ESL England - News: Lions, Tests, 4 Nations etc

moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
Goal-kicker is a poser, though. I just don't think Matty Smith's goal-kicking is quite good enough. He is not a natural kicker, but has been press-ganged into the role for Wigan after Pat Richards left (at one time, Josh Charnley was #2 kicker at Wigan, but he doesn't seem to kick any more). He has worked hard at it, and is better than at the start of the season, but is only kicking at 70% success. I don't think that's really good enough (I do like him as a half in general play, though). For comparison:

Sneyd: 77%
Brough: 76%
Sinfield: 78%

Saying all that, I haven't checked, but I don't think Cam Smith's goal-kicking record is all that this season. Who is the Kiwi's kicker?
 
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
Also, very pleased to read that the Kiwis will be here next year. Looking forward to some terrific encounters; after all, what a thriller that World Cup semi-final was!

Needless to say, I shall be there. :D
 
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
Under the roof? I hope the pitch won't be sticky. I'll certainly be seeing the Kiwis in England next year.

England/NZ was the game of the tournament in the World Cup, I reckon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Northern_Union
S J

S J

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 2, 2013
35,602
8,991
113
122
Time Traveller
moto748 said:
Under the roof? I hope the pitch won't be sticky. I'll certainly be seeing the Kiwis in England next year.

England/NZ was the game of the tournament in the World Cup, I reckon.
Click to expand...


Probably - not quite Oz standard - but good ... ;)
 
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
Last games I saw, Mount Smart compared to the DW Stadium in Wigan was like a cabbage patch to a bowling green... :p
 
S J

S J

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 2, 2013
35,602
8,991
113
122
Time Traveller
Ireland's Joe Philbin, Scotland's Lachlan Coote and Wales' Morgan Knowles have been named in the Great Britain Elite Performance squad.

England Knights winger Ash Handley and uncapped Salford forward Josh Jones have also been included.

Coach Wayne Bennett selected 29 from the home nations-qualified players across 12 Super League clubs.

The squad will be reduced to 25, and also include Australia-based players, ahead of the Lions tour next month.

Twenty of the players selected have been drafted in from the England EPS, which has run in tandem with GB throughout the 2019 season.

Great Britain have four autumn Tests coming up, which will all be screened live by BBC Sport, with extended highlights shown later each day.

Test dates
  • Tonga v Great Britain (Hamilton, NZ) - Saturday, 26 October
  • New Zealand v Great Britain (Auckland, NZ) - Saturday, 2 November
  • New Zealand v Great Britain (Christchurch, NZ) - Saturday, 9 November
  • Papua New Guinea v Great Britain (Port Moresby, PNG) - Saturday, 16 November
 
S J

S J

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 2, 2013
35,602
8,991
113
122
Time Traveller
S J said:
Ireland's Joe Philbin, Scotland's Lachlan Coote and Wales' Morgan Knowles have been named in the Great Britain Elite Performance squad.

England Knights winger Ash Handley and uncapped Salford forward Josh Jones have also been included.

Coach Wayne Bennett selected 29 from the home nations-qualified players across 12 Super League clubs.

The squad will be reduced to 25, and also include Australia-based players, ahead of the Lions tour next month.

Twenty of the players selected have been drafted in from the England EPS, which has run in tandem with GB throughout the 2019 season.

Great Britain have four autumn Tests coming up, which will all be screened live by BBC Sport, with extended highlights shown later each day.

Test dates
  • Tonga v Great Britain (Hamilton, NZ) - Saturday, 26 October
  • New Zealand v Great Britain (Auckland, NZ) - Saturday, 2 November
  • New Zealand v Great Britain (Christchurch, NZ) - Saturday, 9 November
  • Papua New Guinea v Great Britain (Port Moresby, PNG) - Saturday, 16 November
Click to expand...

Pity we don't play them. The mighty Lions.
 
S J

S J

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 2, 2013
35,602
8,991
113
122
Time Traveller
Jackson Hastings' accent may be pure Aussie but he says he is ready to invest his heart and soul into playing for Great Britain.

And the 2019 Man of Steel says he is also ready to be taught a masterclass by his fellow Lions as they prepare to tackle Tonga, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea over the next four weeks.

Hastings' selection, along with fellow Australians Blake Austin and Lachlan Coote, has divided opinion among British rugby league fans and some ex-players.

But the GB selectors have been comfortable using rules that have been widely exploited by other national sides, and in most other sports.

The Sydney-born player, who this season helped inspire Salford to a first Super League Grand Final, says he understands why his selection might not be universally popular.
 
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
I'm not optimistic, I don't like the team much, but at least they've got rid of Coote, and playing Lomax at full-back gives them the option of switching him and Widdop if they want.
 
  • Like
Reactions: S J
S J

S J

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 2, 2013
35,602
8,991
113
122
Time Traveller
Kiwis have proved too strong for Great Britain in this weekend's Test, taking home the win 12-8.
 
Wirral Warrior

Wirral Warrior

New Member
Nov 2, 2019
6
2
3
63
Best team won. Main difference was that they had the standout player..RTS. Our attack non existent until last 10 mins. Need more speed at the ruck on edges. What's with non-neutral refs....only in RL.
 
S J

S J

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 2, 2013
35,602
8,991
113
122
Time Traveller
England will play their final rugby league Ashes Test against Australia at Tottenham's new stadium next year. It will be the first Ashes series since 2003 and the Kangaroos will take on England at Spurs' 62,062-capacity stadium on Saturday 14 November.

The three-match series begins at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday 31 October.

And the second game will be held at the Elland Road home of Leeds United FC seven days later.

1573192171797.png
 
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
I just hope to God Bennett has gone by then. And increasingly, I think, British fans agree with me. The current Lions series is a shambles and a disgrace to the name.
 
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
S J said:
England will play their final rugby league Ashes Test against Australia at Tottenham's new stadium next year. It will be the first Ashes series since 2003 and the Kangaroos will take on England at Spurs' 62,062-capacity stadium on Saturday 14 November.

The three-match series begins at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday 31 October.

And the second game will be held at the Elland Road home of Leeds United FC seven days later.

View attachment 2721
Click to expand...

Of course they could have gone with the crazy idea of actually playing at rugby league grounds, rather football stadia.

The argument for not doing so is bigger crowd capacity. Fine, IF the RFL can fill them. But will they? I have my doubts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: S J
moto748

moto748

Well Done Member
Sep 13, 2013
2,469
738
113
70
For example, the University of Bolton Stadium is only 7 miles from Wigan!
 
  • Like
Reactions: S J
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom