The RUGBY Thread

I agree. Even BOD was quiet. Father time has caught up with a few of them I think.

Saffers are aot better with Bismark on the field, but will have to much for the leak Taffies.

Anyone got an opinion on NZ commentator Ken Labans theory on the WC balls?

I dunno.Seems to be a lot of missed shots.Some aren't even close.

I think the boks are a fair way behind NZ and Aust.Too many blokes past it.To have Bismark on the bench and the worst forward in the TriNations,John Smit,starting is an absolute scandal.However judging by how bad the six nations teams have gone so far I don't think they'll have much trouble beating Wales.

I thought Eng got pinged an awful lot of times and a fair few of the pens were 50/50 - it's ok if other teams are reffed the same but as i said on the rugby forum if Brycee boy et al had reffed Mc Caw like that he'd get a yellow every game! Eng looked ok the odd time the backs had ball in hand but MJ is obsessed with keeping it tight tight tight!
Anyway - lets hope this match is more entertaining!

England were fkn rubbish Spyker.

If (a BIG if) they meet NZ in quarters, it will be a flogging.

Wales playing with passion 13 mins in.

That penalty looked over to me.

I've already said Eng were carp - read the rest of the thread as I've been kind enough to tell you that they would be (prob worse than even your press said they would be!) for the last month or so. It could be MJ's masterplan - play like this until 1/4's then unleash the backs of course........
Pretty unimpressive series of games so far tbh but it's all about peaking after the group stages. I've got a bet on France at 20's+ and i think I might let that ride as they should do for Eng and there could well be another lemming reaction when (if?) Eng get through the group.

The master plan........strewth, Ive got a hell of alot of respect for MJ but not sure if yesterdays game went to plan.

Are you sure you havent been reading to much of Stephen Jones (along with your other tabloid writers) regarding the constant run downs of NZ rugby? :)

Ps, Im in Australia.....

I don't read any newspapers - i base my opinions on what i see and when NZ play it is often players lying all over the ball with hands and legs akimbo shouting 'I'm not in the way' - it's not only NZ. Well get the feck out the way or get pinged as Bryce did to England - not denying that Eng weren't committing pens. I'm not denying that NZ are superior just that they get away with an awful lot. And by the way when did Aussies lose the ability to spot (pretty obvious) sarcasm! Yesterday's game is MJ's plan, it just wasn't executed that well - there is no plan b!

I'm pretty sure Al is a kiwi Spyker!

Well I'll be fvcked.I've bagged the boks the last two years and then I back 'em thinking they will have too much muscle for Wales and....you know the rest.Wales the exception to the rule,very unlucky not to win.Their backrow was outstanding.60% possession.Alot of the time they did nothing with that possession but at least SA didn't have it!

Committing breakdown mayhem and getting penalised for it and then pointing at the kiwis and saying 'they get away with it' is a bit like speeding on the freeway and saying to the copper who pinged you,'others are going even faster than me!'.

After the weekend's play I'm even more convinced of a NZ v Aust final.

has 1 fav cover the line thus far.......i dont think so

Just as long as everybody is reffed the same way double - we English don't need the excuse of biased refs in this wc as our crapness is the only excuse we need! Something that i found odd was that Bryce asked the tmo a couple of times (in 2nd half) what the pen count was to each team  - what the hell does that matter to a ref?

An easy solution Spyker to stop blokes lying around the ball, bring back the ruck that the 56 old farts did away with in 03 to slow the game down. The ruck (with feet) always halted that NH rubbish. Now it appears you blokes are complaining of players lying around/over the ball? Something the English were masters at :)

That is pretty weird if Lawrence was asking the penalty count (I was amongst blokes singing Swing Low so couldnt hear it). In fact, it would be a concern. I believe they try and do that in the other code to keep the games as even as possible, therefore tv's left on watching (Bill Harrigan perfected it).

Dead right DA, Wales loosies were terrific. 60% possession/territory, dominant in all facets should mean they win the game. Notice the change in Saffers when Bismark came on. No 1 hooker in the game, daylight second. Hard to see nothing apart from an Anzac final given there is a s..tload of improvement in both sides.

