The 2017 Rugby League World Cup has been decided after the Australia v England ended in a tough, rugged 6-0 win to Australia.
Australia v England bookend the 2017 Rugby League World Cup having met in the very first game of the tournament, they now meet in the final to determine the best rugby league team in the world for the next four years.
Both sides got past Tier 2 Rugby League nations en route to another Australia v England last weekend, and there are various stories and back stories why this will be a game well worth investing in this weekend.
We’ve digested all of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup games so far, so if you want to ind out more on any of the matches that led to this weekend visit our 2017 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE
Now onto the Australia v England game.
AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND MATCH REVIEW
RESULT – Who Won?
AUSTRALIA 6
Tries: B. Cordner (15)
Goals C. Smith 1 Conv
ENGLAND 0
How Did They Win?
They scored a try and England didn’t.
But it wasn’t that simple of course, as a tough, brutal affair ended with just the single try, but it was no less intriguing and either side could have won the game, although it always looked like Australia had things under control.
The only try of the match came after Australia forced repeat sets back to back, and the combination that has caused many problems – Cronk, Morgan, Cordner – combined with Cordner running a great line for a perfect short pass to score. Cam Smith duly converted for the last of the scoring plays, but there was still 65 minutes to go.
England had their share of chances in the first half, but they blew a few good chances with an untimely error or last play option falling short. But still it was only 6-0 at half time.
The second half saw no points, but Michael Morgan did cross for Australia, only to have the try disallowed and penalty given for an old fashioned obstruction. Australia had a lot of the early second half running, as one stage the time spent in own half was 80/20 to England.
England had a golden chance to score when an England runaway try was stopped by the finest of ankle taps from Josh Dugan, who was very good throughout.
Gareth Widdop moved from fullback to be closer to the action in the second half, and he almost made the difference, leading England around well, and the kicking game quickly involved. Impact forward Tom Burgess did just that and had an impact on the night. He had some good carries but dropped the ball twice closely together in the second half which would have slowed the English’s chance of stealing the World Cup trophy.
In the end Australia deserved it, just, but England offered plenty, and have a lot to work with.
What did we learn?
Australia under Mal Meninga look one of the hardest teams in any Australian sport to beat. They conceded a total number of tries that could be counted on one hand, and seem like they can tough out the tight contests or blow another team off the park when they are dominant. The multiple State of Origin titles are no fluke.
Cooper Cronk retired from rep football at the end of the game, and whilst that will be a loss for Queensland and Australia, you can’t say that a Munster-Morgan combination in the short term for both won’t be of high quality.
England under Wayne Bennett pushed Australia hard in both of their games, and with the next World Cup on their northern hemisphere soil, they should try and keep Bennett involved until then.
What was the Moment of the Match?
The only try. It proved the difference.
There were no great match turning points, just two teams locked in a tense battle with not a great deal between them.
Although the first hit up of the match was a preview to the toughness of tha battle ahead.
Any other bits and pieces?
- The wingers put in big shifts in the tough game, with all four impressive from the back.
- Never got the hype around Josh Dugan, mainly because he’s a Rugby League jerk who hasn’t won much, but his performances at the World Cup have been first class.
THE DOWLING-TAMATI #RLWC2017 PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
We’ve decided that a tournament as big as the 2017 Rugby League World Cup needs a Player of the tournament, and who better than International relations specialists Kevin Tamati and Greg Dowling to name our award.
We award points on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale every match, and the results for this game is below. For the running total from all of the games visit our 2017 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE
5 POINTS – BOYD CORDNER – Australian rugby league is in good shape if he’s leading Australia into a post Cronk.Smith-Slater era.
4 POINTS – MATT GILLETT – Offered plenty in defence and attack, could have scored a few tries.
3 POINTS – JOSH MAGUIRE – Caused a first half scuffle and rarely dropped below that intensity.
2 POINTS – JOSH DUGAN – Was solid for Australia, and justified his place in the side despite Cameron Munster.
1 POINT – GARETH WIDDOP – sort of wasted his time at fullback, but was solid at the back defensively, and great in attack when he was finally given some responsibility in the second half.
