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Sorry - I’ve been flying all weekend !!
if I was south african I’d have been horrified by their lack of ambition.
Maybe, but they're in the final. The end justifies the means.
I'm sure you'd have taken a 3-0 win for Wales.
I’m sure you’d have taken a 3-0 win for Wales.
I would have done but SA were stronger in almost all areas and going in at half time at 9-6 was awful from them, I was just happy Wales were still in the fight.
Wayne Barnes was surely earmarked for the final but now he'll presumably sign off his career with the game nobody wants to watch (or play in) - the 3rd place play-off.
He must have been the only Englishman disappointed with the win over the ABs.
So England may get a fine for intruding on the AB's sacred dance area. Hopefully Wales will provide a smirk-free zone for the slapping and tongue-waggling next weekend.
Meh, a few grand, well worth it. It would be funny if the rest of the team make the Honourable Judge Marler pay it 🙂
I doubt anyone will care if they get fined after Saturday.
SA have promised more of the same game plan this week...yay. Hopefully Eddie has a plan to stop the anti-rugby of SA.
Any update on the welsh injuries?
I see the press jousting between Gatland and Jones continues...
Jusrcsaw this on the beeb
But May is in "immeasurably better" condition than when he was recovering from a hamstring problem at the same stage last week, Jones said.
Does that explain why he was chased down by a lock playing flanker. I didnt think he looked right throughout the game tbh.
He wasn’t chased down by the Lock, he cut back in because Beauden Barrett had come across behind him to cover, enabling the Big Barrett to snare him. He definately wasn’t 100% though.
Can we expect any tactical replacements from Jones this week?
Personally I think we need to play around rather than through SA.
Has Kolbe recovered?
Unbelievably, I’m away for the 3rd week in a row - working for the last 2 matches, and on a sailing course this w/e! 🙈
He wasn’t chased down by the Lock, he cut back in because Beauden Barrett had come across behind him to cover, enabling the Big Barrett to snare him. He definately wasn’t 100% though.
I expect you are right but for a bloke with his pace put into space he should have been looking to score. Obviously his hamstring wasnt as bad as North's 😥 I had to laugh though that he still hopped into place and smashed the SA winger, Edwards really does instil some grit into them!!
If Scott Barrett wasn't about three stone heavier than his brothers he would be equally as quick, if not quicker. May didn't make any ground on him at all in the way that he outpaced Kerevi the previous week.
As I mentioned before, Scott Barrett ran down Julian Savea form behind in Super Rugby a couple of seasons back so it was no surprise to see May unable to outrun him either - especially if he had a dodgy hamstring.
Day off today , so watching both semis again.
The May v Barrett - Scott B had about a 5 yard head start - May got to level with him, but even if he had beaten him the FB was waiting, so cutting back was the correct decision.
Jérôme Garces to ref the final.
Anybody who isn’t Steve Walsh is good!!! I’ve always quite liked Roman Poite, but certainly don’t mind Garces.
Looks like Kolbe is fit.
Was it Garces who did the Wales SA semi? Advantage SA for having a bear pit free for all at the breakdown!
Anybody who isn’t Steve Walsh is good!!!
Blast from the past. He wasn’t a bad ref when he wasn’t picking fights with people. 😂
Advantage SA for having a bear pit free for all at the breakdown!
I certainly didn't see it that way - SA countered legally straight through a number of welsh rucks because they hadn't committed enough men to secure it....
Really looking forward to that battle in the final as England will need to be on top in order to get going with the expansive quicker flowing stuff we saw against NZ.
Yes, Garces was the SA/Wal semi ref.
He seems to make his own mind up and not like TMOs, so if we’d had him v NZ we would have scored 33 points!!
Any injury news from England camp?
Spencer in for Heinz should be no issue - he’s probably had more rugby recently anyway, plus half the team are Sarries.
Or reffing England.
Anybody who isn’t Steve Walsh is good!!!
Aaaah Steve Walsh......
That dazzling smile, those forearms, the tan, the mad new TMO rules he'd just make up on the spot, that torso - did I mention the forearms?
Any injury news from England camp?
Not so far, other than Spencer.
I’m guessing the physio’s and team doctors are on overtime after the last match. There’ll be some bloody sore bodies. I just hope that the prem clubs give the players some downtime once the WC is over.
Yes, I see last weekend WC players already back in the Prem. not good for the players.
Yes, I see last weekend WC players already back in the Prem. not good for the players
I don't think Hogg was worn out.
Yes, but instead of a summer break they've all been in RWC Camp, so not real break.
