E17yid
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It was definitely a worse Japan side but as Ray said it was a much worse SA side.
I think you’ve got to put Japan into the Rugby Championship now.
The Rugby Thread
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It was definitely a worse Japan side but as Ray said it was a much worse SA side.
I think you’ve got to put Japan into the Rugby Championship now.
Japhet
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Great stuff from Japan. They certainly looked like a team who have been together for 240 days. They knew exactly what to do in every situation and their organisation was outstanding. I'm glad for the Japanes people after what they've just been through. Bit sorry for Scotland.........nah! not really.
E17yid
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So:
England v Australia
Japan v South Africa
Wales v France
Ireland v NZ
All great games. To be honest all of those teams can beat each other, which is nothing new in the last 8 of the WC but I think it’s a lot closer in this WC
The only shame is France, England and NZ having a big advantage Over the other teams by playing a game less.
England v Australia
Japan v South Africa
Wales v France
Ireland v NZ
All great games. To be honest all of those teams can beat each other, which is nothing new in the last 8 of the WC but I think it’s a lot closer in this WC
The only shame is France, England and NZ having a big advantage Over the other teams by playing a game less.
E17yid
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And the fact that they all play for the Sun Wolves so it’s basically all year round.
Arnoldtoo
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Piece in the Grauniad yesterday about how much of a disadvantage it was for them. "Rest is rust".
England could have gone from potentially being out on their feet after two tough final group games to being undercooked given how easy the Argentina game turned out and of course, the cancellation.
E17yid
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At the end of the day, guys, if you asked any manager, who already had their qualification secured, would you rather play this match against a tier 1 said or would you rather an extra week break there isn’t a manager in the world who’d turn that down.
I’m not totally dismissing the undercooked point but it’s so massively outweighed by the benefits of not playing. As I’ve said, you’re not really undercooked. You’ve played 7 games in 2 months.
I heard someone say, 2 weeks is a long time to not play in tournament rugby. Ummmm, you have 2 x 2 week breaks in the 6 nations FFS. Do you think managers would want to scrap that? Do you think managers worry during the 6N about being undercooked? Of course they don’t. Ideally, you need that time on the training pitch but, more importantly, to give players rest. And that’s the 6N, a tournament where you play 5 games over a much longer period.
The whole demanding aspect of a WC is the amount of games during a shorter period. If you even remove 1 of those games it gives anyone a big advantage. You can solely focus on that 1 knockout game in terms of prep.
We’ve looked out on our feet the last 2 games, the way it should be after a group has finished, we’ve got injuries, knocks, all sorts. All negatives you, France and NZ have avoided.
I’ll admit that it favours NZ the most as they’ve got 1 tough game against SA under their belt. You should’ve had Argentina but that one was ruined. As I say, though, you ask Eddie what he’d prefer? Obviously he’d lie in public and say he’d rather play but he’s coaches are good at lying in public.
I’m not totally dismissing the undercooked point but it’s so massively outweighed by the benefits of not playing. As I’ve said, you’re not really undercooked. You’ve played 7 games in 2 months.
I heard someone say, 2 weeks is a long time to not play in tournament rugby. Ummmm, you have 2 x 2 week breaks in the 6 nations FFS. Do you think managers would want to scrap that? Do you think managers worry during the 6N about being undercooked? Of course they don’t. Ideally, you need that time on the training pitch but, more importantly, to give players rest. And that’s the 6N, a tournament where you play 5 games over a much longer period.
The whole demanding aspect of a WC is the amount of games during a shorter period. If you even remove 1 of those games it gives anyone a big advantage. You can solely focus on that 1 knockout game in terms of prep.
We’ve looked out on our feet the last 2 games, the way it should be after a group has finished, we’ve got injuries, knocks, all sorts. All negatives you, France and NZ have avoided.
I’ll admit that it favours NZ the most as they’ve got 1 tough game against SA under their belt. You should’ve had Argentina but that one was ruined. As I say, though, you ask Eddie what he’d prefer? Obviously he’d lie in public and say he’d rather play but he’s coaches are good at lying in public.
