2011 Rugby World Cup [R]

Discussion in 'Rugby & Aussie Rules' started by yankee_rob, Jun 18, 2010.

  1. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is true.....I really can't wait for the weekend! The quarters are going to be intense.


    Any predictions?
     
  2. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    New Zealand, South Africa, England, Ireland
    New Zealand, England
    New Zealand
     
  3. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    I hope so. But the All Blacks are just too physical and really too good at almost every aspect of the game. Argentina is playing with lots of heart and they've come a long way, I think they can match up with the Europeans, but at the highest level in the Southern Hemisphere they still are a bit overmatched.
     
  4. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand

    would have been interesting seeing a Puma team with Hernandez vs AB without Carter

    looking foward to seeing how Slade responds to this game, personally I would have called in Tony Brown or just given Weepu the #10
     
  5. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Hernandez would have made a huge difference for Los Pumas, but against the All Blacks...we still get killed.
     
  6. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    maybe, it just seems you guys lacked him in pool play at times...making things harder than it had to be

    plus the goalkicking has been, not very good(being nice here;))

    still the improvements Argentina will make now that they are in four nations will be huge
     
  7. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lowering expectations.....I like it! ;)
     
  8. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Yes they will improve quite a bit. At the moment their international calendar between world cups is lacking a bit, but once they join the Four Nations as well as play their usual 2 to 3 tests versus the Northern Hemisphere teams they will develop really fast.

    You will also see Argentines start signing contracts with Super 15 teams instead of European teams.

    Does anyone know if Argentina will eventually get any teams in the Super 15 competition?
     
  9. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    That's a bit harsh on Australia who didn't lose to South Africa with Steyns in their side this year, and have a 1-1 record against the All Blacks this year. ;)

    If we play like we did in the Tri Nations we should at least beat the Saffies..........
     
  10. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Should be a great game on Sunday! RSA is really clicking right now, epsecially Du Plessis but if Oz can find their form again you never know.
     
  11. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Well if we do win this whole thing- no one would be able to argue we had an easy run to win. :D
     
  12. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You are right it will be an uphill battle for you guys, but one you have the potential to overcome.

    IMHO this is the most competitve RWC quarter finals I can remember.

    My picks are: New Zealand, England, Austrailia, Ireland
    New Zealand, England
    New Zealand
     
  13. LedleybetterthanSol

    Jun 16, 2004
    Gold Coast/Australia
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    I thought NZ could not lose in 2007 yet they did, thinking the same thing in 2011. :D
     
  14. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    NZ backs falling like flies

    Carter is already out now form "winger" Kahui misses QF through injury, Dagg (form fullback) also out which gives mils muliaina his 100th test

    meaning that SBW will start on the wing...i believe the left wing, number 11
     
  15. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh Dear.....how is Guildford?
     
  16. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Predictions for this weekend and rest of world cup

    Wales v Ireland
    France v England
    South Africa v Australia
    New Zealand v Argentina

    France v Ireland
    New Zealand v South Africa

    New Zealand v Ireland

    bold the predicted winners for me, could be wrong though...:)
     
  17. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    also injured
     
  18. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    I was wrong on both.

    I hope my losing streak continues tomorrow. :D
     
  19. babaorum

    babaorum Member+

    Aug 20, 2005
    Marseille
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Typical display by the French team today. One day they look like a pub team (vs Tonga) and the day after they're world beaters (vs England, at least during the first half). Same as in WC99 and WC07. Who knows how they'll turn out next week vs Wales.
     
  20. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Agreed! They always play the spoilers, but can never win the whole thing. With the way that Wales are playing you would think they would smash France, but you never know.
     
  21. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    http://www.universalsports.com/news...560349.html#roundup+french+welsh+produce+wins


    Roundup: French produce another big win; Welsh beat Ireland

    AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- A shambolic loss last weekend and a squad in disarray set the scene perfectly for one of those French wins that defies explanation.

    A week after an upset loss to Tonga that almost cost it a place in the knockout rounds, France raced to a 16-0 halftime lead over England and then hung on for a 19-12 victory Saturday to reach the World Cup semifinals for the third consecutive time.

    In 2007, France rallied for a shocking win over the top-ranked All Blacks in the quarterfinals. Other epic, unexpected wins include the 1987 semifinal against Australia and the famous second-half resurgence at the same stage against New Zealand in '99.

    Problem for the French -- a loss has followed immediately after each of those big wins.

