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This World Cup has been a good watch up to now, the refereeing has been pretty good, even the
lower seeded teams have some good players, you can see improvement as the teams are not getting
a white wash.
I should have made a effort to go to a game, never mind the TV coverage has been good.:)
Yep. ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by superheavyrhun
AND WE ARE SINGING !!!
You better get your boots on, they may be calling you up.Quote:
Originally Posted by XYep. ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by superheavyrhun
AND WE ARE SINGING !!!
I can't believe that after Saturday's fiasco, with some bookies, England Are:
1. still 2nd favourites to win the World Cup.
2. Equal favourites to win the group
3. Favourites to beat Australia
And Australia are backed to not get out of the group!!
Not how I see it, I have to say.
Bookies are just hedging their bets in case England do actually win.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
England played as poorly as they could, and yet still all but beat a Wales team playing as well as they could. Australia are not the force they once were; they really have struggled in recent times against Northern Hemisphere teams they play away, so both England and Wales have to fancy their chances.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
Also the draw is such that the winners of the group are hot favourites to get to the final.
England were poor, but Wales are awful, but in all fairness to them they've had terrible injury problems. England dominated the Scrums and line outs for the first hour and should have had the game sewn up. You can't win World cups like that, nor top groups, and if I'm not mistaken, if teams are level , it goes on head to head results.so there's no guarantee of topping the group even if they win Saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidEngland played as poorly as they could, and yet still all but beat a Wales team playing as well as they could. Australia are not the force they once were; they really have struggled in recent times against Northern Hemisphere teams they play away, so both England and Wales have to fancy their chances.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
Also the draw is such that the winners of the group are hot favourites to get to the final.
And if they come second in the group, the likely route is South Africa , followed by the All Blacks.
Btw, Australia beat the All Blacks about a month ago and didn't look too shabby then.
Wales's first XIV can compete with anyone in the world, and have been the best northern hemisphere team for the past ten years (Britkid, the average age of the Welsh team was 27 versus England's 26)
The problem is we have been more than decimated by injuries, and our small population doesn't produce the sheer player numbers as other countries.
A well deserved win over England, experience and cool heads prevailed in a maelstrom last ten minutes. England will be gutted, but I don't think they made the wrong call, they simply buggered up their execution of the call.
I'm going to Wales v Fiji on Thursday. I always thought that was a potential banana skin game for us, and I'm very nervous about it now we have 8 first team injuries .... Yes, EIGHT!
Australia did indeed beat the All Blacks; then the following week New Zealand won the second match by 30 points I believe. Australia have to a degree resolved some of their forward problems, but it is not going to be enough to win the World Cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo CarneraEngland were poor, but Wales are awful, but in all fairness to them they've had terrible injury problems. England dominated the Scrums and line outs for the first hour and should have had the game sewn up. You can't win World cups like that, nor top groups, and if I'm not mistaken, if teams are level , it goes on head to head results.so there's no guarantee of topping the group even if they win Saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidEngland played as poorly as they could, and yet still all but beat a Wales team playing as well as they could. Australia are not the force they once were; they really have struggled in recent times against Northern Hemisphere teams they play away, so both England and Wales have to fancy their chances.Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
Also the draw is such that the winners of the group are hot favourites to get to the final.
And if they come second in the group, the likely route is South Africa , followed by the All Blacks.
Btw, Australia beat the All Blacks about a month ago and didn't look too shabby then.
england lose to aussies :S.....Scotland put up a fight v south africa but lost convincingly in the end, good effort though and some nice moments, going to be interesting v samoa, scotland should make it through but I can see a disaster coming and the japs somehow slipping into the next round......
I also think france will beat new zealand in the quarter finals and then bomb in the semis .
England got what they deserved. If you cannot beat an ancient Welsh side or get destroyed by a good but hardly top level Australian side, you do not win World Cups.
It is sad for the tournament in that it will struggle without the hosts to have the energy it was producing. ITV must be horrified, it will be interesting to see if they still put matches out on their main channel in prime time.
