Rugby Union World Cup 2007

[CortezTheKiller]

Why was the game in Cardiff?

Political expediency.

The French gave Scotland and Wales a few matches each in return for their support in the voting as to who would host the tournament against a stand-alone English bid. Scotland will play Romania and the All Blacks at Murrayfield, Wales play Japan and Fiji play Canada (today actually) at the Millennium Stadium and I think Wales may even be hosting one of the quarters.

 

[wolf]

French repaying the Irish for letting them host games in 99 maybe.

Why would France repay the Irish by hosting a game in Wales?

 

[CortezTheKiller]

Wow. Tonga turn over the Samoans. Tonga down to 13 players at the end too.

Does England a massive favour as well!

 

[Leicester Fox]

I'm not a rugby expert, In fact i don't know much about it but Tom Varndell from Leicester was one of the top try scorers a couple of years ago wasn't he? And he's really young, surely he deserves a chance in the England side, he can't be much worse than the current bunch can he?

 

[CortezTheKiller]

I'm not a rugby expert, In fact i don't know much about it but Tom Varndell from Leicester was one of the top try scorers a couple of years ago wasn't he? And he's really young, surely he deserves a chance in the England side, he can't be much worse than the current bunch can he?

Big & quick, but that's it, unfortunately. Has tits for hands & a liability in defence. If I remember rightly the Tigers actually loaned him out to Bedford this year because he wasn't cutting the mustard in the Premiership.

He has played for England though, I saw him score on his debut against Samoa in 2005. He just hasn't kicked on since and looked out of his depth on our tour to Oz in the summer of 2006.

 

[Leicester Fox]

The thing is though he was the top try scorer in the premiership, I don't understand how thats not cutting it! He's still young though so i guess if he works on his defence and gets surgery on those hands he could still get in the side

 

[The Spin]

Lets see a few things: Cant pass too well (remember his pass into touch to the ghost man at the Guinness Premiership final 2006 fondly ) or catch for that matter, defensively leaves far too much to be desired. He may well have been top Try Scorer, but he was at Leicester, the best team last year in the country, so that helps him out. As Cortez said, Leicester actually loaned him to Bedford last year because he wasn't up to it for the Premiership. Given International oppertunities and really looked poor. Not one to be selected for me

 

[aussie1st]

Tonga ran SA really close, Tonga v England should be a cracker deciding who goes through with SA. No upset for the English from Samoa, they seem to be lacking that extra something this tournament.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Gave us a few worrys for a while though! Wilkinson showed some signs of good form but he wasn't at his best, still no chance whatsoever of England getting anywhere in this tournament I hope Dan Hipkiss gets more of a chance, he's one of the few players in the squad not really had a chance to prove himself yet for England although thats down to tonsilitis(?) apparently. I'm going to see us play the Tongans and i hope we win but i can definately see us going out sadly.

 

[CortezTheKiller]

We looked like a Rugby team for at least part of today's game, which is a step in the right direction. Still room for a lot of improvement; I'm not sure Wilkinson/Barkley at 10 & 12 worked, Tait doesn't seem to be running the right lines or at least he's not being given the ball to run those lines and Lewsey's kicking at full-back was an accident waiting to happen.

On the plus side Gomersall ran the game well from 9 (admittedly from behind a winning pack) and our set pieces were fairly solid. Only chnages I'd make for the Tongan game (assuming Robinson is still not fit) would be Catt to 12, Hipkiss to 13 and Tait to 15. He played there when we thrashed the Welsh in the warm up and couldn't do much worse than Lewsey.

 

[lancashire666]

i think your spot on by putting catt at 12, their should be a little optomism from people, we showed to day that wales in the quarters is a very winnable game. but after that i judt dont wanna think about it if we get there

 

[Leicester Fox]

Won't we be playing the Aussies?

 

[CortezTheKiller]

Won't we be playing the Aussies?

Short of a miracle, yep.

That's assuming we beat Tonga, of course.

 

[w3lshrugby]

South Africa V Wales
New Zealand V France
England V Australia
Scotland V Argentina

from what I've seen these are the realistic quarter final matches now, meaning one of Scotland or Argentina would be guaranteed a semi-spot! Of whom I think the Argies have the best chance of getting there. I remember saying last year that people should look out for Argentina, I even predicted them for the final, dont know if they'll get there but they're a team who can really challenge the Big 3. (as shown before)

 

[CortezTheKiller]

Wouldn't totally rule out Italy turning over Scotland given what happened the last time they played each other, but the Sweaties have looked far the more impressive of the two teams in the tournament so far.

Disappointing they stuck out their stiffs against the All-Blacks today though, sends out an awful message. Rather ordinary game of Rugby it made for too.