on a lighter note

[Sweet P]

Do you guys think that England can win a game without Wilkinson as they were pathetic last night

[dondada]

Sometimes, Ben, you have to throw your dog a bone now and again! 8)

[glittermonkey]

Do you guys think that England can win a game without Wilkinson as they were pathetic last night

You bloody Aussies!!!

I don't care too much really, i'm more of a rugby league man myself. And i'll tell you this for free, one day we'll beat you lot. Maybe not one day soon, but it'll happen eventually.

Oh, and by the way, do you think your football team will ever qualify for a major tournament?

[Sweet P]

Do you guys think that England can win a game without Wilkinson as they were pathetic last night

You bloody Aussies!!!

I don't care too much really, i'm more of a rugby league man myself. And i'll tell you this for free, one day we'll beat you lot. Maybe not one day soon, but it'll happen eventually.

Oh, and by the way, do you think your football team will ever qualify for a major tournament?

I played rugby league for years so i follow it more to but i couldn't help stirring the pot.
I don't think that our soccer team will ever be any good there just isn't enough interest in it over here.

[bennie]

I think we miss Martin Johnson more than Wilko. We seem to lack leadership now.
Jonno was a huge presence, someone to really draw the men together.

[neil r]

Do you guys think that England can win a game without Wilkinson as they were pathetic last night

You bloody Aussies!!!

I don't care too much really, i'm more of a rugby league man myself. And i'll tell you this for free, one day we'll beat you lot. Maybe not one day soon, but it'll happen eventually.

Oh, and by the way, do you think your football team will ever qualify for a major tournament?

i can remember back in 1985 i think it was, Scotland putting out Australia in a play off for the World Cup in Mexico. I think we won at Hampden in the first leg and drew over there in a game played about 9.30 am our time. We got to watch it in school!

... its been downhill for us ever since!

[stujones]

I think we miss Martin Johnson more than Wilko. We seem to lack leadership now.
Jonno was a huge presence, someone to really draw the men together.

That is true, I also think the world cup honours have gone to the team's head - especially the CW's.

I for one, am delighted - we aren't much (make that any) cop but sorry to the posters from across the boarder - I am delighted when you lose.

[REAL_DEAL]

look on bbc 1 8)

[REAL_DEAL]

a english person just beat a ozzie 8)

[NickR]

Put it this way guys.

Our team now is young and rubbish, but was that not the case around 5 years ago? 4 years from now our team will be at their peak and we will retain the championship. Sir Clive is no fool, all he cares about is the world crown, and he's going to get several.

[stujones]

Nick, they are not that young - Alot of the replacements for the retired greats have always been in their shadows. I'm sure Gommersal is pushing 30, Henry Paul is not spring chicken either. Who has CW replaced Johnson with, Danny Grewcock - good player but close to if not in his 30's himself.

England's A used to do poorly in the old A team five nations tournament, these are those A's - now in the big leagues, it isn't really surprising - I'm not saying this cause I'm Welsh, but this downfall is not surprising and I'm not sure how it will end.

Not saying your a bad team, you'll beat our lot 10 times out of 10, but I think there are at least 3 teams who can beat you now 10 times out of 10 and I think finishing 2nd in next seasons 6 nations would be a good achievement.

[J]

Do you guys think that England can win a game without Wilkinson as they were pathetic last night

Yes we were lost 12 men out of a squad of 22, 3 further injured and at home, played constant rugby for 2 years, knackered and dissillusioned. Personally I dont give a monkeys if we lose every game between now and 2007. As long as we win in 2007 i dont care.

WORLD CHAMPS fact!!! November 22nd 2003, let me know if you would like a video Ben and enjoy your moment of triumph for a eff all against a knackered side for now.

I have to say Aussies were awesome though. credit whree its due and that but dont mean anything does it really. That gold pot remain in blighty

[TheRiverCityHippy]

we`ll always be competative in the forwards and in fact i think the fella from sale who recently moved to prop from second row (sheridan?) should get a run out.
apparently he`s the strongest bloke in the zurich. excellent in the loose.
the tall pacey flanker from gloucester who`s name escapes me is one for the future too.
but its in the backs where we are getting left behind.
by the time 2007 comes around i fear the aussie and all black back lines will be out of sight. they didnt even have to go through the phases and recycle the ball to stretch our defence, they just blitzed us from first phase. their handling skills at pace are superb, and they seem to have a conveyor belt of backs like that gerrard and the lad who took us the cleaners saturday. unless a sudden crop of young talented backs appears in the next year or so, we wont be defending our crown.

[Loftgroov]

Ignore the results of this summer tour, they're just totally knackered thats all...

They'll win again when it matters. I'm thinking of heading to NZ next year to take in the Lions. Be a nice trip that... :0)

[Sweet P]

Do you guys think that England can win a game without Wilkinson as they were pathetic last night

Yes we were lost 12 men out of a squad of 22, 3 further injured and at home, played constant rugby for 2 years, knackered and dissillusioned. Personally I dont give a monkeys if we lose every game between now and 2007. As long as we win in 2007 i dont care.

WORLD CHAMPS fact!!! November 22nd 2003, let me know if you would like a video Ben and enjoy your moment of triumph for a eff all against a knackered side for now.

I have to say Aussies were awesome though. credit whree its due and that but dont mean anything does it really. That gold pot remain in blighty

Yeah ive seen the world cup game a few times already but i think you should hold on to the video i as you fellas might not get another one for a long time.
I think that Headhunter has hit the nail on the head, England is awesome in the forwards but the backs leave a lot to be desired, I can't see them defending the cup when Australia and New Zealand have some unbelievable talent coming threw at the moment.
8) 8) But enjoy your days in the sun as England deserved the cup and was the better team for a year leading up to it.

[J]

yip pretty much nail on the head but dont get caught into the british trap of a bad season makes us a shit team. We will be back and four years is a long time.
I agree though our backs are stilted and lack direction which is very strange seeing as woodwards was a flair player at outside centre

[Guest]

Agreed. How many people in the two NZ games and the Australia games were from the world cup squad? Very few. Partly due to injuries and retirements, partly due to injuries and retirements and partly due to Woodward just resting some playersl like Jason "Billy Whizz". However, the tour in one respect was a success, I mean though England got trounced in every game a lot of young players got experience playing the best teams of the world. Thats the only way to do it, they can't break players in slowly and play them against crap teams. If losing a few against the best teams in the world makes them improve as a team and makes them contenders in 2007 as best team in the world, I think it can only be good. Unlike football where you have a world cup and after it is finished you start qualifying for a European cup, there isn't much of a break. Whereas rugby union has more of a chance to build on a four year cycle.