The world cup is over they should turn it off. ;D
I think they will. Who is going to pay to advertize prime time on a Saturday evening for a meaningless match with Uruguay? Surely it will be put on ITV4 and they will put their Pop Idol on instead...Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
Wales have done okay with a second best team, but you need a bit of luck and who no's what
could happen, you just need a bit of good luck.;D
I think what last night showed was Wales with a bit of luck only lose by 20 points to Australia. You need to up your game by least another 25% on the England performance to be competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dia bando
Wales are through so isn't the match meaningless?Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidI think what last night showed was Wales with a bit of luck only lose by 20 points to Australia. You need to up your game by least another 25% on the England performance to be competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dia bando
Yes but you still don't want a white wash, or more injured players.!Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterWales are through so isn't the match meaningless?Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidI think what last night showed was Wales with a bit of luck only lose by 20 points to Australia. You need to up your game by least another 25% on the England performance to be competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dia bando
Finishing top makes you hot favourite to get to the final; as probably you will play Scotland (or Japan) then Ireland or France; second place means you probably have to beat South Africa and New Zealand to get to the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterWales are through so isn't the match meaningless?Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidI think what last night showed was Wales with a bit of luck only lose by 20 points to Australia. You need to up your game by least another 25% on the England performance to be competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dia bando
Well, England were obliterated by the Aussies last night.
I'm watching the English media viciously turning on England today. This is the same media who overhyped them massively in the first place, and it is the same media who annoy fans of every other nation with their arrogance.
I also think there are a lot of fair weather fans at this World Cup. I thought the Twickenham crowd were disgraceful yesterday. They booed through the Aussie anthem, whistled at the kicker and when Robshaw and Lancaster (both utterly devastated) were interviewed, the bloody crowd booed them. They should get back to watching football.
England were just outplayed by a superior team. There is no shame in not qualifying from what has been the toughest group in a World Cup history. England have lost to two teams who everybody thought were at least a match for them, and who are ranked higher than they are too.
The whole England team will be hurting enough as it is, they gave it their best shot and have been very classy in defeat. I wish the fucking media would give them a break.
Why was the ball not round?
because if the ball was round then the game would last 90 minutes and then the germans would win in the end... and i'm sure you don't want that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
No, that is not good enough. England had the players to potentially win the tournament. That they did not, unlike the Football cannot be put down to unrealistic expectations. England has more players to pick from than anyone else and is richer than everyone else, that almost by default should with home advantage be a guaranteed place in the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by X
So there has to be an inquest and results to make sure it does not happen again.
England played a very good Australian side, they underestimated them simple and against WalesQuote:
Originally Posted by BritkidNo, that is not good enough. England had the players to potentially win the tournament. That they did not, unlike the Football cannot be put down to unrealistic expectations. England has more players to pick from than anyone else and is richer than everyone else, that almost by default should with home advantage be a guaranteed place in the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by X
So there has to be an inquest and results to make sure it does not happen again.
they went for the win, which in hindsight was a bad call a home side has a lot of pressure to perform,! the media hype and of course the fair weather fans.
Sport fans are a funny bunch, the die hard fans support there team through thick and thin, the fair
weather fans just slag them off and only like winners.!
Rugby weather union or league is a tough sport, those players when they retire are fucked there body's
are knackered, the guys need applauding not booing.
But that is sport; it is very unlikely any of these English players will compete in a home World Cup again. There is no comeback, no matter what they go on to achieve, they will still have that as a mark against them, there will be no redemption in that aspect.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dia bandoEngland played a very good Australian side, they underestimated them simple and against WalesQuote:
Originally Posted by BritkidNo, that is not good enough. England had the players to potentially win the tournament. That they did not, unlike the Football cannot be put down to unrealistic expectations. England has more players to pick from than anyone else and is richer than everyone else, that almost by default should with home advantage be a guaranteed place in the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by X
So there has to be an inquest and results to make sure it does not happen again.
they went for the win, which in hindsight was a bad call a home side has a lot of pressure to perform,! the media hype and of course the fair weather fans.
Sport fans are a funny bunch, the die hard fans support there team through thick and thin, the fair
weather fans just slag them off and only like winners.!
Rugby weather union or league is a tough sport, those players when retire are fucked there body's
are knackered, the guys need applauding not booing.
It is totally understandable that the fancy who paid a small fortune to watch the match made their frustrations known; Lancaster himself admitted that...
