England V Wales

[Druzik]

Oct 2, 2008 21:50:51 GMT 10 Marv said:

Oct 2, 2008 21:19:23 GMT 10 Druzik said:

Some familiar naems we met last year, hey Marv

yeah defo, allthough it is a different looking side from then, good to see Gibbo get another call up after his good season with Halifax, top bloke.

He was at Barrow for a bit no?

[Druzik]

Oct 2, 2008 23:57:39 GMT 10 jim said:

Oct 2, 2008 21:48:49 GMT 10 Marv said:

Really, I heard it was only 1,300, 8/9k on a friday night for a televised England B V the worst side Wales have put out in years would be an unbelivable crowd.

I think 5k would be a good crowd myself

2k sold, 4k given away so yeh not that manyn sold, why not give away tickets I say? give away 7,000 tickets just to get some more people there, they're not going to sell anyway so...

Steady on Jim, they still need to make back some $$.

[Marv]

Oct 3, 2008 0:19:56 GMT 10 Druzik said:

Oct 2, 2008 21:50:51 GMT 10 Marv said:

yeah defo, allthough it is a different looking side from then, good to see Gibbo get another call up after his good season with Halifax, top bloke.

He was at Barrow for a bit no?

That was Adam Hughes, he has just been released, struggled with injurys, i guess thats why he is not in this squad.

Gibbo was the Aussie lad who played on the wing for wales.

[Marv]

Oct 2, 2008 23:57:39 GMT 10 jim said:

2k sold, 4k given away so yeh not that manyn sold, why not give away tickets I say? give away 7,000 tickets just to get some more people there, they're not going to sell anyway so...

Yeah lets just give em a tenner on the door as well while were at it!

[Ryan N]

Oct 3, 2008 16:33:15 GMT 10 Marv said:

Oct 2, 2008 23:57:39 GMT 10 jim said:

2k sold, 4k given away so yeh not that manyn sold, why not give away tickets I say? give away 7,000 tickets just to get some more people there, they're not going to sell anyway so...

Yeah lets just give em a tenner on the door as well while were at it!

Is that the kind of tenner I think it is?

[Marv]

Oct 3, 2008 18:07:00 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

Is that the kind of tenner I think it is?

I dont think so mate, what is a tenner in Aus?

[Ryan N]

Oct 3, 2008 20:53:11 GMT 10 Marv said:

Oct 3, 2008 18:07:00 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

Is that the kind of tenner I think it is?

I dont think so mate, what is a tenner in Aus?

10 dollars worth of marijuana.

Drug language is the same around the world as far as I know.

By the way, I'm not a user, just in case you thought that.

[Marv]

Oct 3, 2008 21:50:46 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

Oct 3, 2008 20:53:11 GMT 10 Marv said:

I dont think so mate, what is a tenner in Aus?

10 dollars worth of marijuana.

Nah, a tenner is just English Slang for a ten pound note.

Oct 3, 2008 21:50:46 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

Drug language is the same around the world as far as I know.

Yeah pretty much mate, we call 'em ten spots here though.

Oct 3, 2008 21:50:46 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

By the way, I'm not a user, just in case you thought that.

Its ok, theres nothing wrong with a little smoke now and again.

[Ryan N]

Tenner, stick, fiffo, quart, half from there we go into the ounces.

[Marv]

Oct 3, 2008 22:09:18 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

Tenner, stick, fiffo, quart, half from there we go into the ounces.

never heard of stick or fiffo mate!

[kuwaitikev]

Drugs are bad..... nok

[jim]

England V Wales Preview

Friday 10th October 08

Wales take on England in the Gillette Fusion international match at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium tonight (kick-off 7.30pm) knowing that a win will put the icing on the cake on one of the most successful years ever for Welsh Rugby League.

2008 started with a Home Nations win with Wales A taking the four-team tournament for the sixth year in seven after beating the second string from England, Ireland and Scotland on the way.

