Rugby World Cup

Alright rugby fans, it all kicks off this weekend! I have been hanging out for this for four years now and can not wait for things to begin!

All fearless predictions, inane inconsequential banter, all giving the English crap for being the worst world champs ever and taunting Kiwis about being World Cup chokers in this thread please......

Here's my fearless prediction- the Wallabies will either get knocked out at the quarter finals by England or go on to win the bloody thing. We seem to have a knack of over achieving, and I don't think we're as bad as is sometimes made out.

I can't see anything other than the French themselves stopping them from reaching the Final, if they hold it together I think they could almost take it out.

And watch for Argentina to sneak past Ireland into the quarter finals, and New Zealand to set a new world record score against Portugal.

Bring it on!!!!!

gareth Wrote:
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> And watch for Argentina to sneak past Ireland into the quarter finals


amen to that

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I'm against sigpics

You're probably going to get beaten by Eng....Johnny Wilkinson again.

watch this clip of comedian Lee mack (from 2005), the bit about rugby is quite good, how Johnny Wilkinson has been named after the 2 most macho products (rubber johnny and a Wilkinson razor), while the Aussie player has been named after the 2 campest men in showbiz (Elton John and Michael Flatley):

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2007 01:16PM by Muks_C.

Covfan Wrote:
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> You're probably going to get beaten by
> Eng....Johnny Wilkinson again.


Sad....but true. Aussies could be starting a habit of losing to English drop goals (Rob Andrew '95, Jonny '03 and again in '07?)

Let's hope for the Pom's sake that his shoulder/back/knees/ankles/groin and whatever has stopped playing since then holds up because without him I think they'll struggle big time!

I don't know if Wilkinson will be back at all in this WC now. If he is, then England could potentially get to the semis, if not, they'll be out in the quarter's. I can't see France getting past any of the southern hemisphere sides, and I'm gonna predict Aus-NZ in the final, with NZ bottling it as gareth says, with Oz (as always) over-acheiving and winning the thing. Elsewhere, I think Scotland will do better than expected, and think they'll be at least 1 win for a minor nation over a major one in the group stages - maybe Romania against Italy

Interesting result from the first game- could France go out in the group stages?
Even more interestingly, why did DaveEllis not tell us he was France's defensive coach

gary42 Wrote:
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> I'm gonna predict Aus-NZ in the final, with NZ
> bottling it as gareth says, with Oz (as always)
> over-acheiving and winning the thing.


The Wallabies - All Blacks will probably be one semi, but it now could end up being a France - New Zealand quarter final which could go either way if the French get their acts together which i think they might.

While on the other side of the draw, if the Argentina beat Ireland in the group phase, they'll play Scotland in the quarter, which they'll win so it could end up being 100% southern hemisphere in the semis!

So South Africa for one place in the final, for the other spot take a guess between Aus, NZ or France!

Who said international rugby was predictable?

France and Argentina will go through I'd say, and I reckon Argentina will top the group, Ireland look incredibly shite at the moment, having gone from a team well capable of winning the Six Nations to a team that struggle against Namibia.

Can I just say that ITV Rugby coverage is highly inferior to the BBC?

Thanks!



RedSam
Winner: Not the Nickv Comment of the Year 2009
Due to the voting system in Germany, Governments are always made up of coalitions of different parties. At the last election, an almost unprecidented result saw the CDU/CSU (rough equivilant of the Conservatives) go into Government with the SPD (rough equivilant of Labour)

You mean like ALL of ITV's sports coverage compared to their BBC counterparts?

I think you're right Lopper- Ireland are struggling big time, unless they're doing a Wales '03 and deliberatly playing relatively poorly and within themselves. Wales, from out of nowhere, pushed the All Blacks and England to the wire! Maybe Ireland is doing the same?

On the other hand, how much does England suck? I don't think they're foxing, I think they really are that bad!

And how good was it that Portugal scored against NZ? Love it!

Its on, lads!

England pull some form from somewhere to qualify, ireland and wales crash out, and scotland limp through!

So the QFs are:

England
Australia

France
New Zealand

South Africa
Fiji

Scotland
Argentina



(I think?)

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Are any upsets possible? I see Australia, South Africa and Argentina as dead certs for the semis. The only interesting one is going to be NZ france - we all know how france can play, we've seen glimpses of it, and nz haven't played anyone decent yet, and haven't looked amazing.

I was going to put money on Australia to win the cup before it started, but then I realised England would be playing them in the QFs, so couldn't place the bet. But I stand by it, I think they've a good chance. Especially if NZ beat France, as Australia know the NZ game, and have beaten them this year.


On the other hand, while we've got Jonny and Billy Whizz don't write us off!

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She says brief things, her love’s a pony
My love’s subliminal

-qwerty- Wrote:

> Are any upsets possible? I see Australia, South
> Africa and Argentina as dead certs for the semis.
> The only interesting one is going to be NZ france
> - we all know how france can play, we've seen
> glimpses of it, and nz haven't played anyone
> decent yet, and haven't looked amazing.


Just like any world cup, no point peaking to early, France will get bulldozed by New Zealand that there I haven't a doubt. Though I wouldn't be surprised if NZ doesn't win the world cup, we always choke somehow.

"peaking too early" - I think it would be good to peak during the world cup! I hope the all blacks haven't written off france as quickly as you have, otherwise the frenchies might just do ya!

Read some more smack talk from australian head of rugby, O Neill today, the man is doing a fantastic job of firing up the england team! don';t know if he's ever been to watch sport in the uk, all the fans do is sledge, so its water off a duck's back, even if its rather embarassing for a man in his position to be doing it!

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She says brief things, her love’s a pony
My love’s subliminal

That drop goal still hurts......

Sensational quarter final lineups. First a replay of the last final, second two of the tournament favourites going at it, third a real underdog going up against a heavyweight and finally an emerging power versus one of the old firm. Awesome!

I'd like to think the Wallabies are certs to go through, but Jonny's worth 20 points a game by himself and if England gain any sort of domninance upfront it could be difficult for the Aussies. Not having Larkham is a big blow.

France/NZ is going to be a cracker. It wouldn't surprise me if the French win it and it wouldn't surprise me if the ABs win it by 50 either.

The Boks should put 30 on Fiji and if the Argies stick to their game plan they'll put away Scotland.

Looking forward to it!!

Covfan Wrote:
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> You're probably going to get beaten by
> Eng....Johnny Wilkinson again.


QFT

How did we win that? Awesome work by England, 3 times in a row in the world cup we've beaten Australia! Any bets on 2011?

England-New Zealand I'd love to see. The contrast in games should produce a good game. That said, I'd rather it was France cause we know how to beat them!

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Everyone knows that million-to-one chances happen 9 times out of 10; indeed, it's a common requirement in fairy tales. If the human didn't have to overcome huge odds, what would be the point? Terry Pratchett - The Science Of Discworld

GPGSL S5 Race driver for IED.

I could see us choking but not to France again, though we had so many chances at a drop goal and didn't take it, was pretty bizzare. Nice forward pass in the french try to.

How can you say that was awesome work by England. They cant score trys isnt that the purpose of the game to score try not to pussy foot around kicking penelty goals like soccer players. this is rugby not soccer if you want to kick a ball play soccer. How good was that NZ vs France as a French supporting aussie (France number 1 team, Wallabies a very close second, could never forgive wallabies for puttin jeremy paul in so early to replace phil kearns)i was lovin it now i can take this piss outta me girlfriend cause shes kiwi. its so tru tho if thye kiwis dont win in the first half theydont win cause they run outta puff. France vs Pumas in the final.


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