05/11/2017 - Highlights Rugby League World Cup

Josh Dugan for the corner and that

is a sensational Kangaroos drive.

Australia wins its second match of

the Rugby league World Cup.

Dean

Whare, yes, beautiful, and this is

Rugby league 101.

Johnson with the

drive to become the leading points

scorer in Kiwi 's history.

McGillvary comes back in on the

inside. Jermaine McGillvary scores

again. Burgess with a charge down

the middle. England have won, a win

they needed.

We are mid-way through Week 2

of the 2017 World Cup and the best

players in international rugby

league are really putting

on a show Down Under.

Over the next hour and a half,

we've got more of the same

and joining me to add some sparkling

insight are three of

the home nations' finest,

Iestyn Harris of Wales,

Andrew Henderson of Scotland

and England's Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

Here's what's coming up.

It's Ireland versus Papua New Guinea

in Port Moresby in a game

the Wolfhounds' coach Mark Aston has

described as their Grand Final.

John Kear's Wales face another tough

test of their World Cup credentials

against Fiji in Townsville.

And Italy will be looking

to register their first win

against Brian McDermott's USA

in Group D.

We'll also check in with our team

in the Southern hemisphere

to reflect on England's stuttering

win against Lebanon.

But first, news from the Scotland

camp today following their heavy

defeat to New Zealand yesterday.

Three players, Captain Danny Brough,

Sam Brooks and Johnny Walker,

have been released from the squad

with immediate effect

due to misconduct.

In a statement, Scotland Rugby

League chairman Keith Hogg has said,

"These players have not adhered

to the standards of behaviour."

And we can go over to the BBC's

rugby league correspondent,

Dave Woods, who is in Perth.

What is the latest?

We understand

the three players arrived as part of

the Scotland team at Christchurch

airport this morning for a flight to

Brisbane and were considerably

inebriates it. The airline decided

they would not allow the three

players onto the plane. That

decision was not taken by the

Scotland team but once the airlines

made their views known, the Scotland

team back that up and they said

there was no confrontation with

members of the public, it was indeed

the state the players were in. The

players are being sent home, put up

in a hotel in Christchurch tonight

and they will be put on flights

tomorrow back to where they need to

go.

Hugely embarrassing for Scotland

but also for Steve McCormack, do

have the captain Danny Brough

involved in this will be massively

frustrating, won't it?

I should

imagine Steve McCormack will be very

upset because when you speak to him

about the involvement of Danny

Brough in the Scotland team down the

years, he always speaks highly about

his commitment, he talks about him

as being the most committed player

in the squad, that Scotland setup.

So to lose the captain in this week

will be massively disappointing,

especially as Scotland still

theoretically have the chance of

making it through to the

quarterfinals, unlikely, they have

to beat Samoa in the final game but

they still have a the -- theoretical

transfer to lose Danny Brough on the

other players in the circumstances

diminishes that and you will think

this is a sad ending to Danny

Brough's Scottish international

career.

Scotland not the only side

with problems, not the only country

facing disciplinary problems.

Yes,

it seems to be a bit of a gathering

theme at the moment, France have

confirmed they have released Eloi

Pelissier of Leigh because he

breached the curfew last night. They

had a very strict time they had to

be back at the hotel and Eloi

Pelissier was not back when he

should have been. Again, damaging

for France because they still also

have a theoretical chance of making

the quarterfinals, their next game

is against England in Perth, of

course, where the temperatures are

soaring but they will have to do it

without Eloi Pelissier. They are

down to a 23 man squad.

Dave, thank

you for joining us. As a long-time

member of the Scotland squad,

Andrew, the last thing they needed?

Absolutely. I'm bitterly

disappointed to hear the news this

morning. It has not been a great

campaign for Scotland, it's been

quite dismal so far. Especially

after the fact Scotland have really

risen in recent years with a

credible performance at the Four

Nations, and the World Cup in 2013

and Danny Brough has been at the

heart of it. It was always going to

be a tough ask for Scotland in this

World Cup, a lot of their top NRL

players have pulled out through

injury or other reasons so I think

they always had their backs against

the wall coming into the campaign

but to lose your talisman, and even

to lose any of the squad members at

this stage of the competition,

especially when there is still a

chance of getting through to the

quarterfinals with a huge game, a

cup final against Samoa this week,

it is hugely disappointing. It is

embarrassing as well for the nation.

As a former coach, for your captain

to be at the heart of that is really

going to hurt.

Let's be honest, it's

not good enough, you've always got a

responsibility as a player and

captain to represent your country

with distinction and Danny Brough

has probably disgraced himself and

the nation and we don't know the

full details of it but you know,

you've got a responsibility,

especially when you have not

performed as a team or an

individual. You've got to make sure

you perform off the field and it's

unfortunate for Scotland and him.

It

was always going to be a tough

campaign but they went in with such

high hopes after the draw against

New Zealand in the always.

To be

away from your family and home and

was a long, you've got to stay

together, be tight as a group and

they've got a lot of outlets, like

Iestyn Harris says, there's always

context around these situations and

I'm sure Danny will have his own but

you've got to stay tight and look

after one another and I think Danny

Brough as the leader should be the

one marking out all the rules and

keeping the boys tight so for him to

let the team down and his nation is

really disappointing and if they

were ever going to have

really disappointing and if they

were ever going to have a chance of

making the quarterfinals, they

needed him in the team.

You know

Steve McCormack well and he will

take it personally, Danny Brough's

behaviour?

I think so, at the end of

the day, the captain is an extension

of you as a coach, as are all the on

field leaders. He will be

disappointed because it reflects

poorly on him as well but as the

others have summed up, and the end

of the day, you have a

responsibility out there and I know

it has not been the best campaign so

far, they have not played well,

they've been up against it, they

don't have a high players they need

to compete against bigger nations

that they are up against at the

moment but for them to have any

chance against Samoa this week, they

needed to have their best players

available and unfortunately, Danny

will

available and unfortunately, Danny

will be missing and another couple

of players which is another hammer

blow to the nation.

And a hammer

blow to the way they are trying to

raise the profile of Scottish rugby

league? This is not the way to do

it.

No, because in fact, the profile

has risen so well over the last six

or eight years because they recorded

their first ever World Cup winning

2008, reached the quarterfinals in

2013 and were not disgraced against

the current holders, New Zealand,

and coming into the Four Nations,

earned the right to be there by

winning the European cup.

It is

probably a spill-over from

frustration, they did so well in the

Four Nations last year but they've

let themselves down and it is the

frustration which has spilled over

off the field.

Let's get back to matters

on the field and the game of the day

was in the hostile cauldron

of Port Moresby where co-hosts

Papua New Guinea faced Ireland.

Papua New Guinea are in the midst of

a Celtic double-header, having

demolished Wales in Port Moresby

last weekend. Captain David Mead

starred, becoming the first BMG

player to score a hat-trick in a

World Cup match. Another victory

today would see The Kumuls with one

book in the last eight. Ireland's

tournament began with an upset win

over Italy in need Cairns. It was

the Wolfhounds' first World Cup

success since 2008 and another this

week would leave them favourites to

make the quarterfinals from group C.

Your commentators in Port Moresby,

Chris Warren and Matthew Elliot.

