Anyone watching the Rugby League World Cup?

[moto748]

Good start by England.

 

[moto748]

Decent enough from England. A few slack moments, but they should be comfortably into the quarter-finals. Kiwis looking mostly very good in an entertaining game with Jamaica.

 

[sifty]

I'm a rugby union tragic, but keep an eye on the league. Like others have said, it'll get interesting in the later stages. Some of these international teams are laughable though. Pretty sure Lebanon is made up of aussie NRL players not good enough to get near the aussie team...

I think NZ are current holders? Apart from them, Australia and England the others are making up numbers...

Also watching the women's world cup being played at the moment (union). Similar outcome I think, England are the ones to beat here, they're on a huge winning streak.

I've tried watching a few games and although I support them and appreciate the effort, if I'm honest it's a slow, error ridden spectacle compared to the men's game. Any decent school first XV would put 80 points on them, makes it a hard watch. Usually end up looking at beer recipes on my phone during the match.

They're getting good crowds though and encouraging girls to play sport, so that's all good...

 

[moto748]

I think NZ are current holders? Apart from them, Australia and England the others are making up numbers...

I don't think that's true, really, Tonga, and also Samoa, disappointing as they were against England, have too much class in their squads not to offer a significant threat.

 

[moto748]

I'd say that the island nations are much closer to the top table, if you will, in league than they are in union. Most of their squads play in the best comp in the world.

 

[sifty]

Yeah Tonga have beaten NZ before. Definitely have keen supporters...

Think the island nations suffer from only coming together for these games. More time as a squad would let them build cohesion. Certainly no shortage of talent...

 

[foxy]

I tried playing Aussie Rules on a Saturday and Union on a Sunday, lasted about three weeks, while union is a slower pace the Saturday game would drain me. Would love to go back and play again, nothing better than being actively involved in sport.

When we were warriors.

 

[Hoppopotamus]

I'd say that the island nations are much closer to the top table, if you will, in league than they are in union. Most of their squads play in the best comp in the wor

 

[Hoppopotamus]

Then again would that be the case if (Fiji excepted) their best players didn't end up in the All Blacks team ?

 

[moto748]

Lebanon impressive so far against an ill-disciplined Ireland. There aren't many better kicking games in world rugby than Mitchell Moses.

 

[Covrich]

Me and boys were at Bolton Stadium Saturday, boys (younger one who was skeptical especially ) loved it.

 

[moto748]

NZ/Ireland was very entertaining last night, but the Kiwis will need to cut out the errors if they want to win the WC.

 

[FakeBiffa]

Come on England! Heading up to London for the semi right now. Think it'll be a much tougher match than the pool game, but optimistic we can win!

 

[FakeBiffa]

Gutted!
To be fair England didn't deserve the win so fair do for Samoa. Good luck in the final as I think you'll need it.

 

[moto748]

They will. A cracking match for the neutrals, as they say! Unfortunately England just didn't show the organisation they'd shown in previous matches, and you can't deny that Samoa were the better side on the day.

I am only saddened by the lack of interest, across social media and beyond. Six o'clock BBC News covered England Women losing at Union away in NZ (and why not, don't get me wrong), but never mentioned an England men's team playing in a World Cup semi-final.

I guess it comes down to the lack of international rugby in league. If England fall at the penultimate fence in the Six Nations, nobody gets too upset, cos they'll get another go next year. In league, England lose, and that's it for three years, and there's wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

[moto748]

Great effort by Samoa to run the Kangaroos as close, I think, if not closer, than NZ or England would have managed.


If only there was more international rugby league!