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#141
17-08-2007, 06:43
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Is that going to happen? Ireland would really struggle without him.
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#142
17-08-2007, 10:54
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yeah In still have a pencil mark against Ireland for QF's but if O'Driscoll is out they get rubbed out with it!
Also have a pencil mark for Scotland (as opposed to Argentina) but will decide once I see a bit of form could be the year when a South Pacific team break through to QF's too!
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 ....but of course I was verey verey draaank at the taaame!!!
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#143
17-08-2007, 12:12
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I'm English but i accept we haven't got a prayer this time round.
I will however take great pleasure watching the AB's attacking offensive style of rugby which we have all grown to admire. The icing on the cake would be a Kiwi v. Oz final and the Kiwi's destroy the aussies off the park. I've nothing against aussies i love em but i know how serious they take they're rugby and how good they think they are and how pi##ed off they get when they lose especially against they're Kiwi neighbours!
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She's different from the other BG's...... She's a cashier !!!! 
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#144
17-08-2007, 12:25
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Given the draw, it is more likely that they'll meet in the semi Final.
To meet in the final, Australia would have to lose to wales in the group stages. If they are crap enough to lose to wales, then they have no chance of getting past better teams on the way to the final.
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#145
17-08-2007, 12:45
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I for one will not be surprised by an England win in France this weekend. I don't usually have a punt on "friendlies" but if England get an 8 or more point start on the handicap, then I will seriously consider it as an "investment opportunity".  For the World Cup, I don't think that it is a foregone conclusion and whilst I think NZ are the strongest side, they have not shown the invincibility recently, that I would expect to see in a team reviewed as almost a certainty - I think that they are definitely not worthy of an investment at current levels 
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Only a woman can break his spell. Pure in heart who will offer herself
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#146
17-08-2007, 13:16
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Typical Ireland..played A Friendly Against Some Unknown French Outfit Y-day...result..a Victory.........42-6..........only Down Side O Driscoll....recieved A Broken Cheekbone And Is Supoosed To Be Out Of The Wc......
Man Thoses Frogs Are Scum...took Out 4 Of Our Boys !!!!!!!!!
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ROLL ON OCTOBER........
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#147
17-08-2007, 18:27
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Springboks played a RWC warm-up Test against Namibia on Wednesday and thumped them 105-13.Jean De Villiers went off with suspected broken/bruised ribs.Luckily should recover in time for RWC.He missed 2003's tournament also after being injured in a warm-up game.Waylon Murray to stand in for him until fully recovered.
The team looked good with the backs running some good lines and angles albeit against not the best opposition........thanks Eddie Jones
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#148
17-08-2007, 18:45
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Ireland have the 'Group of Death' with France and Argentina, I don't see them coming through it. I think Scotland are in the same group as the ABs and Italy, and Italy had a good 6 Nations. I don't see Scotland getting out of the group. Best chance for a South Pacific team would be Samoa, and if they come through that would be goodnight England. I think a couple of months ago I would have said it was likely, but England have progressed and I see them coming through the group.
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#149
17-08-2007, 18:50
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Agree almost completely here, but I do think that the centres are sorted. Jamie Noon was phenomenal against France last week, I've never seen him tackling that hard before; he was brutal. And the Wilkinson/Farell combo looks good to me too. We still have no real idea about the back 3 tho, Robinson aside, that's the big weakness for me. I have a sneaky feeling for England this weekend. It may be wishful thinking, but there's not much between the teams and with Sicknote restored it may be that England can squeak a win. England by a single score?
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#150
17-08-2007, 18:52
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Yep, NZ v Aus semi with France/Argentina and SA in the other one.
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#151
18-08-2007, 23:24
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Wales 27 Argentina 20
Argentina could've maybe should've got a draw with the last move of the match but dropped the ball when going over the line but it was a good tackle from prop Duncan Jones. Wales played well in the first half but lost direction and ran out of ideas for the second half. Not a brilliant performance but they got a win.
