SunSurfer Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 Watching the first game of the Rugby World Cup Tonga vs. New Zealand's All Blacks. Twenty nations, including the USA (current Olympic champions) and Russia in the same pool ©, Canada in the same pool as New Zealand and France. Likely winners in just over 6 weeks time are England, France, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand. SunSurfer http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/ Video highlights and full match replays available from the site, 24 hours after the match in most of the world, 72 hours post match to the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 the way SA have been playing recently? i don't think so. i was surprised we got #7 seed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted September 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 My wife is Welsh. We'll be at the South Africa vs. Wales game in Wellington tomorrow night. It could easily go either way. SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 My wife is Welsh.SunSurfer The most impressive in rugby used to be the singing of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau at Cardiff Arms Park. Not at Cardiff, but impressive for an away game (and as good as any Haka) <iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SMI5wpwXTCY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted September 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Home game for Wales, the Millenium stadium is in Cardiff. Agreed, a Welsh crowd in full voice is an amazing experience, as I witnessed in Cardiff last November, All Blacks vs. Wales,. SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 oh dear, that was abysmal. georgia next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 The most impressive in rugby used to be the singing of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau at Cardiff Arms Park. Not at Cardiff, but impressive for an away game (and as good as any Haka) i thought they sang Calon lân before a match. the Millennium Stadium is a pretty damned fine place to watch a game of rugby though. i think only croke park is better, but they're not using it for rugby anymore now that the new Lansdowne Road is finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantheman0177 Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 I think only 2 teams have a shot: Australia and the winner of pool A (ie: NZ or France). I actually have $10 on France at $19, but I'm not confident yet. NZ didn't play all that well against Tonga and France didn't play as badly against Japan as their media have made out - they're pessimistic French, after all. So that pool game will pretty much decide the world cup. SA are playing quite poorly. SA really struggled against Wales, who only have themselves to blame for not winning after missing the penalty in the last 4 minutes and then losing the ball in a static ruck! Wales will make the QF as second in their pool, but that's all. England aren't doing anything worth writing about. They won't make the semi finals just because they will meet NZ or France in the QF, and I don't think they will put up much opposition. Their pool games are against big teams and I expect they will be monstered; although they will win they will be exhausted by the time the knockouts come around. My tip for an unexpected qualification is Fiji or Samoa. It is entirely possible that one of these two teams could actually win Pool D, therefore will avoid Australia in the QF round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 after the way they (didn't) play against argentina, i fully expect there to be come casualties in the england-georgia match. watching scotland just now, poor poor poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Tonight NZ time, two rugby minnows, 2 mighty nations, face off in the RWC at New Plymouth. History favours the USA. SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted September 16, 2011 Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 poor japan. that was quite a humping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted September 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Japan were resting players for games they thought they had a better chance at contesting. Made for a nice try-out for New Zealand to experiment with players in different positions. NZ's next game will be a different matter altogether. The Irish team and supporters will be justifiably proud this morning after they beat Australia last night. There are plenty of New Zealanders of Irish descent, and Eden Park in Auckland sounded almost like it was transported to Dublin for the game. Now to see how Wales do against Samoa this afternoon. SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 i'm holding out some hope that georgia will beat england. i think i would probably moonwalk through the office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Likely means that only one of South Africa, Australia & New Zealand will make the final. May well end up a Northern vs. Southern hemisphere final. SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantheman0177 Posted October 2, 2011 Report Share Posted October 2, 2011 Well if the Aussies weren't done before, losing Drew Mitchell yesterday has them done in. I seriously don't think there is any team that can beat NZ now. In fact, even if they took a combined best XV from all the other teams and gave them 3 weeks to train together, I still doubt they could beat NZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted October 2, 2011 Report Share Posted October 2, 2011 The All Blacks have lost Dan Carter too. The way the media's wailing and gnashing about it, you'd think there was only one man in the team, not fifteen. If we're supposed to be the greatest rugby nation in the world, and we don't have the talent to scrape up a cover for one guy, then we don't deserve to win the World Cup. End of story. Almost quarterfinal time "rubs hands with glee" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 stupid scotland side always settling for penalties. we outplayed england, though the scoreline wouldn't say so. hopefully the french will do them in. