Quarter Finals

[Ali TT]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1709611661374480462

Wow, hard hitting punishment

 

[Ali TT]

One thing about the QFs seeing the big 4 face off is that often the QFs are more open games whereas by the time you get to the semis, the pressure of the occasion can result in more cagey, risk averse play.

As well, with the weaker sides playing against each other means on paper there are no likely walkovers in the round.

 

[ripper868]

Apart from Fiji v England, which on form shapes as the mismatch of the quarters for me. Fiji by 25

 

[Niall]

Apart from Fiji v England, which on form shapes as the mismatch of the quarters for me. Fiji by 25

Tbf 4 intriguing quarter finals on paper.

Its difficult to know how good any of the teams are in the "lesser" side of the draw as all have been patchy at times.

Muntz is a monumental loss in that one, but would be so cool to see Fiji get through.

Argentina hopefully show up tomorrow , shocking so far .

 

[ripper868]

Yep I expect Argentina should do enough to see off Japan, and from there if they can put together some of what they are capable of, could find themselves in a very winnable semi final (I guess like 2015 when they had Aus in the semi)

 

[Molehill]

Apart from Fiji v England, which on form shapes as the mismatch of the quarters for me. Fiji by 25

I'm coming to the conclusion that Fiji have the best chance of providing a Southern Hemisphere representative in the semis. France and Ireland just look different class to everyone else.

 

[ashley bach]

I'm coming to the conclusion that Fiji have the best chance of providing a Southern Hemisphere representative in the semis. France and Ireland just look different class to everyone else.

Yeah look I definitely think Ireland deserve their favouritism tag because they've looked the goods for most part.
Not sure about a different class though, like I don't think anyone would be surprised if the blacks pulled through.
As you've been saying the first month has basically been close to irrelevant so everything is coming down to 80 minutes on the day.
It won't be a pretty match, whoever plays the dirtiest, meanest and ugliest game will probably come away with the chocolates.

 

[Ali TT]

Yeah look I definitely think Ireland deserve their favouritism tag because they've looked the goods for most part.
Not sure about a different class though, like I don't think anyone would be surprised if the blacks pulled through.
As you've been saying the first month has basically been close to irrelevant so everything is coming down to 80 minutes on the day.
It won't be a pretty match, whoever plays the dirtiest, meanest and ugliest game will probably come away with the chocolates.

No one would be surprised if the ABs did win, it's the ABs! Difference between that and them being favourites though. I reckon it could be an entertaining game, but the France v SA match a much tighter affair.

 

[ashley bach]

No one would be surprised if the ABs did win, it's the ABs! Difference between that and them being favourites though. I reckon it could be an entertaining game, but the France v SA match a much tighter affair.

It'll be entertaining because it's the world cup, but the matches themselves from a spectators point of view will be a dire and grinding affair.

 

[ripper868]

It'll be entertaining because it's the world cup, but the matches themselves from a spectators point of view will be a dire and grinding affair.

Incoming 42-41 matches hopefully.

 

[ashley bach]

Incoming 42-41 matches hopefully.

Haha hope as much as you like but no game is getting anywhere near 80 points.

 

[Ali TT]

Odd choice of final round games for the pool stage, with it only ever being realistic that one of today's matches would determine a QF slot* and none of the traditional big nations playing. Perhaps they wanted to ensure they got max rest.

Ok, Portugal might surprise Fiji, albeit unlikely, but when the draw was made one might have assumed that this would've been a consolation match.

 

[Molehill]

So no surprises, the QF's as we suspected them to be 3 weeks before they happened.

England are actually the most likely team to make the semis according to the bookies, who are 7 points ahead on the handicap. Elsewhere it's Wales by 3, Ireland 2 and France 1.

So they're pricing it up as an all N Hemisphere semi final line up, but really all 4 games could go either way. It's taken 6 weeks to get here, but this looks a superb weekend of rugby. I like the fact the 'weaker' game on each day provides the hors d'oeuvres for the main event later.

 

[Ali TT]

Given how entertaining and tense the Arg-Jap, Eng-Sam and Fiji-Port games were this weekend, those weaker matches could be the most exciting ones.

 

[Uppercut]

The South African defence should be enough to at least give France a game. Ireland had to win ugly against them.

 

[ripper868]

I'm not sure France and Ireland are going to have it as easy as some people may think, we are talking about the AB's and the Boks here, not the Wallabies.

RSA play ugly sure, but all it takes is 2-3 moments from Kolbe/Arendse and suddenly they are up by 15 and you won't pull that back.

And the All Blacks, while without a current demi-god (see McCaw/Carter), are still damned good. Bookies margins as said by Molehill are probably about right, I fancy an all Southern Hemisphere semi-final lineup though

 

[Molehill]

I'm not sure France and Ireland are going to have it as easy as some people may think, we are talking about the AB's and the Boks here, not the Wallabies.

RSA play ugly sure, but all it takes is 2-3 moments from Kolbe/Arendse and suddenly they are up by 15 and you won't pull that back.

And the All Blacks, while without a current demi-god (see McCaw/Carter), are still damned good. Bookies margins as said by Molehill are probably about right, I fancy an all Southern Hemisphere semi-final lineup though

I've got France/SA as very tight, but I can't see NZ beating Ireland. They were well beaten by France and just haven't been tested since. I don't think they'll be able to control the breakdown and despite Ireland's woeful record in QF's, I'm just not even sure this will be that close.

 

[Ali TT]

I'm not sure France and Ireland are going to have it as easy as some people may think, we are talking about the AB's and the Boks here, not the Wallabies.

RSA play ugly sure, but all it takes is 2-3 moments from Kolbe/Arendse and suddenly they are up by 15 and you won't pull that back.

And the All Blacks, while without a current demi-god (see McCaw/Carter), are still damned good. Bookies margins as said by Molehill are probably about right, I fancy an all Southern Hemisphere semi-final lineup though

I don't think anyone is saying France and Ireland are guaranteed to progress easily just that they are the better teams so we expect that they should progress.

I don't think we've had a WC where the 4 quarters are all so evenly balanced.

 

[Molehill]

I don't think we've had a WC where the 4 quarters are all so evenly balanced.

It's a good job it's not SA v England France v Fiji, NZ v Wales and Ireland v Argentina or you'd be saying the complete opposite!!

 

[Furball]

I don't think we've had a WC where the 4 quarters are all so evenly balanced.

Probably the one benefit of how lopsided the draw is