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Rugby World Cup 2007

BoyBach said:
I'm Welsh and I smiled when Mortlock put Thomas out of the game. The prick deserved it! :mad:
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Indeed, and most of the Welsh guys I know think the same.

BoyBach said:
Can't we have him back in Wales? Please?

FWIW, I think Richard Hill will be installed as head coach/manager of England before next years Six Nations tournament.
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It depends on how much balls the RFU have. Richard Hill will be an England manager at some point but I don't think he's quite ready for it - not considering how far England have fallen.

I know Graham Henry isn't loved in Wales but he did a good job considering the fallout that was going on around him.

Without wishing to sound rude Welsh club & international rugby is in as much of a state as the English game, perhaps, if it's possible, even more so.

The "Welsh Way" is supposed to be about winning.

The Home Nations need to lock their international boards and the club reps into a room and not let them out until they reach an agreement. If that means central contracts, or the RFU/ WRFU compensating the clubs then so be it.

European club rugby is thriving but the national game is in dire straights. We need to sort it out if only to wipe the smug grins off all those Kiwis, Wallabies and Springboks :D;)
 
Nickygoat said:
Indeed, and most of the Welsh guys I know think the same.



It depends on how much balls the RFU have. Richard Hill will be an England manager at some point but I don't think he's quite ready for it - not considering how far England have fallen.

I know Graham Henry isn't loved in Wales but he did a good job considering the fallout that was going on around him.

Without wishing to sound rude Welsh club & international rugby is in as much of a state as the English game, perhaps, if it's possible, even more so.

The "Welsh Way" is supposed to be about winning.

The Home Nations need to lock their international boards and the club reps into a room and not let them out until they reach an agreement. If that means central contracts, or the RFU/ WRFU compensating the clubs then so be it.

European club rugby is thriving but the national game is in dire straights. We need to sort it out if only to wipe the smug grins off all those Kiwis, Wallabies and Springboks :D;)
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I think your clutching at straws if you think Wales are in worse shape that England. I don't think I've seen England play that badly since the 80's

The regional structure in Wales is a bit better because the welsh management can insist that players are rested before international games, unlike in England were the clubs seem to go out of there way to Pi$$ off the RFU. The main problem is that the welsh regions don't play enough high intensity games in the Magners League.

Unfortunatley for Wales were stuck with the Eeyore like Gareth Jenkins ( The peoples choice 2006) as head coach, he's clearly out of his league.

Anyway I spent £85 to go to the game, surrounded by half of Australia so i had a bloody great time...


NOT
 
Once again Wales flattered to deceive! If it was football I'd use the rubbish cliché of "a good team that plays badly and wins" but Wales problems appear to be terminal - hey ho!

Anyway, at least Mike Phillips played well at scrum-half and in Japans first score we saw the try of the tournament.


I'm looking forward to tonight's game. I fancy it'll be a tight game with France to win.
 
Well, it looks like Ireland are as good as out after another lacklustre performance.

The kick from Michalak to set-up the first French try was simply sublime!

As for tomorrows England vs. Samoa match, it's got to be an England win (surely) - but with lots of bruises! ;)
 
BoyBach said:
Well, it looks like Ireland are as good as out after another lacklustre performance.

The kick from Michalak to set-up the first French try was simply sublime!

As for tomorrows England vs. Samoa match, it's got to be an England win (surely) - but with lots of bruises! ;)
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Looks like Ireland won't progress further in the world cup. Not a big surprise after this year performances compared to last year.

Not sure about the England - Samoa game. There could be a surprise coming up.
 
DAC47 said:
I think your clutching at straws if you think Wales are in worse shape that England. I don't think I've seen England play that badly since the 80's

The regional structure in Wales is a bit better because the welsh management can insist that players are rested before international games, unlike in England were the clubs seem to go out of there way to Pi$$ off the RFU. The main problem is that the welsh regions don't play enough high intensity games in the Magners League.

Unfortunatley for Wales were stuck with the Eeyore like Gareth Jenkins ( The peoples choice 2006) as head coach, he's clearly out of his league.

Anyway I spent £85 to go to the game, surrounded by half of Australia so i had a bloody great time...


NOT
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Clutching at straws? Hmmm

Since England won the World Cup and began their fall from grace they've won 10 6 Nations matches. Wales have won 9, including their Grand Slam.

England have also scored more points (541 vs 442) and conceded fewer (423 vs 441)

No Welsh club has made it to the final of the Heineken Cup, although the Scarlets made the semis last season, and the quarters in 2003/2004.

The Magners League can't really be to blame as Munster & Leinster regularly make the semis & quarters and Munster won in 2006.

The infighting that saw Mike Ruddock leave is symptomatic of the way European rugby is at the moment. I agree with you BTW about the relationship between the RFU and EPL. The RFU are blinkered, short sighted and unimaginative. Will Carling's jibe about "old farts" still holds true.