Your commentators in Port Moresby,

Chris Warren and Matthew Elliot.

COMMENTATOR: The capital has been

about away, eagerly awaiting the

return of its national heroes after

Los Ticos Marica Brett King whenever

Wales, the Rugby league World Cup

returns to Port Moresby a week after

The Kumuls' ten tries against one

blitz against Wales and so much is

at stake, you would think the winner

will have one foot in the Rugby

league World Cup quarterfinals. A

big breeze blowing in and let's have

a look at the PNG team. Baptistao

upfront, the only change coming into

the starting side, into the 17. From

the win over Wales. And the captain

again, David Mead, the full-back

with Brisbane Broncos, who had such

a big game last week, not just

crossing for those three tries but

he was everywhere. He is some

player, David Mead. You would think

he would have an impact again.

Ireland, as we say, well, they upset

Italy in week one, not many people

expected that. Michael McIlorum,

keep an eye on him, a very talented

hooker for Wigan who has played for

England as well. One of their

biggest players last week and

probably the most effective was

Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who

started his career back in 2006 at

London Broncos or Harlequins, and he

is a barnstorming front row or back

row with St Helens.

Here we go. Ready to rock and roll.

And here's Luke Page with the first

hit of the match. As we have pointed

out, the Irish, defending the

southern end but they have a very

strong wind to their back. PNG

elected to run into the wind. Oh,

that's a big shot.

Ouch!

Indeed,

Kyle Amor, putting a beauty on

Stanton Albert. Keep an eye on this

clearing kick when it comes because

it will be into the teeth of a very

strong wind. That is the 40 metre

line that you can see. Stanton

Baptiste gets it on and Albert with

the kick. There you go, that is what

can happen when you have got this

wind tearing into your face.

Have a

look at this shot, crunch, two of

them teaming up and absolutely icing

Kyle Amor as he takes the ball.

Luke

Page. The skipper for his club in

the Queensland cup.

Again, it is Stanton Albert and his

brother, Wellington on the bench.

Short side, rushed, forced into an

error. The ball dived on by Ed

Chamberlain for Ireland, both teams

a little rusty early on.

Two early

errors from The Kumuls, and

compounded that by having a strong

wind against you, they are going to

have to do better, look at the Irish

left and attack.

McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Michael

McIlorum. Trying to push away from

one. Goes really close to the

touchline.

McCarthy-Scarsbrook. Good, hounding

defence by the home side.

Good defence. A tonne, it was,

download. Finn. Api Pewhairangi

hands it on and they keep the ball

alive. Back in field, it has been

allowed to bounce and there could be

a dry coming! Oh, they have grounded

it in the end but that was very

risky business by the home team.

REFEREE:

Tackle zero, I've got no

try. Just confirm it came off the

had not the part of the body for a

possible try. The kicker is now in

front of them so all of the chasers

are onside. It is knocked on by PNG.

Can we role that back a bit tighter,

confirmed the knock-on? Nice and

slow as it comes off his leg, and

not in contact. Let's go through.

Rebounding off his knee. It is not

grounded by PNG. It is grounded by

the Ireland player who was onside.

We have a decision, we are going to

the board.

I think it is going to be

given after all that, unlucky for

The Kumuls, they did not ground the

ball in their own in-goal area and

the opening try goes to the Irish,

their full-back, Scott Grix, and the

Irish lead 4-0 with a kick to come.

You can't believe it, taking with

the wind behind him and somehow got

it to reverse back.

Stanton

Baptiste... It is put back for Garry

Lo. Trying to get away from a second

and can't.

Willie Minoga goes very close. They

have fanned out to deep to the

western side. A spell as with the

insightful. Albert. -- a spell as

with the insightful. Here's another

one, three in a row, now. The

referee calling it back, Baptiste

taking it up on the mark.

Mark Aston

as is edged event is coming up hard,

he's done his homework on this PNG

team and we have not seen a ball

shifted to this very effective

right-hand side yet.

It might be

coming shortly. Boas, and how it

goes to McDonald's. Gets away from

Singleton, goes back centre field,

and eventually, Macdonald wrapped up

in front of the uprights. Baptiste.

Pushing away from Finn, Paul Ayton,

gets the ball out of the back, Boas

steps away from Finn and Morgan

brings him down. Baptiste. Boas.

Garry Lo! Relocates Mac can he get

there? He can't, good rushing but

temp one -- but Garry Lo is still

coming! He's unstoppable! Garry Lo

goes into school The Kumuls' first

try of the afternoon. -- into

school. He's like a jack in the box,

this man, Garry Lo, rapidly becoming

one of the crowd favourites here in

Port Moresby, a storming game last

weekend. They just couldn't contain

him. He wouldn't say die, Garry Lo,

the Sheffield Eagles player,

stretching out to score. Ireland

leads 6-4 with the kick to come.

Oh! Close but not close enough. Just

bouncing off the near upright and it

remains Ireland 6-4 Papua New

Guinea.

Singleton has dropped the ball and

given away a couple of penalties so

it has been a mixed opening, hasn't

it, for the Irish prop. Brad

Singleton, as we say, celebrated his

25th birthday last weekend in

Cairns. But he, too, a bit rusty

early on in Port Moresby.

I guess

the humidity can make the ball a bit

slippery and you need to be prepared

for that but great contact from The

Kumuls, and again, we will see them

working in the middle of the park,

let's see where David Mead slots

into this attacking set.

Willie Minoga standing outside the

scrum, the second row.

Hungry defence.

He is a big lump, isn't he, Enoch

Maki? Paul Ayton and dummy half. On

the bright, Kato Ottio looks like

he's doing the. -- on the break.

Brought down, short side, Garry Lo,

pushing away from two, and three.

Enoch Maki getting through. -- no

way through. Boas dummies inside,

trying to get the ball away, he

does, Macdonald is on the break, and

gets inside Liam Kay and going in

for a four point! Beautiful stuff

from The Kumuls. They made the

numbers on the western side of the

ground, creative with the ball and

in they go to score again.

Macdonald, speed and strength and

heights to boot.

In that set, you

talked about line breaks but you saw

line breaks, six and seven in the

set.

It looked all right of the boot but

suddenly, the wind blowing it around

so it remains Papua New Guinea 8-6

Ireland.

Finn under pressure from James

Segeyaro. And David Mead tears into

the Irish defensive line.

It was

Roberts sued tees off on him but we

see these early plays again from The

Kumuls being very predictable,

getting their set off to a good

start, as we see the Spanish film

star get out of dummy half.

James

Segeyaro, flat pass. Almost a shade

forward. Enoch Maki. Juggling it.

Where will they go? Boas, flying for

the ball is the weighing our! I

don't think Garry Lo has grounded

it. If he has come he's a magician.

REFEREE:

On tackle six, two things

to check, I've got no try, possible

obstruction before he kicked and

then the grounding, please, mate.

Plenty of things to keep the video

referee busy.

Keep going through,

mate, no obstruction and we will go

through to the grounding, please,

something nice and so on that. We

are going to go frame by frame after

he takes possession, when his foot

is on the dead-ball line. It is in

contact with the dead-ball line,

there. We have a decision, going to

the board.

