Rugby World Cup 2011

[thegremlin_1999]

We were shit this morning. Playing a completely untried centre partnership probably didn't help. Also playing England's best choice at 10 in the centre didn't help... At least when flood plays 10 he's not so deep everyone's got to start from a standstill...

Either way, I'm actually quite glad tbh, means I might actually get to watch something approaching our first team next home prem game as opposed to our approaching 3rd team I watched today...

[pink_triangle]

As a Wales fan I am probably one of the few happy people on here today. I thought we were superb and put in one of the best defensive performances I have ever seen from us. I expected us to struggle through the groups stages so to see us in the semis with a competitive chance of getting to the final is amazing. I had ireland down as marginal favourites at the start (combination of experience and superstitious belief in never backing my own team) however I felt we were far fitter and quicker and think we frustrated the irish who seemd to run out of gas. I like this irish team, however if we are being honest they really should have dominated northern hemisphere rugby since the last world cup and the fact they didnt suggests they can be weak when the pressure is on. Personally I would have preferred England in the semis as I think they are a little bit more predictable than france, the french can capitulate one game and fight amongst themselves and they next game knock the all blacks out of the world cup, you never know what you will get.

The England v france game was very poor in terms of quality but still compelling. England just havent played like a team this tournament, all the off the pitch problems seem to suggest something isnt right. Rugby is bigger in Wales than England yet there hasnt been a peep from the welsh media about any contreversy and we have looked a far better unit. To be honest I am surprised England were so heavily fancied at the start of the tournament. I remember looking at the odds and they were significantly shorter than wales and ireland. I never really saw any evidence for this, England may have won the 6 nations but they werent particularly dominating champions and havent stood out in the recent previous campaigns.

As for tomorrow I hope for argentina to pull of a huge shock against the all blacks and a very tight and hugely physical australia v south africa match.

[rexclark]

Great performance by Wales. I definately think they'll make it to the final.

[pink_triangle]

Enjoyed the games today, south Africa really should have won, Argentina put on a good fight but the tournament is the all blacks to lose. Think calls for Johnsons head a bit premature and possibly a sign of some English arrogance. England had a great side in 2003 but within a few years were back within the pack and overachieved in 2007. You can only work with the players you have got and England now are at a similar level to Wales, Ireland and France, recent 6 nations tables show this to be true. England are a borderline qf/sf side as are a few others and not everyone can reach expectations. Johnson won the 6 nations which was a good achievement, Wales were disappointing in that tournament but didn't feel the need to sack the coach in a deluded thought that they have a divine right to be better.

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

Enjoyed the games today, south Africa really should have won, Argentina put on a good fight but the tournament is the all blacks to lose. Think calls for Johnsons head a bit premature and possibly a sign of some English arrogance. England had a great side in 2003 but within a few years were back within the pack and overachieved in 2007. You can only work with the players you have got and England now are at a similar level to Wales, Ireland and France, recent 6 nations tables show this to be true. England are a borderline qf/sf side as are a few others and not everyone can reach expectations. Johnson won the 6 nations which was a good achievement, Wales were disappointing in that tournament but didn't feel the need to sack the coach in a deluded thought that they have a divine right to be better.

[pink_triangle]

England underachieved in terms of performance but not in terms of end result. England v France was always going to be a 50/50 game, someone had to go out. In terms of world rugby there are now 6 or 7 teams with similar talent to England, yet only 4 semi spaces, to set last 4 as minimum requirement is unfair. Johnson won the 6 nations last year and deserves another chance.

As for the standard England were hardly playing exciting rugby in the last 2 tournaments (i think 3 tries in 6 knockout games) but fans can take it if they win.

[Istari]

Sacking Johnson isn't the answer until the RFU sort themselves out. Its an absolute shambles with the way they have been running the sport recently.

[pink_triangle]

Sacking Johnson isn't the answer until the RFU sort themselves out. Its an absolute shambles with the way they have been running the sport recently.

[Istari]

Its definitely an over-reaction by the media and public. If we dont do well in a tournament then the coach/manager must go as it was 100% their fault. Its a load of rubbish. The players must take some of the blame, or just accept that there are better teams at that point in time. The manager may just need longer to build up the quality of the team or have better players come through. Manchester Utd never sacked Fergusson when he was unsuccessfull at the start of his reign. Plus, who are they going to get to replace him with any way. Maybe the current man is the best out there

[pink_triangle]

Its definitely an over-reaction by the media and public. If we dont do well in a tournament then the coach/manager must go as it was 100% their fault. Its a load of rubbish. The players must take some of the blame, or just accept that there are better teams at that point in time.

[Ed209]

I agree. There's always an over reaction. But if it was Wales that had been to three of the last five finals - maybe they would have high expectations too

[pink_triangle]

If there had been a world cup in the 70s maybe we would have, that's life! I agree to some extent, however rugby is slightly different from a sport like football where top sides can go years without playing each other. The top northern hemisphere teams play every year and England have failed to dominate since 2003. I think in a way overachieving in 2007 raised expectations too much as that England team was not much better than this one.