The Welsh under 18 side continued things by winning the European Under 18 championships with convincing victories over Czech Republic, England (again) and France.

The best of our country’s students did well in the World Cup at that level, reaching the semi-finals and performing admirably against the giants from down under, holders New Zealand and eventual winners Australia.

At club level, Celtic Crusaders earned themselves a Super League licence for the next three years before finishing in second place in National League One and going 30 seconds from winning the Grand Final.

Their second string side, the Crusaders Colts, a team made up of the best of the young Welsh talent who will playing in Super League reserves next year, went one better by beating Bramley Buffaloes 26-4 two weeks ago to take the Conference National title.

So as Wales look for a hat-trick of international wins against England in 2008, new head coach John Dixon has given some of our country’s up and coming youngsters the chance to shine on the biggest stage.

Dixon has named a provisional 17 for the match but is waiting on the fitness of two of his first choice players. Celtic Crusaders youngsters Gil Dudson and Barrie Phillips are waiting in the wings in case they are needed.

Dudson has already beaten England twice this season as he was in both the aforementioned Wales under 18 and A teams.

“We probably won’t be in a position to confirm the final 17 until Friday morning,” Dixon said. “One or two of the players have knocks and we are hoping they will be fit but if they are not then Gil and Barrie will be named.

“This is a very exciting time for us as we are looking to provide the long term sustainability for the rugby league code in Wales. There are a number of players coming through the ranks who will have a chance to shine on Friday night and it will be a massive step for them. These players are the long-term future of Wales and they are all looking forward to the game.”

Because of injuries to experienced campaigners Anthony Blackwood, Luke Dyer, Aaron Summers, Gareth Dean, Gareth Price, Rob Roberts, Bryn Powell and Matt James, the 19-man Wales squad includes eight new caps with six of them guaranteed an appearance on Friday night.

Rhys Griffiths, son of former Wales and Great Britain boss Clive, is one of the newcomers. He has been plying his trade with Castleford Tigers while Rhys Williams of Warrington Wolves has also experienced beating England this year as he was alongside Dudson in the victorious Wales under 18 squad.

Gateshead Thunder’s Matt Barron, a former Wales Students, Wales under 19 and Great Britain student international will make his debut, while in addition to Dudson and Phillips, Crusaders’ Geraint Davies and Ben Flower are also named for the first time as is Lee Williams, who was also in the Wales A squad who beat England in July.

Former Wales and Great Britain star John Devereux knows how difficult it will be for Wales against an experienced England side.

“It will be a tough game for us,” said the current Welsh team manager, who won 11 Welsh caps during the 1990s.

“England are good opposition for us, but due to the amount of youngsters in the team including a lot of homegrown players, things look good for the future. Celtic Crusaders have a good base of players in the squad but we also have a number of boys in the squad who are based up north and have played a number of times for Wales as well. I don’t think there’s anyone in the squad over 30 years of age now. It’s a good blend.”

Devereux was in the World Cup squads in 1995 and 2000, but missed Wales’ 18-16 win over the English at Ninian Park in 1995 through injury.

“We had a great side in 1995. That was a young squad as well with the likes of Iestyn Harris and Keiron Cunningham coming through. Now we’re rebuilding again.

“We’ve a lot of a youngsters from the Crusaders and from other clubs such as Rhys Griffiths from Castleford and Rhys Williams from Warrington. The future of Welsh Rugby League is looking brighter all the time.”

England team: Shaun Briscoe (Hull Kingston Rovers); Peter Fox (Hull Kingston Rovers), Michael Shenton (Castleford Tigers), Paul Sykes (Bradford Bulls), Mark Calderwood (Wigan Warriors); Martin Gleeson (Warrington Wolves, capt), Richie Myler (Salford City Reds); Stuart Fielden (Wigan Warriors), Mickey Higham (Wigan Warriors), Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), Gareth Hock (Wigan Warriors), Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves), Rob Purdham (Harlequins). Subs: David Hodgson (Huddersfield Giants), Jamie Langley (Bradford Bulls), Darrell Griffin (Huddersfield Giants), Tony Clubb (Harlequins).