Garry Lo's left foot is

on the dead-ball line so even if the

grounding was OK, it is deemed to

have gone dead. But it was exciting.

Segeyaro, Stanton Albert. Trying to

get his arms free.

Again, pressure on Scott Grix and he

spilled the ball and it has come up

and Watson Boas, he could not get

through. They have got another six.

Given a penalty away, here. Things

are firing up now.

Penalty to PNG. A leg pull in the

end so nothing to do with the

fireworks.

Worrying signs, you would expect,

here, for Ireland. Can they hang on?

Kato Ottio.

Wrapped up, Stanton Albert.

Segeyaro. Boas. At the back,

charging in is David Mead but

there's plenty of green jerseys

there.

Well, that's the first real

effective shift to the right hand

side. Rhyse Martin and Macdonald

over there, and almost an identical

replay of the try that David Mead

scored last week.

Paul Ayton, flat

pass and a big shot on Albert! A big

don't argue by Oliver Roberts.

Segeyaro. Pounced upon. Stargroth

Amean is waiting deep out here to

the West. Boas gets the kick in and

it has gone over the dead-ball line.

Deep breath from Shannon McDonnell.

Lovely off-load, oh! Running hit,

there. Roberts. Absolutely nailed

him.

Kato Ottio. Baptiste away to

Paul Leighton. It has been coughed

up cold and Ireland have the ball,

Michael Morgan with it. Coming into

wrap him up, there, Justin Olam. But

another mistake for the home team.

That is 17 errors in the match, up

against 12 for Ireland. Hard to win

a match when you make more errors

than your opponent. They are

clinging to this slender two point

lead.

A good opportunity here for the

Irish. Singleton.

Abbey Pewhairangi. Back on the

inside, Chamberlain. Can they hang

on, here, The Kumuls? Finn with the

kick, aiming for the bride. Oh, they

are coming in and

McCarthy-Scarsbrook reaches out for

the ball but it beats him over the

dead-ball line and the call is bring

it back for the restart on the 20.

As we watched the replay here, oh,

McCarthy-Scarsbrook does everything

to get himself to the ball and just

can't ground it. The tension in the

grandstand here is palpable from the

crowd.

Kato Ottio. Looking for a

quick play the ball and get it and

Baptiste goes for one, looking for

support, he does not need it, guess

he does, he's got Boas, Boas to

Garry Lo who is chopped down three

metres short. They have got numbers

out there. David Mead with the ball,

good defence, one-on-one. Great

tackle by the captain. He plays the

ball, Paul Aiton down the short side

and in they go! Forward pass! Oh,

boy! Justin Olam was over but the

four points and it has been pulled

back.

The referee got it 100% right

but what about the scrambled defence

on the Irish?

Talk about a homeground advantage.

It has been scrappy, hasn't it? They

are not done yet. Pewhairangi, down

on his own ten. Liam Kay monster had

thereby Macdonald. -- mon stood over

there.

Two and a half hour from full-time.

A wayward pass, that has gone

forward, I fancy but it has been

Fodorova by Boas, is the bounce

going to be kind? Yes, indeed, it

is, and Watson Four Nations --

Watson Boas will going to score for

the The Kumuls and put a seal on

that match, it has been given by

Matt Cecchin and the crowd are going

crazy in Port Moresby. Come on,

Michael Marum, give us a smile, this

match now surely is done and dusted?

As we watch the replay, I guess it

was inevitable that the try was

going to come as the result of an

error. This time, it was an Irish

error, great awareness from Boas.

Papua New Guinea, smiles all around,

they have beaten Ireland in Port

Moresby 14-6.

I think we probably got a lot of

respect as a group of players and

staff that we have come out here, in

the back garden of The Kumuls and

pushed them right to the limit. I

think I'm immensely proud of this

group.

We got too excited and we

were trying to score points like we

did last week and got too excited,

did not respect the Ireland team as

much as we probably should have. We

did not really earn the right to

play out the back kind of football

where as I thought last week, you

know, we play tough and held onto

the ball and completed the sets,

something we will definitely fix

this week.

I don't be they expected

what they got from us. Probably feel

a bit relieved at the end to get

away with the win.

We had

opportunities to win the game,

McCarthy-Scarsbrook nearly gets on

the end of the kick and the game

goes the other way so that is rugby

league. You live and die by those

decisions.

As you think that jump out in the

match stats, nine line breaks for

PNG and none for Ireland, 280 to PNG

tackles, 366 Irish ones and 56

against 29 carries. That was some

effort from Ireland, to cup -- to

quite in the cauldron that was Port

Moresby.

Yes, we

quite in the cauldron that was Port

Moresby.

Yes, we spoke last week are

difficult it is to play in Papua New

Guinea, the temperature and the

humidity, and I think what you can

put down to Ireland's the attitude,

56 missed tackles is a stat you

would expect a team to get blown

away but their scrambled defence and

the way they dug for each other,

that is not anything to do with

ability. That is pure desire and

attitude and I think Ireland have

been fantastic on that avenue and

that is why they've done so well and

captured the hearts and imagination

of everybody because they are

prepared to work hard. That is what

rugby league is sometimes, it is not

all about the big or skilful play,

it's about working for each other

and I think Ireland were terrific.

You say if you look at the missed

tackles and the

You say if you look at the missed

tackles and the line breaks, if it

is 9-0, you would think it was

one-sided but there was desperation

to get back.

This guy was

outstanding, Garry Lo carried the

ball all day and what I enjoyed

about the game was the gladiatorial

element that PNG brought, they ran

as hard as they could all day long.

I think sometimes, that was a two on

one where they could have got a try

and the virtues of what make PNG

really good is the strength of

Carrie and determination and you

can't coach that. Ironically, I

imagine they are quite a difficult

team to coach because they look like

they are playing to have fun. It was

an enjoyable game to watch and I

thought Ireland for the most part

fronted up and put bodies on the

line and had to scramble. Big

contest.

Kevin Sinfield described it as

trying to tackle a lamp

Kevin Sinfield described it as

trying to tackle a lamp post but

lamp posts don't run at you as hard!

The amount of line breaks they made

in the game, B shows how hard they

are winning the ball, punching and

breaking the line, the ferocity that

they can, outstanding but credit

Ireland. The amount of missed

tackles, do not concede the points,

goes back to what Iestyn Harris

said, the desire to work for each

other and they kept working until

the last few minutes and if

McCarthy-Scarsbrook had taken the

opportunity it could have been a

different story.

Fingertips, isn't

it? If it had bounced differently it

could have been different and could

they have won from there?

Yeah.

You've got to ask the question, are

these the conditions for those sorts

of players? When somebody runs at

you hard, you can do it once or

twice, yes, but after 80 minutes

it's difficult to do it. When you

get an opportunity like that, is it

the fatigue, being battered through

the game that stops you from

capitalising?

the game that stops you from

capitalising?

Where do you think the

character and attitude from Ireland

is coming from? Is it a group of

Super League players who are saying,

look at us, we are forgotten men?

They've gone to the World Cup to

work hard, to build a reputation

about us as a country. They've been

fantastic, haven't they?

McCarthy-Scarsbrook, that little

thing, if he scored that, they would

have won one of the most famous

victories for Ireland but that is

what international rugby league is

like a small margins. That's the

skill element that was perhaps

lacking in the Ireland team that

stop them going the extra inch.

