Fozz
International Captain
Senior Staff
- Mar 4, 2008
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52-6
murray taulagi selected for australia I would assume?
I would be very surprised if England could beat that squad, I think Samoa would have to balls it up to not make the final, their forwards are good and the backs are elite(better then NZ overall imo)with atleast one high level Half.
He’s not in the train on squadmurray taulagi selected for australia I would assume?
Why is everyone sucking Samoa’s dick. Much better than they have previously done before and should be making Semi’s but the only way they are making the final is if Australia and NZ run into each other before that. Yeah Tonga and Samoa could beat one of them but unlikely. you could just about chuck reserve grade players around both those spines and they would still get the job done. Elite spines whilst Tonga and Samoa don’t even have a good enough nrl spines. Look it will be competitive but if push comes to shove if Englands spine are in enough form and the players around them defend well they probably have a better shot. It’s the only reason I think this World Cup might become anti-climactic is that both those 2 nations whilst Tonga have an amazing forward pack and a decent backline and Samoa have an amazing backline with very good middles there spines just can’t get them to a World Cup final unless circumstances are in there favour. I’m not saying it’s impossible, they definitely can but if they don’t they 100% have not ballsed it up.I would be very surprised if England could beat that squad, I think Samoa would have to balls it up to not make the final, their forwards and backs are elite with atleast one high level Half.
Because unlike you I have actually looked at the draw, New Zealand and Australia are on the same side of the draw, meaning unless one ***** up they will meet each other before the final, Samoa has England and Tonga on their side and their team on paper is just better then those teams, they can't play Australia or New Zealand unless they make the Final.Why is everyone sucking Samoa’s dick. Much better than they have previously done before and should be making Semi’s but the only way they are making the final is if Australia and NZ run into each other before that. Yeah Tonga and Samoa could beat one of them but unlikely. you could just about chuck reserve grade players around both those spines and they would still get the job done. Elite spines whilst Tonga and Samoa don’t even have a good enough nrl spines. Look it will be competitive but if push comes to shove if Englands spine are in enough form and the players around them defend well they probably have a better shot. It’s the only reason I think this World Cup might become anti-climactic is that both those 2 nations whilst Tonga have an amazing forward pack and a decent backline and Samoa have an amazing backline with very good middles there spines just can’t get them to a World Cup final unless circumstances are in there favour. I’m not saying it’s impossible, they definitely can but if they don’t they 100% have not ballsed it up.
He’s not in the train on squad
They added to it yesterday and McLean, Holmes, Cotter and Nanai were added.That was announced pre-semis wasn't it in which the Cows were still in the comp.
Firstly Suaalii is nowhere near elite level at Fullback. Elite Winger sure. Competent fullback, not elite. Luai is elite, yet he has never really accomplished anything by himself has he. Tonga has a significantly better forward pack, 9 rotation, backline isn’t to far behind Samoa’s considering they have Penisini, Staggs, Tupou and Talakai. Fullback is Niu so they have an average fullback. Halves are competent without being amazing in Amone and Lolehea.Because unlike you I have actually looked at the draw, New Zealand and Australia are on the same side of the draw, meaning unless one ***** up they will meet each other before the final, Samoa has England and Tonga on their side and their team on paper is just better then those teams, they can't play Australia or New Zealand unless they make the Final.
Let's look at the not good enough level spine then.
1. Suaalli/Crichton/Hammer
6. Luai
7. Milford/May/Harris Tevita
9. Levi/Brown
I would Say 7 and 9 are borderline low NRL level but Fullback and 6 is closer to the elite side, I don't think Suaalli will be as bad at fullback as he was in the Roosters game against souths when he was thrown in mid game, and even if he is there is two other players that can play well there, Luai while he gets alot of hate and is a bit overrated is still one of the best 6s in the game and it's hard to argue that, considering how good the rest of the team is, this is a good enough spine and would be atleast a mid table NRL team level I would say.
Samoa have a better spine then England, I mean if Suaali gets picked over Crichton and Hammer who we know can both play Fullback well then he must of shown something, as for 6 Luai is better then anything England have, 7 is where England would have the better option but in 9 Levi is probably the best or close to the best Hooker in the SL so can you even give that to England?Firstly Suaalii is nowhere near elite level at Fullback. Elite Winger sure. Competent fullback, not elite. Luai is elite, yet he has never really accomplished anything by himself has he. Tonga has a significantly better forward pack, 9 rotation, backline isn’t to far behind Samoa’s considering they have Penisini, Staggs, Tupou and Talakai. Fullback is Niu so they have an average fullback. Halves are competent without being amazing in Amone and Lolehea.
England have a great forward pack with heaps of NRL experience, a better spine than both teams and not to mention they are the only team that will have any form of home advantage in this World Cup (excluding the other shit UK teams).
So really I am still waiting for the proof that they will be so star spangled amazing enough that if they don’t beat both Tonga and England in a single World Cup that they have cooked the goose cause that is by no means embarrassing losses.
Levi had a really good season in the SL this year and considering that's where Englands hooker is coming from it's not exactly an advantage for them. 7 is definitely Samoas weakness undoubtedly, but they could also put May there who has played well with Luai in the past(with Luai as the 7), but I would say the Penrith chemistry is what is important for them, all the outside backs and their 6 is a Penrith starting player.Samoa's spine is what's going to let them down. I don't know why Levi is rated so highly, but apart from speed he doesn't offer much. Milford and Luai are both running halves, it's likely going to be left up to Milford to be the organizing half and he's just not one.
I can't see them beating England, and I can't see them making the final.
It’s not important. I’m telling you now they aren’t making a final off the back of their outside backs. No team to ever exist are. They have a garbage spine that has 0 kicking ability and relatively 0 playmaking ability for rep players, all they have is running ability and for some of them it ain’t even that crash hot. Penrith is a good team with good systems, but don’t think for a second that their backline in anywhere near as prosperous without Cleary, Api and their forwards doing most the hard work on their inside. To’o is the only one of them that would have the same stature playing at a different club cause he is valued for his metreage. So sorry but 4 outside backs having a club relationship, whilst helpful it isn’t going to make or break a game let alone a competition. Luai will be fucking borderline useless this comp cause he has 0 help. His game will have to be either entirely playmaking which is just not his style or he will spend the rest of the game pretending like nothing has changed and he will not have the an eighth of the platform to be his usual damaging runner. On paper there is enough to warrant that they are potentially going to struggle more than you can fathom.Levi had a really good season in the SL this year and considering that's where Englands hooker is coming from it's not exactly an advantage for them. 7 is definitely Samoas weakness undoubtedly, but they could also put May there who has played well with Luai in the past(with Luai as the 7), but I would say the Penrith chemistry is what is important for them, all the outside backs and their 6 is a Penrith starting player.
Most of Englands team is playing in the SL All of Samoas team outside Levi and May are in the NRL, and in those positions England is also SL quality so I don't exactly see outside Lock where England blows them off the back.