Im with LR, time to start backing the team with the start. The gap has closed, the tighter defences make scoring more difficult, and NZ is in for a week of absolute crap weather, another leveller.

I don't recall seeing that Spyker.I have seen refs quote the penalty count to whingeing captains in an effort to shut them up.Maybe that is what he was doing.Good thing Rolland didn't ask for it the TMO would need a calculator to add 'em all up!

Just heard a report that Digby Ioane may be out for the tourny.

Massive loss if his mitt is broken DA.

To many turtle dances perhaps...:)

I'm shattered. Probably the best running back in the world at the moment.I never noticed it yesterday,I don't think he even came off.Fvckin hell.Behind Genia and Cooper he is the next in line for players you don't want to see get injured.

Hes had a huge yeaar, and Deans uses him well (as does Ewan), both protecting Cooper in defence, and in the running stakes.

Certainly the best winger in the world at present.

How much do you think it affects the odds DA?

Is it as big a loss as NZ with Read (who by 'all accounts' is on the up)?

It's definitely put a dent in my confidence.Digby is a gamebreaker.Players like that don't come around too often.

Scans today in Auckland have confirmed Wallabies winger Digby Ioane has sustained a fracture to his right thumb though Australia remain hopeful he will still play in the World Cup.

Ioane suffered the injury during yesterday's 32-6 win over Italy in Australia's opening match of the Rugby World Cup.

The injury occurred with approximately 20 minutes of play remaining when the Australian winger accidentally came into contact with the boot of his Italian counterpart, Mirco Bergamasco, as he attempted to cover a grubber kicked in behind the Australian line.

As Ioane tried to scoop up the ball, his thumb was struck by the boot of Bergamasco, who was attempting to toe the ball further down-field.

Ioane will be operated on and will remain with the Wallabies in New Zealand.

He is expected to be available to play again later in the tournament although the exact timelines on when he might be able to return will not be known until after the joint has been operated on, and his rehabilitation from the injury has begun.

He will be back for the quarters

Thank you Dr Crow.

Is that wishful thinking, or medical knowledge?

he wont be back from a broken thumb anytime soon

My thoughts to LR.

I guess that opens the door for Mitchell assuming O'Conner comes straight back in.

That's the word out of the camp

Who is SAM STOSUR please.

Looks like Australia are expected to do the same as Sth Africa did yesterday given that USA are resting a few of their better players. 
I am not so sure that this Australian team are as ruthless as that, any of you Rugby experts think that 73.5 total points is a bit high?

It's achievable imo.Understrength USA team,wallabies seething,Rob Horne in the centres may give us more penetration,hope that Polota Nau and Palu can improve.Betting those big scores can be a bit of a lottery,if the game bogs down for 15 minutes or so it fvcks up your points.NZ failed to give Tonga 70 start but Tonga is a lot stronger than the USA 'B' team.

I think Aust will definitely cover the 59.5 start.USA 'B' team probably worse than Eastwood 2nd grade.

Well I layed total match points Over 73.5 at 1.90, just for a bit of interest. gl all.

Good luck Shiraz,hopefully the score is 60-0 and we both win.Hmmmmmmm,SHIRAZ.....

OK, 67-5 managed to thread the needle for both of us BS.

Unbelievable Shiraz LOL!!!

Come on DA - fire up son! It's 1/4 finals and none of your insights on this thread? Seem to have disappeared off the face of planet Betfair You haven't eloped with TQ have you?[;)]

Sorry. I got a bit sick of talking to myself.

Maybe Burning Sp will join in again although I don't think he has your depth of knowledge tbh.[;)]

Looking forward to the Wales Ireland game this arvo

The first of a massive weekend CB.

This is a weekend of rugby that will be remembered.

Taffys and the Poms for me today, in fact I believe the leek eaters can make the final.

Team of the future.

