By: inkworm - 11th October 2011 at 13:08
Gee your provincial competition must be really poor if it’s a consolation to get back the England team players,
It is, we’re 11th out of 12, but some of our ex-all blacks have been pretty good in the interim. Nice to get our Argentinian, Italian and Irish back as well!
By: John Green - 9th October 2011 at 21:11
Well, the Kiwis put paid to the Pumas – nice alliteration – but was it convincing? In spite of the score – no!
The slick defensive machine that is part of the All Blacks appeared to my eye to stutter a bit in the face of the Pumas onslaught.
I don’t see much of a problem for the current Welsh team should they see off the French and even less for the Aussies.
John Green
By: Dave Homewood - 9th October 2011 at 08:06
Gee your provincial competition must be really poor if it’s a consolation to get back the England team players, they’ve been dreadful all tournament.
But man, that Australia versus South Africa match just now was another adrenaline thumping awesome battle. Both teams palyed at such a high level, the Africans mainly on the attack with more than 80% of the territory and the Aussies on defence. Haere Ra to South Africa.
By: inkworm - 8th October 2011 at 21:30
On a positive note we do get the players back and not soon enough in my opinion.
By: wilhelm - 8th October 2011 at 13:28
The Welsh side is shaping up to be quite good. I would pick them to beat the French in the semi-final, although one can never, ever discount the French.
The All Blacks should handily beat an injury hit, relatively limited, but passionate Argentinian side in the next round of quarter finals. The Australian/South African clash is difficult to pick. South Africa have been impressive, but have lost key players to injury. They also have a very interesting and unique coach who has confused most rugby pundits with his selections for this match.
Australia will be looking for a redemptive big performance after their tame defeat to a magnificent Irish side a week or two ago.
Very difficult to choose this one.
By: Dave Homewood - 8th October 2011 at 10:22
Great game tonight between Wales and Ireland, it’s sad that one of the two teams had to loose as they both played superbly. Well done Wales. Haere Ra Ireland.
The second game between France and England was disappointingly dull by comparison, but well done to France. Haere Ra England.
By: John Green - 7th October 2011 at 21:35
Wilhelm,
Well written ! Note to Dave. There are fairies at the bottom of your garden.
John Green
By: wilhelm - 7th October 2011 at 16:06
New Zealand has won the William Webb Ellis Cup once, the inaugral tournament in 1987. England They were runners up in 1995 and played well in the final despite all the team being very ill following being poisoned by bookies who paid a woman to spike the tea urn in their hotel. The Australians and the South Africans have won the cup twice each, and the English just once.
What am I supposed to be taking note of??
Ahh, this old chestnut.
And yet nobody has ever furnished any proof of these allegations. Allegations which are very poor in taste may I add.
My Kiwi mate insists on repeating this myth, and saying that the All Blacks were vomiting on the side of the field. I was there in the stadium that day, and saw no such thing. When I ask him to show evidence from the omnipresent TV footage, he changes the subject. The story has also varied between a hotel employee poisoning all of their lunch, a waitress at a restaurant off the premises poisoning a third of the players, and now a woman poisoning the tea urn.
It is a myth, and believed only in a small geographical area in the southern Pacific.
Back to real life, the quarter-finals start in about 14 hours time, and the Wales-Ireland game promises to be a cracker.
By: Loose-Head - 4th October 2011 at 09:45
Well, end of the group stages………this round-up passed on to me by a mate in New Zealand made me smile….:D
Gutted by the Morris Dancers lucky win against the Thistle Dodgers. The Riverdancers are playing that well they may well beat the Leak Bandits… I can’t even pick the Shackledraggers v the Boers. The Skackledraggers finishing 2nd in pool play was a cunning ploy by Deansie to unsettle the Boers and it may just work.The ABs will down the Argies like a skyhawk over Port Stanley!!
By: Loose-Head - 1st October 2011 at 07:27
Well here it is….Scotland v England. Best of luck to supporters both sides of the border.
Just hope Scotland can do what the Tongans are currently doing to France !! 😀
By: Sky High - 26th September 2011 at 09:07
I suppose the clash of interest between the “home team squad member” and their international commitments affects many sports, doesn’t it? Cricket is probably the worse affected because the national game is played alongside the domestic game throughout the season. You make a fair point about the England selection but I think their resolve to move on to the Quarters and beat France is strong.
By: inkworm - 26th September 2011 at 09:00
Must confess that some of the support during the pools stages is a tactical, and now Scotland have lost one of their games and know that Argentina are pretty much certain to win their remaining game it is all to be played for by Scotland and could catch England off guard, in no part due to the fact that Johnno still hasn’t really settled on the centre set up.
I just don’t like the way the Word Cup is having such a damaging impact on the Premiership as the table testifies.
By: Sky High - 26th September 2011 at 07:01
No offence taken. We support our teams and hope they win and then whichever way it ends we’ll go and have a beer to celebrate/commiserate.:)
By: Loose-Head - 26th September 2011 at 06:50
Yep, that’s the only option, and (no offence by the way – and not an anti-English comment) I would love it if we did, but lets put it this way, after looking at both sides recent performances I won’t be rushing down to the bookies to put anything on it !!!
By: Sky High - 25th September 2011 at 19:26
Yes, I bet you are…you’ve just got to beat us next weekend now, haven’t you??;):)
By: Loose-Head - 25th September 2011 at 18:46
Gutted !!! 🙁
By: Loose-Head - 24th September 2011 at 20:48
Thanks Sky High.
But if we win tomorrow and you beat us next week then you’ll be playing the French in the Quarters. Winner Pool B (our group) plays runner up Pool A (NZ and France group).
Runner up Pool B plays winner Pool A, so it would be us that plays the All Blacks…..:eek:
We’ll just have to wait and see…..I’ve lost count of the number of times the form book has been thrown out the window on a Scotland / England clash !!
By: Sky High - 24th September 2011 at 19:58
Good, brief, analysis, Loose-Head and good luck tomorrow! Then, if we beat you next week it will be confirmed that we (England) will pay the Kiwis in the Quarters….mmm:eek:
By: Loose-Head - 24th September 2011 at 19:43
I was at that game in Cardiff 4 years ago. The place was ‘Kiwi City’ before the match, but swathed in seas of blue after !! Heck of a fightback from the French.
Today was a different matter. You can’t give a team like the All Blacks a 3 try lead in the first 20 minutes and expect to come back from that. Reckon that’s one demon exorcised for them then !
England, clinical performance – much improved and sailed past a Romanian team that we ( Scotland) found hard work. Looked well drilled and quick ball played dividends.
Argentina tomorrow for us – this will most probably be the make or break game for us with regard to getting through to the quarter finals. FIngers crossed for a good performance !!
By: Sky High - 22nd September 2011 at 14:50
Coming up – is France going to rubbish the Kiwis again a la 2007??:diablo: And will England start playing sensible rugger for a proper win over Romania?:eek:
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September 9, 2011 at 9:30 am