenhoven with a brilliant run to score his
2:05:57 > 2:06:03hat-trick.The first South African to score three tries in a Test match
2:06:03 > 2:06:06in rugby union in his own country. Little wonder St Helens and Wigan
2:06:06 > 2:06:12went in to try to make a professional. St Helens were
2:06:12 > 2:06:18successful at a cost to the club of £7,230. The biggest fee ever paid
2:06:18 > 2:06:24for a rugby union player at the time.I scored some beautiful tries
2:06:24 > 2:06:27here and I can't complain about anything I did it St Helens. It is
2:06:27 > 2:06:33like home to me and I can never praise them enough.He was a very
2:06:33 > 2:06:37humble man despite his success, he had great humility. I will never
2:06:37 > 2:06:41forget the first training night he came across and said, "Ray, train
2:06:41 > 2:06:46with me". Can you imagine, me, a young lad, training with the legend
2:06:46 > 2:06:52Tom Van Vollenhoven? Fans of Van Vollenhoven's generation in the 50s
2:06:52 > 2:06:56and 60s will well remember him hurdling down the wing, be it at
2:06:56 > 2:07:03Knowsley Road Wembley in that very famous 1961 final against Wigan.Van
2:07:03 > 2:07:07Vollenhoven.
2:07:10 > 2:07:14He gives it to Van Vollenhoven and Van Vollenhoven takes it behind the
2:07:14 > 2:07:23posts were a great try!Pace, poise, sidestep, swerve, Tom Van
2:07:23 > 2:07:27Vollenhoven had everything to be the complete player.
2:07:33 > 2:07:37A lovely tribute from Ray French. Kevin, our thoughts are also with
2:07:37 > 2:07:41the family and friends of Tommy smiles, the former Great Britain
2:07:41 > 2:07:44captain and coach, who passed away yesterday.Yeah, another real sad
2:07:44 > 2:07:50loss to the game, a legend, a mentor of mine growing up, sad loss.Thank
2:07:50 > 2:07:55you. This is the BBC's coverage of the Rugby league World Cup and it
2:07:55 > 2:08:00will continue over the next five weeks across BBC, online, radio as
2:08:00 > 2:08:00well.
2:08:00 > 2:08:04weeks across BBC, online, radio as well. Today, we will be on the red
2:08:04 > 2:08:07button once we have left the coverage here. Anything you want to
2:08:07 > 2:08:13ask about, get in touch and we will look ahead to the other games coming
2:08:13 > 2:08:15up in the tournament, Wales, Ireland and Scotland and their involvement
2:08:15 > 2:08:21as well. We will have highlights of this game a bit later on and on BBC
2:08:21 > 2:08:26Two so that will be at 11:50pm. More highlights coming away, BBC One
2:08:26 > 2:08:33tomorrow for all of those games from quarter past one. And also on
2:08:33 > 2:08:37Sunday, when you will get highlights of Ireland, Italy and Scotland and
2:08:37 > 2:08:40Tonga and France against Lebanon. That will be on Sunday afternoon at
2:08:40 > 2:08:495pm. What do you want to see from Kevin in the first 1050 minutes of
2:08:49 > 2:08:51the second half?To
2:08:51 > 2:08:52Kevin in the first 1050 minutes of the second half?To see us get some
2:08:52 > 2:08:55dominance back. I want to see us play in the Australian half and
2:08:55 > 2:08:58attack their line. It was mentioned in commentary, we've been in their
2:08:58 > 2:09:0220 metre area want and scored points so let's get back down there.
2:09:02 > 2:09:06Australia will be saying one more try and they will put them away.
2:09:06 > 2:09:09They will want to keep building pressure and they are very good at
2:09:09 > 2:09:15that. Care for England, they've got to go out and make it happen.
2:09:15 > 2:09:19Australia want to be themselves, go out and play and hopefully the like
2:09:19 > 2:09:23social O'Loughlin, Luke Gale, Gareth Widdop and Lomax can chance their
2:09:23 > 2:09:27arm and take a couple because I would love to see them come back.I
2:09:27 > 2:09:30want them to go out there and absolutely bashing each other so
2:09:30 > 2:09:32they are softer when they get to New Zealand!LAUGHTER
2:09:32 > 2:09:37It's always about you, Robbie! That is the half-time score. Let's
2:09:37 > 2:09:43rejoinder commentate -- rejoined the commentary team led by Dave Woods.
2:09:46 > 2:09:51COMMENTATOR: There's a bit of gloom at the moment around England, you
2:09:51 > 2:09:57need only focus your eyes on the scoreline, 10-4, England are very
2:09:57 > 2:10:01much in the competition but you can understand the element of peasant --
2:10:01 > 2:10:04pessimism around England at the moment because Australia have
2:10:04 > 2:10:07dominated so much, especially in the first half, and the loss Sam Burgess
2:10:07 > 2:10:13is potentially as well.All I would say is that their strategy needs to
2:10:13 > 2:10:17be a bit more clinical rather than hoping someone is going to make a
2:10:17 > 2:10:20break. They have to break the stranglehold Australia have on them
2:10:20 > 2:10:24and they can do that one of two ways, kick the ball better or run
2:10:24 > 2:10:29harder and find a good position in relation to that. That is down to
2:10:29 > 2:10:33the England players and their character. They are doing some
2:10:33 > 2:10:36amazing things and they are intact in that respect but I think we are a
2:10:36 > 2:10:41bit clunky if that is the right is oppression. Australia have got more.
2:10:41 > 2:10:47From an Australian point of view, is there a concern at this stage? Is
2:10:47 > 2:10:50there anything they need to do or is there anything that you would set
2:10:50 > 2:10:55would be concerning about their defence.We said at the start,
2:10:55 > 2:10:59Australia are a well old machine through the spine of grog, Smith and
2:10:59 > 2:11:04Slater and Morgan. We said before the tournament started, England will
2:11:04 > 2:11:10build momentum and I think they are doing at in this game, regardless,
2:11:10 > 2:11:14but Australia are clinical and playing well. I don't think it is
2:11:14 > 2:11:18doom and gloom at all, I've seen things, England have defended well
2:11:18 > 2:11:22but they need more possession.We love are not a Mr Ghazi, especially
2:11:22 > 2:11:29one talking about England! Ranks for that, Ian. -- and optimistic Aussie.
2:11:29 > 2:11:33Some of the big blokes around the middle, James Roby came and added a
2:11:33 > 2:11:40lot of impetus to the team so absolutely right, there's a pulse.
2:11:40 > 2:11:45Keep in mind, it is 10-4, we talk about improvement in both teams, in
2:11:45 > 2:11:50the first game.Game one is the key, six weeks to go and whatever happens
2:11:50 > 2:11:53tonight there is every chance these two could meet in the final in
2:11:53 > 2:11:59Brisbane on the 2nd of December. The whole tournament underway this
2:11:59 > 2:12:05weekend as Wales play Papua New Guinea this weekend in Port Moresby,
2:12:05 > 2:12:08Ireland and Scotland get underway as well and all the other nations,
2:12:08 > 2:12:11there's a good kick and Lomax has let it bounce away. He will be
2:12:11 > 2:12:16relieved at the very least that it has gone dead and it has not handed
2:12:16 > 2:12:21Australia try on a plate. But what it has handed Australia is a
2:12:21 > 2:12:25position on a plate.At this level, you have to catch that, not taking
2:12:25 > 2:12:30anything away from the fact that you have to catch them, bottom line.He
2:12:30 > 2:12:36attacked it and went up for it but he did not execute. It is as good as
2:12:36 > 2:12:39they repeat set and once again, where Australia will kick it to, on
2:12:39 > 2:12:44the ten metre line, they will build pressure regardless of where you
2:12:44 > 2:12:50build the defence. A bit of deja vu in the first half.They are in a
2:12:50 > 2:12:54similar position on the field in terms of defending inside their 20,
2:12:54 > 2:12:59here. There's a man missing from the scrum, Watkins suddenly has to stick
2:12:59 > 2:13:04his head where the sun does not shine and it was an old-fashioned
2:13:04 > 2:13:12scrum, and a knock-on from Billy Slater!That is a result. Lomax
2:13:12 > 2:13:17should have got the ball and so should Slater.Australia were
2:13:17 > 2:13:20looking to come up with an intricate play, Slater coming out of the back
2:13:20 > 2:13:24of Cooper Cronk and Valentine Holmes was coming from the left wing to the
2:13:24 > 2:13:27outside. Just could not get clean ball away, from the base of the
2:13:27 > 2:13:34scrum.There was a disruption in the scrum that put the timing out.Like
2:13:34 > 2:13:39in the 70s when you use to put your heading in that kind of situation,
2:13:39 > 2:13:43Brian! Causing chaos.England have possession and no matter how they
2:13:43 > 2:13:47have got it and how it came to be, they will be happy they do.Good
2:13:47 > 2:13:55carry.Burgess survives in the fray. Graham had a big row before but it
2:13:55 > 2:13:58will be even bigger in terms of leadership now he is on the field.
