World Cup Final - Australia vrs England
Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 12:48 pm
Anyone else watching tonight?
England: G Widdop; J McGillvary, K Watkins, J Bateman, R Hall; K Brown, L Gale; C Hill, J Roby, J Graham, B Currie, E Whitehead, S Burgess (capt).
Interchanges: A Walmsley, T Burgess, C Heighington, J Lomax.
Australia: B Slater; D Gagai, W Chambers, J Dugan, V Holmes; M Morgan, C Cronk; A Woods, C Smith, D Klemmer, B Cordner, M Gillett, J McGuire.
Interchanges: W Graham, J McLean, R Campbell-Gillard, T Frizell.
Betts said the decision for O'Loughlin not to play in the final was taken by the Wigan player himself.
"He pushed himself as hard as he possibly could," said Betts. "He knows his body, he knows when he's ready to play in this kind of game."
Burgess, who captained England in O'Loughlin's absence in the 2016 Four Nations Series, says England's injury problems give St Helens hooker Roby and Warrington forward Currie a chance to impress.
"We've been extremely consistent in our training. Players have been in and out of different positions so not a lot changes genuinely for our team," he said.
Do England stand a chance?
Not according to the bookmakers, who have the Kangaroos as overwhelming 1-7 favourites.
England have a powerful forward pack that is comfortably the equal of any in the competition and have been strong in defence all the way through, while their attacking combinations have improved week on week.
I don't think this the Roos are on par with the unbeatable Aussie sides of the past (who still lost finals despite being unbackable favourites!) but they just go about their work so precisely that lapses in concentration will be punished almost every time. Do the basics right, defend your arse off, and wait for opposition mistakes to present opportunities.
England need to attack ruthlessly AND keep mistakes low - it's a huge ask but not impossible.
England will need to dramatically improve their kicking game. Australia will destroy them if they allow Slater to run freely on kick returns.
Ben Stokes in for Hodgson... he should add some much needed starch to the Pom's "pack".
England: G Widdop; J McGillvary, K Watkins, J Bateman, R Hall; K Brown, L Gale; C Hill, J Roby, J Graham, B Currie, E Whitehead, S Burgess (capt).
Interchanges: A Walmsley, T Burgess, C Heighington, J Lomax.
Australia: B Slater; D Gagai, W Chambers, J Dugan, V Holmes; M Morgan, C Cronk; A Woods, C Smith, D Klemmer, B Cordner, M Gillett, J McGuire.
Interchanges: W Graham, J McLean, R Campbell-Gillard, T Frizell.
Betts said the decision for O'Loughlin not to play in the final was taken by the Wigan player himself.
"He pushed himself as hard as he possibly could," said Betts. "He knows his body, he knows when he's ready to play in this kind of game."
Burgess, who captained England in O'Loughlin's absence in the 2016 Four Nations Series, says England's injury problems give St Helens hooker Roby and Warrington forward Currie a chance to impress.
"We've been extremely consistent in our training. Players have been in and out of different positions so not a lot changes genuinely for our team," he said.
Do England stand a chance?
Not according to the bookmakers, who have the Kangaroos as overwhelming 1-7 favourites.
England have a powerful forward pack that is comfortably the equal of any in the competition and have been strong in defence all the way through, while their attacking combinations have improved week on week.
I don't think this the Roos are on par with the unbeatable Aussie sides of the past (who still lost finals despite being unbackable favourites!) but they just go about their work so precisely that lapses in concentration will be punished almost every time. Do the basics right, defend your arse off, and wait for opposition mistakes to present opportunities.
England need to attack ruthlessly AND keep mistakes low - it's a huge ask but not impossible.
England will need to dramatically improve their kicking game. Australia will destroy them if they allow Slater to run freely on kick returns.
Ben Stokes in for Hodgson... he should add some much needed starch to the Pom's "pack".