Aaaah Steve Walsh……
*Swoons*
*Swoons*
Which reminds me @anagallis_arvensis did you see Gav running in slow motion through a sunny forest setting wearing a skin tight black turtleneck and looking rugged last night? I imagine thats right up your street... 😀
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I don’t think Hogg was worn out.
That made me laugh more than it should have.
I’m really nervous about Saturday now having listened to a BBC podcast on the way home about S.A. and the potential impact winning the WC could have. That’s got to be a massive motivator. Gulp.
I certainly didn’t see it that way – SA countered legally straight through a number of welsh rucks because they hadn’t committed enough men to secure it….
But the counter rucking was only available due to the ball being trapped in the rucks so long, neither team got quick ball and both defences were offside constantly.
I’m really nervous about Saturday now having listened to a BBC podcast on the way home about S.A. and the potential impact winning the WC could have. That’s got to be a massive motivator. Gulp.
Likewise. Someone at work gave me part of the Telegraph that notes all the occasions where teams played superbly to win their semi and then failed to deliver in the final.
However, on balance I’m still confident and reckon England, by 10...😬
massive motivator.
Or massive pressure.
This Eng team + manager have just as good a chance of winning the cup as any that went before them - think positive - we're doing very well getting here
And although the boks are a solid team their performance against a stuttering wales wasnt that amazing or creative.to be fair
And in their defeat to NZ in the first week , although close for most of the game , in the last 20mins the AB's moved up a gear and completely rolled them over.
so they are there for the taking by this Eng team imo
It’s their opportunity to make history that worries me...first black captain to lift the trophy, first team to win the Rugby Championship and WC in the same year and the first team to lose a pool game and win.
The pressure will be on but they almost have more at stake.
Maybe I just find it hard to be positive given the number of false dawns that we’ve had and failures to back up big performances in the past.
Yeah but all the other teams that have won it, have won it twice or more. So it's our turn now!
Mindmap - all of those things you list are media creations. It’s hardly like the Mandela/Pienaar World Cup.
Of course SA can win, but I’d rather play a predictable powerful team than a bunch of Mavericks.
Before the second semi I listened to Matt Dawson explaining why we would much rather play SA than Wales and I tend to agree.
It’s their opportunity to make history that worries me…first black captain to lift the trophy, first team to win the Rugby Championship and WC in the same year and the first team to lose a pool game and win.
thats just a load of media friendly aspirational stuff and will have no relevence once the whistle blows
play the game , not the occasion - mental preparation 101
The pressure will be on but they almost have more at stake.
There'll be pressure alright , but nothing is at stake other than the chance to win and team pride - nothing else , and that will be equally the same for both teams
Wales: Amos; Lane, J Davies, Watkin, Adams; Patchell, T Williams; N Smith, Owens, D Lewis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Tipuric, J Davies, Moriarty.
Replacements: E Dee, Carre, W Jones, Ball, Shingler, G Davies, Biggar, Parkes.
New Zealand: B Barrett; B Smith, Crotty, S Bill-Williams, Ioane; Mo'unga; A Smith; Moody, Coles, Laulala, Retallick, S Barrett, Frizzell, Cane, Read (capt).
Replacements: Coltman, Moli, Ta'avao, Tuipulotu, Todd, Webber, Lienert-Brown, J Barrett.
Could get messy, cant see Tipuric and Davies working in the backrow, far too light weight.
Mindmap – all of those things you list are media creations. It’s hardly like the Mandela/Pienaar World Cup.
Smit and the other chap whose name I can’t recall were saying that they think it’s potentially a bigger deal because of the history behind Siya Kolisi. Perhaps I’m just trying to find reason not to be optimistic!
Sinckler still seems to be be nursing a dodgy calf. He, Farrell and May haven’t been training with the rest of the squad apparently. Hopefully it’s more about managing them than anything more serious.
Worryingly 1/2p has concussion, lad should retire
Yep. Can’t help feeling concussion protocols in the Southern Hemisphere are way behind ours.
Could get messy, cant see Tipuric and Davies working in the backrow, far too light weight.
At least you’re only up against the AB’s seconds like Ben Smith and Ryan Crotty!
At least you’re only up against the AB’s seconds like Ben Smith and Ryan Crotty!
Indeed, seems odd that they picked there second 15 for the semi final!
Unchanged team for England other than Spencer. All those with knocks from last week are fit.
Jones keeps banging on that "..SA will just play like the always have..." Not sure if this is gamesmanship and he's trying to get into Rassie's head and force him to change his plans to something he doesn't want to do.
I dont get how May has stayed in the squad after puling up in a one on one against Barrett. He must surely be carrying a hamstring twinge.