2:13:58 > 2:14:07James Roby, still out there. Hodgson still on the bench. Curry, who was
2:14:07 > 2:14:11not in the original 17, unexpected involvement but Alex Walmsley's
2:14:11 > 2:14:15illness has put him in there. The best position England have been for
2:14:15 > 2:14:21a while but they have already run out of time. Valentine Holmes is the
2:14:21 > 2:14:26man who leaps prodigiously. It seemed to stay there for an awfully
2:14:26 > 2:14:31long time. He caught the ball in so doing.This is the first time
2:14:31 > 2:14:34England have kicked the ball may be on the ten metre line from now they
2:14:34 > 2:14:42have the back the energy and effort to restrict the territory Australia.
2:14:42 > 2:14:47What you said about running harder, with Sam Burgess and Graham, the
2:14:47 > 2:14:53meat as they made, good, strong runs.Maclean and Chambers now takes
2:14:53 > 2:15:06it on. -- McLean. This is the final play of this set. A spiralling kick,
2:15:06 > 2:15:10and how good is the return? Running straight at Dean Gago? Decent
2:15:10 > 2:15:16results for England.And on the back of what they did at the other end of
2:15:16 > 2:15:21the field. Get the ball on the 30 metre line, 35 metre line. Previous
2:15:21 > 2:15:26they were under in the five and the ten and under pressure.Outcomes Tom
2:15:26 > 2:15:35Burgess. Thought he was not going to be in the England scored for this
2:15:35 > 2:15:40World Cup. Back to Lomax! This past has given McGillvary at chance to
2:15:40 > 2:15:47find a corridor down the middle. He is still going here, damaging effort
2:15:47 > 2:15:50by him, England setting themselves up in position now, Heighington
2:15:50 > 2:15:54swinging it left, Luke Gale popping it out, Currie with the pass away,
2:15:54 > 2:15:58trying to close down Bateman but he finds Ryan Hall with a push and a
2:15:58 > 2:16:01swivel on the turn, Bateman can't keep hold. Did the ball go
2:16:01 > 2:16:08backwards? No, the referee says the initial drop was forward but there
2:16:08 > 2:16:13was some excitement, creativity from England.Lots of exciting things on
2:16:13 > 2:16:16the back of Gareth Widdop going out of the back and the mist played by
2:16:16 > 2:16:19Lomax which releases Jermaine McGillvary. Watch him go, feeding
2:16:19 > 2:16:25his way to the middle. Jermaine McGillvary with the opportunity to
2:16:25 > 2:16:30weave his way and find a space which he does really well. Did not quite
2:16:30 > 2:16:36execute on the French when they went the other way.Delightful stuff,
2:16:36 > 2:16:43there.They have not had the opportunity and good ball to utilise
2:16:43 > 2:16:46some of the mission they are as shown a couple of times and the
2:16:46 > 2:16:48skills. -- some of the vision.
2:16:53 > 2:16:57Smith come with seagulls are swooping around the stadium as well.
2:16:57 > 2:17:06Cameron Smith gathers in. Boyd Cordner of these Sydney Roosters,
2:17:06 > 2:17:11the New South Wales captain, of course, one of the State of Origin
2:17:11 > 2:17:16players in the Australian side, for either Queensland New South Wales.
2:17:16 > 2:17:23Cooper Cronk and Slater. It is kept alive. Morgan, now it comes to
2:17:23 > 2:17:33Dugan, who carries it in. It is with Valentine Holmes and the referee
2:17:33 > 2:17:36says they have to go back and play the ball again. The touch judges on
2:17:36 > 2:17:42the villas well getting involved. So the last tackle for Australia.
2:17:42 > 2:17:49Cooper Cronk putting it tight. Lomax keeps his eyes on it. That was
2:17:49 > 2:17:51Gareth Widdop, I apologise, just getting in the way but legally
2:17:51 > 2:17:57according to the referee. Good, punchy effort from Ryan Hall.
2:17:57 > 2:18:06Leaving Gillett on the floor. Currie. Ben Currie said if he was
2:18:06 > 2:18:09given a glimmer of a chance, he's got the pace to take it the
2:18:09 > 2:18:12distance. Heighington.
2:18:15 > 2:18:20Elliott Whitehead, the Canberra Raiders, one of the many in the
2:18:20 > 2:18:28England side to play in the NRL, and Gareth Widdop, another. His kick,
2:18:28 > 2:18:34taking a responsible to himself, the Australian number two. Slater.Has
2:18:34 > 2:18:39it been that clean the ruck that there's only been two penalties?I
2:18:39 > 2:18:42was about to say the same thing, he's keeping the whistle in his
2:18:42 > 2:18:47mouth, he does not want to blow up. But that is good for the spectators?
2:18:47 > 2:18:57It is fantastic.McGuire.As long as you are consistent.Cameron Smith.
2:18:57 > 2:19:07Jordan McLean. It is England to have it back again. The tackle from
2:19:07 > 2:19:18England, stealing the ball. A clean start, a zero tackle. Footwork
2:19:18 > 2:19:22provided but not enough to beat his man. Graham, another one of those
2:19:22 > 2:19:27who is making his debut tonight, the Cronulla Sharks man. Jermaine
2:19:27 > 2:19:32McGillvary.He's been impressive tonight.The way he runs the ball,
2:19:32 > 2:19:38he scatters them.Graham, taken high on his chest by Tom Burgess. England
2:19:38 > 2:19:43again working their way to the last play of the set. Luke Gale's
2:19:43 > 2:19:47corkscrew kick bounces awkwardly and as cool customer you cannot find us
2:19:47 > 2:19:52Cameron Smith, who bats it away to the support of Billy Slater. He's
2:19:52 > 2:19:55turning rocks into gold, here, and Australia carrying their way back
2:19:55 > 2:20:01towards the 40 metre mark on the verse play.Two things, Luke Gale
2:20:01 > 2:20:07found a kick that bounced in space, five metres from the Aussie line and
2:20:07 > 2:20:11Cameron Smith gets back and bats it to Billy Slater and suddenly Bay on
2:20:11 > 2:20:15the 40. A bit unlucky from England but super play from Australia. --
2:20:15 > 2:20:19they are on the 40.I did not see any other players apart from Gareth
2:20:19 > 2:20:25Widdop push-up and try to stop them, though.Good work from Cameron Smith
2:20:25 > 2:20:34again. Towards the middle for Jordan McLean. Last play for Australia but
2:20:34 > 2:20:38look how close, there's danger, Smith, but Lomax, who was in an
2:20:38 > 2:20:43excellent position, with the ball. Safety first for England again.
2:20:43 > 2:20:49Currie. He's not going to be fully fit, fully match fit but as the
2:20:49 > 2:20:53tournament goes on, I think we will see more of Ben Currie.
