sputnik - Member
Thanks AA, nice to hear from a non Bok supporter that the ref was an arse.
Too late for tears now, interesting article in the Gaurdian:
Bryce Lawrence reduced breakdown to a farce
Karma! 😆
Bryce Lawrence single handedly wrecked the British Lion's chances not so long ago. He allowed Mtawarira to scrummage illegally and continually penalised Vickery (iirc) until the test was lost for the Lions, and then in the next game recommended a yellow card for Burger's eye-gouging. YELLOW? For gouging? Jeez, it still makes me angry! With a player carded for 70 minutes the chances are the Boks would have lost that game as well. But we'll never know, because Lawrence made such poor decisions in those two games.
So, really SA have what they deserve, albeit rather late!
Johnson is out of contract in December (I think).
at least a yellow
****.
Anyway I dont like either Australia or SA as far as rugby goes but the ref ruined the game. Pocock whilst an incredible player got away with some amazing foul play, he also missed blatent knock ons and made up forward passes.
Johnson needs to go and whoever comes in needs to bring some decent coaches with them. I just hope Shaun Edwards stays with Wales, having said that whoever is Englands defensive coach does a decent job its the forwards and backs coaches that need shooting.
muddydwarf - Member
Mind you TJ, i haven't been to a Sale game since i was made redundant and had to give up my season ticket. Now i have the money but no-one wants to go with me (mates have young families and no money)
I think it's the same everywhere.
There used to be about 8 of us who would go to Swansea games at St Helens, 4 of us with season tickets for over a decade. The regions got formed, 4 of us got season tickets. Now, for various reasons none of us go. The stadium is only 5 minutes walk down the road from me. I watch all the rugby going. My wife often asks me if I'm going to the match (and why don't I take the 7yr old..), but I have no interest in paying quite a lot of money to watch a team who so rarely show up and play interesting rugby.
As TJ said (sort of), if they can't get me down there, they are doing something wrong.
Interesting to see the fun never stops with England...
[url= http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09102011/58/world-cup-england-star-detained-jumping-ferry.html ]England star jumps off ferry[/url]
Robinson has done a lot fot he Scottish team, night and day from Hadden, but there were some dodgy selections for sure.
De luca quite frankly is a joke and should never have even made the selection to go to NZ, i am fed up of watching him make shocking mistakes time after time. He should be sacked im fed up paying for him with my tickets.
Rory Lamont is a great full back and definatly should have played more Paterson has had his day, he actually played decent rugby in the six nations but its a world cup too many for him.
The forwards were very good, gave fantastic dislpayes agains Argintena and England, the front row of Jacabson Ford and murry were fantastic, the first half agains England they ripped the English front row apart.
Kellock should have played all the games, he is a great captain and was brill aginst England.
Was disapointed by Grey, thought he would have played better.
Back row were below par too.
The biggest casulty of the world cup should be Gregor Townsend, he needs to go.
Scotland should have been in he 1/4 finals they played well enough but its probably as far as they would have gone.
They didn't play well enough tho - thats the point.
I didn't mind deluca so much. playing Parks at standoff and not trusting him with placekicks so you have to play Patterson as well despite Rory Lamont being an obviously better fullback is just stupid.
Greg Laidlaw should have been in the party.
to conservative, too many poor selections
he go the centres wrong to - should have been shug and ansbro
Well i think 1 stupidly obvious offside decision in the Argintena game actualy cost us. Objectivly we did play well enough to win that match. De Luca has cost Scotland too many points over the past 3 years.
Having been a Welsh fan for almost 20 years I really do sympathise with you TJ and other Scots, and even to an extend with England 🙂 It's tough when your team's sh*t.
stevewhyte
Na - be honest they lost that game earlier - not scoring when camped in the 22. Argentina were the better side and the only side to score a try
Yes not scoring with 2 lineouts right on the try line was poor, but they were the better side for 80% of the game.
Interesting to see the fun never stops with England...England star jumps off ferry
His team mates tried to throw him a lifebelt but they dropped it under pressure!!
Johnson needs to go though.
