The Rugby Thread

[E17yid]

I assume you guys want the 6N to cancel the 2 2 week breaks you get in the 6N then. Is that why you don’t win many grand slams? You’re to undercooked?

 

[SugarRay]

The thing about France thesedays is, they aren’t France at all anymore. The most predictable team left in the competition bar New Zealand imo. Wales will beat them comfortably imo, France aren’t all that good.

As I’ve said from day one, I don’t trust this English side. Aussies are probably the most unpredictable side left in it. I thought they left points on the pitch against Wales. On paper England should win and with a bit to spare but I think it’ll be a tight affair.

I predict
England v New Zealand
Wales v South Africa

Sticking with my pre tournament prediction of New Zealand - South Africa final.

 

[E17yid]

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:


And will you please stop making the killer point I'm going to make several minutes before I make it.

No killer points in there mate. Only silly ones. The killer points, which none of you have addressed, were all made by moi.

 

[E17yid]

Feel free to chip in @Yid-ol

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Feel free to chip in @Yid-ol

He did!

I will concede that the rest gives England an advantage they wouldn't otherwise have had, but I don't think Jones would have played his 1st XV so it won't be the decisive factor.

Whoever wins out of Australia and England will bow out in the semis anyway, and since no-one remembers the semi-finalists it's all moot.

 

[E17yid]

He did!

I will concede that the rest gives England an advantage they wouldn't otherwise have had, but I don't think Jones would have played his 1st XV so it won't be the decisive factor.

Whoever wins out of Australia and England will bow out in the semis anyway, and since no-one remembers the semi-finalists it's all moot.

Nah, he would’ve gone fully loaded in that one.

I would agree with you re the semis but the red cards in this tournament has definitely made it harder to predict.

Why it was also a shame the Italy v NZ game was called off. You never know, you get a red early on and anything can happen.

 

[E17yid]

The thing about France thesedays is, they aren’t France at all anymore. The most predictable team left in the competition bar New Zealand imo. Wales will beat them comfortably imo, France aren’t all that good.

As I’ve said from day one, I don’t trust this English side. Aussies are probably the most unpredictable side left in it. I thought they left points on the pitch against Wales. On paper England should win and with a bit to spare but I think it’ll be a tight affair.

I predict
England v New Zealand
Wales v South Africa

Sticking with my pre tournament prediction of New Zealand - South Africa final.

I can see what you’re saying and I kind of agree with you but also totally disagree in the sense France have always been, shall we say, a tad inconsistent.

One thing they have been consistent on though is raising their game against top opposition in the knock outs.

We should win, regardless of the extra rest they’ve had, but on their day they can beat the all blacks.

The thing with the Ozzie’s, as is true of most sides, if you allow them quick ball they’re one of the best attacking sides in the world. You saw that in the game against us in the 2nd half. You’ll need Curry and Underhill being a nuisance at the breakdown to slow down that ball. Win the breakdown (and thus nullifying Hooper and Pocock) and you’ll be fine.

Be interesting to see what team they play. I’d be tempted to bring in Kurandrani at 13 to try and nullify Tualagi (which is tough in itself) for your game. Hodge will have served his ban so he’ll be in over Ashley Cooper on the wing. Set piece should be a good battle as the Australian scrum has been good and the had 100% line out success against us.

I agree with TSH, it’ll be tight come HT but you’ll win by a decent-ish margin come full time. If you open up a 10-12 point lead at HT you’ll walk it second half, unlike us who allowed them back into the game.

 

[teok]

I think it will be really interesting to see how japan do in the next 5-10 years. This tournament must have inspired loads of kids watching it. They have loads of resources.

They now just need to be put into one of the top competitions.

 

[E17yid]

I think it will be really interesting to see how japan do in the next 5-10 years. This tournament must have inspired loads of kids watching it. They have loads of resources.

They now just need to be put into one of the top competitions.

Got to be the Rugby Championship. The Sun Wolves play super rugby so it makes sense.

I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this super league either. To be honest, something has got to be done for the tier 2 nations. I was particularly impressed with Uruguay this tournament. Russia less so but considering they got beat by Jersey in the warm ups they didn’t do to bad.

Sad how the Pacific islands have fallen away a bit (more so Samoa and Tonga then Fiji) but they’d benefit so much from playing against tier 1 teams more regularly.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Got to be the Rugby Championship. The Sun Wolves play super rugby so it makes sense.

I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this super league either. To be honest, something has got to be done for the tier 2 nations. I was particularly impressed with Uruguay this tournament. Russia less so but considering they got beat by Jersey in the warm ups they didn’t do to bad.

Sad how the Pacific islands have fallen away a bit (more so Samoa and Tonga then Fiji) but they’d benefit so much from playing against tier 1 teams more regularly.

The island teams are never going to get to that level now, in such a professional sport. Population isn't everything of course, but Samoa and Tonga are less than 1/3 the size of Croydon!

