TOPIC: Rugby World Cup

Anybody interested at all?

The group involving England, Wales and Australia could well provide one of the finalists (winning the group means a more favourable run through the tournament). Is there anybody capable of beating the all blacks? South Africa look a little dodgy, and Australia don't seem to be the force they were. I certainly don't think France are capable of winning the thing, they're too incosistent. I would have thought of Ireland a couple of months ago, but they have gone right off the boil, and Wales have too many injuries to important players. Scotland? Hahahahahaha!

Looking forward to it, think englands group will be a great contest. Can see each of the 3 top sides in englands group losing one and it coming down to points difference. NZ are favourites but think they could be beatable especially if Wayne Barnes refs them.

Got tickets to two of the Scotland games at St James Park which should be a cracking atmosphere and an excuse for a drink.

Looking forward to the World cup. New Zealand win. Cant see anyone beating them if I'm honest

Dont think England will make it through the group. Can understand why England didnt select Cipriani. He is a game changer. Australia and Wales (even with the injuries they have) still have the player or style of play to beat England.

I do agree though that Scotland should get through there group but wont go any further.

New Zealand vs Australia final for me!

Since 2010 England have played Australia 5 times and won 4. England have also won the last 2 games against Wales. England have won their last 7 internationals at Twickenham. England should win all of their group matches, and I will be surprised if they don't.

Seven weeks of egg chasing!

Bit of interest in it, can't really look past the All Black's for it, as much as I'd like to see England win it.

We got tickets to see Canada v Romania, purely because they it's in Leicester so near me and they were cheap, quite looking forward to it.

Havent looked at how the draw pans out. If we win we play the winners of what group?
if we come 2nd we play who?
Must be the hardest group of all time based on seeding 3 years ago I think. Even Fiji are ranked 12th I think.

New Zealand win beating Engalnd in the final if that route is possible?

DeckchairBlue wrote:
Might not be a bad game that. Better than watching New Zealand put 80 points on either of them.

Mashie Niblick wrote:
Aye thats what we thought, at least it should be a competitive game.

If we come top of our group we will get beat in the final off NZ
If we come 2nd we will get beat of NZ in the semis

Japan to be world champions!

If I had my last £5 on earth it would have to go on the All Blacks - esp after yesterday as I can't see S.Africa beating them. Australia could be interesting; their record at Twickenham is pants - but they looked very good vs the All Blacks in Aus (before getting taken apart in the return!!).

Got to say the atmosphere in the Rugby Club last night was fantastic, all 3 of our sides won, which was followed by that fantastic win by Japan, you would have thought England had just won the world Cup judging by the roar that went up when Japan crossed the line.
Weather permitting were having a BBQ on the patio out the back for next Saturday's game (England v Wales) after the home game against Newport.
Everybody welcome!!

Oh and were doing some selected bottles of beer/lager for only £1.50 a throw and Jaeger bombs are only going to be £2.00.

Moorlad wrote:
Looks like the understatement of the decade now I suppose.

I watched 6 matches at the weekend (plus half of the England game) and enjoyed every single one. Wales have picked up more knocks, and if their front row struggles England may well overpower them next week. New Zealand didn't look all that great, what I saw of England didn't make me think world champions. But Japan, what a display, they seem not to know when they're beaten.

That was just the start.

Looks as if Jonathan Joseph has taken a knock, it was said he would be fit for the weekend, but rumour has it that Sam Burgess will start for England against Wales. It would appear they are going to try to counter the Welsh approach of battering up the middle with Roberts by putting big hitters in there, so Barritt and Burgess are the men for that job. It may turn out that Farrell plays as well just to tighten the tackling in the back division even further. With the Welsh injury problems I'd expect England to try to keep the game tight and really punish the Welsh forwards, only using the backs in bits and pieces when the Welsh forwards are knackered.

If this comes off, and the midfield snuffs them out early England could absolutely hammer them.

Unfortunately I'm at work for the Scotland v Japan match today. I'd like to have been able to watch that. Japan were excellent against South Africa, but I think it is unfortunate they have to play again so soon. The Scots will have watched that game and will not be as inclined as South Africa to throw the ball around. They'll want to keep the Japanese tight in the breakdowns and use their weight and strength to crush them. If the Japanese manage to get any freedom though, Scotland need to look out.