Actually I'm better off staying here.That South African twit is back on the other forum.Unbearable!
I'll be cheering for the frogs and the taffies!

earlycrow
12 Sep 11 08:48 Joined: 16 Jun 10 | Topic/replies: 3,356 | Blogger: earlycrow's blog
He will be back for the quarters
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Well done to the Taffys and was glad to see a young team playing some good rugby,come out on top.Frogs too good for an inept England side. Looking forward to this arvo and hope the Saffers are put to the sword with the wallabies turning up,when it counts!
Come on 4 O'clock!! [:)]

Pity this game is in Wellington.On a dry track hard to see the wallabies losing but at that sh!thole it brings the boks back into it.Gonna check it out on tv before putting cash on!

The forwards.Don't really believe SA has an edge here.Smit the worst palyer at the WC.Matfield Spies Roussow are just shadows of 2007.Even Burger who I love is not too effective these days.Broussow a terriffic scavenger but offers little in the ball carrying department.Not too sure how the scrum will do.Aust gained ascendancy last time in Durban.Refereeing can play a big part here.Line out I think will be pretty even,though the boks not 100% there last time either.

Aust pack will be alot better than against Ireland.Pocock returning is a huge boost.Moore having a great season as well.Elsom still a bludger!

Backs.What can you say? SA never use their backs,only to chase kicks.Aust have a big edge here.Might be time for a bit of Quade Cooper briliance.The most freakish talent I've seen.Not sure about Mccabe at 12.He runs upright,no doubt the boks watched Ireland hold him up and get two turnovers.
The high kick tactic SA used so effectively from 07 - 09 is not working so well these days.Giving players like Beale and Cooper (not to mention Dagg and Jane) space to run in broken play can be suicidal.
On their day the Aussies can beat anyone.The first half demolition of the NZ pack and the consequent flustered play of Dan Carter a month ago proved that.They can also be bloody awful!It's what's between their ears that is the problem.If they can't get fired up for this game then they don't deserve to be there any longer anyway.

Anyway I hope they can win,not just because they're Aussies,but because I hate to see that horrible negative,anti-rugby the boks like to play have any success.

I'd like to see the boks lose just to annoy the Baptist!

I've got a number of South African friends I met through rugby,some of the nicest people you could ever meet.They are absolutly nothing like the Baptist.

Well you guys got your wish, surprised this thread has'nt had at least one post since the match started and now it's been over for a while.

Sometimes when you look at a horse race you work out who is the leader,who'll sit behind him,who'll be at the rear etc and when it runs it goes nothing like you expected.That's what this game was like.

Tough win.That's a win the wallabies of recent years would not have been able to achieve.The defence was brutal.The attack was non existent and Cooper absolutely woeful.It seems he really is just a Super 15 player.But they stuck in there and got it.

Poc0ck an absolute freak,maybe the best 7 I've seen.

All Blacks vs Pumas were much more entertaining

Australia very very lucky BUT it's New Zealand in a world cup, we're alive and can do it - bring it on

France to beat Wales imo

Who's WE? Tell me you're not a kiwi Womble ffs.

no DA - All Blacks will choke it the world cup like they always do and "we" (the Wallabies) can beat them imo

stupid game though, league 100 times better

Gee I wish I had made a come back now DA

I used to be a leaguie then 50-50 league/union but nowadays I realise rugby clearly superior.The artificial 'play-the-ball' just doesn't compete with the contest for possession,the breakdown.

too much kicking, too many penalties (if they give them) - plus too many leather patches on elbows and Liberal voters [;)]

Kicking is part of rugby.It's like saying there's too much kicking in soccer.The kick on the 5th tackle drives me nuts in league as does the tries that come from a little 'nudge' into the ingoal.YAWN!

Let me assure you after attending junior league and union games the past 15 years the union crowd is much preferable!

Da is right about Pocock, some of the stuff he did today was just insane.


