Rugby World Cup 2015

[NCC1701]

^ Apart from that half all three matches overnight went according to plan, Ireland looking like they're winning comfortably over Romania as i write this. Australia thrashed Uruguay 65-3, Cooper missing 6 shots at goal and getting sin binned again. Looks like Austalia have the same problems as us at number 10 where there's our first choice player and then daylight behind them.

 

[Orac Zen]

It probably sounds weird to be unimpressed with a result like 65-3, but for mine there was too much impatience and flashy crap from the Wallabies and not enough respect paid to Uruguay, who to their credit kept having a go despite the scoreline. McMahon was probably the only one to genuinely advance his cause, and given he has Pocock and Hooper ahead of him he faces an uphill battle for game time. Cooper was rubbish - nothing new there. If Cheika picks him for the England and Wales games - with kickers of the calibre of Biggar and Farrell ready to punish the sorts of brain fades Cooper routinely produces - it will be a complete and utter joke.

The England game is going to be even more fascinating than it would otherwise have been. I'm looking forward to it. I think.

 

[Relayer1]

So much for Fiji.

 

[Relayer1]

So much for Fiji.

Oh well done.

I apologise !

 

[Orac Zen]

Really proud of our blokes today. That was as good a performance as the Wallabies have put together for a decade or more, particularly the first half. There's still plenty to work on but they're entitled to be stoked with that effort, especially considering what a complete basket case Australian rugby was this time last year. I'm not going to gloat about this result but I do intend to enjoy it.

I can't feel any sympathy whatever for the more arrogant elements among the England players (current and past - Cipriani's claim that none of the Wallabies, including Hooper and particularly Pocock, would make the England side was utterly ludicrous), media (as one example, every "expert" at the Guardian predicted an England win) and "fans". They thoroughly deserve this result. Commiserations to everyone else.

 

[Relayer1]

The England team's discipline's has been terrible all the way through. They'd have comfortably beaten Wales without the penalties they gave away, and might have been in contention against Australia. They've only got themselves to blame.

Justifiably out, as is only right and proper for an England team in the group stages of a World Cup competition...

 

[MacLeod]

Well know who the final 8 are now.

So the quarter finals are

South Africa vs Australia or Wales
New Zealand vs Ireland or France
Ireland or France vs Argentina
Australia or Wales vs Scotland

It'll be interesting to see how those matches play out.

 

[Relayer1]

Come on Wales !

 

[Deckerd]

Yay! Scotland's through. Lots of scoring and the sides were really well matched.

 

[Relayer1]

Wales really can pull this off.

Edit - bugger, no they can't...

 

[MacLeod]

The question now is can Scotland or Wales pull off a miracle and progress to the semis.

 

[Orac Zen]

Even more stoked with the Wallabies after that game. Very different to last week but every bit as satisfying. Kudos to Wales - with their absurd injury toll they could well have keeled over in this tournament and hopefully their run of success will continue. I reckon that with any sort of luck whatever they can beat SA and I'd really like to see them do so.

Predictably, quite a bit of talk here about how "boring" it was. People who imagine a rugby match must have several tries to be of any worth merely display their ignorance.

Given our recent history of pathetic performances against Scotland I find it bizarre that anyone imagines our draw is significantly easier from here. It's nice to avoid NZ and SA but we need to turn in a significantly better effort against the Scots than has become the norm.

 

[MacLeod]

Well at this stage of the competition you wouldn't really expect any of the games to be easy.

 

[Orac Zen]

Well...yes. Which is my point. And a point not readily grasped by some media types. Which isn't a surprise, really.

 

[MacLeod]

I guess it comes down to which team would you rather face not that it really matters as the ones you might want to avoid such as the All Blacks you might still have to face in order to win.

 

[NCC1701]

Thought I'd reread the BBS' thread on the previous world cup: http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=146720

Yeah I didn't make the link all fancy, I post on the board so infrequently these days I can't even remember how to do it anymore, so sue me!

Anyways, it struck me how lively the thread was four years ago, I got to half a page before the tournament even kicked off. We're into the quarter finals now and haven't even cracked a full page yet, what happened since the last edition?

Some mouthwatering match ups this weekend, South Africa v Wales, Ireland v Argentina and not to mention the big one, '2007 revisited: 2015 edition' as the media are trying to hype it up as, New Zealand v France. Also, Australia v Scotland is happening.

I should support South Africa, but I'm hoping Wales have it in them to cause yet another upset this year after all the adversity they've had to get through to get this far. Ireland v Argentina I haven't decided yet who to support, on one hand you've got the plucky newcomer to the Rugby Championship, on the other a team who have yet to make it to a semi-final at the world cup. Decisions, decisions. And unless Australia care to revisit some of the lowest depths plumbed during the Deans years, they should take care of Scotland this weekend.