2:20:55 > 2:21:00Rowbury.
2:21:00 > 2:21:07Graham, handling that one Ford, -- forward to James Roby has seen
2:21:07 > 2:21:16something. Dashes in and it takes a Rechberger tackle from Frizell to
2:21:16 > 2:21:19bought his arrest. Gareth Widdop to Jermaine McGillvary, his kick comes
2:21:19 > 2:21:23off an Australian but it will still be the sixth tackle, no doubt about
2:21:23 > 2:21:26that, Kallum Watkins keeps it alive and Luke Gale kicks to the far side,
2:21:26 > 2:21:31not the best in terms of the chaser to grab the ball but an excellent
2:21:31 > 2:21:36kick in terms of Dean Gago being dragged down into the in-goal area.
2:21:36 > 2:21:43Repeat that! Fantastic tick! Great from England.When he kicked it,
2:21:43 > 2:21:48Dane Gagai went there's four England players anticipating the kicker Adam
2:21:48 > 2:21:52and wanting to get the thing out of them. The scoreboard says 10-4, ten
2:21:52 > 2:21:57minutes into the second half and there's nothing between the teams.
2:21:57 > 2:22:02Spirits lifting amongst English followers at the moment. Australia
2:22:02 > 2:22:04lead but only by six.
2:22:12 > 2:22:20Not the best of drop outs. James Graham can bring it back. England
2:22:20 > 2:22:25start beset in an excellent attacking position. -- the set.
2:22:25 > 2:22:34James Roby. Heighington.James Roby has made a huge difference to this
2:22:34 > 2:22:43team.He is running.Gareth Widdop. Less than ten away. England are
2:22:43 > 2:22:48encouraged for the moment. Hill with great footwork again. He's got the
2:22:48 > 2:22:52hands and feet and power. But Australia have got the answers. In
2:22:52 > 2:23:00defence. Graham. Quickly away from Luke Gale! Had Lomax called that and
2:23:00 > 2:23:06got it away, England were in for a try and Jonny Lomax knows it.They
2:23:06 > 2:23:11had numbers on, and they just had to have a bit of composure, ease back.
2:23:11 > 2:23:14Look at the space, Graham to Luke Gale, who handles it well and Dean
2:23:14 > 2:23:18Gago is the last defender.It was on, there were three England players
2:23:18 > 2:23:29there. -- Dean double. I think they have got the message from the bench,
2:23:29 > 2:23:32come on, England.
2:23:35 > 2:23:40David Klemmer is ready to return frustrating.Some of the Australian
2:23:40 > 2:23:44players have not played for while so maybe they are feeling the pinch.
2:23:44 > 2:23:48Before you get your risk uses in, neither have some of the English
2:23:48 > 2:23:51players.I agree but everyone thought Australia would get stronger
2:23:51 > 2:23:55in the second half but there's not much in it, if it was a boxing
2:23:55 > 2:24:09match, the second half would be a tie.Boyd Cordner. Woods, Trbojevic,
2:24:09 > 2:24:12great pass from Woods and Trbojevic getting on the outside of the
2:24:12 > 2:24:17defender but not too damaging for England. Cooper Cronk putting it
2:24:17 > 2:24:20high. Lomax underneath.
2:24:23 > 2:24:33England start... A triple interchange for Australia.
2:24:35 > 2:24:41James Roby. Heighington. He's got through a lot of work, Heighington.
2:24:41 > 2:24:45Since he's been on the field, down the middle.
2:24:48 > 2:24:52Hill, easy to spot with his rosy red scrum cap on.
2:25:03 > 2:25:07Heighington is going to Newcastle next year, Newcastle in Australia.
2:25:07 > 2:25:11Going from County Durham in England. Jermaine McGillvary again providing
2:25:11 > 2:25:15the width and a chip through to Watkins but Billy Slater, the bounce
2:25:15 > 2:25:24was in his favour.England are going to the fringes and trying to find
2:25:24 > 2:25:29the centre or the wing to provide some space. A bit more touch or not,
2:25:29 > 2:25:33if Kallum Watkins gets the ball, it's a great play.Gareth Widdop has
2:25:33 > 2:25:38by gridlock, seniors got space on the outside and taken it. They are
2:25:38 > 2:25:41making Australia really work at the back of the set of six and it is
2:25:41 > 2:25:47taking a bit out of them at the start of the second half. That is a
2:25:47 > 2:25:54strong run.From Klemmer.That is pretty rude one.Cooper Cronk's
2:25:54 > 2:26:02inside ball and that was the sixth tackle so whatever Australia were
2:26:02 > 2:26:09trying to do, it has failed and England will get it back.Ian
2:26:09 > 2:26:11Millward is a perspective guy, looking at the green and gold, a
2:26:11 > 2:26:14couple of them are blowing and it was a Scobbie into the set. What can
2:26:14 > 2:26:19England stay in there?From an England point of view at our time,
2:26:19 > 2:26:23they thought they'd probably earn the right to have more points. They
2:26:23 > 2:26:26still haven't Kickstarter themselves at the moment in the second half,
2:26:26 > 2:26:30Australia.What have you made of the hard tonight so far, Luke Gale and
2:26:30 > 2:26:35Gareth Widdop?It's very hard when you are coming out of your half all
2:26:35 > 2:26:39the time but I've liked when they have got down there, Luke Gale takes
2:26:39 > 2:26:42the ball to the line which is a tough run, Gareth Widdop need some
2:26:42 > 2:26:47bald and descent of park.Gareth Widdop is involved and Whitehead
2:26:47 > 2:26:50Lomax who escapes forward but had his ankle tapped by Holmes otherwise
2:26:50 > 2:26:57was travelling. England are travelling still. Incomes Holmes to
2:26:57 > 2:27:00make the tackle again. It needed making because Jermaine McGillvary
2:27:00 > 2:27:04was loitering on the right-hand side. The fixed play again, Luke
2:27:04 > 2:27:08Gale putting it high, Ryan Hall is slipping the opportunity, knocking
2:27:08 > 2:27:15it back to Bateman, who gets the ball but it was the end of the set
2:27:15 > 2:27:18so and ever.Lots of good things happening for England, more
2:27:18 > 2:27:22expansive, getting to the fringes and finding space, a decent kicked
2:27:22 > 2:27:25in yet and Luke Gale kicking with competition, actually Ryan Hall wins
2:27:25 > 2:27:28the competition but they can't take the spoils and get over the line but
2:27:28 > 2:27:35very encouraging.Just a try and a goal in it at the moment and a
2:27:35 > 2:27:39reminder, it is only the first game. We could analyse and perhaps
2:27:39 > 2:27:43overanalyse what happened here tonight but so much could go right
2:27:43 > 2:27:48and wrong for both of these sides in the next six weeks. There's lots of
2:27:48 > 2:27:53other competition as well. New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Wales,
2:27:53 > 2:28:02Scotland, Ireland. They have all seen progress. Smith taking it deep
2:28:02 > 2:28:09inside English territory, here. Slater looking to make a statement,
2:28:09 > 2:28:14coming to Cooper Cronk, it is high, Lomax, again the catch is simple
2:28:14 > 2:28:22enough but the defender was right in his face. England rolling up their
2:28:22 > 2:28:26sleeves.This is that pressure element I spoke about before the
2:28:26 > 2:28:30match, who will crack and who won't, that arm wrestle, some people call
2:28:30 > 2:28:35it, going in there, preparing to be boring and methodical in relation to
2:28:35 > 2:28:39getting to the other end of the field and England are holding their
2:28:39 > 2:28:46own, here.They certainly are.A big boot on that ball. Going into the
2:28:46 > 2:28:51in-goal area and they will hope it stays there and it does.Great gig.