I Really don't think so. England haven't won the 6 Nations once in the four years Lancaster has been in charge, they were bombed out of the last World Cup in the quarter finals and they are ranked below both Wales and Australia .... How on earth could you possibly think they are potential winners of the Cup?? Home advantage should have been worth 10 points in each game, but actually I think the team buckled under the pressure and expectation, I've also seen the same thing happen in the 1990s with Wales playing at home, so it's not unique to England. The All Blacks were also wobbly at home in the last World Cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidNo, that is not good enough. England had the players to potentially win the tournament. That they did not, unlike the Football cannot be put down to unrealistic expectations. England has more players to pick from than anyone else and is richer than everyone else, that almost by default should with home advantage be a guaranteed place in the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by X
So there has to be an inquest and results to make sure it does not happen again.
Yes, it's true that they have lots of players to choose from. I have lots of golf clubs, but none of them are any good! Not too many of that England side would have got into the Aussie XV
England are a proud rugby nation, with a national union run by old farts who don't understand the modern game. I really think that the coaches in the premiership, and at youth level, stifle talent and drive out player innovation especially with the current fixation with rugby league converts and coaches.
Exactly, it is not good enough something needs to be done. The English should be obliterating the opposition in the Six Nations year in, year out, they should be getting to World Cups and winning them, that is clearly not happening, and it is on the evidence of the last couple of weeks not even close to happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by XI Really don't think so. England haven't won the 6 Nations once in the four years Lancaster has been in charge, they were bombed out of the last World Cup in the quarter finals and they are ranked below both Wales and Australia .... How on earth could you possibly think they are potential winners of the Cup?? Home advantage should have been worth 10 points in each game, but actually I think the team buckled under the pressure and expectation, I've also seen the same thing happen in the 1990s with Wales playing at home, so it's not unique to England. The All Blacks were also wobbly at home in the last World Cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidNo, that is not good enough. England had the players to potentially win the tournament. That they did not, unlike the Football cannot be put down to unrealistic expectations. England has more players to pick from than anyone else and is richer than everyone else, that almost by default should with home advantage be a guaranteed place in the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by X
So there has to be an inquest and results to make sure it does not happen again.
Yes, it's true that they have lots of players to choose from. I have lots of golf clubs, but none of them are any good! Not too many of that England side would have got into the Aussie XV
England are a proud rugby nation, with a national union run by old farts who don't understand the modern game. I really think that the coaches in the premiership, and at youth level, stifle talent and drive out player innovation especially with the current fixation with rugby league converts and coaches.
There needs to be Revolution, but I doubt it happens; Lancaster will take the blame and that will be the end of it. And that is wrong because Lancaster is an exceptional coach, who should be the head of all age groups but the seniors.
England were poor ,but too many people (yourself included) underestimated Australia, they are very good.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidExactly, it is not good enough something needs to be done. The English should be obliterating the opposition in the Six Nations year in, year out, they should be getting to World Cups and winning them, that is clearly not happening, and it is on the evidence of the last couple of weeks not even close to happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by XI Really don't think so. England haven't won the 6 Nations once in the four years Lancaster has been in charge, they were bombed out of the last World Cup in the quarter finals and they are ranked below both Wales and Australia .... How on earth could you possibly think they are potential winners of the Cup?? Home advantage should have been worth 10 points in each game, but actually I think the team buckled under the pressure and expectation, I've also seen the same thing happen in the 1990s with Wales playing at home, so it's not unique to England. The All Blacks were also wobbly at home in the last World Cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidNo, that is not good enough. England had the players to potentially win the tournament. That they did not, unlike the Football cannot be put down to unrealistic expectations. England has more players to pick from than anyone else and is richer than everyone else, that almost by default should with home advantage be a guaranteed place in the final.Quote:
Originally Posted by X
So there has to be an inquest and results to make sure it does not happen again.
Yes, it's true that they have lots of players to choose from. I have lots of golf clubs, but none of them are any good! Not too many of that England side would have got into the Aussie XV
England are a proud rugby nation, with a national union run by old farts who don't understand the modern game. I really think that the coaches in the premiership, and at youth level, stifle talent and drive out player innovation especially with the current fixation with rugby league converts and coaches.
There needs to be Revolution, but I doubt it happens; Lancaster will take the blame and that will be the end of it. And that is wrong because Lancaster is an exceptional coach, who should be the head of all age groups but the seniors.
If Lancaster is an exceptional coach, why should he be in charge of every level EXCEPT senior Level.