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 Played 5 Won 5 Grand Slam 2008
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#152
19-08-2007, 07:36
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dizbuster
I know you wrote before last nights game, and I admire your optimism, but sadly the mauling of a largely third choice Welsh team, many of whom did not and were not ever going to make the World Cup squad does not make England any better than the VERY second rate team they are. Frankly the backs are useless, even Wilkinson on current form. You mention Lewsey for example, when was the last time he fired? 4 years ago? He is so out of sorts it's not true. I guess the sadness at not being wanted by Wales still gets to him 5555
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#153
19-08-2007, 14:38
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I didn't see the England game, not on the TV here in Singers so I'm having to go on the written reports, most of which are saying the England just lack firepower and cannot seem to took their chances.
This to me means two things, first is that they have not got the backline to cause huge problems for the other top sides and second, that the base is there, i.e. the forwards are providing the possession for the backs to run with. I'm very optimistic - yes, but there are signs there which are encouraging and it's almost certainly too little too late for this World Cup. If only we could combine the Welsh backs with the English forwards - then we would one of the top 5 for sure !! Trouble is, would that be Walland or Engles ? Maybe even Cymland ?
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Only a woman can break his spell. Pure in heart who will offer herself
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#154
20-08-2007, 06:55
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Thought Argentina was the better side in the Welsh match and France were as uninspiring as England in the other
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....but of course I was verey verey draaank at the taaame!!!
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#155
20-08-2007, 08:54
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RWC warm up games can be misleading.
Frankly, I think this England pack is being made to look good. In a real match they'll be a yard off the pace and I reckon SA will skin them alive. The England back row has no pace, Easter is frankly never going to be more than adequate, Corry is too slow, There isn't a decent openside in there. Moody is a penalty machine and the jury is very much out on Rees. The only hope is that Rees comes good, but I won't be holding my breath. Up front Vickery is nothing like the player he was, Freshwater stunk the house up against France, Regan is good at annoying the opposition and throws reasonably well, but he's another one way past his prime. Samoa got beaten 23-21 by a very understrength Harlequins side the other night. Even got rumbled backwards for a score. Again, they are only warm ups.
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#156
20-08-2007, 15:00
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Interesting that New Zealand and Australia has chosen not to play warm up games, or at least not against recognized opposition.
Any idea as to how they are building up and will they be using their pool matches as fine tuning?
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#157
20-08-2007, 15:27
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Don't forget that the Tri-Nations is not long finished, Southern Hemisphere teams should already be in good shape. England, on the other hand, could do with a couple more games....
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#158
20-08-2007, 16:00
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That's a good point Steve, England, wales and Ireland all made Summer tours without their first XV's.
Ireland's firsts have only played that game against Bayonne since the end of last season. That game on Saturday was the first game that the Welsh starters had played since May. Which is why it makes little sense to play such a side against England.
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#159
20-08-2007, 18:53
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I agree on the point about making little sense to play that side against England and in a couple of positions there were third choice players, but 11 of the starting 15 against England actually made it into the Squad. Shows we do not have any strength in the depth of the squad.
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Played 5 Won 5 Grand Slam 2008
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#160
20-08-2007, 19:25
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I think that is Ireland's problem too, and the biggest strength of the All Blacks; top quality cover for each position. When you look back on it, and given how many injuries JW has had since, England were incredibly lucky to get their first choice XV through to the final injury free.
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#161
21-08-2007, 12:09
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yep.....England were lucky to get dad's army through to the final.....with many of them injured and held together with tape....particularly Johnson + Delaglio...those two layed down there lives in offside positions in the rucks mauls + lineouts...dig dig....55555 I see Australia in a similar position this year if they can keep their first 15 on the paddock for the whole tournament.....they have improved outta sight with this team for the whole of this season but would be very ordinary without one or two key players ABs + SA definitely have it on the others with depth at the moment....but really the only true indication of form is gonna be when two of the recognised rugby nations take on each other at the RWC....bring it on!!!
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....but of course I was verey verey draaank at the taaame!!!
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#162
21-08-2007, 20:06
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A little off topic I suppose, but I just found this supporters club photo and thought I'd post it for all to enjoy.
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Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege (and become Hashers).
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#163
22-08-2007, 02:27
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I guess you could call the one front right "The white sheep of the Family"
__________________ Played 5 Won 5 Grand Slam 2008
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