Australia prove England fall far short of matching Four Nations’ finest | John Davidson


The belief that England could defeat Australia for the first time since 1995 was crushed by the way the Kangaroos easily outsmarted and overpowered Wayne Bennett’s side

It’s the hope that hurts the most. The anticipation and the creeping belief that England can finally knock off Australia, rugby league’s answer to the all-conquering All Blacks.

Even with the return of the talismanic Sam Burgess and the appointment of the master coach Wayne Bennett, with nearly half of their team now playing in the elite NRL competition and not on home shores in Super League, they have again fallen agonisingly short.

Related: Australia simply too good as England denied place in Four Nations final

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