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

Its definitely an over-reaction by the media and public. If we dont do well in a tournament then the coach/manager must go as it was 100% their fault. Its a load of rubbish. The players must take some of the blame, or just accept that there are better teams at that point in time. The manager may just need longer to build up the quality of the team or have better players come through. Manchester Utd never sacked Fergusson when he was unsuccessfull at the start of his reign. Plus, who are they going to get to replace him with any way. Maybe the current man is the best out there

[pink_triangle]

I agree. There's always an over reaction. But if it was Wales that had been to three of the last five finals - maybe they would have high expectations too

[TheGayTent]

I would keep Johnson, Rowntree, and Aldred. All the rest including John Wells, Mike Ford, and Brian Smith should be cleared out.

If and when Gatland resigns from the Wales job, England should make sure they get Shaun Edwards into the coaching set up.

[pink_triangle]

I don't think Sean Edwards would take a job in englands coaching team unless he is the main man. It would seem a bit of a sideways step unless its a huge pay rise. I can see him looking for head coach jobs.

[TheGayTent]

I don't think Sean Edwards would take a job in englands coaching team unless he is the main man. It would seem a bit of a sideways step unless its a huge pay rise. I can see him looking for head coach jobs.

[pink_triangle]

I knew it would happen but the coverage of the world cup is annoying the hell out of me now. In the BBC news world cup round up they spent 2 minutes talking about england and 5 seconds about wales. Funny I must have missed the huge post mortem to scotlands exit a week ago!

[pink_triangle]

Mixed emotions regret about the missed opportunities, gutted to lose by one, pride for the effort and angry about the referee. I know rugby is well known for impartiality but in a big worldwide sporting event you cannot have someone half French officiating in a semi final with France competing.

[thegremlin_1999]

Mixed emotions regret about the missed opportunities, gutted to lose by one, pride for the effort and angry about the referee. I know rugby is well known for impartiality but in a big worldwide sporting event you cannot have someone half French officiating in a semi final with France competing.

[pink_triangle]

guessing thats a dig at the red card. my thought is it's harsh, but probably correct. If you lift someones legs up above their head and then drop them on their head (which is exactly what warburton did...) then thats serious foul play. fair enough there's a case for youthful overenthusiasm in the heat of the moment and the weight difference probably had an effect on the tackle in the first place but serious foul play is serious foul play and could have resulted in a VERY serious injury for the frenchman... take that into account and it was probably a straight red...

i remember harry ellis doing something similar few yrs back to dan carter playing for leicester vs perpingnan where he lifted his legs above his head and dropped him and although he wasnt penalised on the day he got a retrospective big ban...

[Binky]

I felt it was a bad decision which spoiled the game but I think there is an argument whether it was the referees fault or the people who make the rules. I however fail to believe it is the worst tackle of the entire tournament so there is some major inconsistency going on. It wasnt just that, I felt Allain Roland's refereeing of the game was poor, he also frequently ignored the french for being offside in the ruck.

[pink_triangle]

After watching the semi finals I think it would be a travesty if the all blacks dont win this tournament. France have been incredibly lucky to reach the final and if they were to somehow scrape a win would be the worst winners ever. They remind me of the france 2004 world cup football team, scraping through despite poor team morale, a mad coach who the players ignore and performance level rarely going above average. I hope the final outcome will be the same, although not as close. The all blacks are a breath of fresh air and would be very deserved champions.

I think in general the tournament has been very enjoyable and the atmosphere at games one of the best I have witnessed. Wales V New Zealand would have been a better atmosphere with both countries being the only 2 major nations who consider their national sport but I think it could have ended up a walkover. I think in general over recent years the competitiveness of international rugby has improved with the better nations getting worse and the lesser nations getting better. I havent checked the stats but there seems to have been less walkovers in this tournament since previous ones.

[The Nal]

Its made for NZ to win it now. Hosts, the earthquake, beating Australia in the semis, revenge on France, McCaws foot (fair fucks to him by the way).

All set for him to lift it next Sunday. Although their kicking is a serious worry.

[radish]

I felt it was a bad decision which spoiled the game but I think there is an argument whether it was the referees fault or the people who make the rules. I however fail to believe it is the worst tackle of the entire tournament so there is some major inconsistency going on. It wasnt just that, I felt Allain Roland's refereeing of the game was poor, he also frequently ignored the french for being offside in the ruck.

Would he have given a French player a red card for what Warburton did, the answer is we will never know. I however can say without the benefit of hindsight there were several welsh fans before the game worried that after knocking out ireland to set up a semi final with france, they chose a half irish, half french man to referee the match. Of course I wouldnt want to question the referees integrity but I think both in terms of protecting both the teams and th officials that you have to be sensible with official appointments and if your parents come from one country you shouldnt be allowed to referee their games as well as the countries you represent, I know I would find it tough if I was a referee not giving scotland (dads parents) the benefit of the doubt in 50/50 decisions.