Wet weather final - who does this benefit?

[titoelcolombiano]

Looks like it is going to rain quite a bit on Saturday in Brisbane including during the game. Does this benefit either team?

My opinion is that it will provide a slight benefit to England and serve to close the gap between the sides. I think if England are ever going to end both the series / tournament drought against the Kangaroos and the world cup drought, the current squad in Saturday's conditions are a golden opportunity if there ever is one.

Thoughts?

 

[miguel de cervantes]

benefits rugby union. will be a one-out-running-wrestle-a-thon

 

[DlEHARD]

Not looking forward to any wet weather. But I think it would certainly advantage England.

 

[adamkungl]

Would have to think it closes the gap slightly

 

[Burns]

benefits rugby union. will be a one-out-running-wrestle-a-thon

This. Worst thing would be trudgy, conservative, grindy, State of Origin like match.

 

[adamkungl]

I'm gonna disagree and say I dont give a shit how much of a slog the game is if England pull a win out of their arses

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I'm gonna disagree and say I dont give a shit how much of a slog the game is if England pull a win out of their arses

I tend to think the same - a win is a win in the history books. It would be nice for England to win with a free-flowing display of rugby league at it's best but if they win a dour low scoring contest it is better than the usual Kangaroos by 12 - 16 points.

 

[Force]

Agree, it closes the gap so benefits England.

 

[roughyedspud]

Wet weather strategy requires a good kicking game...which we don't have

 

[Clifferd]

Wet weather means tighter contest for sure but as others have said kicking game will now have to be spot on and while the aussies have Morgan Cronk and Smith they’ll be hard to overcome

Kicking game and Defense will win this game which Australia most certainly have the advantage over.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Wet weather means tighter contest for sure but as others have said kicking game will now have to be spot on and while the aussies have Morgan Cronk and Smith they’ll be hard to overcome

Kicking game and Defense will win this game which Australia most certainly have the advantage over.

Hodgson is a big loss in the kicking department. At the very least England have options Gale, Brown and Widdop and their defense has been the highlight of their tournament.

 

[Billythekid]

I don't think it will be a wet weather game. It's an impossible question to answer and I think you could make a case both ways.

Kicking game becomes crucial and that puts Australia at a huge advantage. Also scoring points becomes very hard which is a double edged sword. It stops the potent Australian attack but I can't help but wonder how many points England have in them even on a dry track.

Englands forward pack is their strength and that should work out in the wet weather but it depends if they show up. If they play like they did against Tonga than I give them an advantage. That's not the same forward pack I saw against Australia though.

 

[Last Week]

All wet weather does is create errors. Ball handling has been a concern for England during this tournament.

Australia haven't won games in years by throwing the ball around. They've done it by breaking teams apart through the middle and wearing them down in defence.

This changes very little. England will still need to be disciplined and contain Australia. They'll only beat us through defence and getting in our face throughout the game.

This may stop Australia from going wide so often early in the tackle count, and/or exacerbate England's mediocre ball control.

 

[The Great Dane]

Yeah I reckon that the wet whether will hurt England more then Australia.

They play a more dynamic style of footy and throw the ball around more, rain will only make that style of play harder and lead to more errors, and given that they already have more errors in them then the Roos do, rain will only compound that problem for them.

 

[JasonE]

Wet weather hurts the team with lesser ball handling skills, and that is England.

 

[roughyedspud]

Yep

 

[Jim from Oz]

I can’t believe that, after everything else, we are going to get crap weather for the final!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Just woken up, there are a few grey clouds around but much more blue sky. I dont think the rain will be too much of an issue