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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?