E17yid
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Who wrote this piece, out of interest?
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Fact is nobody knows the costs or benefits until we get to the quarters.
I'm sure the words 'undercooked due to anti-Welsh typhoon' would be the headline in Cardiff if the same thing happened with Wales but we'll just have to wait and see.
I'm sure the words 'undercooked due to anti-Welsh typhoon' would be the headline in Cardiff if the same thing happened with Wales but we'll just have to wait and see.
E17yid
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We do know, though. We hear every day from players and coaches about the dangers of a busy fixture list.
You’re not undercooked. 7 games in 2 months 4 and a half of those games against tier 1 sides. You’re not undercooked. Sorry.
If you lose it won’t be because you’re undercooked. I think this was going to be a close game but now you’ll win this comfortably by 15 points. If you don’t it’s because you’ve bottled it.
CantSmileWithoutYou
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Great game today, glad the Japan Scotland game went ahead.
Also good to see Scotland declare their independence from the Rugby World Cup...
Also good to see Scotland declare their independence from the Rugby World Cup...
Arnoldtoo
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E17yid
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I might read that later.
Edwards did actually say that didn’t he? I’m not sure he was talking about players though but his career. If not he was lying because I am clearly right, as always.
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????
Okay I see where this is going.
And presumably if Wales don't beat the far inferior French it will only be because of fatigue right? Presumably ignoring the 13 changes Wales made today.
I was sort of joking earlier in the tournament when I was talking about you coming up with excuses in advance, but this is impressive.
Anyway...away from Welsh bias I would personally have liked England to have the France game. They haven't had a properly competitive game since March and that worries me. But if they lose to the Aussies it won't be the main reason, particularly as Australia have looked pretty poor in this tournament so far.
That said, I think Australia will be ahead at half time as England are generally slow starters at the best of times. It'll then be a question of how we respond.
Arnoldtoo
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We should also consider that the Welsh team of the 1/4 final will not contain many players from today's team. The majority of the first team have been resting just as much as the French, English & NZers.
Edit:
TSH said:
And will you please stop making the killer point I'm going to make several minutes before I make it.
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So whilst the games should be close, I fully expect NZ, Wales and South Africa to get through.
England v Australia is the hardest one to call as we haven't really see England play yet and Australia have been a bit all over the place. I'll patriotically say England but as I've been since the start of the tournament I'm far from confident.
E17yid
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They’ve got an advantage over us, definitely, but we should be beating France. I’ve not changed my expectations since before the WC, semi final should be a minimum (baring any horrific injury list)
France are an oddity as well in that they are just totally unpredictable. If we lose against them it’ll probe because they’ve turned up (as they often do in the knockout stages).
I think we’re a better team than France, and while I think they’ve got an advantage over us I think that’s outweighed by us being better. I’m happy with the position we’re in.
England Australia is different. Like I said, I would’ve thought you’d win even if you had played France but I was expecting it to be close. All this means now is that you’ll win more comfortably.
Arnoldtoo
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I will definitely have some money on Australia, because they're being quoted at 5/2 and that's just silly.
SA is a shoo-in, unfortunately.
Ireland have done nothing to suggest they are in the form needed to push NZ.
And I really can't see France beating Wales unless Wales have an absolute mare on a par with today's demonstration of how not to score walk-in tries.
SA is a shoo-in, unfortunately.
Ireland have done nothing to suggest they are in the form needed to push NZ.
And I really can't see France beating Wales unless Wales have an absolute mare on a par with today's demonstration of how not to score walk-in tries.
E17yid
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Are you taking the piss. We played our 2 tough games (games we went fully loaded in) prior to the Uruguay game so don’t come up with that point as it’s totally different.
The whole tricky thing about your group and fixture list (as has been proved by stats) was that statistically teams who have their tough group games at the end of their group tend to not do as well. That 1 negative has totally gone out the window. To be fair the Argentina game was out of your hands but France being cancelled has set you up nicely.
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