Pushing Australia so hard in the World Cup final shows the progress made under Wayne Bennett and should inspire great confidence for the futureIt’s the hope that kills you. If there is one overriding image that will remain with England fans for at least the next four years, it is the sight of Kallum Watkins stumbling and falling with the freedom of Brisbane Stadium laid out in front of him. Related: Australia edge out England 6-0 to win the Rugby League World Cup final – as it happened Related: Australia beat England in closest Rugby League World Cup final in decades Continue reading...
Twenty-two years on from Australia’s Wembley win, those beaten narrowly that day such as Karl Harrison, Phil Clarke and Mick Cassidy have their fingers crossed for Saturday’s finalWhen England take to the field in Brisbane on Saturday for their first World Cup final in 22 years, there will be a group of men 12,000 miles away willing them to take the step they could not manage in 1995. This time it will be Sam Burgess, Sean O’Loughlin and co vying for the first British World Cup win since 1972; then, it was players such as Jason Robinson and Martin Offiah who fell at the final hurdle.As in 1995, Australia are the opposition but the backdrop and circumstances are mightily different....
The 2017 knockout stages could be the most exciting yet but the international game remains undervalued, particularly in the northern hemisphereAs the World Cup enters the knockout stages it is difficult to gauge the mood surrounding what should be the sport’s most important and prestigious tournament.While things have played out largely as expected, it is the feelgood stories that will live longest in the memory. Whether it is the way Papua New Guinea have proved to be such wonderful hosts, playing in front of sellout crowds in Port Moresby, Samoa and Tonga’s spine-tingling pre-game tête-à-tête or the encouraging progress of some smaller nations, there is much to sit back and smile about. Related: Rugby League World Cup has been snubbed...
Wayne Bennett’s side were beaten by Australia at the weekend and again miss out on a Four Nations final – with little prospect of improvement if the status quo is maintained“It’s an easier job than I thought it would be,” admitted Wayne Bennett with perhaps the most surprising comment following yet another failure for England at international level. And that is what it was: failure. Hope sprang eternal for English rugby league fans with Bennett and Sam Burgess heading up a brave new era. Ultimately, it was the same old result.Has Bennett taken England backwards? Are England in a stronger position to win the World Cup than they were 12 months ago? Can rugby league’s “master coach” inspire a turnaround...
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 sideIt’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 Continue reading...