Rugby league hasn't covered itself with glory in the run-up to the World Cup. There was the farce of the contrived draw - sorry PNG, but someone has to be the sacrificial Adrian Lam - followed by the chaotic business of trying to sort out who can play for whom.
Many island players genuinely have a foot in more than one camp, but when someone is picked by one country he shouldn't be grabbed by a bigger, more tempting rival.
Mind you, that reasoning would cost England the services of Mark Calderwood. Although he had one or two shaky moments at Doncaster, he is a player, like Lee Smith, who finished the season in top form.
Look back at previous World Cups and it is not always the obvious blue-chip players who have played key roles, but also those who have come from nowhere.
When Great Britain last won it, way back in 1972, two of their better players were John Walsh and David Jeanes, neither of whom did much else of note on the international scene.
If that's one reason for being optimistic about England, another one is Tony Smith. Everything about his preparation has been positive and attack-minded. If he and his team retain that attitude, they've got a chance.
If they go into their shell, none at all.
Dave just wonderered what your thoughts are on an observation from many of England's followers out in Oz for the RLWC
Having attended the first two games up in Townsville where approx 2000 travelling supporters were in attendance and many many more in Melbourne there has been little acknowledgment from the players at the end of the game recognising the support of the fans
In Townsville there was a token round of applause from the centre of the pitch and virtually nothing in Melbourne
I appreciate that after the Melbourne game the players were shellshocked but many have found the lack of acknowledgment from the players to the fans quite insulting
Many people have saved for many years to come on this trip but are our working class playersnow becoming like much despised overpaid professional footballers
Just look at the enthusiasm shown by the PNG players and supporters after the Townsville game ! And they had just lost
Posted by: Mark Piotr | 03 November 2008 at 09:38 AM
Hi Dave. I've read a couple of press articles this week slagging off the RL World Cup, (One in The Independent); mostly the format and the fact that the Aussies are so dominant. I can see what they are trying to say but it seems way over the top. Nobody in RL is arguing that Union is played in more countries and has a bigger profile, but despite it's establishment links and therefore it's association with the financial institutions, massive sponsorship and media coverage, there are only four teams currently likely to win a RU World Cup; Australia, NZ, England and S. Africa. That's only one more (S.Africa)than RL. Not a big difference, given their massive reseources. I'm writing this in the hope that you may write something in defence of League (Despite it's shortcoming that we know it has) being one of it's top writers. I sent the following letter to The Independent but I know it won't be printed because of the media cabal against League.
Keep up the goos work.
Peter
'Re Robin Scott-Elliots piece on the Rugby League World Cup on 10th Nov. So it's been over a hundred years since the Union/ League split and the media are still having a go at League? Come on Independent keep up...peace has broken out in Northern Ireland, the wall has come down and we now have a black President.
Also, what a flawed article? He claims it's only of interest to 'Parts of north-west England'. Since when have Hull and Leeds been in the north-west? Or for that matter London, Bridgend or Perpignan who all have teams in next years RL Super League. And yes there's only three teams in Union's premier competition from outside the Union heartland of the M4 corridor.
Yes the competition has been seeded so the big teams and smaller teams play off separately but that has actually worked well with very close games in the smaller teams pools. Surely that's better than the embarassing 100 plus points the All Blacks and other big teams have posted against the minnows in the other codes World Cup? Ireland reached the last six, having only had an International side since 1996. A feat which I've noticed via the net has had much coverage in the Irish media. Oh and by the way, Ray French was a prop forward not a loose forward. At least learn something about a sport before you slag it off. Such lazy journalism and what bigotry for a liberal newspaper'.
P.Bentham
Liverpool
Posted by: Peter Bentham | 12 November 2008 at 10:55 AM