2:28:51 > 2:28:55Slated to get up and Gareth Widdop is the first man there. Gareth
2:28:55 > 2:28:59Widdop, having put in the kick, make the tackle.Great chase. Good signs
2:28:59 > 2:29:07for England. Good principles, good discipline.How smart was Gareth
2:29:07 > 2:29:11Widdop, there, talking about kicking, kicking early. Australia
2:29:11 > 2:29:16have to do hard work, here, under a bit of pressure.The English fans
2:29:16 > 2:29:19generally speaking would have been a bit disappointed that Gareth Widdop
2:29:19 > 2:29:22in the white shirt of England down the years, because no doubting he
2:29:22 > 2:29:32has been extremely good for St George Illawarra Dragons. Cameron
2:29:32 > 2:29:37Smith, it is inside the 40 but it is short of the 20 so it will be
2:29:37 > 2:29:43England's head and feet. He is your man, Gareth Widdop.Yes, our
2:29:43 > 2:29:46captain. He is extremely talented with the ball in his hand. You need
2:29:46 > 2:29:50a good pack in front of him to create the metres and an organising
2:29:50 > 2:29:54half-back like Luke Gale and you can see his skill, not only his skill,
2:29:54 > 2:29:59he's got great vision on his kicking. Gets a lot of tries,
2:29:59 > 2:30:02creates for team-mates with his kicks. Interesting from Cameron
2:30:02 > 2:30:06Smith, his first thought was to get the ball into touch to sort of walk
2:30:06 > 2:30:10down there, slow down the tempo so they can get the second wind a
2:30:10 > 2:30:16little bit at the moment, Australia. Like you said, Brian, England need
2:30:16 > 2:30:19to have back-to-back sets but they still have an air of wanting to play
2:30:19 > 2:30:23and make the Australian defence work so there is opportunity for both
2:30:23 > 2:30:27teams at the moment.When they have been structured and gone to the
2:30:27 > 2:30:30edges, they have made ten, 25 metres which has allowed them to kick off
2:30:30 > 2:30:32the front foot without pressure.
2:30:43 > 2:30:58Roby very much involved in the early stages. O'Loughlin... Look into
2:30:58 > 2:31:02potentially play that back. The tackle prevented that. Hodgson with
2:31:02 > 2:31:07a little dart. Interesting that Hodgson and Robbie are on the field
2:31:07 > 2:31:12for the first time in the game, the pair of them together. -- Roby. That
2:31:12 > 2:31:23is a good kick. Bateman almost getting up to challenge. Australia
2:31:23 > 2:31:29start from deep again.
2:31:37 > 2:31:56Cameron Smith, the general. Cameron Smith again. Michael Morgan only
2:31:56 > 2:32:00made his debut for the Aussies a couple of years ago. There is so
2:32:00 > 2:32:07much strength in depth for the Australians. The green and gold up
2:32:07 > 2:32:17to make an interception.Feels like one of those, somebody missing a
2:32:17 > 2:32:27tackle...This is Ryan Hall. A good carry. Fantastic. It takes England
2:32:27 > 2:32:31beyond the halfway line. That is a moment.The wingers have been great
2:32:31 > 2:32:37for England.
2:32:44 > 2:32:48Gareth Widdop wanted to get it away. But Valentine Holmes blocked his
2:32:48 > 2:32:55path. England coming again. Chipped towards Billy Slater. The intention
2:32:55 > 2:33:02was to get in his face. : -- Kallum Watkins got in his face and around
2:33:02 > 2:33:14his neck.O'Loughlin, Roby, Hodgson, Gareth Widdop... They are all on.
2:33:14 > 2:33:20Wayne Bennett is chasing the game. So many architects. Are they all
2:33:20 > 2:33:26working on the same plan? We will find out.
2:33:35 > 2:33:39Australia have already reached the fifth tackle. Still in their own
2:33:39 > 2:33:48half. Kronk is forced to kick. -- Kronk.
2:33:52 > 2:33:59He has dropped the ball. He will claim the man in the ruck. You had
2:33:59 > 2:34:03the referee, it was a strong tackle. He had a responsibility to get away
2:34:03 > 2:34:08from that and play the ball. After all the good work, it is a real
2:34:08 > 2:34:12shame what came next.
2:34:23 > 2:34:31Two dig decisions. One in the first half. And this one.Was there a
2:34:31 > 2:34:42second grab there?Didn't he say he lost it when he played the ball?For
2:34:42 > 2:34:46all the arguments, it is Australia who are given the position. Slater
2:34:46 > 2:34:53almost took advantage.
2:35:03 > 2:35:10Cameron Smith looking around. His options are several. Chambers...
2:35:10 > 2:35:18England defenders outnumbering them. But Australia remain poised. Cooper
2:35:18 > 2:35:31Cronk has the reach. Trbojevic... England hanging on. It comes back
2:35:31 > 2:35:40the other way. Morgan... Dugan... Held up too short. England somehow
2:35:40 > 2:35:53clinging on. One tackle remaining. No chase. England getaway.Tappet
2:35:53 > 2:35:58quick and go.
2:36:02 > 2:36:09A poor kick by Smith. As great a player as he is, a poor kick and a
2:36:09 > 2:36:15poor chase. England really relieved the pressure.The England goal-line
2:36:15 > 2:36:20defence was outstanding again.Yeah, it was.
2:36:38 > 2:36:44Fantastic juggling effort from Gareth Widdop. That was important.
2:36:44 > 2:36:54That was a little scruffy but it has done its job. Five gone again. The
2:36:54 > 2:36:59last play looms. 30 metres out. Gareth Widdop sticking it high.
2:36:59 > 2:37:06Slater lasted. We have seen him make a couple of mistakes in his career.
2:37:06 > 2:37:13And sometimes costly. We go back to the 2008 World Cup when he gave New
2:37:13 > 2:37:16Zealand a chance to win it. Is this an early chance for England to get
2:37:16 > 2:37:27back level?Slate clean drops it. Many times do you see that?
2:37:27 > 2:37:32England's performance as deserved that element of luck. It deserves
2:37:32 > 2:37:37this -- opportunity.Was there an element of being too clever?He was
2:37:37 > 2:37:44more worried about getting his foot in. That was what was in his mind.
2:37:44 > 2:37:47All those things going on in his mind, the first thing was to catch
2:37:47 > 2:37:52the ball. His foot slipped. A big opportunity for England. A massive
2:37:52 > 2:37:58opportunity. Even if they don't score, build pressure.
2:38:02 > 2:38:08They could do with a set without any mistakes. At the very least. Roby
2:38:08 > 2:38:15goes for it! And he has bounced into the in-goal area but he is held up.
2:38:15 > 2:38:21The referee does not need the video ref. He has it -- he has had a quiet
2:38:21 > 2:38:41night to night. -- tonight.Nose down, backside up.Whitehead... Ten
2:38:41 > 2:38:52metres out, England. O'Loughlin in the dummy half position. Hill trying
2:38:52 > 2:38:56to put himself through the gap. It closes quickly. James Roby. He
2:38:56 > 2:39:02stands and waits. Gale again. Lomax... He tried to push through as
2:39:02 > 2:39:14well. Bateman... He was trying to go for the line. It is with Hodgson,
2:39:14 > 2:39:20who kicks to the in-goal area. Australia start with possession two
2:39:20 > 2:39:26yards out.They had a crack and Australia held. Important they keep
2:39:26 > 2:39:32the ball at this end of the field. Billy Slater rolled off the mark and
2:39:32 > 2:39:37then played the ball. If Jermaine McGillvary is getting pinged for one
2:39:37 > 2:39:40thing at one end, you might have thought a penalty would have gone
2:39:40 > 2:39:43against Australia there.