Ireland must lick their wounds and

go again next week and it's going to

be difficult for them to get through

the group now.

PNG, the

disappointment in the performance

from Mead Bobby reflects their

ambition in the competition and they

are looking like candidates against

England.

The PNG story is a great

story because ten, 12 years ago they

were the fourth best nation in the

world but they have dropped in

recent years, the last couple of

World Cups they haven't performed

well, not getting through the group

stages, so quite disappointing. The

emergence of the PNG hunters has

been critical to their development,

giving the players exposure to

professional rugby league and a good

standard of competition every week.

They have some really good and RL

quality players adding into the mix

and you're seeing the results,

fantastic in the two games we've

seen.

I bet England will look at it

and think, thank the Lord it's not

going to be Papua New Guinea! That

quarterfinal is going to be in

Melbourne probably and it's a

different proposition playing in

Papua New Guinea. I bet England are

thinking, thank the Lord.

They will

be breathing deeply but for the

competition is it disappointing it

won't be in Port Moresby?

They've

got to travel around, they had

14,000 fans getting behind their

team and they were well supported.

Festival atmosphere. Interesting to

see how they perform away from home.

I'm sure they've got the bit between

their teeth now and they are looking

to go as far as they can.

I'm sure

you are looking forward to trying to

stop Lo in Super League!

I thought

we see in the back of those sorts of

players! We'll see.

Wales were on the end of a battering

by PNG in their first game

and the draw hasn't been kind

in Week 2 as they faced

Fiji in Townsville.

Your commentators for this one

are Scott Sattler with Andrew Moore.

Fiji starting tonight as the strong

favourites up against this team from

Wales, desperate to overcome a poor

start to the World Cup. Losing to

PNG 50-6, missing 78 tackles! Only

four handling errors but the defence

let them down a week ago. A very

strong Fijian team?

Yes, the back

five, Duarte, Montoya, Milne,

Vunivalu, they have scoring ability

but the pack is where the hard work

is done. Mick Potter is the courage.

It has to come through the

full-back, it Kear and Davies.

Can

they respond? Five changes to the

team that were well beaten by Papua

New Guinea. Fiji, 29 metres out. Up

to the 20 metre line. It is the last

tackle for the Fiji players. The

chase is led by Uate. Poor bounce by

Wales but it goes over the dead-ball

line off the boot of Kear.

Good

control by Raiwalui. We saw he and

pain last week -- Hayne last week in

combination, transferring the ball

wisely to the big outside backs and

their kicking game was smart also

and again they came up with a really

good result.

Good field position

this, for Fiji. Doing well to

recover there, Vunakece. A good

tackle down low by the Welsh hooker,

Steve Parry. Strike through, he's

over, Werner Casey -- Werner Casey

Vunakece. The front row player,

Vunakece.

Disappointing, he doesn't

do anything with the ball. Too much

space in between the defenders among

the big men for Wales.

The front

rowers combining. Last tackle,

Wales. 20 metres out. The kick from

Davies. That might be lost by a

Fiji. There's Grace, what a chance

for the Welsh. Taking then nearly

until full-time to score against

Papua New Guinea. Two metres out.

Set to the left.

12 metres out from the goal line.

Strong run. Five metres out in front

of the sticks, Joseph. Kopczak, what

a pars, keeping it alive and Wales

are going to score their first try.

We're going to the video referee.

That's clear of the ground. We can

go to the grounding. The grounding

is good.

Morgan Knowles with the

try. What about the off-load?

Kopczak to Knowles, just off the

grass.

Great skill by Kopczak.

Tell

you what, Knowles, making his

opening game as an 18-year-old and

he has played a cup final for St

Helens. Wales are inside their own

ten metre line, inside a new set of

six having levelled the scores.

That looked like a knock-on from the

hooker, Steve Parry, and it is.

That's a killer, you score a try, up

and running and all of a sudden you

can't complete your next set. I

think he was hard done by. I thought

it was knocked out by a player from

Fiji. I'm not saying in all

circumstances you need to retain

possession but unlucky not to have

another set of six.

Fiji, every

attacking play, to the left. Little

sneak play by Koroisau. Stacked

heavily on the left. Ten metre line,

Fiji on the attack.

Out to Bruno Balu! Nobody stops him,

he gets his third of the World Cup.

Ajmal per out to

-- out to Bruni Balu.

Great work by

Hayne who opened up the outside for

the outside man like he did last

week against the USA.

Fiji are back

in front, 10-6.

Again Twenty20 is

involved committing the defenders.

-- Vunivalu is involved, committing

the defenders.

You can't lead with

the shoulder in defence but you can

in defence and Vunivalu did it

there.

Couldn't ask for much more in the

opening quarter hour. Three tries

coming in an eight minute period.

Great run here by Junior Fainga'a.

The half-back, Raiwalui, Bolelli set

up by Junior Fainga'a. Fiji

extending their lead -- brilliantly

set up.

Getting on the front foot,

Junior Fainga'a, getting between the

defenders with good skill. Support

on the outside and inside. No better

team in rugby league when he is in

full flight, and he combines with

the number seven, Raiwalui, as he

did last week.

14-6. Set to the

right. Flying through, Vunivalu. But

getting back first and winning the

race, Williams, who taps it dead but

Fiji get another set of six by the

goal-line drop out.

He does really

well here, Williams. Getting between

the ball and Vunivalu. He knows that

Vunivalu has more momentum and

speed.

Courtney Davies on screen.

Controlling pretty much all of the

Wales kicking game.

A good run, since. -- Sims. His

brother is out of the tournament

with a broken arm. Beating one, see

you later, Kikau, able to score.

Tearing the USA to spreads a week

ago and now he's doing the same to

Wales -- tearing the USA to shreds.

Raiwalui giving the ball to Kikau,

who goes over the top of Channing.

3G, 20, over Wales, six. -- Fiji,

20. Sims over the 20 metre line.

Doing well to get to the ten metre

line, Fiji. Looking for their fifth

try of the night.

Two metres out.

Stabbed kick, Junior Fainga'a! He

set up one and now he's goes one,

the youngster.

He deserves that, for

the build-up work to the try that

was eventually scored by Raiwalui.

This time, ricochet rabbit and he

was in the right place at the right

time. Fiji are starting to look very

ominous. Last time they conceded 30

points in the first half of a World

Cup game, 17 years ago against New

Zealand. Still eight and a half

minutes to go. Not to mention

another half. 18 missed tackles

already for Wales on the back of 78

against Papua New Guinea. And here

is Uate. Brilliant feat again, great

strength. No one can stop this man!

He's passed another one! Two

Montoya. What a try for Fiji.

Brilliantly set up by Uate. That's

Uate at his very best. Great backing

up by the Canterbury and Fiji

winger, Montoya.

When he gets the

ball in his hands, Raiwalui feeds it

on, knowing he the danger player.

Stepping inside, the Fiji players

are pushing forward because they

know there's opportunity off him.

Turning everyone inside out, a nice

pass and Montoya stays on his side.

Fiji, 36, Wales, six. 40 seconds

left in this half, they should have

the chance to complete the set,

Fiji. Seven metres out. Raiwalui,

can't link up. Good desperate

defence by Wales. On that occasion,

Channing.

