Aussies Can Continue Domination With Four Nations Victory | Thebigtip

With two matches already played in the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations, it is the same old familiar feelings that permeate through the nostrils of the sport, that the Australians are once again about to go home with the trophy!

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Australia opened up this year’s tournament with an emphatic victory over defending champions, New Zealand in front of over 12,000 at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium, running out 26-12 winners, scoring five tries to the Kiwi’s two in the process and looking very much the better team.

Little wonder why therefore that the bookmakers have made Tim Sheens’ team the 4/11 favourites in the latest Rugby League odds to win the tournament for the second time under its current format and for the fifth time in all adopted formats used.

Meanwhile, England coach, Steve McNamara, was very happy with his side’s opening performance against outsiders, Wales in Leigh. They won the match very comfortably by 42-4, with full back, Sam Tomkins notching up four tries, including one in the opening minute. England in fact scored eight tries in total, in a match, that to all intents and purposes became a rout and one in which stand-off, Kevin Sinfield dictated the play with great panache.

McNamara however now knows that the biggest test for England will come this Saturday afternoon in Round Two, when they take on the Kangaroos at Wembley Stadium. England know that they will have their work cut out to win this match, but that said, they also know that they have plenty of match winners in their own ranks to cause a shock result. Concentration will be the ‘name of the game’ this week and if they get that right for the full 80 minutes than anything is possible.

The Australian team of course will be full of world class talent, none more so than scrum half, Darren Lockyer, a long time ‘pain in the English side’. He is making his last trip to England before retirement, but he remains a major part of the Aussie spine, which also includes Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston, all of whom will be in the starting line up on Saturday.

Australia have been made the 2/11 odds on favourites to win the match, while England fans, might well be tempted to back their team at 11/2. They should certainly back Sam Tomkins at even money to finish the tournament’s top try scorer, particularly after his four try start against Wales last week.

The England v Australia game of course is the second part of the Four Nations Wembley double-header on Saturday, with the Wales v New Zealand game preceding it. There will be no surprises for guessing the likely winner of this match, particularly as the Kiwis have been made 1/41 odds on to come out on top!

England no doubt will believe that they can find a way to overcome Australia but they know that the more winnable game will come next week against New Zealand at Hull. That match will effectively decide of which of the two teams, meets Australia in the final at Leeds on 19^th November.

New Zealand, dependent on Saturday’s results, are likely to start as clear odds on favourites to win that game, but a determined England, on home soil are more than capable of an upset.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />