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Rugby World Cup 2011

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Sooooooo unless France beat the Kiwi's, we deffo see a European side in the Final.

QF's:

Aussies v SA
Kiwi's V Argies/Scots

*Winners of the above 2 QF's play each other in the semi's*

Wales/Samoa v Ireland
England V France

*Winners of the above 2 QF's play each other in the semi's*
 
Ireland were awesome today. A try would have capped it, but everyone in the pack was amazing. Ferris and O'Brien were spectacular in the loose, the front 3 dominated at the scrum (which was the platform for the victory) and O'Connell was imperious in pretty much everything he did.

We needed a challenge like the Aussies to make us switch on, and I'd pretty much bet on a much less convincing game against the Spags. I'd actually much prefer to play the Boks than Wales to be honest. I think we'd rise to that challenge better than facing the Welsh who we know too well.
 
A few things need to be said first - Australia losing Pocock and Moore before kickoff was a big deal for us today. Pocock is up there with the best on the deck and that Oz replacement Hooker was dire. As well as that Australia misplaced the last pass on three or four occasions in our 22. It could have been a different game very easily, but it wouldn't have been a deserved victory for Australia IMO .

I think we were all right to be worried before the game, the prep didn't look great but it looks like Kidney and the back room team had us ready to hit form when required.

The first Ireland game I think I ever saw was Ireland v Australia on the 31st of October 1992, I was on the South Terrace at Lansdowne Road for it. In the 19 years I've been watching rugby that is quite easily the most dominant forwards performance I've ever seen from an Irish pack. The intensity and aggression that was missing previously was evident in abundance. 1-8 fought for everything, everywhere. Our front row pretty much owned the scrums for 76 mins until Ross went off. Healy is a deserved MOTM, and he also won the title of "The man Rosco would least like to have to share a prison cell with long term". You wouldn't stand a chance. O'Brien is going to leave this World Cup a star, Ferris had a big game too - and had my favourite moment of the match when he picked Genia up and carried him for about 7 yards.

The old rugby adage "the forwards decide who wins the game, the backs decide by how much" was true today and I don't think we were all that good in the backline. Sexton left some easy points on the table, but we were never really incisive with our back line play. O'Driscoll and D'Arcy didn't offer much in the middle, Earls was so so.

I'm still fucking delighted though.
 
Great result tonight. A pub full of Aussies went very f**king quiet.

Actually it was a very interesting night for sport over here with 2 very big Rugby League & Aussie Rules games on at the same time... both were very, very close games.
 
I was in Dublin's big Aussie bar (the Woolshed) for the game this morning Stevie. Same reaction.
 
Well that was f*cking brilliant.

We were brilliant in the tackle and in the scrum.

But our backs were average at best. Sexton missed very kickable chances.

O'Gara's kicking was rubbish from open play.

We had far to many handling errors and we got lucky a few times when the Aussies final pass let them down.

I'm actually shocked we won so easily without actually playing that well from no9-15.

Melbourne pub I was in was f*cking nuts!
 
Boks were great today it seems, 46 straight points after 3-3 at 20 minutes ... There is some serious talent on this team - I just wonder will they play like they did today, or like they did against Wales?
 
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=45879.msg1399910#msg1399910 date=1316250546]
The Springboks didn't look a fading side today.

[/quote]

With mainly the same players involved who played so well against the Lions and won the WC 4 years ago, do you think this SA side is anywhere near as good as the team was back then?

Personally i don't mate.
 
All i can say is i'm glad that game is over and done with.


I wonder why the tri nations sides are willing to let the Argies join their comp but not the Samaons?
 
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1400272#msg1400272 date=1316327612]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=45879.msg1399910#msg1399910 date=1316250546]
The Springboks didn't look a fading side today.

[/quote]

With mainly the same players involved who played so well against the Lions and won the WC 4 years ago, do you think this SA side is anywhere near as good as the team was back then?

Personally i don't mate.
[/quote]

The Fiji captain said the team is better now than it was 4 years ago ... I guess that's because of the result, but I'd be very wary of the Boks ... Don't judge them on their poor performance against your lads.
 
I'm not Wiz.

Of course the SA's will remain a threat, but you're kidding yourself if you think that this side is not on the slide (imo of course).

Age seems to be catching up with a number of your star players.
 
That is true, and Habana has been poor for the better part of the last year. However, there are some really talented youngsters there.

But there's a lot of 'young' talent there Brüssow (25), Louw (26), F Steyn (24) & M Styen (26) and quite a few 27/28 year olds ...

I don't know about other squads, but the average age of the Boks squad is 27.5 ...
 
Yeah im aware of those players Wiz, most of them were part of the lions tour right?

I'm not saying that you're shite and should be written off as useless..........Far from it mate.

I rated this very same SA side as probably one of the best i've seen play the game. With basically the same group of players they've won the WC, tri nations and defeated the Lions, so they've proved their class. Wether it's age, numerous serious injuries having an impact, not the same hunger for the game i really don't know, but anyone who has watched that team play back then, can not seriously say this current side is anywhere near the same vintage.
 
