Who do you think will win the Rugby World Cup

**Trash Man** · 13-10-2003, 04:27 PM

Originally posted by spikegifted
Just trying to remember in how many previous occasions when England looked good on paper only to be knocked out by one of the teams from the Southern Hemisphere?

That's like, eh... every time...

If everything goes to plan, the only place England shoud meet a team fro mthe Southern Hemisphere is the final

**telfer12000** · 13-10-2003, 08:48 PM

Well..... only three teams teams can win - England, France and New Zealand. New Zealand will beat Australia in one semi and then it comes down to a 50:50 in the second semi. Forget the two recent friendlies it will come down to who plays best on the day but I've got a feeling that the boot of Jonny W will be the difference in the France semi. In the final New Zealand will win because, no matter what the UK press tell you, they are simply better than England. Forget the friendly 15-13 win for England earlier in the year in Wellington it will be very different in Sydney next month.

Fot those of a betting persuasion (which I'm not) there is no value in England or NZ but 12/1 France to win and around 7/2 to make the final is great value.

Please feel to persecute and torture me if I am wrong

**spikegifted** · 14-10-2003, 02:01 AM

Originally posted by telfer12000
Please feel to persecute and torture me if I am wrong

No, not at all... It's actually very good betting strategy.

**DaBeeeenster** · 14-10-2003, 07:56 AM

Hehe. Guess who's got a ticket to England V Samoa in Melbourne?

**ZeroTheHero** · 14-10-2003, 09:33 AM

If everything goes to plan, the only place England shoud meet a team fro mthe Southern Hemisphere is the final

Errm - aren't we playing South Africa on Saturday?

**DaBeeeenster** · 14-10-2003, 10:02 AM

Yeah we are but that's just the group stages. We need to beat them tho to avoid playing NZ in the second round (think that's right anyway).

All the aussies keep saying NZ are the favourites which is damn annoying as Engurland are rated #1 in the world and beat the all blacks in a friendly a couple of months back...

**Richie** · 14-10-2003, 11:48 AM

A major part of the NZ team is out - Lomu.

I quite agree rugby is a team game and New Zealand are still a good team without him but think more of the psycological effect that Lomu has on the other teams even when he doesnt have the ball......

Many a game is won thru the mind....

**spikegifted** · 14-10-2003, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by Richie
A major part of the NZ team is out - Lomu.

IMHO, there're times when Lomu is more of liability than an asset.

Sure, when he's running at you, he's awesome. No question about it, if he was running at me, I'd step out of the way. However, his defensive instinct is not as sharp as it should be and I've seen time and again when the All Blacks are playing teams that don't get imtimidated by Lomu gets the better of him by making him turn (usually clever kicking to just behind him). Anyway, to counter that, in defensive formation, the All Black outside center have the tendency to stand and run a little wide to cover for Lomu, which opens up a gap between the two centres... which in turn can be covered by the full back, but will cause other problems elsewhere... There're weak spots that can be picked at, that's all...

**acidrainy** · 14-10-2003, 08:24 PM

Is it just me or does anyone else think England's kit seems a bit.... skintight?

I noticed it when the 3 gay guys at work were drooling over the telly last Sunday

**RoGuE|SaBeR** · 14-10-2003, 08:26 PM

COME ON THE Ireland !

Seeded 3rd - Could easily cause an upset here

None of your lomus and wilkinsons (although that man is a legend already) but what you want is David Humpreys! Former pupil of my school, ballymena academy and can kick with the best of them!

It's all going to be green down under

**telfer12000** · 14-10-2003, 08:41 PM

Two things:

1) Lomu would not have been picked by Mitchell even if he was fit. As Spikegifted pointed out already he can't defend. Mitchell doesn't favour big personality players and that's why he left Christian Cullen at home in NZ and why he would have left Jonah even if he hadn't got a kidney complaint- Cullen is a true great of the game. Besides who would Mitchell have dropped for Lomu? Rockocoko or Howlett - I don't think so!

2) England's world ranking of no. 1 has more to do with lots of home victories at fortress Twickenham against the inferior Northern Hemisphere teams. The victory v NZ in Wellington in the friendly earlier this year (15 -13) was the first international of the NZ season and whilst this doesn't mean that England won't win the World Cup it shouldn't be taken too literally as a guide to form. New Zealand are the favourites and deserve to be so based on the tri-nation results,

**mt50** · 14-10-2003, 11:24 PM

i hope that england win the world cup, would be good for the game in this country

**spikegifted** · 14-10-2003, 11:48 PM

Originally posted by mt50
i hope that england win the world cup, would be good for the game in this country

Sorry, which country are you talking about? The couple of million of Welsh, the five million of Scots and the entire Ireland (that's both Northern and the Republic) want to see England get beat at one stage or another.

**Punky** · 15-10-2003, 12:55 AM

ENGLAND!! plannin on spendin Sat afternoon in the rugby club, supping some of my 1st legally-bought beer (its me 18th on sat

) and cheerin on our lads. its about time we wone at a game we invented

**Trash Man** · 15-10-2003, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by spikegifted
Sorry, which country are you talking about? The couple of million of Welsh, the five million of Scots and the entire Ireland (that's both Northern and the Republic) want to see England get beat at one stage or another.

It's really quite sad, ain't it

**Richie** · 15-10-2003, 08:09 AM

Originally posted by spikegifted
Sorry, which country are you talking about? The couple of million of Welsh, the five million of Scots and the entire Ireland (that's both Northern and the Republic) want to see England get beat at one stage or another.

Pffft, dont you know that the map of the UK cuts off at Hadrians wall and doesnt cross the water at all

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