Kikau, big step and over he goes

again! Billy Kikau is proving

unstoppable. Fiji getting 40 in the

first half. Just proving

indestructible on the left edge.

Fiji, 40, Wales, six. Can Fiji get

into the record box with a huge

winning margin or are Wales going to

show some Welsh quit? Babies,

downfield.

Just eight short of halfway, to

Raiwalui. Vunivalu getting through,

beating three. Pressure on Kear.

Backing up, Hayne. Beating Knowles,

the Hayne plane taking off! Fiji,

there it is, just 90 seconds needed

to open up the second-half scoring,

now leading by 40 points.

How good

is it to see Hayne in open space?

Playing with passion. Creating

something out of nothing, Vunivalu,

short, pure speed and power to get

to the tackles and as he did last

week, Hayne following up through the

middle.

Fiji leading 46-6. Ten short

of halfway.

Lovodua now is on for Fiji. Great

strength by Saifiti.

Milne getting away from Roets. Fiji

are looking imposing again. Hayne,

lovely ball inside and lovely ball

again. Vunivalu! With his Superman

cape on, he flies through the air

and scores again. Going to the video

referee.

Left foot, good, the

grounding, fine. Happy with that.

Half a century up now.

Over half way, still going,

Vunivalu. Could link up with Hayne.

Back to the Hayne plane. Fiji are on

the rampage. Held up, just, Regan

Grace was just underneath it. Watch

this, Vunivalu. Great ability to

keep the ball alive. Fiji still with

five tackles left, ten metres out. A

good tackle, Knowles.

Ten metres out again.

Lovely pass, Junior Fainga'a,

getting it to Milne, who goes over

for his second try of the night and

his fourth try of the World Cup.

They've got the power running on the

left of Kikau and they have the

finesse of this man, Junior

Fainga'a. Making the right decision,

hitting Milne, one on one.

Creeping

into the Fiji territory with a kick

from Davies. Got some space here,

can healing up? Yes. Uate, beating

one, two, three. Joseph didn't want

to know about him. He is held by

Knowles. Another thrilling run by

Duarte. Milne, centre of the field

-- thrilling run by Uate.

12 metres out. Can sniff another try

here.

Milne, Montoya! Vunivalu, it's a

hat-trick, Fiji going beyond 60,

they lead 62-6. Vunivalu getting a

hat-trick.

One of the biggest

challenges you have on these tours,

it's the Buff eight, is therefore

you add request, lunch and dinner,

when you are 50 points down, it is

hot, in towns where you feel you

left off it a little bit more and

that's how the Wales boys are

feeling -- it's the buffet.

Goode

pass. Lovodua, he has his captain

with him but he won't need him.

Lovodua first, daylight, second.

Fiji leading by more than 60.

Clickety click, 66. Lovodua getting

the try, a runaway in terms of the

try and the game.

The big front row

player sizing up beautifully,

Nakubuwai. Nothing in front of him.

66-6. A couple of the Welsh fans

getting off the plane to come to

this game. Apart from the fact that

they were nearly melting when they

got off the plane, they were in very

high spirits. I hope they still are.

Going the other way.

How was he held there? Naiqama. The

referee, very elusive. Going over to

score the try for Fiji, Machan the

way. --

very easy for the half when you have

bodies in motion, pulling into space

and that's what happens. A clean

pass and two flat runners into

space, easy for Nakubuwai.

Fiji

breaking their own running for a

winning

breaking their own running for a

winning margin, by 66 points.

Yes,

it was hard, the game plan went out

of the window when we realised we

didn't have much ball. A lot of one

on one errors by myself, not my best

performance but we try to make it up

in the second half, get more ball.

It wasn't as bad, tough game.

We

came up against a side that is

packed with quality NRL players

against a group of Super League

players and a lot of good young lads

who are working their way through

the game and you know, the quality

told, they were better than us, and

principally better. I think they

played a really good game of rugby

league and you've got to

congratulate Fiji. The first half,

they made one error, the last tackle

play when they ran it. People

playing football like that against

you, big, strong, fast and skilful,

we were in bother.

We do the old one

week at a time. That's what it is.

It becomes a knockout after this

week virtually. Trapdoor footy. If

you don't start winning the game you

really put yourself under pressure

but there's enough quality in the

team to trouble some of the bigger

teams.

Couple of amazing weeks for

you guys, how far can you go?

Definitely in the finals for sure,

the way we are playing. We need to

keep at it for the next couple of

weeks. We are very close to each

other and we have got behind us and

we can go all the way.

Papua New Guinea have one foot in

the knockout stages after their win.

Wales are definitely out and

Ireland's fate is out of their

hands. I'm sorry to make you sit

through it

hands. I'm sorry to make you sit

through it again, Iestyn Harris,

because you did the commentary and

it was pretty painful the first

time.

It was, listening to John

Kear, they were beaten from the

first minute. There's an old saying,

fatigue making fools of us all but

they were made. Long before that and

that was the issue for me. Making

over 60 missed tackles but Ireland

did the same, the same number of

missed tackles against Papua New

Guinea but the way that they

scrambled and had the desire for

each other. That was the most

disappointing thing for Wales, they

didn't seem to have the same desire

to scramble and work back and make a

nuisance of themselves defensively.

Fiji, it was like, they are well

renowned for their sevens

capabilities and skill levels and at

times it felt like it was a seven a

side game. The skill was phenomenal

from Fiji, I can't take that away

from them. Very disappointed that

Wales didn't make more of a nuisance

of themselves. They were never going

to win but they could have made a

nuisance of themselves.

How do you

stop the cycle? You were the coach

in 2013. You have to go back to 2000

when they last won a World Cup game.

Looking

when they last won a World Cup game.

Looking ahead to the World Cup

coming back here, what needs to

change so we can break the cycle?

It's very difficult. Going back to

1995, it was a golden era for Welsh

rugby league. A lot of former union

players, Jonathan Davies was in the

studio yesterday, he was one, Scott

Gibbs, Scott Quinnell, so many great

players coming to rugby league and

that fell

players coming to rugby league and

that fell over to the 2000 World

Cup, we had 22 topline players

playing in the Super League and in

the NRL representing Wales, but the

funding has been reduced. John Kear

said it, three Super League players

is not good enough, not competitive

enough to win games against Fiji in

Australia and Papua New Guinea and

Australia. We're going to get

investment, more players playing the

game of rugby league in Wales. It's

a long journey to get back to where

they were in 2000 and 1995.

You know

a fair few of the Welsh players and

they will be disappointed?

Yes,

speaking to the boys before they set

off, they were in quite good

spirits, they went there to compete

hard. I think they knew the task

that was against them, some quality

teams they are playing against. I

think that's the issue for me,

looking at how Wales have played in

the first two matches, they haven't

been competitive. There is enough

now sound quality in the team

certainly to compete but it is the

nature of the losses that are

disappointing -- there is enough

nous and quality. They haven't

competed hard enough on the world

stage. It has going back a few years

before the recorded a win. A lot of

work to do.

before the recorded a win. A lot of

work to do.

Fiji were very good and

at their hard, Hayne, a superstar,

switching to Australia as part of

the World Cup team, playing American

football and now he's back!

