RWC
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
England, SA, NZ the three teams to beat. France, Australia, Wales and Ireland scrapping for any semi-final slots going.
I feel for Argentina. They would have come second or won any other group apart from ours or the NZ/SA one.
For me, definitely one of those tournaments where it isn’t worth paying much attention until the quarters once the dross has been got rid of.
I feel for Argentina. They would have come second or won any other group apart from ours or the NZ/SA one.
For me, definitely one of those tournaments where it isn’t worth paying much attention until the quarters once the dross has been got rid of.
Not too sure how the England side of the draw shapes up. However would expect Ireland to progress to semi’s by beating SA in quarters and NZ to p5rogress by beating Scotland in the quarters. By the fact that this side of the draw has 2 of the 3 Southern Hemisphere heavy weights in it, I Presume the path on the other side of the draw, is somewhat easier ?asl wrote:Well, a to-be-expected bonus point win for England against a very tough Tonga - who never really got anywhere near our try-line. Fact remains, we're going to have to play an awful lot better against the better teams...
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
- Posts: 29813
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Ireland will not beat SA.Ihearye wrote:Not too sure how the England side of the draw shapes up. However would expect Ireland to progress to semi’s by beating SA in quarters and NZ to p5rogress by beating Scotland in the quarters. By the fact that this side of the draw has 2 of the 3 Southern Hemisphere heavy weights in it, I Presume the path on the other side of the draw, is somewhat easier ?asl wrote:Well, a to-be-expected bonus point win for England against a very tough Tonga - who never really got anywhere near our try-line. Fact remains, we're going to have to play an awful lot better against the better teams...
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Give it another week. Only one or two of the games will be close.Shade wrote:Time to awaken from my slumber, I hear the important matches are about to start.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
As predicted, no one on the level of England, SA or NZ. Today’s game as one-sided as it should be when England play properly.RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:England, SA, NZ the three teams to beat. France, Australia, Wales and Ireland scrapping for any semi-final slots going.
I feel for Argentina. They would have come second or won any other group apart from ours or the NZ/SA one.
For me, definitely one of those tournaments where it isn’t worth paying much attention until the quarters once the dross has been got rid of.
France v Wales 4th place play-off later might be a bit closer.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Wales vs France the only game with the same tier sides playing each other - both tier 2. Other quarter finals all a tier 1 vs tier 2 mismatch.asl wrote:Oddly, I thought the opposite: Wales are a shoo-in to win by 30 points and looked the most one-sided of the quarters. The only one I thought would be close was the England game (although I did expect to win.)
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
4th place play-off incredibly close as predicted. Two missed kicks by France proving the difference, regardless of the red card.asl wrote:Oddly, I thought the opposite: Wales are a shoo-in to win by 30 points and looked the most one-sided of the quarters. The only one I thought would be close was the England game (although I did expect to win.)
SA will be licking their lips watching this - their route to the final looking even easier than expected before the tournament started.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Even if they turn up it still relies on SA not turning up.Shade wrote:The taffs will turn up against SA. I've got a sneaky feeling of an England v Wales final. On a Saturday morning. Oh, how the pubs will overflow and people will be wrecked by lunchtime, let alone in the evening. Carnage.
The Boks have far too much power. Should be comfortable in the end even if Wales hang in for an hour.
England v NZ will be close, and the winner of that will have a close final against SA.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Probably right. The only time NZ looked troubled was that blistering start by SA in the Pool game where the Springboks got behind them and had sustained pressure towards the try line. And I think England’s ability to get behind and make NZ chase back is probably better than SA.asl wrote:I know Ireland were poor - but the Kiwis were still awesome and I can't see England keeping up with them. My money's firmly on a Kiwi v Boks final - with the former romping home as clear winners.
Kicks will be key. NZ weakness is catching under pressure and with three good kickers in the back row England can hoist it wide, and send our wingers (bigger and more powerful than theirs) to pressure them, and make them turn backwards.
Reeling... Absolutely astounding domination of the All Blacks, this morning. Itoje, Underhill, Curry, Ford...you could have named any of them MotM, while Watson, May and Farrell were brilliant in the first half, too. Never saw that coming and have never seen the Kiwis so utterly outplayed for the entire 80 minutes.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Tommies Boy Underhill sensational. My brother played in the same scrum as him at school.
Bring on SA.
Bring on SA.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
- Posts: 29813
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
SA are experts at changing tactics to suit opponents and their power will be the strongest we face this competition.
England favourites for me. England have already played one of the three top sides/potential winners so know what it takes and are up to speed. SA have only had to play the best of the rest 4th place contenders so far in the knock-outs so may take them a little bit to get used to whilst England are already there.
So whilst SA had the easy/uncontested route to the final, that probably doesn’t work in their favour.
England favourites for me. England have already played one of the three top sides/potential winners so know what it takes and are up to speed. SA have only had to play the best of the rest 4th place contenders so far in the knock-outs so may take them a little bit to get used to whilst England are already there.
So whilst SA had the easy/uncontested route to the final, that probably doesn’t work in their favour.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
- Posts: 29813
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Well SA hit the ground running and it was England who were caught out by coming up against a side who not only could match them in the forward line but actually out power them.
England clueless in the face of the pace and power. No plan B and just panicked once they realised the SA power in front line and the back line was too much.
So in the tournament, NZ win by a margin against SA, England beat NZ by a margin and SA beat England by a margin. Those three a class above and SA won the right game!
England clueless in the face of the pace and power. No plan B and just panicked once they realised the SA power in front line and the back line was too much.
So in the tournament, NZ win by a margin against SA, England beat NZ by a margin and SA beat England by a margin. Those three a class above and SA won the right game!