He's doing fine...leave him be.
stevewhyte
I don't agree Passionate Scotland fan I might be but Scotland never looked like beating Argentina IMo and certainly were not the better team for 80% of the game. never looked like scoring a try
@ gwaelod 😆
Been away for the weekend, but interesting to see 3 out of 4 results as planned... managed to only see the 2nd half of NZ v Arg and the Argies never looked like scoring, good defence though.
SA tried so hard but the Aussies wouldn't let em through eh. Great stuff, love to see SA fail. Balls to all the stuff about the bad refereeing, at least the right team are through to the semis.
Wales in the WC final hey? pretty bloody brilliant that.
I agree that Townsend should go but I'd like to see Robinson stay on for at least another couple of years. Despite the fact that we still can't score tries I like the way the pack has progressed.
Despite having some fantastic talent in the backs they never seem to threaten anything resembling a try. I was never a Parks fan until the 09/10 season were he was incredible for both Glasgow and Scotland but the successes that year came from Park's control of territory rather than dangerous attacking play. I'm afraid I can't support Wales because I'm still angry at you for breaking him again 😈
I don't think Wales should be so confident, the Good French team might turn up next week, you never know. Still, it would be good to see !!
We have made it to the last 4 so I am happy now - Kiwi pride intact. Winning is but a dream really.
(and everybody called Colin in NZ is going to have a very bad day at work today - he wasn't much was he ? Couldn't get him off the pitch fast enough)
I am not confident at all, just enjoying the ride 😆
I don't think Wales should be so confident, the Good French team might turn up next week, you never know.
very true and the french attacking play comes from deeper and is designed to outwit the blitz defence Wales employ. Unlke the irish, SA, Samoan attack which just tried to smash through it. Watched the game again last night the way Wales started was 2 mins of perfect rugby and their defence relied on good old fashioned round the ankles tackles rather than big hits. The sight of Roberts kocking D O'C into next week was something to behold, as was Phillps taking the quick tap and smacking O'B over.
To be clear when I say Wales can win this thing, I'm coming from the same place as TJ saying Scotland can get out of the group, its highly unlikely, but there is no reason why it coulnt happen.
If Wales and France both turn up and play to their full potential, it has the makings of the game of the tournament.
Based on the weekends performances, there's very little between them so I wouldn't like to predict a winner. Good luck both.
If Wales and France both turn up
If Wales turn up? It would be great to see Wales shift up a gear or two.
Very happy being a plastic Taff this weekend 🙂 Is it too much to dare to hope to win the World Cup? I think so but anything can happen so I will keep it hidden & hope for the best while listening to Max Boyce daily.
England - the RFU don't let anything decent happen & I think the first person to go has to be Rob Andrew - very little decent has happened since he got there - well grinding out wins & lucking out has happened but rarely have I watched a match thinking England should win easily, its always too much of a hope they grind it out in the end
Robinson is a great (forwards) coach and a poor selector. He proved the former under SCW and the latter during his tenure as England coach.
Great to see the England lads still enjoying themselves despite being knocked out. Let's hope Manu doesn't sit next to the emergency door on the plane on the way home.
After this weekend I'm changing my name to Dai_RCL - although I will answer to the term boyo...
"Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more (I want no more)"
Well my wife's mother is 1/2 welsh....
glitchy glitchy I want to see the missing posts
Another England player in trouble, and with the law this time. Disrespectful to MJ and the World Cup. 🙄
There again, perhaps he wanted to jump England's sinking ship.
I want to see the missing posts
Don't worry - there wasn't anything good in any of them. 😉
namastebuzz - MemberRobinson is a great (forwards) coach and a poor selector. He proved the former under SCW and the latter during his tenure as England coach.
and confirmed it as Scotland coach.
We thought he might have less difficulty with selection with a much smaller pool to chose from.
he did really well with Edinburgh and I wish he had been left there. Good club coach - not up to it as an international coach
TandemJeremy - Memberglitchy glitchy I want to see the missing posts
*Waves*
TBH I don't think his choice of forwards has been too bad. The backs on the other hand...