Yep.

Not sure there is much between them and Italy tbh. It might not be long before we can see another team enter the six nations or maybe even have a relegation/promotion system introduced.
 
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1400283#msg1400283 date=1316332271]
Yeah im aware of those players Wiz, most of them were part of the lions tour right?

I'm not saying that you're shite and should be written off as useless..........Far from it mate.

I rated this very same SA side as probably one of the best i've seen play the game. With basically the same group of players they've won the WC, tri nations and defeated the Lions, so they've proved their class. Wether it's age, numerous serious injuries having an impact, not the same hunger for the game i really don't know, but anyone who has watched that team play back then, can not seriously say this current side is anywhere near the same vintage.
[/quote]

Ah, with that I agree ...
 
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=45879.msg1400289#msg1400289 date=1316333025]
If Georgia had a kicker that game could actually have been interesting.
[/quote]

Nah. We were always going to pull away from them in the final quarter, given the effort they'd had to put in to do so well until then.

There's still a lot England have to put right, but my mind goes back to 2003 and our first game against the Springboks, whom we beat by a 15-point margin without playing any better than we did today, in fact probably less well. I said to someone that very day that we were going to win the whole thing. I'm not making the same forecast now, but those of you who would love to write England off had better keep your powder dry yet awhile.
 
I'm not writing England off, and I agree that Georgia were always going to get beat. However they could have went into the final quarter not too far from parity if they'd kicked better is all.

You're a touchy one JJ when it comes to England!
 
Well, I know I'm up against a gang of Celts here, so like the old Pontypool front row I get my retaliation in first. 😉
 
The scoreline of the France game was a little bit flattering, Canada ran them close for about 65 mins.
 
Beat me to it. On that evidence a side with comparable physical commitment and more talent outside the scrum will have definite chances against them.
 
All of the 'lesser' nations have done themselves proud. The Canadians win the prize for best facial hair by a country mile. Serious beardage that makes yer English man look like he's wearing the bum-fluff of a pre-pubescent lad.

kleeberger-adam-110915.jpg
 
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1400072#msg1400072 date=1316278856]
I was in Dublin's big Aussie bar (the Woolshed) for the game this morning Stevie. Same reaction.
[/quote]

It's funny... I reckon most of the Aussies over here went to watch the game in Irish pubs.

All Blacks pull the biggest crowds though.

I could almost guarantee DB was in an Irish pub & O'Hare wasn't.

Minds you the timing for the games over here couldn't be any better.
 
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=45879.msg1401025#msg1401025 date=1316359026]
All of the 'lesser' nations have done themselves proud. The Canadians win the prize for best facial hair by a country mile. Serious beardage that makes yer English man look like he's wearing the bum-fluff of a pre-pubescent lad.

kleeberger-adam-110915.jpg

[/quote]

Looks like the guy from whom I sometimes buy the "Big Issue".
 
[quote author=StevieM link=topic=45879.msg1401273#msg1401273 date=1316364695]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1400072#msg1400072 date=1316278856]
I was in Dublin's big Aussie bar (the Woolshed) for the game this morning Stevie. Same reaction.
[/quote]

It's funny... I reckon most of the Aussies over here went to watch the game in Irish pubs.

All Blacks pull the biggest crowds though.

I could almost guarantee DB was in an Irish pub & O'Hare wasn't.

Minds you the timing for the games over here couldn't be any better.
[/quote]

And you'd be correct. In an Austrlian bar, and loved it.
 
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=45879.msg1401629#msg1401629 date=1316398854]
[quote author=StevieM link=topic=45879.msg1401273#msg1401273 date=1316364695]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1400072#msg1400072 date=1316278856]
I was in Dublin's big Aussie bar (the Woolshed) for the game this morning Stevie. Same reaction.
[/quote]

It's funny... I reckon most of the Aussies over here went to watch the game in Irish pubs.

All Blacks pull the biggest crowds though.

I could almost guarantee DB was in an Irish pub & O'Hare wasn't.

Minds you the timing for the games over here couldn't be any better.
[/quote]

And you'd be correct. In an Austrlian bar, and loved it.
[/quote]

Mate... you got to come in for the next Liverpool game..... we're pulling big crowds.

Grand Final Day will be absolutely mental - AFL Grand Final, followed by England Vs Scotland, followed by Merseyside Derby... massive.

Actually, we're pulling big crowds for the RWC as well - mostly the NZ games, decent crowd for Aussie games.

Melbourne's new home of Sport... I tell ya...
 
Interesting French team:

France Traille, Clerc, Rougerie, Mermoz, Médard, Parra, 9-Dimitri Yachvili, Picamoles, Bonnaire, Dusautoir (capt), Nallet, Pape, Ducalcon, Szarzewski, Poux. Replacements Servat, Barcella, Pierre, Harinordoquy, Trinh-Duc, Estebanez, Heymans.

Dropping Servat is a big call, as is Parra at 10.
 
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