Rugby World Cup 2011

[CG123]

Official RWC 2011 Site - Home

Pool A

New Zealand - 1
France - 4
Tonga - 12
Japan - 13
Canada - 14

Pool B

England - 5
Scotland - 7
Argentina - 9
Georgia - 16
Romania - 17

Pool C

Australia - 2
Ireland - 8
Italy - 11
USA - 18
Russia - 19

Pool D

South Africa - 3
Wales - 6
Samoa - 10
Fiji - 15
Namibia - 20

 

[barmyarmy]

Definitely up for this. How will the All Blacks find a new and exciting way not to win the World Cup? Bated breath.

 

[CG123]

Don't forget that the last four World Cup's have been won by a team that didn't make the semi-finals in the previous edition. Also no team has ever won both the Tri Nations and the World Cup in the same year, and no one has beaten the All Blacks at Eden Park since 1994.

All Blacks all the way.

 

[barmyarmy]

Hell, I've always been an All Blacks fan and I can think of little worse than South Africa, Australia or France winning it. It's just there's always hype and since 87 they're always blown it. Eden Park is a big advantage but even more pressure playing at home.

 

[-D-S-B-]

I would hate to have that amount of pressure on me when going into all or nothing knock out games! Hopefully it isn't too much and they aren't just shitting their pants if they run out on Eden park for the final!

 

[barmyarmy]

Is the semi at Eden Park as well?

 

[Haarithan]

Yep, Auckland plays host to 6 off the 8 K/O matches, with Wellington bagging the other two. This's absolutely NZL's WC to lose, though I'd really like them to choke, as they've done it on previous occasions. How good are England this time round? From what I remember, they were totally written off in the previous WC only for them to take the runners up spot.

 

[Sedition]

Clearly we've been placed in the pool of death, with the likes of Italy, Russia and US all competing for the top spot.

Pretty confident that we will lift the trophy for a record third time after defeating the All Blacks in the final. Would be the sweetest of all victories.

As long as the boks, poms or froggies don't win, it's happy days.

 

[CG123]

Is the semi at Eden Park as well?

The All Blacks quarter-final was meant to be in Christchurch, so they would have ended up playing pool matches in Hamilton and Wellington, as well as their quarter-final in Christchurch. But because of the earthquake now all but two of their matches will be at Eden Park.

How good are England this time round? From what I remember, they were totally written off in the previous WC only for them to take the runners up spot.

That's because all the Northern Hemisphere teams always look rubbish, because they play what we refer to as the "boring kicking game". That style of play is very effective in World Cup knockout matches, hence their success. The reason the All Blacks have so many fans worldwide is because they play the most "attractive" style of Rugby.

 

[Haarithan]

Well in that case, Arsenal have been playing the most 'attractive' style of football in the Premier League for over the last six years, but they've won next to nothing in that span of time. It was that 'boring kicking game' that won England the WC in 2003, which is what counts.

Still, I'm pretty much backing you guys to go all the way barring a miraculous choke.

 

[CG123]

Well in that case, Arsenal have been playing the most 'attractive' style of football in the Premier League for over the last six years, but they've won next to nothing in that span of time.

Not really, Arsenal have been playing absolute crap. By attractive I mean that that team plays a good brand of their respective sport, which is what I look for when I watch sport, as well as obviously wanting the team I support to win.

 

[barmyarmy]

Nice article in the paper today about how NZ are the best team in the world for 3 years and 10 months a time then the WC arrives just as they've lost the tri-nations.

 

[CG123]

One week!!!

 

[Chewie]

Romania's winger pulled out because he doesn't like flying

 

[CG123]

Apparently he's their best player as well.