Wales (probable): Dave Halley (Bradford Bulls), Damien Gibson (Halifax), Aled James (Celtic Crusaders), Lee Williams (Celtic Crusaders), Rhys Williams (Warrington Wolves), Mark Lennon (Celtic Crusaders), Ian Watson (Leigh Centurions), Craig Kopzcak (Bradford Bulls), Sean Penkywicz (Halifax), David Mills (Hull Kingston Rovers, capt), Ben Flower (Celtic Crusaders), Geraint Davies (Celtic Crusaders), Andy Bracek (Warrington Wolves). Subs: Ian Webster (Celtic Crusaders), Rhys Griffiths (Castleford Tigers), Jordan James (Celtic Crusaders), Matt Barron (Gateshead Thunder). In reserve: Gil Dudson (Celtic Crusaders), Barrie Phillips (Celtic Crusaders)

[jim]

England thrash Wales

Friday 10th October 08

England warmed up for the World Cup with a record 14-try 74-0 rout of an outclassed Wales at Doncaster.

Even without the Leeds Rhinos and St Helens players who will make up the bulk of their side in Australia, England had too much pace and power for a youthful and limited Wales team playing under new coach John Dixon for the first time.

There were 10 different tryscorers as Tony Smith's men smashed England's previous best win over Wales, a 60-13 triumph at St Helens in 1978, in a one-sided romp in front of an 11,263 crowd at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Fittingly it was Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, one of two genuine Cockneys and one of three Harlequins RL players, who scored the try that broke the record.

Of the eight Australia-bound players, hooker Mickey Higham, loose forward Rob Purdham and winger Mark Calderwood did most to press their claims for a place in England's team for their opening World Cup match against Papua New Guinea on October 25.

Man of the match Purdham contributed 20 points with a try and eight goals while captain Martin Gleeson demonstrated his class even playing out of position at stand-off with a brace of tries.

Poor Wales had three tries disallowed by video referee Ashley Klein but they could hardly complain after being outclassed from start to finish.

Veteran scrum-half Ian Watson came up with clever tactical kicks to give the Dragons some early ascendancy and pacey full-back David Halley caught the eye with an early counter-attack but he was soon busy in defence as the white tide gathered momentum.

It was largely one-way traffic from the moment Purdham, making his full international debut, sidestepped past some wafer-thin defence for the first of eight first-half tries just five minutes into the match.

Wales were constantly rocked by the dummy-half running of Higham, who frequently put Gleeson into holes in the Welsh defence, while out wide they were badly exposed by the searing pace of Calderwood.

Gleeson and centre Paul Sykes both scored two tries apiece and others came from Calderwood, full-back Shaun Briscoe and 18-year-old scrum half Richard Myler before half-time, England led 42-0.

Wales trailed 36-0 when they created their first clear-cut scoring chance but centre Aled James, one of seven Celtic Crusaders players, was denied by the video referee.

It took England less than a minute of the second half to extend their lead, with second rower Gareth Hock's trademark offload enabling substitute Tony Clubb to register a try on debut with his first memorable touch.

Hock quickly followed Clubb over the line to bring up England's half-century and they demonstrated their eagerness to keep their own line intact when centre Michael Shenton bundled Wales winger Damien Gibson into the corner flag.

England looked likely to score with every move and even young Myler did not look out of place among the class acts as he finished off a break by Purdham to claim his second try.

McCarthy-Scarsbrook plunged over from close range on 55 minutes for his side's 12th try, which broke the record, the gifted Myler carved out a second try for Briscoe and winger Peter Fox grabbed the 14th and final try to put the seal on an emphatic win.

[Marv]

sort of what we expected, good crowd in the end though.

[kuwaitikev]

Does anyone know where I can find some pictures of this game? In particular the dogs breakfast new Welsh jersey?