I'd like to see cooper start on the bench next game - Berick at 5/8 - let him drive the team round the park - save quade for the last 20 and razzle dazzle - not sure deans is brave enough for it though

but the league crowd has more character

either way, looking forward to both games next week

If you mean ciggy smoking,beer swilling,mullets,screaming filth at the ref is character Womble then good luck.


Yeah I'd like to see Barnes in too Maxy but it's a big call.Do you replace your 10 after all this time for the World Cup semi final or do you keep faith in him? I personally think something has gone wrong with him mentally.He has totally lost his mojo!

I think all that stuff about kneeing st rutchie has got to him - He does not seem to trust himself anymore

Well done in the rugby. I did h/t f/t Australia, Australia.

Well done Don! Your mate EK came to Aust and someone said to me 'who the fvck is EK' and I told him because you had enlightened me about his talent previously.

LOL, thanks DA. He is something else on the piano - and he's not a show-off. Just serious, steely Russian.

I can now proceed to blow my Australian winnings on South African nags

Makes for a massive weekend with 2 big games.

Wales and France same price NZ TAb. I like Wales, and have pumped them the past couple of weeks. A young team (Shane Williams exempt) on the up. Big, mobile and playing smart. The Frogs are the first side in WC history to lose 2 games and still make the last 4.

NZ Tab has Sundays semi at NZ $1.30, Aust $3.00 or 8.5 line. Tasty odds for you Aussie supporters. Not for this boy however. South Africa's best back yesterday was Cooper who has had some sort of break down (although has shown he lacks a little bit in the heartlage department previously). Barnes has to come in at 10, but doubt this will happen. Good for us NZers (maybe he's a plant....) as Cooper is a flat track bully.

I have never seen a team win like the Wallabies did with so little possession. The defence was sensational.

Womble I have played both union and league and I found union to be much harder (those rucks are murderous)and required more skill. Having said that there are some great league players I would love to see playing for the Wallabies.

I had to choose between the Kangaroos and the Wallabies, and i didnt choose rugby for the money i can tell you, much better game

each to their own imo

Fairly confident about Wales tonight.Forget all this stuff about a resurgent France.Beating England was no big deal.Seriously,England are woeful.The frogs have a good lineout and a good backrow but the rest,pffff.Actually the halfback can be good too sometimes.
The frogs couldn't handle Maa Nonu running through their midfield they won't handle the 'White Nonu' Jamie Roberts,charging into 'em either.Wales a pretty good side,the only side in the RWC that has consistently played well throughout.

im with u doublecup, the frogs played beyond themselves against a very ordinary lot last week, and will be back to their old self today, losers

Robbed.

An over reaction by the ref that I believe changed the course of the game.

Wales can be proud.

Look out in 2015 in England, this is a team on the verge of big things.

Allez les bleus - I'm on at an average of 22's, should be able to go green when they score the opening try straight form the kick off next week.......

Will they present the cup after to nights game?

LOL CROW-they should do!

LOL Spyker - I can't believe you didn't green up before the Wales game!

France must be the LUCKIEST team in history! They stared at defeat against Japan,took 70 minutes to put Canada away,got flogged by NZ,and humiliated by Tonga.They had Aust lose to Ireland putting them out of their side of the draw,beat a woeful England,and managed three goals against a 14 man Wales to get into the final.Something like that will never happen again in any RWC!!


Not much to say about last night.Red card to Wales' best player and it was all over,or should've been.Being successful with 1/6 shots at goal didn't help.After watching Priestland I'd forgotten how bad Hook and Jones are!
It's a bit like backing a trotter and he breaks at the start.You shrug your shoulders and move on.

Real shame about that loss. How Wales didn't manage to score in the last few minutes I'll never know.I laid off my France green before the game to go green on Aus and NZ. Well,can't wait for tonight's game - should be a cracker.Unfortunate that KB is out. Any opinions on the team shuffle with Ashley-Cooper at fuullback D.A?

It's a big loss coboz no doubt.Beale one of the few players in the world can run through traffic.AAC a good player though,fairly safe with the high ball.It's not the end of the world.Some are suggesting it's as big a loss as Carter for NZ.That opinion is insane!How can the loss of a fullback compare to losing the world's best five eighth?