    "We've often seen French teams surpass themselves in the past and then mess up afterward," France coach Marc Lievremont said. "We need to know if this team wants to write its own history."

    They're playing regular Six Nations rival Wales next. The Welsh reached the semifinals for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand with a 22-10 win over Ireland in Wellington.

    The French have also lost in the semifinals of the past two Worlds Cups, both times to England. They came into the 2011 quarterfinals in the worst form of all eight teams, yet were always considered the most likely to inflict an upset because of it.

    Lievremont had openly criticized his players for their lack of commitment and clashed with the French press during a pool stage that involved losses to New Zealand and Tonga -- one of the biggest ever World Cup upsets -- and uninspiring wins over over Canada and Japan.

    The players and staff cleared the air in a bonding session Monday and practiced with renewed vigor and sense of purpose, with the sole aim of restoring French honor. So far, so good.

    "The players honored their side of the contract tonight," Lievremont said. "They've done the equivalent of their predecessors. It depends if they want to stop there or carry on."


    France has lost two World Cup finals. Now they won't meet a high-ranked team unless they reach the championship match.

    Defending champion South Africa takes on No. 2-ranked Australia at Wellington in Sunday's first match -- both are aiming to be the first to win three World Cup titles -- before No. 1-ranked New Zealand meets 2007 semifinalist Argentina at Eden Park. The All Blacks are aiming to end a World Cup drought that has dragged on since they won the first edition in '87 with a lopsided victory over France in the final.

    The French have inflicted some bitter defeats on the New Zealanders since then, including one four years ago in Cardiff.

    "It's a different context but just as intense as beating the All Blacks in 2007," France captain Thierry Dusautoir said of Saturday's win over England.

    The victory in front of 49,105 people epitomized the best elements of French rugby -- flamboyant, exhilarating and full of passion, typically inspired by a woeful previous performance.

    Two penalties from scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili and tries to fullback Maxime Medard and winger Vincent Clerc gave France a 16-0 lead. The English scored second-half tries through fullback Ben Foden and winger Mark Cueto, but Francois Trinh-Duc's second-half dropped goal put the match beyond them.

    "Games like this are winnable but not when you're 16-nil down, really," England manager Martin Johnson said. "It's a brutal way to end it. It's so disappointing."

    Johnson wouldn't answer questions on his immediate future in charge at England, which won the 2003 World Cup and reached the 2007 final.

    Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked the winning dropped goal in extra time to beat Australia in 2003, likely has played his last World Cup game.

    He didn't have a particularly inspiring match and was replaced in the second half. He stands at No. 2 in the list of all-time international scorers with 1,246 points, and has the record for most points scored in the World Cup. Now it could be England in disarray after a campaign that was overshadowed by some unsavory off-field incidents and allegations of cheating.


    As for Dusautoir, he just wanted his team to show some resolve and prove the critics wrong, resorting to the French running game and dispensing with the play-it-safe Anglo-Saxon game.

    "We didn't want to go out like this, we wanted to show our true value," he said. "We wanted to show how we can play rugby. I think we did it tonight. We need to keep it up."

    Wales has also had something of a resurgence of its running game, with an attack-minded halfback pairing of Mike Phillips and Rhys Priestland directing a young and vibrant backline.

    Veteran winger Shane Williams gave Wales a third-minute lead with a try in the right corner and, after Keith Earls crossed in the corner to level the scores at 10-10 early in the second half, the Welsh responded with Phillips' individual snipe down the blindside for a try and Jonathan Davies' solo effort through some feeble defense in midfield.

    "It's an historic win for Wales today. The boys have been outstanding," Phillips said. "We were superb today. we've worked our socks off for this -- we deserve the win."

    There were big expectations on Ireland after an upset pool win over Tri-Nations champion Australia and a thumping victory over Italy.

    "We had high hopes going into the game. We thought we were in good form and we just got outplayed on the day," said Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, a veteran of four World Cup campaigns. "It's disappointing, collectively and personally. I won't get this opportunity again, and that really sucks."
     
  22. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    if the meet the all blacks in the final

    they will beat them....:eek:
     
  23. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well.....they have been known to do that.


    If you beat Argentina who would you rather play RSA or Oz?
     
  24. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    Oz...Cooper is a liability that can be exploited, no such things in the bok team

    plus we dont have Carter so dont really wanna get into a kicking duel
     
  25. yankee_rob

    yankee_rob Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    London, England
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Interesting. I wouldn't disagree with you about Copper.

    As much as I hate to say it the Boks are the favs to win the tournament right now.
     

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