The Rugby World Cup official thread

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Silas

Umm, just a question!? What the heck is rugby?

Rugby union - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It is an extremely entertaining game to watch and is tough to play. IMO there is a lot more quick thinking, strategy and physical courage required than for football.

[Señor Malo]

What are your forecasts for the final?

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by searcher of truth

What are your forecasts for the final?

South Africa will be able to use their faster and more mobile playing style to literally run around the Argentine players. Argentina has a good team but they seemed almost rooted to the ground in some earlier matches. They rely too much on their forwards and kicker. Their backs don't seem to have great passing skills; unlike Fiji or South Africa.

As for the other match, I think France will beat England but it will be close and it will be fun to watch. I like to see the type of running games both France and England play.

[Señor Malo]

Originally Posted by Errigal

South Africa will be able to use their faster and more mobile playing style to literally run around the Argentine players. Argentina has a good team but they seemed almost rooted to the ground in some earlier matches. They rely too much on their forwards and kicker. Their backs don't seem to have great passing skills; unlike Fiji or South Africa.

I agree; Argentina hasbeen using the same game tactics since the begining; someone will finish by finding the fails in their game system.

[Theobald]

Wow! What a match France-All Blacks was ! Well, maybe too much stress in the last minutes : no one said a single word during these last 8 or 10 minutes in the whole bar, some of my friends did not even want to watch.

Now we have to take our revenge against England.

As for the final, I'd say France vs South Africa. Though I'd like to see this World Cup, that started with an Argentinian victory over France, ending up with a French victory over Argentina.

By the way, the latest IRB ranking :

(As at 8 October; last week's position in brackets)
1(1) New Zealand 89.63
2(5) France 88.38
3(3) South Africa 86.44
4(4) Argentina 86.04
5(2) Australia 84.21
6(6) England 83.63
7(7) Ireland 78.66
8(8) Scotland 76.83
9(9) Fiji 75.82
10(10) Wales 74.08

France jump from the fifth to the second place.

France send All Blacks packing

Fantastic! Sheer fantasy! Amazing Saturday went spirally upwards into fantasy! There has never been a day like it in World Cup rugby.

Whether France deserved to win or not, doesn't matter one iota. The fact is that they did win. If the brave deserve the fair, they deserved this victory. The French made 178 tackles to New Zealand's 36. That was bravery as they stood shoulder to shoulder and repelled the Pacific wave that threatened to overwhelm them. They kept a tsunami at bay.

They tackled and tackled and then New Zealand lost the ball, and Elissalde went scampering off like a little boy who has pinched one of his mother's cookies and then kicked the cookie into the crowd for an outburst of ecstasy.

It was, as Dickens once wrote, the best of times and it was the worst of times. It was a time of ecstasy for France. It was a time of utter, shuddering despair for New Zealand.

Fantastic Saturday will go down in rugby history.

It is tough for New Zealand. For France it is a wonderful boost and reward for a country which has done so much to make this World Cup a joyous success.

Planet Rugby | 2007 Rugby World Cup Match Reports. | France send ABs packing

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Theobald

Wow! What a match France-All Blacks was ! Well, maybe too much stress in the last minutes : no one said a single word during these last 8 or 10 minutes in the whole bar, some of my friends did not even want to watch.

I'm glad to see both New Zealand and Australia knocked out. The Australians in particular had a bad attitude. My hopes are with France now but I have to admire what this Argentine fan said on the Daily Telegraph website:

PUMAS DESERVE A CHANCE TO PLAY MORE TOURNAMENTS

wetzvonken 09 Oct 2007 17:26



To say that we are extremely happy and proud from our Pumas is not enough. I had played rugby at school, Cardinal Newman (Irish Christian brothers), who pushed us to play this wonderful sport, disgracefully; I played only some few years. Nowadays, there are dozens of rugby clubs throughout Argentina, each year you have new players and we have to thanks the huge Irish and English communities for the introduction in our country of this sport, like others as well (polo, tennis, football). We failed as a nation in many fields, but at least in sports we are doing quite well. Rugby thanks to our Pumas, the Contempomi brothers, especially Felipe, Agustin Pichot, Juan Martin Hernandez, Corleto and the rest of our team, had shown not only that they are magnificent players, but true gentlemen as well, they never played in a dirty or disloyal way, fair play is part of their way of life and way of playing. If they win the match this Sunday, the whole nation will “serrer les rangs” with them, we love and cherish them as our best ambassadors in the world, like Adolfo Cambiaso or the Pieres brothers are in polo. Last but not least we hope that they will win the World Cup, but if this does not happen, just to play the semi-final is a great achievement. They were received by many in Europe with a high degree of contempt, was not the case of the English press, but the rugby world should recognize that our Pumas are capable of winning any tournament, they have a duty to accept this fact and not blocked their chances to play other championships like the one between SA, NZ and Australia, or the European one. I must thank the London Telegraph for its wonderful and quite objective coverage of our Pumas campaign and to you dear Pumas eternal glory and we salute you with all our hearts and minds, wishing you a complete triumph until you reach the title, with our Good Lord’s help.

source

[Señor Malo]

Originally Posted by Theobald

As for the final, I'd say France vs South Africa. Though I'd like to see this World Cup, that started with an Argentinian victory over France, ending up with a French victory over Argentina.

To tell you the truth I'm not very confident on Argentina's outcome in front of the South Africa; I think they will really have to change their game if they want to have a chance. Their victory system is too much based on drops and penalties they got points of advantage little by little and an essai+cponvertion from the opposinent side can really put them in big trouble

[Heretik]

Originally Posted by Errigal

I'm glad to see both New Zealand and Australia knocked out. The Australians in particular had a bad attitude. My hopes are with France now but I have to admire what this Argentine fan said on the Daily Telegraph website:


source

As I've heard, there are some talks about expanding the Tri nations on to Argentina. With their game, they've deserved it.

[Savorgnan]

Originally Posted by Theobald

Now we have to take our revenge against England.

We must.

Originally Posted by Theobald

As for the final, I'd say France vs South Africa. Though I'd like to see this World Cup, that started with an Argentinian victory over France, ending up with a French victory over Argentina.

I also think South Africa is likely to be in the final, I just hope that the Argentinians will be able to exhaust them enough. I don't want a Southern hemisphere team to steal the party.