2:40:00 > 2:40:04An efficient kick from Cooper Cronk. England will have possession back
2:40:04 > 2:40:11again with an awful long way to go. I know you mentioned that he -- they
2:40:11 > 2:40:16had a crack in that set. But they had numbers if Hodgson kicked the
2:40:16 > 2:40:22ball.I think it was the wrong blog in the wrong place.Yeah. The one
2:40:22 > 2:40:34thing I will say about Hodgson, he can be a bit kick happy. I would
2:40:34 > 2:40:38rather see him pass the ball a little bit more. It is all about him
2:40:38 > 2:40:48getting a kick. The tempo has gone out of Australia. It is all change
2:40:48 > 2:40:54because they have to come out of their half now. It is about energy
2:40:54 > 2:40:59levels.
2:41:13 > 2:41:22England pushing forward. Towards the 40 metre line. Gareth Widdop...
2:41:22 > 2:41:32Hearers James Graham. -- here is. England have raised through this set
2:41:32 > 2:41:37in terms of tackles gone. Gale scented skyward. Ben Currie was
2:41:37 > 2:41:42there. A half-hearted challenge.
2:41:57 > 2:42:04Will Chambers made his debut against New Zealand.
2:42:13 > 2:42:17Numbers here. The short pass was to Wade Graham. Australia 15 metres
2:42:17 > 2:42:26out. Smith goes left. Lomax is across. And the referee has going
2:42:26 > 2:42:30for the video. We are going to see the video referee. Does he think
2:42:30 > 2:42:35there is a try scored or is he looking for a restart?This is a
2:42:35 > 2:42:41restart. This is big for England. It was an error forced by the ball
2:42:41 > 2:42:51going forward by Australia -- if it was an error.Otherwise it is a
2:42:51 > 2:43:09restart. This is massive. Can I just go to the grounding? Can
2:43:09 > 2:43:12we just jogged back before that, please, to the challenge by
2:43:12 > 2:43:23Whitehead?He is allowed to turn and escort him off the ball there. He
2:43:23 > 2:43:34does turn his body and go in.His intent is to knock him off the ball.
2:43:34 > 2:43:40Let's play on from that.The referee on the field seemed to be correcting
2:43:40 > 2:43:48that decision.It is in Lomax pots and -- Lomax's hand. But it appears
2:43:48 > 2:43:56to be knocked out by Australia and knocked forward. Can I have a side
2:43:56 > 2:44:07angle on that?This is a complete reversal, isn't it?The ball is not
2:44:07 > 2:44:15forward by Australia. Let's seaworthy ball ends up. I believe it
2:44:15 > 2:44:23goes dead. It does go bed. I got my decision. I'm going to the board.
2:44:23 > 2:44:28That was a really interesting insight. I don't think we here in
2:44:28 > 2:44:33England that conversation from the referee on the field with a video
2:44:33 > 2:44:35referee where the video referee is thinking it might be a penalty, and
2:44:35 > 2:44:41the referee on the field says, no, it wasn't a penalty. From the
2:44:41 > 2:44:47England point of view, fantastic. I'm impressed with that. I thought
2:44:47 > 2:44:50the video referee was going to give the penalty. I don't think it was a
2:44:50 > 2:44:58penalty.Adrian Morley is working for the media in the next box. And
2:44:58 > 2:45:05he is staring at him as if to say, do not go against England here!
2:45:13 > 2:45:22That was a big play. A big decision. Could be the catalyst for England.
2:45:22 > 2:45:30Still just the one score in it. Just over eight minutes to play. Talking
2:45:30 > 2:45:34before the game about who wins and who loses, one scoreline we hadn't
2:45:34 > 2:45:43thought of was the draw. There is a potential for it here. That will
2:45:43 > 2:45:47concentrate minds if England can score and kick the goal and get the
2:45:47 > 2:45:51draw. It will concentrate minds going forward because it will come
2:45:51 > 2:45:58back to points, want it? -- Wantage.
2:46:04 > 2:46:10Great pressure. That is what you have to do against a good team. Find
2:46:10 > 2:46:19the character. Let them kick out from their own goal posts.
2:46:19 > 2:46:24Difference to has been the ability of Roby to run direct.I think he
2:46:24 > 2:46:31has changed the direction of this team.He has put the big Australians
2:46:31 > 2:46:40under pressure with how he directly has been. There is some big space to
2:46:40 > 2:46:41the side of Roby.
2:46:56 > 2:47:04Hodgson to O'Loughlin.
2:47:08 > 2:47:13Look at this for a position here. England 12 away. They have tackles
2:47:13 > 2:47:23in the bank. Lomax stepped away from the defender.
2:47:30 > 2:47:38They go wide. Ryan Hall! No, the flag from the touch judge says the
2:47:38 > 2:47:49ball was lost. Australia get it back with a tap on the 20.You would back
2:47:49 > 2:48:00him every day of the week.He gets low.That was the corner he scored
2:48:00 > 2:48:02the Phantom try the last time England played here. The video
2:48:02 > 2:48:09referee did not give it.England have been the better team in this
2:48:09 > 2:48:17second half.Wayne Bennett will be encouraged. He said it was about
2:48:17 > 2:48:25performance. Not necessarily about outcome.
2:48:42 > 2:48:51Penalty to Australia. They will go for a goal here and try to win the
2:48:51 > 2:48:59game.Definitely go for the goal. They are very tired looking, both
2:48:59 > 2:49:04teams. This breaks the deadlock. Give them a chance to soak them in,
2:49:04 > 2:49:11get some air. Also they get the ball back from a drop out. What do you
2:49:11 > 2:49:20think of that, Brian?It was a penalty.James Roby complaining
2:49:20 > 2:49:25about it. It has been replayed on the big screen. The referee was
2:49:25 > 2:49:35saying to him, have a look.That is Onyewu the third penalty in the game
2:49:35 > 2:49:41with five minutes remaining. -- only the third penalty.
2:49:50 > 2:49:53A chance to potentially win the game here for a Cameron Smith. England
2:49:53 > 2:50:02would have to scored twice. The second have so far has yielded no
2:50:02 > 2:50:14points. This could be the first. He has kicked one from two. Make that
2:50:14 > 2:50:19two out of three. It is an 8-point lead now for Australia. It will take
2:50:19 > 2:50:22something rather special for England to rescue anything points wise from
2:50:22 > 2:50:33this game. How does Wayne Bennett look on this England performance?
2:50:33 > 2:50:37You can see the monitors at half-time. It is the most animated I
2:50:37 > 2:50:40have seen him. He is challenging the England team for a performance in
2:50:40 > 2:50:44the second half. He has got that. He will be in good spirits because
2:50:44 > 2:50:47there has been an improvement.
2:50:54 > 2:51:03Three and a half minutes to go. 12-4, Australia lead. Cameron Smith
2:51:03 > 2:51:07to Valentine Holmes.
2:51:13 > 2:51:20Woods dropped it. Stamped on by Slater. Lomax picks it up. The
2:51:20 > 2:51:26referee said it was a knock-on. Is there time?They will have to score
2:51:26 > 2:51:34in this set. I will reinforce what Ian has been saying. Plenty to take
2:51:34 > 2:51:39away here, for sure.The one thing you will be happy about is the
2:51:39 > 2:51:43goal-line defence under a lot of pressure. The second thing is is
2:51:43 > 2:51:48forward to them what they -- we expected. They have made good metres
2:51:48 > 2:51:57up the middle. Ovid of cohesion with the ball -- a bit of cohesion. Get
2:51:57 > 2:52:04that right, turn it into points.
2:52:09 > 2:52:20Great introduction to this World Cup Gale. Swaying and surging and the
2:52:20 > 2:52:34other. Roby collect again. Here comes the sixth. Gareth Widdop goes
2:52:34 > 2:52:41wide. Ben Currie... Gareth Widdop with a kick. It bounces into the
2:52:41 > 2:52:46hands of Josh Dugan. He is away. This will be a dagger in the heart
2:52:46 > 2:52:52of England. Josh Dugan doesn't need to pass. He runs 80 metres to score
2:52:52 > 2:52:55the try that makes absolutely certain of an Australian victory.
