So, accepting that rugby is a minority sport in England that is poorly supported by the RFU and the kids would prefer to play football over rugby and therefore not a powerhouse in the rugby world, does this mean we'll not get the "England will win the World Cup" rhetoric next time? 😛
Argentina all the way!!
As a rugby fan I loved today's games and you can't be disappointed losing to France because, well, they're France.
It's a shame d-d's gone on holiday as I was going to congratulate him on Ireland equalling their best ever RWC performance and mention it was England's worst. 😉
England have the depth of talent to reach the heights of 2003 consistently if only the structure was there.
The RFU needs to be culled severely and MJ (good bloke though he is) is not an international coach. He's too immersed in the Leicester way - why else were Deacon and Moody playing FFS? Flood and Youngs both bottle it on the big stage too.
Next England fly-half? We need someone like Carter who offers a threat on his own as well as having all the other skills. The Aussies did it by taking a great rugby player and converting him to a fly-half - Stephen Larkham. We should do the same with Ben Foden. OK, he hasn't had a great RWC but he's got all the tools. His preferred position is scrum half so he has the passing/kicking/decision making skills. He has the power/pace/elusive skills of an outside back too. Perfect combo.
It won't happen but maybe it should. 😐
Well I hope Mike Phillips has been given the praise he deserves on here as many have spent a lot of time slagging him off. I think it was Gwyn Jones who said recently that he is a ntural scrum half or a natural in any other position but what he is is a natural rugby player and as such he would be in most teams in the world.
Warburton also pissed on O'B's chips from a great height. An amazing performance by Wales.
I would say that the number of overseas player in the rugby and football premierships is undoubtedly contributing to the national teams poor displays
You know what I think thats rubbish, given a descent coach and a gameplan a little more complicated than dominate up front the current England team could perform so much better. Foden for example wonder what the **** is going on.
Ashton still considered world class by many? He's good when given the ball in behind a defence but when faced with a defensive line he is awful.
Oh and Flood is a perfectly decent outside half.
Yeah Philips had a great game. It's a good point about him being a natural rugby player so he'd do well in most positions - like Foden.
I was glad to see Ireland lose as I think they're beginning to resemble England in green shirts. To be fair, O'Brien is no openside but rather a blindside filling in for David Wallace though Warburton was exceptional.
I love watching Wales play in RWCs because they always play proper exciting rugby, even in defeat (NZ/England/Fiji) so hats off to them and I'd love to see them take on NZ in the final. 🙂
Arent you the gavster biggest fan?
don simondoes this mean we'll not get the "England will win the World Cup" rhetoric next time?
But England WILL win the next RWC, surely. 😉
Arent you the gavster biggest fan?
yes, why?
Thought i remembered you bigging up on here a few weeks ago, thats all.
Long live the king....thought i saw him at the porthcawl elvis festival... He blended in well!
But England WILL win the next RWC, surely.
Last I heard, Vickery thinks they're still in with a shout for this one! 😯 😆
Last I heard, Vickery thinks they're still in with a shout for this one!
😆
"C'mon England!" Bless him.
Actually I thought Phil was quite good today. He tended to cut straight to the point: (about Flood) "You shouldn't criticise other people, you should start by looking at yourself first."
According to MJ post match, this teams best days are ahead of it!
well, well, well what a day for Wales!
thought ireland would have put up a bit more of a fight, i think we scared them in the first 5 minutes 😉 o'driscoll going for touch too much rather then taking the kick he'll have sleepless nights for a while.
i sincerely feel sorry for johnson, contract up in december, thinking of packing it in already,.... half his team didn't even have the right attitude when they left for nz!
think we can do france (fingers crossed), but who will we get in the final.... Hmmmmm
England have the depth of talent to reach the heights of 2003 consistently if only the structure was there.
When will people in charge (of any sport) realise that you absolutely have to properly re-organise your grass-roots structure to do well in the modern sporting world? Time and time again we hear about ground work paying off - British Cycling anyone? Australia?
Quite right about the players attitude tho MB - Johnno really must go - poor results can be excused for various reasons, or at least given second chances, but messing around between games - come on.
So, accepting that rugby is a minority sport in England that is poorly supported by the RFU and the kids would prefer to play football over rugby and therefore not a powerhouse in the rugby world, does this mean we'll not get the "England will win the World Cup" rhetoric next time?
Perhaps you'd better tell the British media that. Is is, after all, them, who choose and have the means to project that tenet, c/f 1966....
At friends for breakfast and to watch the Rugby on a beautiful South African morning 🙂
Go Bokke!!!!!
Good morning sports fans... C'mon Aussie!
Morning from a neutral. 😀
Morning all
😯
Good start from the Wallabies, they're looking really strong at the breakdown aren't they, lots of turnover, that's the benefit of having Pocock back 🙂
Supporting the Aussies today. Looking very composed in defence at minute.
One visit to the Saffa's try line, one try. How many times did the Bokkes get to the Wallabies line and come away with naught? Good defence indeed! 🙂
Need to sort our lineout though, that's going to hurt us if we can't... don't really care how we win today, as long as we do!
Saw the one break by the Aussies early on, looked dangerous.
Referee is having a shocker.
....as are ITV commentary, but then that's par for the course.
Ref is an ARSE.
Referee is Bryce Lawrence. He's (as usual) making the commentators look good...
The momentum has swung now. Australia desperately need to get a grip of this. They're getting outmuscled by the Germans at the minute.
Great drop goal to help overcome the refereeing... Cmon SA!
[s]Wallabies are in headless chicken mode.[/s]
Wallabies are ahead!
Not a massive SA fan, but the ref has not really helped them today.
Well done Australia. Proper gritty performance.
Glitchy bump.
🙁 blimmin ref ;(
🙁 blimmin double post 😉
**** me that was an ugly win... No idea how South Africa didn't score a try, how much bloody territory did they have?!! 😯
A win is a win though, credit to our defence I guess...
credit to our defence I guess...
And how much the Wallabies have paid to good ole' Bryce...
Anyways. Today we learnt that 75% possession will not win you the game, but 154 tackles will 8)
How many high tackles does it take to get a penalty. Worst one right in front of the ref as well. Fortunately Aussies won't go on to win the WC.Must be the Kiwi's turn this year, and they deserve it too.
SA should have had at least 2 penulties that were easily kickable.
Shouldn't be trying to win with penalties or the ref chaps, 75% possession, how many botched efforts within 10m of our try line? You should've scored 2-3 tries easily... we got out of jail today, time to prepare for Argentina next week 😉
what a battle some of the biggest hits of the tournament, that is how to defend well done to the wallabies.
Being a split household aussie / england it’s been a fun morning, the wife thinks the wallabies will get to the final against wales with wales taking it. My prediction of a england wallaby final died yesterday so i’m now going with hers 😆
Well, Haka excepted, Argentina win at the anthems I think!
Love to see emotion at the anthem, tears from Argentina, beautiful... too many international players don't appear to have the passion for representing their country, great to see players showing it for once! 🙂
C'mon Pumas!! 😀
Finally a decent game of footy.None of this kick and clap crap that the northern hemisphere teams think passes for rugby.Honestly as an English supporter i dont know how u can follow a team so bereft of skill and ideas.At least this game had skill,passion and real men playing it.Go the Soutern hemisphere teams,u lead the way in the rugby world