Rugby World Cup

SLG · Rugby World Cup

Great start (unless you're French Wink

). Who do you think will win it though? NZ huge favourites, but plenty other teams that could beat them on their day.

The Lithgae Jambo · Re: Rugby World Cup

SLG

Well, I think Scotland will have a good competition, especially given the problems at Edinburgh in the run up.

Reluctant Hero

Watched two minutes of the ITV show last night.

"England.... England.... England...."

So I turned it off.

SLG

Shame, it was a really good game last night. Know what you mean though.

azzuri

I'm going to be cheering on New Zealand. I know how much this means to a lot of my Kiwi mates, and to be honest I'm not too bothered about the rugby, but of course I'd like to see Scotland do well.

Watching the All Blacks to them is like watching Scotland play at Hampden for me. It's their religion, and I hope they live up the hype and go all the way.

SLG

NZ did look really impressive in their first game against a half decent Italy team. Think Scotland could be in line for a bit of a humping from NZ as well.

Also be interesting to see how the champions get on against South Africa next week - they looked pretty shocking against the US.

Cymro

Watching the Welsh game now. Really horrible first half and beginning of second half - Wales loosing 17-9 to Canada. Canada have a reputation for being a strong side - pushed France and NZ for a bit a few years ago in one off matches, but this was just embarassing.

Thankfully we've remembered how to play now. Currently leading 42-17 which looks a lot better. Lot of lessons to learn for the next matches though.

New Zeland and Australia have looked truly breathtaking. A Oz NZ final would be immense (or very dull as the cancel eachother out).

Pip

Going in I was thinking France, but after their performance against Argentina I think NZ. Not very patriotic, but my white and red spectacles have been shattered after being cast to the ground in disgust too many times.

RadgeJougal

I'm almost certain it won't be England, despite their claims, and because of their current performance.

Reluctant Hero

You're right RJ.

They got absolutely hammered tonight.

Cymro

Funny wasn't it!

RadgeJougal

But England are going to win!!! I paid my licence fee, and the TV told em so.

Reluctant Hero

Blackleaf

There was nothing "jammy" about our play against Australia. Only a jealous Scots can say that. We were dominant all around against Australia and deserved the victory. It was only a matter of time before England start playing like the World Champions that they are and it just happened to come in the Quarter Finals. If we play like that against France - a team we are more familiar with than Australia as we play them every year in the Six Nations - then we can beat them as well, and probably meet South Africa in the Final. The scary thing for the other teams is that England seem to be getting better and better with every game and that Wilkinson still isn't at his best.....yet.

Also it was good to beat those arrogant, cocky, whingeing Aussies and to knock thm out of the World Cup for the third time in the last four tournaments.

I've only got one thing to say to them: Everyone may "hate the English", as you said a few days ago, but everyone loves the sight of a crying Australian.

Blackleaf

Blackleaf

I tell you something: It's only 18:25 and I'm already feeling nervous and absolutely shitting myself. Imagine what I'll be like in the 78th minute and there's two points in it? Though most of you don't know that that feels like during a match as Scotland, in rugby or football, have never got so far.

iainmhor

Mon Argentina.

Viva Che.

Las Islas Malvinas Argentinas.

iainmhor

Mon France ...Allez les Bleus.

For the Auld Alliance not the Auld Enemy.

Pip

I can't say as I'm sorry to be eating my words. I really need to have more faith.

Blackleaf

We've done it! We've done! Wooohoooooo!!!!!!!!!!

And England have confounded the critics who say they can't score tries by outscoring the French by one try to none. And it was the fastest try ever scored in a World Cup Semi Final.

I don't care if England lose in the Final. I'm just happy that we got through to the Final, and as put me in a good mood for the rest of the night.

sgmillerton

Blackleaf

Bearing in mind that Jonny Wilkinson wasn't playing when South Africa beat England 36-0 in the group stage, I don't think that the Springboks will have it so easy in the Final.

But even if South Africa do win, it won't bother me too much, as the team have done the nation proud by just reaching the Final again for the second successive time in what is probably the greatest turnaround of fortunes for any team in a world tournament. Earlier this year England were only third in the Six Nation then on Saturday night they could be crowned World Champions for another four years.

Reaching the Final has also boosted both teams in the World Rankings. South Africa are now ranked second in the world after New Zealand and England are now ranked third (with France one of the teams they have leapfrogged), with only the All Blacks and the Springboks ranked higher.

Here's how it works out for the rankings after the Final: if South Africa beat England, then South Africa overtake New Zealand as the No1 ranked team in the world. A win by any margin over England will do. If England win by 15 points or less, then they overtake South Africa into second place. A win by England of more than 15 points then they become the No1 ranked team on the planet.

Of course, throughout most of 2003, England were ranked No1 in the world despite Australia being the World Champions, having won 15 of the 16 games we played before the World Cup and, even then, England's only defeat was against France after having fielded a weakened team - and it was by a margin of just one point. England also beat New Zealand about three times that year. Then we went on to win all our games in the World Cup.

I think the 36-0 defeat against South Africa has reawakened the English rugby beast again.

For the last 20-30 years England has been better at rugby than at any other sport including football and cricket. The current mentality of the England rugby team for reaching two World Cup Finals in succession is similar to that of the England football team in the 1960s in the run up to the 1966 World Cup. The England football and cricket teams need to start emulating our rugby team.

Cymro

25 - 10 to South Africa

Blackleaf

A letter to the Daily Mail newspaper:

We English should take a moment to feel sorry for those poor Scotsmen who, in three weeks, have had to equip themselves with Australian, French and now Springbok supporters' kits. Without the Barnett formula, they might not have been able to afford it.

JOHN LILLYWHITE
Great Waltham, Essex

Firefox

Lord Pitsligo

Check out this page:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm and open the "Your Picture of the Day". Anyone spot the sign in the sky behind Jonny?

Note - this pic may be gone in a day or 2!

Reluctant Hero

Blackleaf

Despite losing, all England fans should be proud of the team's achievement. Reaching the World Cup Final despite being written off as no-hopers before the tournament. For the next four years I can happily say we reached the Final of the last World Cup when most people tipped us to get no further than the Quarter Finals and that we are, for all intents and purposes, the second team in the world.

The happiest fans should be the South Africans, the English and the Argies.

ALso, what happened to the supposedly deadly Habana? South Africa have never scored a try in a World Cup Final and England were suspiciously disallowed one by the Aussie (surprise surprise) video ref.

England should now be saying they scored more tries than their opposition in the last two World Cup Finals..

Cymro

SUSPICIOUSLY! Have you actually watched it? It certainly was a difficult one but the correct one none the less. The rules state if a players foot is on the line or out before the ball is put down then that ball is out. The decision was correct - painfull for England but correct.

England couldn't say they scored more tries than SA in this final as neither side scored a try.

Cymro

I love this picture. Certainly looks out to me Blackleaf!

elidir

Well done to england for reaching the final of the poorest quality world cup to date. However, SA won without even getting into second gear which is truly frightening and just underlines the limitations of the english squad with forward parity england were easily controlled by a more dynamic backline they didn't even have to put Habana into space and use him! I was hoping Argentina would get through as their forwards really controlled the boks for most of their semi.

SLG

I thought it was a poor final and totally agree with you regarding SA in the final, I thought there were a lot of excellent games in the competition though.

Cheers for posting that image Cymro... makes it all look so clear cut eh!

Rugby World Cup

Re: Rugby World Cup