I'll also agree with you that England haven't played that badly since the '80s.

Can they recover today against Samoa? I'm not sure.

I'm fully expecting Johnny Wilkinson to fall down the steps of the team bus and take out both himself and Olly Barkley :p

Also expecting the Springboks to thump Tonga.

EDIT: Maybe not - what the hell is Pretorius doing?
 
Well Australia looked very polished, although the Fiji defence rattled them a bit.

Entertaining game for the most part and a couple of good tries.

Now for the All Blacks and the Scotland B (????) team.
 
Very unimpressed by the All Blacks - unnecessary handling errors - especially compared with the snicker-snack Aussies. Good game by Scotland in the first half ... what could an "A" side have achieved?
 
Is everyone ready for this weekends all important matches?

I have a couple of cans of Murphys cooling in the fridge for tonight's England vs. Tonga match, and will be in the pub for a 'watching the rugby/going away drink' for tomorrows games.


Anyway, here are my predictions for the quarter finals (no surprises, except for maybe Italy?):

Australia vs. England
New Zealand vs. France (in Cardiff? Completely ridiculous! :mad: )
South Africa vs. Wales
Argentina vs. Italy
 
After the NZ - Romania match the question for Graham Henry is: are the All Black errors complacency against a couple of the weaker teams, lack of practice or a sign of something worse?

If they keep it up then Betsen, Burger & co will be happy :)

It's clear from the TV coverage and his column in the Sunday Times that Sean Fitzpatrick really doesn't like Reuben Thorne. Anyone know why?

Chris Latham must be even more happy after seeing England's poor tactical kicking game.

England really need to step up a gear next week.
 
Nickygoat said:
...are the All Black errors complacency against a couple of the weaker teams, lack of practice or a sign of something worse?
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None of the above. It's all part of an incredibly cunning master plan to lull the opposition into a false sense of security.
 
Blue Velvet said:
None of the above. It's all part of an incredibly cunning master plan to lull the opposition into a false sense of security.
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Like Baldrick? :p


Jasonbot said:
Scotland 12 10 Italy. What is Kaplan doing, he's really messing up as a referee that yellow was uncalled for!
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Which one? Bergamasco or Hines?

Kaplan is more of a Northern hemisphere ref in terms of his interpretation of the laws ;)
 
Did you miss the Wales - Fiji game?

Surprised no posting regarding the first unexpected team in the quarters - Fiji.

I didn't see the game, but saw the surprise this morning on BBC. Scotland was not the far off to follow Wales on the trip back home... would have been an interesting scenario with England the only home nation team in the quarters (with Ireland still having a theoretical chance to make the quarters though)

On medium and long term I can only recommend the northern hemisphere unions not to buy all the stars from the southern hemisphere that will suffocate their own young talents.

I think last season in the English premier ship there were more foreigners than English in the important scrum/fly half positions! Similar tendencies in Wales and Ireland.
 
I think the All Blacks will be entirely happy to meet France in Cardiff... it will give them the tough game they need to sharpen up before any semi-final. Mind you, I'm not assuming anything as far as France goes; I've got a long memory. Roll on next weekend when I can finally get to see some games.
 
Yesterdays Wales vs. Fiji match was fantastically entertaining - it's just a shame about the result! ;)

At least Gareth Jenkins has finally been removed from his position as coach - he and the WRU have only moved Welsh rugby back five years during his tenure. :rolleyes:

...

I thought that Argentina were immense against Ireland today. I don't think many teams will be looking forward to facing them over the coming rounds.
 
BoyBach said:
I thought that Argentina were immense against Ireland today. I don't think many teams will be looking forward to facing them over the coming rounds.
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I'd have to agree. I don't think Scotland will be looking forward to playing Argentina. According to Wikipedia we've played them 6 times and only managed to win once so far...
 
Quarter-finals weekend

Predictions for this weekend's matches? Mine:

Australia v England, 21-9
New Zealand v France, 24-15 (fingers crossed)
Argentina v Scotland, 31-9
South Africa v Fiji, 38-6
 
mac nerds talking about rugby, like any of you have a clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(i hope to be a demi god one day, but i have to leave my computer from time to time to play footy)
 
Kuma76 said:
mac nerds talking about rugby, like any of you have a clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(i hope to be a demi god one day, but i have to leave my computer from time to time to play footy)
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Most of us do have a clue what we're talking about. Aussies don't care about Union, anyway... Most of us are just Mac users, not nerds. And just for that comment I hope Australia get tanked by England. And you'll never be a demi-god unless you pay $25.
 
Nice to see England back in form.

Good result.
Wallabies looked dangerous at times but nicely shut down.
 
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