I would like to see Townsend replaced, possibly with someone from the southern hemisphere. Hopefully someone that can give some good advice in selections.
Forwards have been Ok but not playing Kelloch? Leaving Beattie at home?
Good set piece but the scottish back row never did what we know they can do - secure quick ball for us and turn over the opposition
Maybe the Jocks could get Martin Johnson, Brian Smith and John Wells when they become "available"?
You're welcome to have Rob Andrew too. 😆
No thank you.
I thought this was the world cup thread? What are you Scots still doing here?
I didn't get the chance to see much of Beattie after he came back from injury so I can't really say much about his form. As far as Kellock goes, that may have had something to do with the fact that Murray wasn't playing in that game. Possibly Robinson felt that more bulk was needed in the scrum to help make up for the loss of Murray, I don't know.
I think Phil Vickery has stated Andy Robinson is the best forwards coach he has worked with, either domestically or on the international stage. High praise indeed.
As for Englands next forward's coach, perhaps Dean Ryan is worth a punt.
Sounds like priestland, charteris and Roberts will be available by the weekend.
[url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/15226972.stm ]bbc[/url]
PMSL @ inigomontoya!
Hmm, looks like some bookies are offering 6/1 for Wales to win the cup... In response to A_A I don't think it's highly unlikely, just unlikely 🙂 In the past Wales have often played well against the French but that was in the past, I'm not sure previous form applies in these turbulent times.
I hope that the French implode in turmoil rather than trying to prove a point to Lievremont.
From [url= http://gwladrugby.com/?p=676 ]Gwladrugby[/url]
There are currently two kinds of people in Wales; those who are already fearing a beating from France and set for a week of utter nervous torment, and those who have embraced the teachings of the Optimism Gnome and are set for a week of delirious adrenalin-fuelled over-exuberance punctuated by occasional calls to ambulance staff to administer sedatives or slaps, and some involuntary weeing.
I'm currently veering randomly between the two.
Some of you Welsh fans should get on a plane - there are still 8000 tickets on sale for the match on saturday. Once in a lifetime opportunity and all that. Although you will be sharing a stadium with some disappointed and miscalculating England fans, and some rather startled French ones !
Hels - thanks for that.. Let me see if I can remortgage my house quickly to get a plane ticket... Or perhaps I'll buy a battered old bus and drive over 60s style.
If this were a 6N match, with given form, you'd expect Wales to pummel France.
Speaking of which.. Wales grand slam 2012 anyone? 🙂 Let's make it three in 7 years!
hels - Member
I don't think Wales should be so confident, the Good French team might turn up next week, you never know. Still, it would be good to see !!
Wales don't seem to have a problem with France any more, having beaten them regularly enough over the last few years.
(and everybody called Colin in NZ is going to have a very bad day at work today - he wasn't much was he ? Couldn't get him off the pitch fast enough)
To be fair to him, he wasn't on the pitch for long enough to show what he could do, but based on the form I've seen playing for his province he's not good enough. Cruden did well enough I suppose, but shouldn't scare Australia. Interesting that NZ have called up Donald.
inigomontoya - Member
I thought this was the world cup thread? What are you Scots still doing here?
It's nice to see that most people continue to watch the games and comment on them intelligently regardless of their team being knocked out.
molgrips - MemberSpeaking of which.. Wales grand slam 2012 anyone? Let's make it three in 7 years!
😆 In the unlikely event that Wales win the RWC, I have a feeling that they'll still be hung over in February.
Wales don't seem to have a problem with France any more, having beaten them regularly enough over the last few years.
There's something that commonly comes before a fall. Can't remember what it is though.... 😉
The French have a habit of turning up when you least expect it, and whilst I accept our shambolic efforts against them this weekend may have flattered them somewhat, you'd be just as daffy as the English were to think that it's a done deal.
zokes - MemberWales don't seem to have a problem with France any more, having beaten them regularly enough over the last few years.
There's something that commonly comes before a fall. Can't remember what it is though....
No I don't mean it that way, more that they aren't a bogey team for Wales in the way that NZ are.