After England lost to Wales in a game that they should've won very easily, I did see this coming.
Lancaster has to go , and so does Farrell (who has far too much influence IMO.) probably Mike Catt also. Maybe keep Rowntree, but only because they may not be able to get anyone better.
My set up would be (if they were crazy enough to take it on, and there's no guarantee of that!)
Head/Backs coach - Conor O'Shea or Mike Ford.if it was O'Shea, he would also be head coach, but if it was Ford, Baxter would Head coach.
Forwards Coach - Rob Baxter
Defence Coach - Dave Ellis
Scrum coach - Toby Booth
I wouldn't have Shaun Edwards or anybody other than Mike Ford from a RL background anywhere near it.
I have not seen a England that could obliterate any body,! it does not happen theses day's the lesser
teams have a few class players, remember they are applying there trade in the French region, so
they must be playing top class rugby, and a good few overhear playing all over the Country.
Remember England have been over hyped, and the fans caught up in the BS the media play there
part, what you expect and what you get are totally different,! Football, Rugby, Boxing , etc all suffer
with the same hype and expectation, in truth people fall for it.!!!!!!!;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Britkid
Mate, where on earth do you get that from??
The real evidence of the past decade or so is that England are probably ranked about 5 in the world. English regional teams don't dominate the Heineken Cup either.
Just because they are a bigger country, with more players and more money doesn't mean that should be automatically assumed to beat countries who have better youth systems, better coaches and for whom rugby is much more in the national DNA than England.
It's a little bit arrogant to assume that, I would have thought?
No wonder their media and their own fans are turning on the team now
I totally agree; but that should happen; the English Rugby should be arrogant because with the monies made in the sport, they should totally dominate.Quote:
Originally Posted by XQuote:
Originally Posted by Britkid
Mate, where on earth do you get that from??
The real evidence of the past decade or so is that England are probably ranked about 5 in the world. English regional teams don't dominate the Heineken Cup either.
Just because they are a bigger country, with more players and more money doesn't mean that should be automatically assumed to beat countries who have better youth systems, better coaches and for whom rugby is much more in the national DNA than England.
It's a little bit arrogant to assume that, I would have thought?
No wonder their media and their own fans are turning on the team now
That they do not is in large part down to the opposition. How Wales manage to do what they do, with their structure and finances is simply amazing. So this also suggests there is a structural problem in the English game, because the money is not going to the right people/organizations.
I agree, and that is the problem that England need to resolve, they should obliterate opposition but they are not, so something needs to be done! It is ridiculous that the biggest Country rightly would not have one player in a World Cup 23.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dia bando
Remember when Rugby Union became professional, we were about 10 years behind compered
to the Southern Hemispheres, and we are still playing catch up.
The structure of professional game, has not been easy in Wales we lost some regions through
simply the clubs not big enough to generate money to survive.
Rugby Union in this Country suffered for being a armature game, the posh boy's did not like money
tarnishing there sport, were in truth players were being paid it was a stupid to stay armature for
far to long.
They should have taken a leaf out of Rugby League, and just paid there players and become professional years before they did.
I like both codes of Rugby a tough game played by tough men, they deserve to be well paid but in
comparison to footballers, they are paid very little.
It's Halloween soon, and I am going to go as the England rugby team.
I won't dress up or anything, I'll just go out early. ;D
Being Welsh, you will probably do your hamstring in before you even get to the first door! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by X
Well played Australia. That was a brutal, tight, fiercely contested Tier One Rugby international.
Defence and resolve was awesome from the Aussies. Good scrum, inventive backs and real heart!
See you again in the final ;D
Quote:
Originally Posted by X
Yes, against New Zealand, and I think the Aussies might do it.
Wales lose today and still qualify if rugby and football, where is the justice?
God clearly loves sheep, and those that like woolly carpeted love.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
Don't know much about the football, but we had won all the games we needed to to already qualify for the rugby. We were just playing to see who tops the group.
I think that loss may bite us back. We now have to play the brutal resurgent Springboks. I'd much rather play ScotlandM
WELL we lost in the FOOTBALL,! and the RUGBY and we still qualify what a day.;D :sheep:
Ireland having a nightmare. Their two most important players probably now out for the tournament, and their best player on the pitch today, is probably going to be chucked out of the tournament after the match.