MATCH PREVIEW
Who: AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND
Where and When: Saturday, December 2, Suncorp Stadium
When is it on TV? LIVE Channel 7 @ 8pm AEDT
What’s the Story?
Australia and England became the killjoys of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup as they knocked out Fiji and Tonga respectively last weekend. Australia demolished the Bati of Fiji 54-6, applying one more 80 minute block of pain onto Jarryd Hayne’s 2017 rugby league season. Thankfully he’ll have his reported $90K a month to comfort him until he signs for Parramatta as reported.
England meanwhile looked home and hosed in their game against Tonga last weekend in the most fanatical of atmospheres in the pro-Tonga surrounds of Mt Smart Stadium with 10 minutes to go. 20-0 up and appearing to have it all covered. Then the Tongans got on a sensational roll that saw 18 points in quick time, and almost got home with a knock on ruled on Andrew Fifita after having the ball stripped with seconds and just metres to go to the tryline.
If anything, Australia look like they’ve stepped up a gear each week, evidence of that can be seen from the consecutive floggings of Samoa and Fiji in the knockout stages. England meanwhile were a little ordinary against PNG, and only just got home against Tonga. One could argue England had the harder fixtures, but it is hard to see Australia not handing out the same punishment if the opponents were reversed.
Australia are the hot favourites, but the English have the secret weapon of Wayne Bennett, a man who knows how to win things. including helping New Zealand win the last World Cup on Australian soil in a big upset. Can he do it again? And if so, will he take PNG to similar glory in 2021?
And after Australia took the 1st Cricket Test at the Gabba last weekend, it is a chance for an English sporting side to get revenge on Australia in Brisbane.
Who Will Win and Why?
On paper Australia should have way too much quality for the English side again. The first game saw Australia only just get home after the English muscled up against the Kangaroos, but the rate of improvement of both sides has varied with Australia looking excellent in the knockout phase, and you think there’s room for more.
Especially with Valentine Holmes in such rich try scoring form, having crossed for an incredibly 11 tries in the last 2 games. Around him is an in form Billy Slater, Michael Morgan getting better every week, and Cameron Smith running the show as well as ever.
England have game winners themselves with Gareth Widdop and Jermaine McGillvary amongst the best in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup so far. And their forward pack is hardly much worse than the Australians with world class players James Graham and Sam Burgess. And despite the English losing hooker Josh Hodgson, the replacement James Roby is playing very well, and could be argued that the English look better with him on the field.
On paper there’s not much in it, but you just get the feeling that Australia’s best performance is yet to come.
Australia by 22
Who to watch for?
Valentine Holmes – can he score any more this weekend. An unfortunate by product of this world cup is he may have to play on the wing in the NRL next season given his outstanding returns.
Reagan Cambell-Gillard – the future of Australia’s pack, and has been outstanding.
Gareth Widdop – has been great at the back for England despite playing out of position. England need him to produce something special to win.
Alex Walmsley – Why not pick an English bench forward. The number 14 has been great for England in the past two knockout games with loads of impact.
TEAMS
Who’s in the Teams?
AUSTRALIA
1 Billy Slater, 2 Dane Gagai, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Josh Dugan, 5 Valentine Holmes, 6 Michael Morgan, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Aaron Woods, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Boyd Cordner, 12 Matt Gillett, 13 Josh McGuire, 14 Wade Graham, 15 Jordan McLean, 16 Reagan Cambell-Gillard, 17 Tyson Frizell 18 Felise Kaufusi, 19 Tom Trbojevic, 20 Josh Mansour, 21 James Maloney
ENGLAND
- Gareth Widdop 2. Jermaine McGillvary 3. Kallum Watkins 4. John Bateman 5. Ryan Hall 6. Kevin Brown 7. Luke Gale 8. Chris Hill 9. James Roby 10. James Graham 11. Sam Burgess 12. Elliot Whitehead 13. Sean O’Loughlin 14. Alex Walmsley 15. Thomas Burgess 16. Ben Currie 17. Chris Heighington 18. Jonny Lomax 19. Scott Taylor 20. George Williams 21. Mark Percival