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Dan Carter is a critical make or break play maker and until recently, a kicking machine. Not having him play is a big loss. WIth Rugby only a few positions are interchangeable, and very few players can slot into the first 5 role (or whatever name the rest of the world calls it) without considerable experience playing there. You certainly couldn't slot SBW or some other big centre type in there and expect it to work. Actually, the jury is out (at least for me) on SBW; everytime when he isn't making an awesome run (and he has some supreme talent), you see him standing in idiotic places, and doing bizarre things....but I digress....as for his boxing; definitely some people are boxers and some people are toilet cleaners...he's the type that should reach for the toilet duck. That said, I agree Allee - a team should be more than just 1 guy; I am sure there would be equal worry if it was Richie McCaw having problems; those 2 are the most important of the 15 on the field. However, a champion team always beats a team of champions.... let's hope they have the depth to deal with this and any other injury issues; it's not like they are the only team to have major injury worries; this was the whole point of building up a squad with depth (and why Henry wasn't fired after the last WC failure)....now we need to see the performance! Kiwis....whaka yeah....MUST SEE TIVI FOR EVERY KIWI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Actually, the jury is out (at least for me) on SBW; everytime when he isn't making an awesome run (and he has some supreme talent), you see him standing in idiotic places, and doing bizarre things....but I digress....as for his boxing; definitely some people are boxers and some people are toilet cleaners...he's the type that should reach for the toilet duck. Not meaning to be racistl, but SBW is the latest in a long line of big thing island-boy players (and they're not restricted to union, league has dozens of them too). They've got talent to burn and then some, but they're a lot short on brains sometimes. I can remember many games where Jonah Lomu, Joeli Vidiri and Joe Roco would be so far out of position, you'd wonder if they thought they were playing on Eden Park No 2. At least in that, SBW's in good company. But for all that, they're stellar athletes, and when these guys fire it's magic to watch. Looking forward to seeing some amazing football in the next couple of weeks - and sitting on the wrong side of the world feeling rather homesick.:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted October 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0EIPmscIo9o" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe> Crowd haka at the Australian NRL Rugby League Grand Final, NZ Warriors vs. Manly. Sadly, Manly won. Now just imagine Eden Park, 23rd October. All in black, 50,000+ Kiwis and a select few on the field..... Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā Ā, upane! ka upane! Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 I get the point on SBW; i think it is the style of play; very non planned; very fast and adaptive, focus on attack rather than defense....a lot of the Island players prefer to play this way; they are naturals at most sports and use their talent. The more average players with less talent have to get there using skills and planning. Also, I think the average League player has fewer options to deal with in attack and defense, so they mark a lot further forward man on man. Each few seconds they get to reset. Not so much in union these days, except when northern hemisphere teams get the ball and immediatley just kick it ;-) So on some level league it's almost the better game for that style of player. Also, going through poor schools league is bigger (at least in Auckland) in some cases. I played a bit of league. You need to be a lot tougher than I am to do any good at that sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 vive la france! anyone else think it's a bit weird how the QF's sorted themselves into northern and southern hemisphere splits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 Apart from the South Africa/Aussie game which should be a good 'un. Not a good result for NZ - France are a bogey team for us. We've crashed out of two RWC semis against the French, as I'm sure the NZ public will not have forgotten. England would have been a much better result for us ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 vive la france! anyone else think it's a bit weird how the QF's sorted themselves into northern and southern hemisphere splits? It's because Ireland beat the Aussies unexpectedly; otherwise would have been Ireland against SA and Aussie vs. Wales (I think). That's why the tri nations are all clustered into the 2nd half of the draw; stupid Aussies for losing against Ireland; if there is ever a problem in the world, then it is safe to assume an Australian is causing it :-) (said with love as a Kiwi). Well done to the Welsh though to dispose of Ireland; when we consider that Tonga beat Wales and were actually competitive in the 2nd half against the ABs, but dropped that game against Canada, then we can see that some of the accusations of the Pac Island teams is true; they are excluded from professional regional competition; they don't get regular tests against decent opposition, so they end up being feeder countries for ABs, Australia and Japan! I'd personally much rather watch Tonga, Samoa and Fiji play more regularly, than more percentage game rugby....but anyhow it's all to do with cashflow. I think the ABs vs. Aussie will be fiercely competitive; it isn't going to be a formality to get through them; they are excellent at peaking at the right time; they are coached by the best rugby nation in the world (New Zealander Robbie Deans); they are able to prepare without northern hemisphere time lag/distractions of burying heads between Kiwi chick's breasts....it isn't going to be easy. Seems like destiny though to repeat 1987...NZ vs. France for the final..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I have a feeling I'm going to be watching Wales in the final. I fancy their youngsters over France, who need to bring their best game again to get through. Who the Southern hemisphere team will be is too hard to pick. So many injuries to crucial players on both sides. The Aussies scraped through despite being dominated everywhere but the scoreboard by South Africa. Will Lady Luck favour them so much again? SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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