2:52:55 > 2:53:03England were going for it. It is the Australian to get it. 16-4. That
2:53:03 > 2:53:10will be an opening night victory. I'm not sure they deserve this. They
2:53:10 > 2:53:15are trying to chase the game. When you do things like that, if you
2:53:15 > 2:53:20don't tackle, you leave it open. Kallum Watkins doesn't get the
2:53:20 > 2:53:27bounce. Dugan is gone. Against the run of play. England chasing the
2:53:27 > 2:53:34game.Look at the passion and energy from this guy Graham. Look at him
2:53:34 > 2:53:41chasing.The character is intact. You can see that exemplified by
2:53:41 > 2:53:54James Graham.James Graham chased him all the way back. He was furious
2:53:54 > 2:53:59he didn't get there.One of the great things he brings. He brings a
2:53:59 > 2:54:13real passion. I thought there was a real error of, we are going all
2:54:13 > 2:54:17right here from England in the second half. Don't wait for the
2:54:17 > 2:54:23bounce. Make the bounce happen. Plenty of positives. The negative
2:54:23 > 2:54:29Australia in this game has been that Morgan has had an unbelievable year
2:54:29 > 2:54:32at 64 camera. Under a fair bit of pressure with James Maloney in the
2:54:32 > 2:54:38squad and Cameron Munster. He has been really quiet tonight. That is
2:54:38 > 2:54:42probably taken a little bit away from the strident attack. 20 to
2:54:42 > 2:54:48learn from both teams.Cameron Smith will take his time. The clock has
2:54:48 > 2:54:52stopped on 27 seconds. I don't think we will get a restart. Cameron Smith
2:54:52 > 2:55:00knows that in all likelihood this will be his last kick. In all
2:55:00 > 2:55:03likelihood his last game in a green and gold shirt on this ground. Here
2:55:03 > 2:55:15he comes. Just put it in. It is 18-4. Australia on the balance of
2:55:15 > 2:55:19the game, a first goal-line or would England have deserved a little more?
2:55:19 > 2:55:24They probably think they deserve the win but England have been the better
2:55:24 > 2:55:28team in the second half. Exemplified by how they have played the game. We
2:55:28 > 2:55:32have seen a number of opportunities for Jonny Lomax and other players.
2:55:32 > 2:55:40The hooter sounds. That might be a memory they take throughout the
2:55:40 > 2:55:47tournament. The first night opener of this World Cup. Disappointment
2:55:47 > 2:55:56for England but of course no way does it end here. It is Australia
2:55:56 > 2:56:00who take the spoils. They have beaten the English by 18-4.
2:56:05 > 2:56:11That is Australia's 12 straight win over England. Remember, ten points
2:56:11 > 2:56:15to four until very late on. Then Elliott Whitehead penalised. The
2:56:15 > 2:56:25kick going over. That very late try on the bounce. Australia get the
2:56:25 > 2:56:312017 Rugby League World Cup under way. 18-4. I wonder how many
2:56:31 > 2:56:34positives Wayne Bennett and his team will find from that performance? I
2:56:34 > 2:56:38wonder how many positives the guys in the studio think there have been
2:56:38 > 2:56:42as well give macro we will find out shortly. When we are of air on BBC
2:56:42 > 2:56:47Two, which should be about quarter past 12, we will move to the Red
2:56:47 > 2:56:53Button. Plenty more reaction. Plenty more interviews. Plenty more
2:56:53 > 2:56:56analysis as well. And we will also look ahead to the rest of the
2:56:56 > 2:57:00tournament. We will look at Scotland, Ireland and Wales. And we
2:57:00 > 2:57:10will maybe hear from John Kear, the Wales head coach as well. Very
2:57:10 > 2:57:19shortly be hoped to get some match reaction from out there. Jermaine
2:57:19 > 2:57:24McGillvary, who had one of the performances bring them. Both wings
2:57:24 > 2:57:35did well for England. We are still waiting for some post match
2:57:35 > 2:57:40reaction. Do you think, Kevin Sinfield, there are positives for
2:57:40 > 2:57:46England after that?Massively. I sit here very buoyed by that second
2:57:46 > 2:57:50half. There will have been some questions about not having Sam
2:57:50 > 2:57:53Burgess in the second half. I thought we were great. The scoreline
2:57:53 > 2:57:58doesn't suggest, doesn't justify the England performance in the second
2:57:58 > 2:58:02half. I thought we were the best team. We created opportunities. The
2:58:02 > 2:58:07right side in particular. Looked dangerous.We were prepared
2:58:07 > 2:58:10for a tough battle to night and we got that. A little bit scratchy and
2:58:10 > 2:58:16attack. A little bit of improvement to do. All in all it was a tough
2:58:16 > 2:58:24effort, good start.You love playing on this field.It comes naturally to
2:58:24 > 2:58:31us. We have been playing together for 17 years, the three of us. We
2:58:31 > 2:58:35have those little plays up sleeves all the time. We need to hold the
2:58:35 > 2:58:39ball, build some pressure and get them tired around the middle.What
2:58:39 > 2:58:45did you think of England?I thought their strengths were at their back
2:58:45 > 2:58:48three. Their wingers are so hard to handle. Their full-backs playing
2:58:48 > 2:58:52extremely well. They shift the ball. They make you defend from sideline
2:58:52 > 2:58:55the sideline. They will go a long way and get better. Eigg
2:58:55 > 2:59:00congratulations. Thank you. Sean O'Loughlin. So
2:59:00 > 2:59:05close. A wonderful start. You know and appreciate how great Australia
2:59:05 > 2:59:12are and how close you guys are?We knew we were going to come up
2:59:12 > 2:59:19against a good side. Both teams a bit rusty. Disappointing but we know
2:59:19 > 2:59:24there is a lot more in us. Not a bad place to start. Not pleased with the
2:59:24 > 2:59:31loss but we can take a lot from it. Who stood out for England?The backs
2:59:31 > 2:59:43were strong. We carry the ball well. The forwards good times. All the
2:59:43 > 2:59:48effort was there. Plenty of good science. Good luck.
2:59:48 > 2:59:51-- signs.
2:59:51 > 2:59:55-- signs. There are the match statistics. Australia winning by
2:59:55 > 3:00:0018-4.
3:00:00 > 3:00:04The missed tackles, England had 33 by the end of the first also only up
3:00:04 > 3:00:08to 43 by the end of the game which means they only missed ten tackles
3:00:08 > 3:00:13in the second half in what was a much improved performance. Either
3:00:13 > 3:00:18way, an Sam Burgess, have heard from the camp that he has tweaked his
3:00:18 > 3:00:23knee and was taken off as a precaution. Whether that develops
3:00:23 > 3:00:26over the coming hours and days, we don't know but the latest from the
3:00:26 > 3:00:31camp is that he tweaked his knee and was taken off as a precaution.
3:00:31 > 3:00:36Justin, both Billy Slater and Sean O'Loughlin focused on England's back
3:00:36 > 3:00:41three, focused on Lomax, Jermaine McGillvary and Ryan Hall.I agree, I
3:00:41 > 3:00:44had that written down, we spoke about that before the game and I
3:00:44 > 3:00:47think they delivered, got them out of trouble well and also looked
3:00:47 > 3:00:52dangerous down the other end of the field. I agree with Kevin, England
3:00:52 > 3:00:55had the better of the second half, they created some good
3:00:55 > 3:01:00opportunities. With the game being on a Friday morning here, I hope the
3:01:00 > 3:01:03English brands don't look at the result and think they only scored
3:01:03 > 3:01:12one try because there was some great attacking play and I think the style
3:01:12 > 3:01:15of the way the game is played over here, come out in the second half
3:01:15 > 3:01:17into night's game and I said Australia would not beat themselves
3:01:17 > 3:01:20and they didn't but England took it to them as we hoped they would do.