That's

right, if you compared Fiji with the

likes of Tonga, one of the top teams

out of the main free, Australia,

England and New Zealand, where will

they be? I think they would be up

there back and I think they are the

fourth best team in the competition

based on what I've seen. Tonga have

the size and strength, PNG have the

intensity but Fiji have all the

ingredients, a great deal of skill.

We mentioned sevens specialists,

they can square edged up, some

fantastic shapes. We are looking at

these clips and thinking, great

play, that's outstanding execution.

I think Fiji are fantastic.

Talking

about Hayne, he controlled the game

from start to finish. He was

phenomenal in the game but he had

everything his own way, he had the

strong running forwards and off the

back of that he can be dynamite.

strong running forwards and off the

back of that he can be dynamite. He

can win some big games for them.

He's gone under the radar because

we've been talking about Tonga.

We've been talking about -- they've

been talking about winning it,

getting to the final, but can Fiji

do it?

I think Tonga and Fiji had

enough strength in depth to

challenge England and New Zealand,

the Aussies. Whether they can win it

is another thing. Certainly they can

spring an upset. Going back there,

it's likely that Fiji may meet Tonga

at some stage. You have the

physicality of Tonga and the skilful

nature of Fiji should make for a

mouthwatering clash in the World

Cup.

Can't wait but we shouldn't get

ahead of ourselves.

Italy were surprised

by Ireland in their opening

game and were looking

to get their World Cup campaign off

the ground against the USA,

who are coached by Leeds Rhinos'

Brian McDermott.

Your commentator for this

one is Andrew Moore.

The teams are about to come out,

Italy and America. I'm joined by

Scott Sadler. Welcome.

Thanks,

looking forward to the game. Italy

have Centrone and Castellaro on the

wings.

Minichiello is the skipper.

The kick from Samoa. Just looking

for the touchline, here. Not going

to find it. Work to do, Mantellato,

with the chase being led by Bureta

Faraimo and again, a lost ball in

the centre and what a chance as it

is ruled a knock-on, Greg Johnson

the USA.

Brian McDermott will be

ecstatic with the way they have

started this game, Andrew, the

enthusiasm and the energy from

Bureta Faraimo on the kick chase.

A

good kick and a great chase by

Bureta Faraimo.

Nathan Mullany had

to play at the ball. Now again, they

get good field position. -- Nathan

my lonely.

He did what he was told in the end.

A simple one.

This is where you will

be lining a lot of your attack up at

James Tedesco out on that edge.

The

big Bend, often dull but Minichiello

holds on with supporters. -- a big

Bend from Mark Offerdahl.

Edward Pettybourne, Paul Vaughan

right on Edward Pettybourne after he

forced an error earlier. Howard.

Nathan Brown holding on for dear

life.

Freed. Intercept! The Italians are

away. They go to the dirty, and the

danger has been thwarted by Italy,

the intercept swooped upon as they

now look to turn defence into

attack. Brian McDermott Connor

Scott, as you said, will be well

pleased with the start but not well

pleased with the finish of that

said.

Tomorrow, -- Samoa, the number

seven, tried to spread early, get

some yards but he needed to take

control of the set.

Room for

Mantellato. Faraimo comes in. The 30

metre line, Italy on the attack.

Strong arm by Paul Vaughan. Last

tackle for the Italians of the set.

Ryan Ghietti. Mantellato. Last by

Burroughs and taken by the Verecker,

Tramontana. Is that the first try

for Italy? -- by the hooker.

REFEREE:

Going backwards off USA, I

have no try, I don't believe he

regains possession, the number nine.

Mantellato goes up. Yes, that has

gone forward off him so we will just

run it on from here, it is back to

zero. Pick this back up. OK, it is

in the air, he's got to regain

control in the hand. He's got hold

of that. Yeah, I've got a decision.

Going to the board.

Great hens,

Tramontana, Italy 4- Derry USA.

Great hands from the hooker, Joseph

Tramontana. The 20-year-old. -- 4-0

USA.

Alvaro.

Ryan Ghietti. Tedesco. That is

Castellaro.

Paul Vaughan. Right up the centre.

The defence is holding firm, five

metres from the line, Italy, on the

attack. Tedesco, great step and

James Tedesco is over to score for

Italy, he scored one try in 2000 --

2030 World Cup as a centre and

scores on today as a five eighths,

and Italy lead 10-0 over the USA.

We

mentioned earlier about James

Tedesco's footwork and speed, first

set up by the tremendous footwork

from Mark Minichiello. You get a

lock on to Tedesco and if you don't,

you overrun the play, he will make

you pay.

Their own 40 metre line,

Italy. Two converted tries to start

this one. Walcott they pass from

Alvaro, beautifully scooped up in

the end by Brown. -- the pass from

Alvaro. Right in the centre of the

ground. Wherever Paul Vaughan is,

Pettybourne is sure to follow.

Evasive skills from Brown. 30 metres

out from the goal-line.

Milone. Minichiello. Lovely pass,

Mantellato dives into the corner to

score Italy's third. Brilliantly

done by Italy, great ball movement,

try awarded and Italy are up 16-0.

Good exchange of passing, going to

their go to man, Mark Minichiello,

again, who again shows fantastic

agility, good footwork and even

better strength. Great step of the

left from Milone and the strength

from Minichiello to make the ball

available for Mantellato.

Nice feet, Milone. Just short of

halfway in the end. Santi, off the

long run.

Brown. In the end, it's going to be

a penalty for offside. It was a

loose ball from Brown but a good

result for Italy. Offside, the USA

and that was Danny Howard.

What a

great tackle also from Matt Shipway,

straight underneath the rib cage of

Nathan Brown.

So they are conceding

some mistakes, the USA and now the

first three penalties of the game.

Blindside, Ryan Ghietti, bag it

comes to the half-back, Ryan

Ghietti, running off Mantellato and

Italy get there fourth. That will

they planned move down the short

side, Ryan Ghietti started it and

finished it for the Italians.

A lot

of teams neglect the short side.

This is a set play and a well worked

one from Minichiello, involved again

with Ryan Ghietti. And Mantellato

involved in everything here this

afternoon.

Italy now bleed USA 20-0.

-- now bleed USA. You get the

feeling Italy up for a big set of

six of the USA goal-line.

As a

defensive side, you can look about

-- look up and see how bunched up

the USA are and it makes it quite

easy Azzedine Doukha dents and get

off your line really quickly and

with one out runners, it makes it

quite an easy defensive set. As we

see, again, four tacklers on one

player.

Tochtermann-Talbott on the

field. A chip and chase for Corey

Makelim. Over halfway. 30 to go.

Another chip, charged down by

Mantellato and it is play on for

Italy. Thrilling play by the USA

full-back Corey Makelim. Great

scramble by Josh Mantellato to save

the day for Italy. They turn defence

into attack. Tedesco. Castellaro.

The defence from Farley.

That was

exciting.

Thrilling play. Just

outside the USA 30. Joel Riethmuller

has got support and there he is

again, Tramontana! He gets his

second for Italy, what a great try,

about 45 seconds after it looked

like Corey Makelim might score a

genius try for the USA.