Yes.As you say - Kiwi loss is far greater.Anyway, let's just hope everything clicks today and that Q.Cooper is on fire!

Quade is a freak on his day that's for sure.He's done some stuff that I don't think anyone has ever done before.But clearly he has been having an ordinary WC to say the least.He did some good things last week but they were overshadowed by some scary brain explosions.The lack of good ball coming his way is not helping him either.
It would be folly to think that he will never again make a line break or score a try or do a freak pass to put someone away.Whether he does it today remains to be seen.Only doing it once today may be the difference between winning and losing!

The Real World Cup Final is about to start.


It's our patriotic duty to back the wallabies! (There's no hard and fast rule about how much you have to have on). Imagine how you'd feel if they won and you hadn't backed them.

The wallabies are splendidly joyously inconsistent.You never know how they'll go unlike the All Blacks who are incredibly consistent,that's why they're always 1.30 or 1.40.Take last week for example.The wallabies turn in an absolute shocker,their set piece is in ruins and their 5/8 is having a mental breakdown.But they put on the most incredible defensive display in living memory.There's nothing tougher than a tough aussie,just look at Pat Mccabe last week.I'm surprised he can play.Ever again!
But rugby is a bit like horse racing.It's unlikely the game will be identical to last week.As seen the last time we played NZ the forwards are more than capable of standing up to the ABs.The ABs themselves far from impressive in their win over Argentina last start.The loss of Carter is HUGE.Cruden and Weepu -gimme a break.Cruden's about as tough as that other kiwi,Quade Cooper!Speaking of whom,if he can recapture some form it would be handy.The first sign of mental illness they should hook him!!
Our backrow not as good as the ABs except for Poc0ck who put in the performance of the tourny last week.Our half is better.I'll tell you after the game if our 10 is better! ABs centres offer a lot more in attack especially Nonu,but ours are excellent defenders.Toss of a coin the back three.It should be every man's job to get the ball to Digby Ioane as often as possible!
The last time the ABs played anyone decent was when they played the wallabies in the trinations.Since then they've lost Carter and who knows how good McCaw will be with his foot a mess.
Don't give up hope.We've got a chance.I'd rather take 3.60 the wallabies than 1.40 the All Blacks.

I'm already on the Colonel Clink so that's about as in depth an analysis I can manage at the mo'.

Oh I forgot something.No team in the history of rugby has ever had so much pressure on it to win a match as the All Blacks have on them tonight.It will be interesting to see how they handle that.

Sport is so inclusive

Cycling for the roid freaks and lesbians

Soccer for the effeminate types

Union for the "missing link" brigade

But why is it on channel 9 at 6.30 on a Sunday ffs

Better off on the History channel or as a lead in to a Worlds Dumbest type show... imo

im watchin the bird show on 2. unreal.[smiley:crazy]
Love D.A.

It's the world cup final ffs

might switch over soon.
Dont know much about it.

The French were bloomin lucky yes but they also showed a lot of discipline in their play which hasn't been evident before and Wales had chances to win but bottled it (no drop goal 8 mins to go).  Lets see you 2 beat each other up for 80 mins, see how the winner comes out of it and then I might consider greening up but I'd be amazed if France don't get shorter than they are now - and they are considerably shorter than they were before the semi so I was obv right not to green then!

Wallabies  by 10 +

Ray Hadley ffs - doesn't even know the players names

carn Wallabies!!!!

No chance from here, to many handling errors, no confidence in the way we are play, support players to slow arriving

Have to blame the selectors here...don't know much about rugby...but where is Billy Slater, where is Cam Smith? Does that Morgan Gallop bloke pick the teams too?

Oh well, bring our team home

Lord knows we have heavy things here that need lifting.

We'll find them something to do

Oh well.Too good the All Blacks.Beat us right across the park.

Look on the bright side.It's so very important to New Zealanders that their whole nation can dominate us at rugby,a game played by a handful of ex private schoolboys in Aust.Let 'em have their fun!