And the big one, NZ v France. We've played some average rugby over the past month, but finally seemed to bring some spit and polish against Tonga in the second half. Now that we've played Argentina and three teams we knew we would beat as soon as we got on the paddock, hopefully we can step it up another notch against France. Who have predictably turned on the chaos generator and have turned on their coach. Just seems like smoke and mirrors to try and catch us off guard from where I'm sitting, much like the 2011 final. On the field France just didn't seem to have any answers to what Ireland was bringing in their last pool game. At least we won't swagger into this final game thinking we've got it in the bag already, with fullbacks playing at centre this time a la 2007 and 1999. Game on!

 

[Orac Zen]

The board's a much quieter place than it was four years ago. There are names in that thread I haven't seen around in ages.

In order, then:

Wales v South Africa: I'd love to see Wales win this, but their ludicrous injury toll has to catch up with them sooner or later and this may turn out to be the game it happens. SA have rumbled along well enough since the Japan loss and while they often play a brand of rugby I find tedious in the extreme (which of course is entirely irrelevant), it's the kind of rugby that works at the business end of tournaments. Really, really hope Wales can defy the odds again.

NZ v France: I've rewatched both the 1999 and 2007 games in the past week and enjoyed them all over again (like you wouldn't say something similar, NCC. ). Yes, it's eight years later so France are due if one believes in such things, and NZ haven't done anything out of the ordinary so far. But France have been crap over the past four years and NZ...haven't. Realistically there's only one outcome for this one.

Ireland v Argentina: Another situation where crucial injuries (along with a suspension) may well have cruelled a team's chances before a ball is kicked. I'd love to see Ireland win this but Argentina have a settled side and have the experience of the stupidly-named Four Nations behind them. I know who I want to win, but I won't be surprised if it doesn't happen.

Australia v Scotland: Lots of talk about us being in the "easier" part of the draw and that's all very well, but Scotland seem to have put some good performances together in this tournament after being mediocre for several years. Our last three Tests against them have resulted in a scrappy win and two of the worst and most pathetic losses in our history. We should win... I'd be a bit happier if Pocock was fit but at least we have people capable of standing in for him this time around.

 

[Shaytan]

And the big one, NZ v France. We've played some average rugby over the past month, but finally seemed to bring some spit and polish against Tonga in the second half. Now that we've played Argentina and three teams we knew we would beat as soon as we got on the paddock, hopefully we can step it up another notch against France. Who have predictably turned on the chaos generator and have turned on their coach. Just seems like smoke and mirrors to try and catch us off guard from where I'm sitting, much like the 2011 final. On the field France just didn't seem to have any answers to what Ireland was bringing in their last pool game. At least we won't swagger into this final game thinking we've got it in the bag already, with fullbacks playing at centre this time a la 2007 and 1999. Game on!

NZ v France: I've rewatched both the 1999 and 2007 games in the past week and enjoyed them all over again (like you wouldn't say something similar, NCC. ). Yes, it's eight years later so France are due if one believes in such things, and NZ haven't done anything out of the ordinary so far. But France have been crap over the past four years and NZ...haven't. Realistically there's only one outcome for this one.

I can't see France winning today. If that happens I will start to seriously doubt my atheism.

 

[Jono]

The ABs just reminded everyone why their have been no.1 since the last world cup (and about 3 years before that). France were obliterated. Expected them to lose quite heavily, but not 50 points heavily. I hate to say it, but France seemed to give up with about 10 to go. It won't be a match that will get a replay in the France RWC highlight reels in the future.

South Africa snuck past Wales. The game reminded me of the one versus Japan were SA just couldn't shake their opponent. Wales was also guilty of some pretty aimless kicking in the final 20 as they played for penalties in the Bok's half.

Sets up a (expected) massive clash in the semis. ABs on the ascendancy and the Boks, who haven't shown their best, won't be letting them have as easy a time as France did.

Not sure who to pick out of Ireland and Argentina. It should be a close match. Australia and Scotland could also be close with injuries to two of Aust best and Scotland getting lucky at the judiciary to get players back.

Will it be a Rugby Championship semi final? Of can Ireland and/or Scotland implode their side of the draw?

 

[Orac Zen]

Err...wow.

Even for the All Blacks that was a hell of a performance. Everything they did was class and France had absolutely no answer whatsoever. I doubt any side could have gotten close to NZ, and I doubt any side will unless something truly extraordinary happens.

Haven't watched Wales / SA yet but to say I'm disappointed at the result is putting it ridiculously mildly. Hopefully the old rivals will belt the crap out of each other next week.

Go Ireland, and please let us not stuff up against Scotland yet again.