 

[E17yid]

The island teams are never going to get to that level now, in such a professional sport. Population isn't everything of course, but Samoa and Tonga are less than 1/3 the size of Croydon!

Yeah, Fiji is still a small country but it’s a lot bigger than Samoa and Tonga. They may not get to tier 1 level but they could definitely improve. Look at Japan and how much they’ve benefited from their time together. It’s hard/almost impossible, though, you’re right.

 

[E17yid]

It’s a shame Tonga couldn’t get that win against France.

I bet Fiji are kicking themselves in that Uruguay game. Had they played their best team they would’ve won which would’ve made me shit my pants even more than I did when they played us.

 

[E17yid]

I’m going for

NZ by 12
England by 14
SA by 15
Wales by 4

 

[SugarRay]

I can see what you’re saying and I kind of agree with you but also totally disagree in the sense France have always been, shall we say, a tad inconsistent.

One thing they have been consistent on though is raising their game against top opposition in the knock outs.

We should win, regardless of the extra rest they’ve had, but on their day they can beat the all blacks.

The thing with the Ozzie’s, as is true of most sides, if you allow them quick ball they’re one of the best attacking sides in the world. You saw that in the game against us in the 2nd half. You’ll need Curry and Underhill being a nuisance at the breakdown to slow down that ball. Win the breakdown (and thus nullifying Hooper and Pocock) and you’ll be fine.

Be interesting to see what team they play. I’d be tempted to bring in Kurandrani at 13 to try and nullify Tualagi (which is tough in itself) for your game. Hodge will have served his ban so he’ll be in over Ashley Cooper on the wing. Set piece should be a good battle as the Australian scrum has been good and the had 100% line out success against us.

I agree with TSH, it’ll be tight come HT but you’ll win by a decent-ish margin come full time. If you open up a 10-12 point lead at HT you’ll walk it second half, unlike us who allowed them back into the game.

Traditionally, the French are unpredictable. That’s obviously well known.
This current French team are utterly predictable, especially when compared to their sides of the past. They aren’t very good and will crumble at any sign of pressure from a good side.
This French side would never beat the all blacks imo.

Of course, I could be wrong and they have previous in world cups for doing the business when it comes to knockout stages but this lot are meek and Wales will have the game wrapped up by the 60 minute mark ( not by a huge score but will be two scores ahead and then just squeeze the French out of it )

 

[talkshowhost86]

I think we can all agree that if Wales don't win the World Cup it will be for the following reasons and in this order:

1.Refs
2.Refs
3.Injuries (that no other countries have)
4.Refs
5.Typhoons
6.Brexit (which they caused)
7.The fact that Pluto isn't a planet anymore
8-99.Various things probably attributed to Edward I
100.Wales not being the best team in the world.

 

[E17yid]

I think we can all agree that if Wales don't win the World Cup it will be for the following reasons and in this order:

1.Refs
2.Refs
3.Injuries (that no other countries have)
4.Refs
5.Typhoons
6.Brexit (which they caused)
7.The fact that Pluto isn't a planet anymore
8-99.Various things probably attributed to Edward I
100.Wales not being the best team in the world.

Swap 3 and 5 and you’ve nailed it.

 

[tototoner]

Neil Francis doesn't hold back on the All Blacks with these comments

Rugby World Cup pundit's bitter attack on 'cheating' All Blacks

He's let rip over the preferential treatment he believes New Zealand get

www.walesonline.co.uk

Rugby World Cup pundit's astonishing attack on 'cheating' All Blacks who've been given 'diplomatic immunity' by referees

 

[talkshowhost86]

Neil Francis doesn't hold back on the All Blacks with these comments

Rugby World Cup pundit's bitter attack on 'cheating' All Blacks

He's let rip over the preferential treatment he believes New Zealand get

www.walesonline.co.uk

Rugby World Cup pundit's astonishing attack on 'cheating' All Blacks who've been given 'diplomatic immunity' by referees

Another one to add to the list of conspiracy idiots. Each country has them sadly.

Very much looking forward to his article on how unlucky Ireland were to lose by 30 points in the quarter final.

FWIW I think New Zealand do get preferential treatment at times. But this sort of conspiracy theory 'journalism' is just idiotic and actually hides some of the actual problems.

 

['O Zio]

Neil Francis doesn't hold back on the All Blacks with these comments

Rugby World Cup pundit's bitter attack on 'cheating' All Blacks

He's let rip over the preferential treatment he believes New Zealand get

www.walesonline.co.uk

Rugby World Cup pundit's astonishing attack on 'cheating' All Blacks who've been given 'diplomatic immunity' by referees

As well as just generally being a stupid article, it's pretty poor taste to talk about diplomatic immunity like that given everything that's going on at the moment

 

[teok]

Walesonline are notorious for being idiots.