Arnoldtoo
The thinking ape's ape
- May 18, 2006
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And don't forget he tried to kill Sherlock Holmes. Bastard.
The Rugby Thread
- Thread starter tototoner
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And don't forget he tried to kill Sherlock Holmes. Bastard.
- Oct 2, 2004
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More than happy to let Poirot and his chums wander past him today though.
Arnoldtoo
The thinking ape's ape
- May 18, 2006
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- Oct 2, 2004
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You do know Poirot was Belgian don't you ...
And Wales STILL did very little about him!
Useless.
DaiT
Well-Known Member
- Jan 29, 2011
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Except in 1987 !
Palmer Stoat
Well-Known Member
- Aug 27, 2013
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Springbok defence is formidable, prob the best in the world. Reckon they also have the most brutish forward pack. They don't dazzle in attack like some teams, but I don't reckon they need to against Wales.
E17yid
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- Jan 21, 2013
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We played them twice in 2018. Won both of them, 1 game by 2 points and the other by 9. I see it being a similar result but you’d have to make SA slight favourites.
I agree that they don’t dazzle in attack and like you rightly say they don’t need to to beat us. During the Grand Slam our defence was statistically the best in the world, if we can get that back then it’s going to be close. Possibly only 1 or 2 tries with the goal kickers playing a crucial part. Either way it’s going to be a savage game. Mind you, most games against SA are pretty brutal. No doubt the better game of rugby (or the game that will be easier on the eye) will be the NZ England match.
- Oct 2, 2004
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It is slightly odd isn't it?
Feels like England's World Cup only really started against Australia, and it'll probably end against New Zealand. After four years of build up it all feels a bit anti-climactic.
Still I suspect the semi-final was a realistic aim based on how we've been the last couple of years, and if and when we do lose to the All Blacks it will hardly be a failure.
dirtyh
One Skin, two skin.....
- Jun 24, 2011
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ffs. being lucky with injuries is as much a part of winning things as anything else imo. praying jd makes it for the semi.
teok
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- Aug 11, 2011
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Absolutely, no shame in losing to this NZ side. I'm not expecting any thing else which is why I don't really feel nervous or any thing. It just all seems a bit flat now.
teok
Well-Known Member
- Aug 11, 2011
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Also sorry for multiple posts. I watched wasps yesterday against london irish. Jack Willis was incredible and got 6 turnovers. If people don't remember he was on the verge of touring SA with england a year or ago and got a really bad long term injury.
He's another really promising back row (sort of like a mixture between curry and underhill but with really great carrying). Worth the hype imo.
He's another really promising back row (sort of like a mixture between curry and underhill but with really great carrying). Worth the hype imo.
E17yid
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- Jan 21, 2013
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I reckon J Davies will be alright. He was obviously very close to playing against France but withdrew himself.
Even if he’s not I’d just play him to be honest. Firstly, this is a massive game and we really bloody need all our best players playing (even more so now Navidi isn’t playing) secondly, I could see the logic in him not playing France as we are more then capable of beating France without J Davies then you could say we’ll save him for the semi and make sure he’s ok. We don’t have to think the same way this week as, let’s be honest, even with J Davies playing in the final, we’re not beating NZ. Also, he’s a Scarlett so if he breaks down and we make his injury worse then it’s no loss to the Ospreys.
dirtyh
One Skin, two skin.....
- Jun 24, 2011
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can't disagree with that tbh. Even at 75% i'd still play him even though i thought watkin had a good game yesterday. Just getting to the final will be amazing as no-one is even close to the all black level if they really turn it on. the time to get at them was the quarter final, now they've got a sniff of the trophy it's going to take a sending off or a performance out of this world to beat them.
Japhet
Well-Known Member
- Aug 30, 2010
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We really do have a quite astonishing depth of talent in the back row now. When players like Nathan Hughes and Dave Ewers don't get a sniff along with at least a dozen more of very high quality you know you're in good shape.
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