Tri Nations/Rugby World Cup Thread

[RedKnight]

Thought the loose pass from Halfpenny was going to let Wales down after a great counter.10 big minutes now.

[Lee909]

Samoa kicking had let them down here

[Remmie]

Not sure who to support, for a home nation I quite admire Wales and their passionate fans, but I also love a crazy Pacific Islander team. Draw please.

[Welsh]

Get the fuck in, shitting myself towards the end, knew it would be close.

[RedKnight]

Thought Samoa were the better team for large portions of the game but we dug in and ground out the result. It's not easy trying to play a team of Jango Fett's.

[Pidge]

This has, to be honest, been ridiculously sloppy in places. A lot of shite shite short passes rather than retain possession, some really lazy placing of the ball in the ruck has allowed weak turnovers and general confusion at the breakdown.

 

Feels like they are trying to force the pace, when strong lines and the difference in class would be enough to see us through comfortably.

 

More dumb penalties as well.

[Pidge]

Ha!

 

That's a bit better!

 

Ashton and Tuilagi on the scoresheet.

[Hand Shandy]

We haven't played brilliantly but I've been very impressed with Georgia, especially as they only played four/five days ago.

[Pidge]

France/Canada is providing some comic relief. Two terrible tries in a few minutes.

[Hand Shandy]

I reckon the Canadians could give France a scare here.

 

They're not a bad side, the French have made quite a few changes, and the conditions are bloody awful!

[Pidge]

A few Canadians with massive beards. I think they're forwards too. If there's one place you don't want a massive beard (over and above any-fucking-where, you scruffy bastards) it's a scrum or ruck, surely.

[Lee909]

Somebody can't grow a beaded me thinks.

[Pidge]

Never tried, pretty sure it would be patchy and shite.

 

Edit: actually I know it would be, daliances in Xabi-esque ginger stubble manliness have shown I have a wierd line running down the middle of my chin that barely grows at all and my upper jawline is a bit light on the hair front too. All in all I'd make a shit viking.

[Lee909]

Good play from England so far, some early mistakes but been great since.

34-3 nearly HT

[Cardie]

Good play from England so far, some early mistakes but been great since.

34-3 nearly HT

 

Meanwhile, 22 minutes in, New Zealand are showing real great play against real opponents leading France 19-0

[General Dryness]

All Blacks dry bumming France. 19 - zip with 22 minutes gone.

 

Fucking ace. :D

[Lee909]

France are not arsed about this game imo,they made changes and want the other path too the final.

I have turned over as i cant be arsed watching a game were only one team wants to play.

 

 

The same thing can be said of the england game as there were alot of changes to the romanian side.

[General Dryness]

37-17 final score.

 

Bouncy fucking bouncy.

[rondeco]

France didnt try. Shit team put out.

[lifetime fan]

What the fuck has happened to the Haka?

[George Costanza]

France didnt try. Shit team put out.

 

Hardly.

 

It was an impressive performance from the AB's. Once they score the 3rd try it was game over and both teams went through the motions a bit.

 

France went for a very physical front 8 but forgot about defciences in defence at 9 & 10.

 

Lievremont is a crackpot but if he picks the right team I expect France to get to the final. Even beating their WC bogey team England in the 1/4's.

[General Dryness]

What the fuck has happened to the Haka?

 

In what sense?

[lifetime fan]

In what sense?

 

It was completely different.

[General Dryness]

It was completely different.

 

Theres more than one Haka. The most popular is Ka Mate, which is the one you'll be most used to seeing.

 

Last nights one was Kapa O Pango, used since 2005, which includes the controversial throat slitting action.

 

More info here. Haka (sports) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[stevebaby]

Hardly.

 

It was an impressive performance from the AB's. Once they score the 3rd try it was game over and both teams went through the motions a bit.

 

France went for a very physical front 8 but forgot about defciences in defence at 9 & 10.

 

Lievremont is a crackpot but if he picks the right team I expect France to get to the final. Even beating their WC bogey team England in the 1/4's.

I agree. It wasn't so much that France were a bad side but that the ABs were just so good. I don't think we've seen the best that they can do in this Cup either.

At the beginning I would have picked the ABs and the Wallabies as equal favourites but after the horror show against Ireland and mounting injuries in the Wobblies I've revised that to just the ABs. Cup rugby often comes down to a good kicker (remember 2003? I do, and weep...) and Carter is on form. That said, if the ABs play England it will be interesting to see a kicking duel between Carter and Wilkinson.

I know a lot of fans hate kicking duels but as a former player I appreciate the skill involved and I don't mind a bit of kicking.

I still enjoy a length of the field try though!

 

My pick for the final is England and the ABs. I won't predict the outcome but having been the bridesmaids in the WC for so long, I think the ABs have earned a win.