3:01:20 > 3:01:23We talked about England's kicking in the first half but was the pressure
3:01:23 > 3:01:25from getting better in the second? It definitely was but in
3:01:25 > 3:01:26from getting better in the second? It definitely was but in the second
3:01:26 > 3:01:29half, they were able to give themselves more time and space on
3:01:29 > 3:01:33the ball to get a better kicking game. When you get on the front foot
3:01:33 > 3:01:36and you are winning small things like they were on the ground a lot
3:01:36 > 3:01:42more as well. -- they won the ground. You can get back-to-back
3:01:42 > 3:01:46plays, in the first half, we talked about how none of the kicks had led
3:01:46 > 3:01:49to a repeat set but they did that in the second half, started doing the
3:01:49 > 3:01:53small things well which is where we saw the balance come back into the
3:01:53 > 3:01:57game. Australia will be quite concerned God there are things that
3:01:57 > 3:02:02England were evidently so much stronger than Australia in. I think
3:02:02 > 3:02:06the half partnership between Gareth Widdop and Luke Gale will only get
3:02:06 > 3:02:10better as the combination gets stronger.That at the end was just
3:02:10 > 3:02:14the bounce of the ball when you are pushing to try to score.A minute
3:02:14 > 3:02:17and a half in the game, a bit of a Hail Mary and it could have gone
3:02:17 > 3:02:20either way, England could have sailed under the posts with Watkins
3:02:20 > 3:02:24but the ball bounced luckily for Dugan and he went the length of the
3:02:24 > 3:02:26field and those are the risks you have to take in those situations. It
3:02:26 > 3:02:32could have gone to England.Don't bring Hail Marys into it, I'm
3:02:32 > 3:02:38already struggling with how I said events.Australia will be concerned
3:02:38 > 3:02:41about England, as we spoke about Australia, the three key members of
3:02:41 > 3:02:44the Melbourne dominated the first half but the second half was all
3:02:44 > 3:02:48England and both sides will get better but England will take a lot
3:02:48 > 3:02:50more confidence, even though they lost the game for the rest of
3:02:50 > 3:02:50more confidence, even though they lost the game for the rest of the
3:02:50 > 3:02:56tournament.I think the second half showed us our strength. In Super
3:02:56 > 3:02:59League, we off-load the ball, we asked questions, we move the ball
3:02:59 > 3:03:04from side to side. The NRL game is very different. We need to play to
3:03:04 > 3:03:08our strengths and the second half was where we need to be.Can you
3:03:08 > 3:03:12play in the first half like England played in the second? Do they need
3:03:12 > 3:03:17the big guys in the first half to tire some out and then you have
3:03:17 > 3:03:23Hodgson, James Roby, O Loughlin, Gareth Widdop, Luke Gale?
3:03:23 > 3:03:27Interesting and we have to find the right balance, we need some big men
3:03:27 > 3:03:31in their but we have big men who can play football, Sean O'Loughlin,
3:03:31 > 3:03:37Burgess, Chris Hill, Alex Walmsley, I saw in the game last week, tipped
3:03:37 > 3:03:40onto Tom Burgess who sails through on the posts. We've got some big men
3:03:40 > 3:03:45who can play short passes. That is what we have to build the game on.
3:03:45 > 3:03:49If we try to beat Australia going set for set in an arm wrestle tight
3:03:49 > 3:03:53game where we have won out carriers and try to kick the ball better than
3:03:53 > 3:03:57them, we will lose.One of the interesting aspects, the difference
3:03:57 > 3:04:01from the first half, none of the passes were pushed. It was all
3:04:01 > 3:04:03measured. We were moving the ball but within the structure and
3:04:03 > 3:04:08capability. The lead runner who was carrying the ball was going right
3:04:08 > 3:04:11into the Australian line and the Australian defence, one and two
3:04:11 > 3:04:15defenders out had to deal with the short run, and the pass out the back
3:04:15 > 3:04:19was hitting the man perfectly. We saw it go down in the first half so
3:04:19 > 3:04:24the skill levels were much better in the second and that tired the
3:04:24 > 3:04:26Australian defence out so more space, it will cyclical and that is
3:04:26 > 3:04:30what they need to do more.I agree with Robbie, the first half, a lot
3:04:30 > 3:04:35of the ball came to the thigh bone, Gareth Widdop was throwing it on 01
3:04:35 > 3:04:38and in the second-half, Lomax was dangerous every time as what Gareth
3:04:38 > 3:04:42Widdop, Sean O'Loughlin and the guise of the edges looked really
3:04:42 > 3:04:46dangerous. That was the difference. I thought they try to play in the
3:04:46 > 3:04:53first half but we... You see, I've said it!Well done, Kevin!England
3:04:53 > 3:05:00came up with some errors and in the second half, they completed the
3:05:00 > 3:05:03passes and that was the difference and it's a shame they did not get
3:05:03 > 3:05:07over the try line in the centre.My guess is that your St Helens players
3:05:07 > 3:05:11might not let you forget that.Now I'm coaching over here I've got to
3:05:11 > 3:05:11side
3:05:11 > 3:05:13I'm coaching over here I've got to side with England.Let's take a look
3:05:13 > 3:05:18at some of the England chances in the second half. We will start with
3:05:18 > 3:05:22what came through Gareth Widdop and we're going to show this because
3:05:22 > 3:05:27this handling is fantastic, Kevin. You know what? I thought he was
3:05:27 > 3:05:30outstanding in the second half, gave us some great balance on the right
3:05:30 > 3:05:34edge but I also thought his kick selection and pass selection and
3:05:34 > 3:05:40when he decided to run the ball, he was dangerous. That kick, to ask a
3:05:40 > 3:05:45player of that calibre a question like that, for him to put the ball
3:05:45 > 3:05:49down shows the type of pressure we put Australia under.And they asked
3:05:49 > 3:05:55questions in all of these chances, yes?One thing I think, England were
3:05:55 > 3:06:01just missing a bit of combination time in this kind of situation. Just
3:06:01 > 3:06:05getting the ability to get the rhythm right on the good ball line.
