2021 RLWC (A) Wk1 - ENG 60-6 SAM @ Newcastle

[League Unlimited News]

England v Samoa
St. James Park, Newcastle
Group A - Week 1

Timezone	Time	Day	Broadcaster
BST (UK, local)	2:30pm	Sat 15 Oct	BBC
AEST (QLD)	11:30pm	Sat 15 Oct	Fox/Kayo
AEDT (NSW/VIC)	12:30am	Sun 16 Oct	Fox/Kayo
WST (Samoa)	2:30am	Sun 16 Oct	TV1 Samoa

1. Sam Tomkins 2. Tom Makinson 3. Kallum Watkins 4. Herbie Farnworth 14. Dominic Young 6. Jack Welsby 7. George Williams 8. Thomas Burgess 9. Micky McIlorum 10. Luke Thompson 11. Elliott Whitehead 13. Victor Radley 15. Morgan Knowles 16. Matty Lees 17. Mike Cooper 18. Chris Hill 20. Mike McMeeken 21. Marc Sneyd 24. Kai Pearce-Paul

1. Joseph Suaalii 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Anthony Milford 8. Josh Papali'i 9. Danny Levi 10. Junior Paulo 12. Jaydn Su'A 13. Josh Aloiai 14. Tyrone May 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Martin Taupau 18. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 20. Chanel Harris-Tavita 22. Kelma Tuilagi 23. Oregon Kaufusi 24. Braden Hamlin-Uele

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Match Officials
Referee: Ashley Klein
Sideline Officials: Jack Smith, Warren Turley
Video Referees: Adam Gee

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Head to head
3 matches
England 3, Samoa 0

Last met
Pacific Test 2017, Campbelltown
England 30 def Samoa 10

 

[jim_57]

Every game in the first week is the expected/favourites for 1V2 & 3V4, so there’s be a fair idea of the quarters pretty early. Not to say upsets can’t happen.

This will be the tightest game for top spot in the group. Samoa look good but England have often won at home Vs NZ sides just as good or better than this Samoa side. England, just. But it could go either way.

 

[Smug Panther]

Samoa 13+

 

[Perth Red]

England in a tight one, 20-16

 

[Perth Red]

Civilised Ko time in the West. Will be getting the Teltleys and pickled eggs in and settling down for a mighty England game with a nice 9.30pm KO here.

 

[Smug Panther]

If To'o made 300m in a NRL grand final imagine how easy he's going to make meters here. Going to be a blood bath

 

[Perth Red]

nah big Ryan Hall is going to eat him

 

[Irish-bulldog]

Will be close but I’m tipping England like 26-14

 

[Coastbloke]

Will be close but I’m tipping England like 26-14

I’d be happy with that score regardless who wins. Last WC match played was 6-0 and then the next one being 26-14. Better than past tournaments..

 

[Irish-bulldog]

Samoa don’t have a a 7 or a decent 9, that will hurt them against the top 3 teams, Milford is washed up and Liu I don’t rate as a game manager , JS in the number 1 is still young and needs work on ball playing, but he’s a world class runner.
I just see them falling down on managing games, might be the difference between the top 3 teams.

 

[The Clan]

Pretty much any time in the past 45 years. Same again this year.

It’s a good job the English didn’t think like you when they were thrashing the Aussies for 40 years prior to the 70s. There’d be no League being played in Aus now had the English abandoned them and stopped touring etc..

 

[stryker]

Samoa have an ordinary spine.
England will withstand the opening onslaught from Samoa’s Australian trained pack and then score through their weak backs.

 

[Clarkent]

Samoa have an ordinary spine.
England will withstand the opening onslaught from Samoa’s Australian trained pack and then score through their weak backs.

It's funny you say samoa has a ordinary spine but than you look at the English. They've got a old Tomkins at fullback who's just come off a injury and hasn't been that great this year. In the halves you've got George Williams who's been terrible in the SL. And they've lost Roby at hooker who's one of the best put there. And than you add in the old English forward pack. England will be tough that's for sure but they ain't superior like the Kiwis and the kangaroos. There's a reason why the Samoans are the favourites in that first match

 

[Clarkent]

Other than To'o they are going to look like plodders without Edwards, Cleary, Api, Kikau and Yeo carrying them.

You can say the same thing about the guys you mentioned if it wasn't for the 5 samoan guys in that team. Kikau and Yeo dominate because that backline carries the heavy load on the offensive end. That samoan backline has run the most meters out of any backline in the nrl. That's the reason why the panthers forward pack has enough energy to dominate. And also on the defensive end Critchon and To'o are the best defensive combo in the league. If that backline were all kiwis all the Kiwis would talking then up lol

 

[wain]

Young might beat him to the wing spot after yesterday

nah big Ryan Hall is going to eat him

i

 

[Northern]

Really looking forward to this one. Think England - home advantage, got to be up for it. Be close though.

 

[wain]

I think an early loss to Samoa could really take the wind out of the sails re hype and promo for the tournament for the local fans. I’m hoping for England in a tight one!

 

[BadnMean]

Samoa have an ordinary spine.
England will withstand the opening onslaught from Samoa’s Australian trained pack and then score through their weak backs.

But Samoa's backs are better than Englands...

 

[Clarkent]

But Samoa's backs are better than Englands...

I've never heard anyone say the Penrith Panthers have weak backs lol

 

[Matua]

You can say the same thing about the guys you mentioned if it wasn't for the 5 samoan guys in that team. Kikau and Yeo dominate because that backline carries the heavy load on the offensive end. That samoan backline has run the most meters out of any backline in the nrl. That's the reason why the panthers forward pack has enough energy to dominate. And also on the defensive end Critchon and To'o are the best defensive combo in the league. If that backline were all kiwis all the Kiwis would talking then up lol

Why bring us into this? And to think I was just about to respond to his original post by pointing out the Samoan backs outside the halves are class.