Again, it is

a is going heading numbers, look at

the support Joel Riethmuller has

got, sizes up the situation, knows

his number nine is coming through

the middle, second try to the number

nine.

Italy 26-0 USA. Italy looking

dangerous again early in the second

half. Ryan Ghietti. Minichiello.

Looked fractional, that pass, didn't

it. Just out from the goal-line.

Some might say it was blatantly

forward. Shannon Wakeman.

Over the top, with CJ Cortalano.

Last tackle, Tedesco. Not a great

kick and knocked on by the USA, I

think. Tedesco, they won't stop him,

he's over in the corner! That will

be a double for the Italian vice

captain and they extend their lead

to 32-0.

That big, long pass, gets

it to Tedesco and straight is asking

questions and then it is just a

matter of who wants it the most,

gets the ball to Tedesco, and he's

always too hard to stop even at NRL

level. Italy 32-0 USA. 20 metres out

from the Italian line, USA.

Freed.

He was on his own. Paul Vaughan the

defender. Last tackle. Oh, in and

out she went, picked up by the

Italians, look out, over the dirty,

Tedesco, over halfway, will he be

caught? Tedesco has 20 to go, beats

one, two, can't beat the other

tackle.

Farley brought down, eight

metres out. They did well to get in.

They have all the numbers left if

they went right, they had about

seven on three to the left.

Cerruto.

They could still go to the left and

score. Two metres out from the

goal-line, Italy, looking for their

seventh. Ryan Ghietti, another last

ball, this time, it is the captain,

Minichiello. But they had about

three opportunities descended left

on that occasion, Scott, and they

never went that way.

You know what?

Take your hat off as we see the

replay, it is dropped and look at

Tedesco but look at the chase from

Borriello five I, fantastic chase,

he could have given up, it would

have been easy for him to give up

and watch the back of Tedesco but

because of his chase, other players

backed him up as well but you have

to take your hat off to the USA,

they got off their line on three

occasions.

Alvaro back on the field.

That is his own 40 metre line.

There's Brown again with the

off-load Paul Vaughan, Ryan Ghietti

backing up and the hooker Tramontana

coming through, back to Paul Vaughan

and the big number eight is over!

Italy get there second of the half,

their seventh of the afternoon, hogs

all round for Paul Vaughan and it is

38-0 USA.

Again, I reiterate how

impressive they have gone ahead in

numbers today and again, outside

numbers, Nathan Brown, beautiful

short ball on to Paul Vaughan, who

keeps himself alive, the big man, to

score a very important try for a big

front row.

Italy all over the USA,

38-0 they lead.

He caught one around the neck,

Alvaro. High but fair is the on

field ruling. Offerdahl. Approaching

halfway.

Juggles from Freed. That is the

halfway line, last tackle, USA.

Samoa, bang, ouch. USA come away

with it, still the last tackle.

Corey Makelim. Another tip over the

top for Trealaw Vatuvei, little

flick out back door, Corey Makelim

and it has been knocked on and

Cerruto says CU, he's over the 40,

no one will catch him, brave chase

by Mark Offerdahl but Cerruto is

under the posts, Mason Cerruto after

the Corey Makelim chip and chase, it

ends up with Italy and Mason Cerruto

streaks away to score the try.

It

came off a charge down, not really a

charge down, as Samoa went straight

into Nathan Brown's... That would

hurt but Cerruto, great opportunist

try, uses his speed and then looks

up and sees what opportunities he

has got an too much speed, getting

between defenders and putting the

ball straight underneath the

goalposts.

Freed. Corey Makelim. There he goes

again.

That is the USA 30 metre line, their

last tackle of the night. Oh, dear.

It will go free. Offerdahl. What are

you going to do, skip? Links up with

David Ulch. Centro picks it up,

David Ulch not happy. Italy winding

it up for the last play of the game.

Tedesco is looking for his winner,

Mantellato. He takes it and

Burroughs is there to greet him but

on the toe by Milone. No, getting

their first was Hiko Malu for the

USA. The USA hold on at the end but

the Italians have beaten the United

States in the most comprehensive

manner, great performance by Italy,

46-0 over the USA.

manner, great performance by Italy,

46-0 over the USA.

We disappointed ourselves last week

and we made a focus of coming out

here and started well and I thought

we did that night, started with

plenty of energy and got off on a

good role and we continued, still a

lot to work on but it was a good

performance out there.

To get the

opportunity to play with these boys

is unreal, I've got to thank them

for taking the end of their wing and

they been awesome, so grateful.

Good

week from the boys and trained hard,

we needed to complete the set is a

bill pressure but unfortunately we

could not but I'm excited for the

boys, especially for the ones coming

from the States, good experience.

I

thought the boys did fantastic, we

did not give was our thing, we don't

give up ever and I think we played

for the badge but I'm happy with my

own performance and onto next week.

for the badge but I'm happy with my

own performance and onto next week.

The group the winners will be

decided by next week clash between

Italy and Fiji but Fiji in the

driving seat to qualify. Can Italy

cause the few problems next week,

watching that?

cause the few problems next week,

watching that?

Yes, I do, they were

bitterly disappointed with how they

performed against Ireland and

probably got caught cold. But they

have got back on the horse and they

look positive, some of the play was

impressive, they looked very

cohesive as a group and they look as

though they can cause some problems

in the next round. They will be

confident going into that. They have

got some real quality in the group,

lots of NRL players, lots of real

quality in there. If they get on the

right footing and they get a bit of

a lucky bounce of the ball and

suddenly they can get on the front

foot, they will be dangerous to

stop, Italy.

We've been talking

about star players and James Tedesco

is one of those.

Absolutely, he's

been sensational for them

is one of those.

Absolutely, he's

been sensational for them in the NRL

and right up there. Good have had a

shot at making the Australian side.

He is out and out quality, similar

to Jarryd Hayne, the influence he

can have an Fiji, this guy can have

an Italy as well. I think as Iestyn

rightly says, great players in the

Italy ranks and they can cause BT

problems next week and at the end of

the day, they have to win to have me

hope so it will make for a fantastic

clash between those two nations but

as you said, Fiji are in the driving

seat.

Star players, fabulous to see

them dotted through the teams.

It is

and they have got the ability to do

this, Tedesco, fantastic, if you

have got players of that ability in

your side, you've always got a

chance, if you are prepared to work

hard and defend well. That is

certainly what Italy did, made it

difficult for the USA to play,

defended well and with glimpses of

that ability, they got a chance they

click.

Brian McDermott, people might

be surprised to see him involved in

the USA but can you see his

influence on that side, he so

passionate about going into helping

them?

I think he's always had a

benevolent nature for his rugby

league evangelism from his days in

London and at Leeds Rhinos, we spend

a lot of time in the US, in Florida,

at pre-season training camps and we

seen a lot of the hard work that

goes in there. The game has got the

same route as American football and

they see the potential in some of

the lad that don't make it in

American football. There's a lot of

talent that they can pursue. If the

Americans got into the game, how

good would it be? Certainly,

watching the USA getting back

onside, particularly after some of

the breaks, there's a real intent

about what they want to do, they are

working hard for each other and you

can see some real signature Brian

McDermott play, especially the

defence getting off the line and

they've got intent about what they

are doing. They don't look clueless

which is a great foundation.

are doing. They don't look clueless

which is a great foundation.