3:06:05 > 3:06:10France and Lebanon will offer them a bit more combination time. I think
3:06:10 > 3:06:13they will be great going into the play-offs, England will have the
3:06:13 > 3:06:16ability, they know what to do when
3:06:16 > 3:06:17ability, they know what to do when they are on the opposition try line
3:06:17 > 3:06:20and I think getting to the try line was not a problem for England
3:06:20 > 3:06:24tonight, especially in the second half, this morning, actually, I'm
3:06:24 > 3:06:29thinking I'm down under! But once you get there, it is about being
3:06:29 > 3:06:34composed and setting up strike play after strike play. I think in the
3:06:34 > 3:06:37next couple of games, they will have the time on the ball and the time
3:06:37 > 3:06:40and space to get their rhythm going so there will be a different product
3:06:40 > 3:06:45to offer in the play-offs.Time to get some more reaction from the
3:06:45 > 3:06:52stadium with Josh Hodgson. What about the 80 minute performance
3:06:52 > 3:06:54from England?A bit patchy, in certain areas, we made too many
3:06:54 > 3:06:58errors, and ultimately, a lot of defending of the back of that and
3:06:58 > 3:07:02then we lost Sam in the first half, which hurts but we need to grow from
3:07:02 > 3:07:06that. We know we are a better team than what we showed. We need to be
3:07:06 > 3:07:12tougher on ourselves and not let those little errors in and hope they
3:07:12 > 3:07:17will find themselves out. We have to work on it.Field position was hard,
3:07:17 > 3:07:2160% of the game your own half which is buoyed out by the tackling you
3:07:21 > 3:07:24have today but the bite it was 10-4 near the end and you had chances to
3:07:24 > 3:07:28win, that is what you will grab belief from?Definitely, we will
3:07:28 > 3:07:32always put effort in the whole game but we need to be better in the
3:07:32 > 3:07:37execution and as you said, the field position.Does that better
3:07:37 > 3:07:40execution, with more time together and better combination that the
3:07:40 > 3:07:43condition evolves?I suppose though, a few more games under the belt and
3:07:43 > 3:07:48hopefully keep progressing through. The more we play alongside each
3:07:48 > 3:07:50other, the more time we have got to iron out those things.You don't
3:07:50 > 3:07:57want him to be happy in defeat but does it hard to knew that he is that
3:07:57 > 3:08:00unhappy with aspects of the performers when we are saying
3:08:00 > 3:08:04there's lots of positives?You expect that from players, they will
3:08:04 > 3:08:07be quite self-critical of where they are at and the performance, they
3:08:07 > 3:08:10understand they've got to get better. But we can all sit here
3:08:10 > 3:08:16today quite happy with that second half in particular. We only have to
3:08:16 > 3:08:19beat Australia wanted his condition, let's not forget and we might have
3:08:19 > 3:08:23lost the battle today but we've come off a bit wounded and we know there
3:08:23 > 3:08:26might be some concerns with Sam but we have not lost the war, it's all
3:08:26 > 3:08:30to play for, two games now where the coaching staff may choose to rotate
3:08:30 > 3:08:35one or two. Let people fight for selection for when we hit the
3:08:35 > 3:08:39quarterfinals.I suppose, then, again, the firing line is, you want
3:08:39 > 3:08:44people to be fighting for selection but if you take Robbie's point, you
3:08:44 > 3:08:49need combination time.Yes, you need a mix of both. The boys are both
3:08:49 > 3:08:52right with their answers and I will sit on the fence as well, you can't
3:08:52 > 3:08:55play every game this time of year, coming off a long season but you
3:08:55 > 3:08:59have to get the combinations. I think they showed that the night. I
3:08:59 > 3:09:02would not be opposed to rotating a few because I think the combinations
3:09:02 > 3:09:06they showed in the second half and as you said, I love the way James
3:09:06 > 3:09:09Roby and Hodgson played with Sean O'Loughlin, idle James Roby was
3:09:09 > 3:09:13outstanding, the way he had their bowling down the field.What is he
3:09:13 > 3:09:18like to work with?Fantastic. He is so easy to deal with, you just sit
3:09:18 > 3:09:23in the shed, and he does what you wanted to do, you just goes out and
3:09:23 > 3:09:27does it. A pleasure to work with, I've said it a few times this year,
3:09:27 > 3:09:31and Kevin and I were talking about him, Kevin Love playing with him and
3:09:31 > 3:09:35it is a pleasure to get to coach him. He's very unassuming. He's very
3:09:35 > 3:09:43humble. I was pleased for him to see him play so well today.I think one
3:09:43 > 3:09:46of his keys is that he is one of the elder statesman in the team as well.
3:09:46 > 3:09:50He can bring so much at that level. He's played at this level for a long
3:09:50 > 3:09:55time and as the smarts, when the going gets tough, when you need to
3:09:55 > 3:09:58pull the troops together a bit more and then you need to start getting
3:09:58 > 3:10:02on the front foot and making sure you are playing smart and not an
3:10:02 > 3:10:06emotion, he won't be fazed by that. He's played every game, every final,
3:10:06 > 3:10:12Super League finals, World Club Challenge games, he's played them
3:10:12 > 3:10:15all and that is really important. That experience within that group
3:10:15 > 3:10:19and crucial moment in the game, where we saw how he was a key
3:10:19 > 3:10:23fulcrum to England's game turning around in the second half.I loved
3:10:23 > 3:10:28playing alongside him. I think he has almost got a sixth sense of what
3:10:28 > 3:10:32to do, a calmness about him. He understands when there is space
3:10:32 > 3:10:36outside even though the ruck might be quick and he should run. He
3:10:36 > 3:10:40understands when he needs to run. He's a machine, physically, tackle
3:10:40 > 3:10:45after tackle. He never looks tired. To top it off, he's brilliant around
3:10:45 > 3:10:49the squad. You could not ask for a better guy to go on tour with. He's
3:10:49 > 3:10:54a model professional, gentlemen. He will only get better the petition. I
3:10:54 > 3:10:59think for him, it is his third World Cup. I'm sure in the back of his
3:10:59 > 3:11:03mind, he will want to go out, he may not get another chance only want to
3:11:03 > 3:11:06go out and not take this for granted.Kevin and Robbie and Justin
3:11:06 > 3:11:10will stay with me on the red button from about 12:15pm. Iestyn Harris
3:11:10 > 3:11:14will join us as well. Let's go back to Melbourne because I think Dave
3:11:14 > 3:11:19Woods has got more reaction with Tyson Frizell from Australia.
3:11:19 > 3:11:23Tyson, a winning side tonight and you came off the bench and how did
3:11:23 > 3:11:27you enjoy it?It was really enjoyable. We knew it would be a
3:11:27 > 3:11:30tough game first up and it definitely was, they controlled the
3:11:30 > 3:11:34ball really well and they pushed us right to the end. We knew they would
3:11:34 > 3:11:40do that. Lucky enough, we're happy to come away with the win.Did you
3:11:40 > 3:11:44feel you got an tub of England's for? That was the big question, was
3:11:44 > 3:11:48England's the better pack and do you feel you got on top of them?In
3:11:48 > 3:11:51patches, I do think our whole performance was up to scratch. We
3:11:51 > 3:11:55played well in patches but like I said, we turned over a bit of ball
3:11:55 > 3:12:01in the first half. We are looking to work a lot better. They've bought --
3:12:01 > 3:12:03their forwards are dangerous and solid and they showed that the night
3:12:03 > 3:12:07but obviously we stuck in tough and came up with a win.In the last
3:12:07 > 3:12:12World Cup you had a Welsh jersey on. Much contact with Wales, who are a
3:12:12 > 3:12:16Papua New Guinea Adenegan? Have you spoken to John Kear and the team?
3:12:16 > 3:12:20Not in the past week but you know, leading up to the World Cup, I've
3:12:20 > 3:12:22been in touch with them and you know, wished them the best of luck
3:12:22 > 3:12:27and hopefully they can play well. It is good to see Wales in the World
3:12:27 > 3:12:30Cup and doing well.Well done tonight.
3:12:30 > 3:12:32Cup and doing well.Well done tonight.
3:12:32 > 3:12:35We will talk more about Wales on the red button and Ireland and Scotland
3:12:35 > 3:12:40as well. We are under way with this 2017 Rugby league World Cup.
3:12:40 > 3:12:47Australia topping the pool, France against Lebanon is a 5am game on
3:12:47 > 3:12:53Sunday. Obviously England still have both those countries to play. We
3:12:53 > 3:12:55will show you highlight of the France and Lebanon game across the
3:12:55 > 3:13:01weekend of the BBC. This is what is coming your way. The red button for,
3:13:01 > 3:13:07get in touch if you want to put a question to Justin or Kevin or
3:13:07 > 3:13:10Robbie. We will be on the red button very shortly. Highlights of tonight
3:13:10 > 3:13:14's game if you want to relive it, the second half is better than the
3:13:14 > 3:13:18first obviously, from an English perspective, from 11pm on BBC Two
3:13:18 > 3:13:26and BBC One has highlights of tomorrow's games at lunchtime. And
3:13:26 > 3:13:31that France against Lebanon game is on Sunday at five B along with
3:13:31 > 3:13:33Ireland against Italy.
3:13:33 > 3:13:35on Sunday at five B along with Ireland against Italy. Thank you to
3:13:35 > 3:13:40Justin, Kevin and Robbie. As I said, they will join me on the red button
3:13:40 > 3:13:45very shortly. Iestyn Harris will join us as well. Get your point
3:13:45 > 3:13:49across on Twitter. The Rugby league World Cup is up and running. Defeat
3:13:49 > 3:13:52for England but plenty of positives. Goodbye.