Spyker you are like Austin 'Danger' Powers! FFS how much further can you push it!!??

Spyker you are like Austin 'Danger' Powers! FFS how much further can you push it!!??

I'm considering a lay of NZ now! Ok NZ bossed you but that is because your scrum isn't the strongest and QC had no control whatsoever. The French will certainly put NZ under pressure in the forwards and NZ now have a week of hype where practically the whole country thinks they have already won it and some of that is bound to rub off on the squad. I can see the French starting well in which case I'll lay off if they are ahead after 15-20mins or so. if NZ are ahead I'll prob lay them as they will almost certainly get cocky, not to much but 1.14 seems too short to me now!

I'm glad you said that DA...about the Wallabies I mean....Get Pokeron to heat up the oil will ya...ah yeah and get the batter ready too...There's a team that needs inspiring...."ouch"

Most of those AB would here anyow!! [:x]

would live here ....ffs

Fvckin hell Spyker the only way France could get an early lead would be if they scored a few tries while the All Blacks are still doing the haka.

As long as the NZ team think that then I'll be quite happy.......

The GULF between SF1 and SF2 was striking wasn't it?

I am disappointed with the prevalence of high ball kicking in the finals.It is a tactic I loathe.The pool matches were more entertaining.

I played rugby for 20 years,not at any great level,here in oz,and if any coach had said to us,'right boys,let's hoist 20 high balls today' he would've been told to get fvcked.Or he wouldn't have a team very long.No player wants to play like that and no spectator wants to watch it.Not in oz but I suspect everywhere.Except some of the loonies on the Rugby Thread!

The women-folk "from the town of Bedrock" will at least be pleased their men are coming home.

Where is Bedrock, anyway?

TBH I've been pretty disappointed with the standard of everything in this WC (refs included). I know there isn't a lot that can be done about the group stages but there hasn't really been a 'good' game all throughout. I mean 2 reasonably matched teams having to attack and defend in equal measure, scrums properly contested and combining kicking with running good lines - the Aus Sa game came closest i suppose
Was there such a gulf between the 2 semis? Aus really weren't that good today and NZ were going through the motions as the Aus forwards seemed reluctant to commit at the breakdown. If Quad Cooper is your best fly then you lot are in trouble as he has been woeful all throughout and the Aus scrum doesn't seem up to much most of the time. A once very good (but now old) Irish pack bossed Aus all over the place and SA may not be quite as far over the hill but aren't far away!
Wales only got to the team they did because of a series of injuries and thus the youngsters played with no fear as they had sod all to lose - lets see how the develop but Wales usually find a way of cocking things up! Eng were just woeful throughout amd MJ has to go as when they have been given free reign (pre wc) they have looked decent enough but he is just too stubborn.
The French have marginally progressed throughout and we all know they are capable oif sublime stuff and lets hope they perform in the final but it wouldn't surprise me if they think they have done enough already as this is further than they thought they'd get i suspect.
I hope next weeks matches are good and i suspect the 3rd playoff might be more entertaining than the final.

France superior and precise kicking will turn the All Blacks round all game. Big chance IMO. Will be backing them. Have the game to nullify NZ

cant agree aussie, the allblacks will flog this mob, dont usually take big minus on lines, but i think the nz will cover this easily

and the game tomorrow, well i couldnt beleive they opened Wales at 2.32, thought i must have missed something regarding injuries or withdrawals so sat on my hands and now cant get 5/4.........thought the betting would have been pick em

All Blacks genuine 1.01 chance.

The 3 v 4 playoff match.I can barely remember this game,let alone the victor from any previous WC!

Will be interesting Loggy....they only scored one try against the Aussies for all that dominance.France will stand up to them at the breakdown and Id imagine the blatant sealing off would of been addressed by the refs during the week

Wales 2.60 on here...good bet

Other thing Loggy , they will be taking 3points when on offer:  it isn't the tv ratings Super 15s or tri nations ...beware of those lines