I think

you can be proud in defeat and USA

can look at that and be proud

because even the last play at the

end, they were scrambling back to

get the ball over the line and you

can be proud of the way they played.

And are you glad to see them using

the home-based players because they

have in the past gone for an Aussie

-based team?

Yeah, it is coming down

to finance again, as Iestyn said

earlier or it is a deliberate

strategy because as we know, the

World Cup will go to North America

in 2021. It could be a deliberate

strategy to develop and expose some

home-grown players to the next level

rugby league because don't forget,

the American competition at present

is still semipro, amity.

And expose

them to Brian McDermott which is a

treat in itself!

Yesterday, England chalked

up their first win of the tournament

against Lebanon but it wasn't

as convincing as they hoped.

Before they left for Perth,

Dave Woods and Brian Noble

mulled things over.

They have got them there.

Here they

go! Kallum Watkins score the opening

try! Oh, there's a juggle and a dive

and Kassis is going to claim that.

McGillvary comes back in on the

inside! Bateman and passes it to

Ryan Hall! Two wingers with the real

effect. Oh, there's a gap, there's a

gap, and there is a tribal Ben

Currie. Is there evidence there of a

bite by Jermaine McGillvary? Burgess

is not even thinking about passing,

he's thinking about the drive. Now

they go to that right-hand side, a

surge for the corner by Jason Wehbe.

they go to that right-hand side, a

surge for the corner by Jason Wehbe.

It is the morning after the night

before in not so sunny Sydney but

what have we learned about that

England performance last night? Did

Jermaine McGillvary really bite

Robbie Farah? Are England good

enough to win the World Cup? Is

there deep and hidden meaning in

Wayne bed and -- Wayne Bennett's

monosyllabic answers? Brian Noble

what did you make of it last night?

A bit like going to a blockbuster

movie and not enjoying it, all

thereof some good bits in there, I

really liked that bit and it's going

to get better and then it didn't. So

you have to go through the flat bits

and come out feeling a bit

disappointed and I think that is

where we are at with the

performance.

It will be Monday

before they decide whether Jermaine

McGillvary bit Robbie Farah. It's

not in his character but one shot

looked as though it might be...

Might be incriminating?

May be.

If

he's...

He's been England's player

of the tournament so far, he's been

the story and I think there was a

lot of hullabaloo, we saw the

players making up three quarters of

the way through the game and

laughing and joking so I think it is

one of those heated moment things

where his arm should not be where it

was. Let's obit is the case and the

judiciary is it that way because it

would be a big loss in my opinion.

But the rest of it, I think we have

had some standouts and we have had

some not so good moments but that is

part of the World Cup, Dave, you get

blow outs, early games, the cultural

side of the tournament has been

outstanding and I watched the two

island nation is going against each

other before they kicked off and it

was the most thrilling thing I've

seen for a long time.

Wayne

Bennett's interview technique, you

know him?

I do.

Everyone in the

press keeps saying we don't get the

inside track on Wayne Bennett but

those who do have the inside track

say he's a lovely bloke, very

communicative, sits at the back of

the bus, does not drink but he's

partying with the players until gone

midnight. Why is he like he is when

he speaks to the press?

Mixed. No,

he's like that double but that was

my Wayne Bennett impression by the

way! He's like that because I think

is protective of the team, he does

not want to give too much away and

he has spent a lifetime running

away, particularly the Aussie press

can be quite vicious at times and he

just decided early in his career

that he wouldn't give them much at

all. That translates, when the

culture, working with the English

and the BBC and broadcasters over

here are different and he is

different with them and I don't

think he can take that leap of

faith.

We are leaving the grey and

the rain behind later and we are

going to Perth where we are told it

is in the high 30s and will be all

week. How much do England need a

thumping good victory against France

in the last group game?

Here's my

take on it, I'm confident they will

need to improve their performance,

we've spoken about that and we did

technically go on forever about what

they need to do, particularly with

the ball but they've got to get to

the quarterfinals first and foremost

and France has to beat England so it

will be tough and they have to play

well. It is a gimme and they will

want improvements themselves because

they are very proud bunch. And then

when we get to the quarterfinals, it

becomes trapped or football, you go

and you are out of it. I think they

need a performance, for them, and

for themselves to go into the later

stages.

We will see, we're on our

way to Perth, we have done Melbourne

and Sydney and Perth is the next

stop, England, I would suggest, need

a really good performance and win

against the French next week from

the English fans point of view but

we will see what happens.

We will indeed, let's imagine you

are the independent panel looking at

whether Jermaine McGillvary bit. Was

it for you?

No.

Definitely not.

I

don't want to be controversial but

it does not

don't want to be controversial but

it does not look great, that one

picture does not look great and the

reaction from it, which from an

independent panel's perspective, you

know, that is the view they are

going to see and then the reaction

after it, when there's a whole lot

of trouble which says that something

has happened. You know, it is a

difficult one. Look, I don't think

it is too much aggression with it

but his mouth is around his arm and

the reaction from Robbie Farah, he

feels there has been.

England are in

trouble, because it could be 2-9

weeks depending on how serious it is

an domain the gorilla has been

massive.

It

an domain the gorilla has been

massive.

It is huge for England, too

nine weeks because we have not taken

another specialist winger, either,

so if he goes, we are reshuffling,

is it Ben Currie into the centres,

does Kallum Watkins go to the wing?

Does Percival come in? There's all

sorts of permutations from it and it

is huge, the impact on how England

go forward. Let's had for England

that there is no case to answer.

I'm

hoping they agree with these two and

not with you.

It is not Wales being

bitter, it's not, I would love to

say I agree but from the perspective

of looking at it with no balance, I

would say he's in trouble possibly.

Against France, what do you want to

see from England? We have seen is

ready, Fiji and New Zealand put

teams to the sword, is that what you

need to see from England.

You've hit

the nail on the head, putting them

to the sword and a ruthless

performance, we mentioned before

about incremental gains and we don't

think it was they were as good, if

not worse than they were against

Australia. For me, against Lebanon,

I would have liked to see a big

score, or not betting Lebanon

School, to get a bit of confidence

and belief in about what we're

doing, we know where the strike is.

In those big moments when you are

defending the goal-line and sucking

air in from all over the place, that

you've got trust and belief in your

team-mates to be able to come up

with the goods and at the minute,

I'm not seeing enough to warrant

them being able to do that in the

big games.

Do you want to see

personal changes or is it on the

personnel you have got and getting

fluency?

I agree, keep what you've

got. When you come to the

tournament, it is too late to be

chopping and changing Tommy Lee to

know coming into the tournament who

is pretty much all starting 13.

There will be one or two changes you

have to make through injury or

suspension or someone who has not

played well enough but ultimately,

the core of the team needs to stay

together, especially deprived areas,

to get the continuity and fluency

throughout. I don't think England

have been that bad. I think they've

been OK and for me, it goes back to,

it's not about scoring points but

having a complete performance. We

saw a lot of encouraging signs in

both games. But to get a complete

performance against France would

give them more confidence going into

the quarterfinals.

I think the 60

minute mark was crucial because that

60 minutes, if England had gone up a

gear and then really taken the game