WORLD CUP WRAP #5 - You need me, I don't need you

Those complaints of a few weeks ago that the World Cup wasn't delivering on the field seem a long time ago now, right? On Friday night, Australia and New Zealand played out one of the finest games of the modern era and it was followed by a nerve-shredding and heartbreaking defeat for England against Samoa.

Semi Finals

There was a surprisingly good crowd of 28,000 at Elland Road to watch the trans-tasman clash on Friday. Expectations were high and these two sides managed to exceed them. New Zealand were a side transformed from the side that stumbled past Fiji six days earlier. Australia were tested in a way that they had not been before in this tournament.

In games so tight you can't help but think of how things may have been different. If Peta Hiku had managed to ground that ball in the corner. If Jordan Rapana would have stayed onside. If Chris Kendall wasn't trying to impress Australian officials by showing that Englishmen can make quick video referee decisions too.

These two sides put on a perfect match on Friday. We saw the very best of our sport. Australia perhaps just deserved to make it through. It was hard not to feel for New Zealand.

On Saturday, it was a case of take me back to London! Despite posting our consistently highest international crowds in the capital, this was our first match here since 2016! IMG, are you listening?

The Rugby League World Cup organisers have previously indicated that many locals purchased tickets for the match at the Emirates. They were royally entertained before the match kicked off with a Siva Tau performed by Samoa, that would give you shivers.

England started better, with Samoa slipping into bad habits of ill-discipline, yet took the lead through Tim Lafai with their first attack. When England reasserted dominance, I thought that falling behind was just a small bump.

It wasn't. England were off their game. Players who have performed well all tournament faltered. Uncharacteristic errors were made. I thought George Williams, Herbie Farnworth and Elliot Whitehead were all magnificent. The first of those two, combined with a nerveless Tommy Makinson conversion sent us to golden point.

In keeping with large parts of the match, England's golden point was an exhibition in how not to manage a match. Samoa took advantage. Stephen Crichton was the hero. They reach their first ever World Cup final and they deserve to be there.

What does the future hold?

For the first time, we have semi-finals with four truly competitive teams. On top of that, Fiji and Tonga who did not make it, I have little doubt would also have competed hard. In just a few short years, we now have six teams who could be classed as elite, up from three.

The lack of a regular international calendar and inexplicable ditching of the Four Nations at a time when it was just about to take off leaves a void. We have no idea when England will next play, or who that will be against.

England have not played Australia since 2017. That wait looks to go. That is a crying shame given the history and magnitude of these matches. We keep one of our biggest matches in abeyance to the detriment of the sport as a whole.

With five of the six competitive international teams in the Pacific Ocean, seeing a Kangaroo on English soil may become an even more rare sight. If Australia want a competitive international, they have four teams who will give them a great contest. And I've not even mentioned Papua New Guinea.

By contrast, for England to have a competitive fixture, those opponents are all based on the other side of the world. There are reports that New Zealand will tour the UK in 2023. I hope these reports are accurate. 

If we've learned anything this tournament, it should be that regular international competition is the cornerstone of a successful sport and that whilst our relationship with Australia is quite like France's with England - you need me, I don't need you.