Mainly because of Japan's exploits at the weekend I expect Scotland to win by 10 - 15 points.

Moorlad wrote: Looks like you could be spot on there Moorlad. Wales' biggest weapon is the crash ball tactic with Roberts... nullify that and you remove their front foot ball. Although Ford is the more talented and creative fly half, I would expect them to start with Farrell, who is much mpore solid in the tackle. Burgess has much to learn about Rugby Union but he can be a bit of a monster in the tackle... with Barrett, those three present a pretty fomidable wall in the central channels. I'd expect it to be pretty tight early on with the game opening up later after the subs come on. personally I think England know if they match Wales aggression then they have more quality available off the bench to win the game. England by about 5 points in a nervy game for me.

Border Blue wrote: Cipriani played well last season and has got bags of ability... however, he tackles like a revolving door. That is a massive issue at the highest level and teams would target his channel. When he played Super Rugby in the southern hemisphere he was an absolute liability and was constantly ridiculed by the commentators for his poor tackiling and avoiding the physical stuff at all costs. He looked good last year, and actually I saw him rip Falcons apart... but that weakness still exists in his game.

Yeah, you're right unfortunately, Cipriani is a bit of a pansy. That sort of fly half would have been fine even 10 years ago, but these days the tackle is almost an attacking weapon. Over the past decade the amount that Union has Learned from League is amazing. I agree with you Northumbrian that Ford is technically the better, or more instinctive if you like, fly half in the squad (he is possibly not as creative as Cipriani would be) but Farrell is absolutely perfectly suited to this sort of game, he has the ability to knock players back. If England restrict the Welsh to behind the gain line they could become frustrated.

Farrell is also the better (slightly) goal kicker, and in a tight game that can make all the difference.

I expect the game to be close as well, except if England really hammer into them they could become frustrated and try to throw the ball about and get taken to the cleaners.

I much prefer Care and Farrell as the half back partnership

Burgess did well against Fiji and he's a phenomenal athlete playing against Roberts will give everyone an indication as to whether he's going to justify his place in the squad. Still feel sorry for Luther Burrell. Think he's played well consistently and was unlucky to miss out. Launchbury's a class act as well, glad he came through Fiji unscathed and hope he stays injury free as he's arguably on his day one of the best locks in world rugby.

I'm pretty excited, I think there's been flaws in every performance from the top 5/6 nations that have played so far. Plenty of time for improvements but on home soil I'd back us to beat anyone.

Edit to add Vunipola has to start at 8 he's a beast and carries the ball better than anyone in the current squad.

I have tickets for the Samoa v Scotland game at Sid James' park. Really looking forward to what should be a competitive game in a very competitive group, now that Japan have put the cat amongst the pigeons. The biggest disappointment is that Falcon's Sinoti Sinoti won't be playing.... the lad was utterly electric for Falcons last season, beating more players than anyone else in the Premiership last season. How he didn't get selected by Samoa for their squad is beyond me.

Northumbrian wrote:
Was speaking to (older) George Graham and he was bewildered as well.

12 - 7 to Scotland at half time. Going as I thought it would with Japan being the side trying to play the rugby and Scotland spoiling and stifling them. There's more than 1 way to skin a cat and the Scottish spoiling tactics are effective in games like this. Close to the line in terms of penalties, and they're in luck with a referee who likes them, but if Japan can't sort them out and get the ball away from the breakdown a bit more quickly they've no chance.

Perfect performance in this game by Scotland, they've crushed the life out of Japan with superior knowledge and experience of test match rugby. Very, very impressive.

Think they have the set up of these pool matches all wrong personally, the timings are possibly so as nations are playing at a time friendly to their own back home in some cases but don't think that is 100%.

When you have say two matches a day frequently at 18:00 then 20:00 you are more likely to get drifters watching the matches if they like it and get in to the Sport I would have thought, all of this where there is a match at 16:45 one day then nothing the next etc... is a bit shambolic to me.

Maybe someone who is well in to Union will correct me here and offer reasons for it being like this.

I am looking at the fixtures for Sunday's here now and I am seriously thinking nigh on no matches are being played Sunday evenings because of x factor.