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Pool B - South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Romania

Who will qualify from the group?

  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .
BoyBrumby

BoyBrumby

Englishman
RSA's losing bonus last night was a real killer for Scotland's hopes of progressing.

Assuming Scotland and the Saffers both pick up try bonuses against Romania and Tonga respectively, yer Jocks are likely to need another one in beating Ireland to progress. Unless they can turn around a 109 points difference in two games.
 
A

Ali TT

International Regular
I feel a bit sorry for Scotland's draw but it's not like they're title contenders. There's clear distance between them and the top 4 and they're only marginally better than the group behind. Yes, they'd have had a good chance going through if they'd been in Pools C or D but had they been in those groups, it would still not have been a surprise had they failed to progress.
 
Furball

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Ali TT said:
I feel a bit sorry for Scotland's draw but it's not like they're title contenders. There's clear distance between them and the top 4 and they're only marginally better than the group behind. Yes, they'd have had a good chance going through if they'd been in Pools C or D but had they been in those groups, it would still not have been a surprise had they failed to progress.
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It's just irritating when 2 of England, Argentina, Fiji and Wales will reach the semis.
 
Molehill

Molehill

International Captain
It's looking like Australia will be ranked outside the Top 8 for their own World Cup in 4 years time. What are the bets Scotland get drawn with them and NZ?
 
Molehill

Molehill

International Captain
Bahnz said:
Immense from Ireland. This was without doubt a higher standard of rugby from both teams than was on display in the NZ v France game.
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A bit harsh on the French who were much too good for NZ. Interesting looking at bookmaker's odds now for the tournament.

Ireland 11-4
SA 3-1
France 7-2
NZ 9-2
Eng 12-1
Wales 33-1
Argentina 40-1
Fiji 50-1

Not much between the top 3, but in my mind NZ are no value at that price. Unless they can show serious improvement, I'd have them more about 7-1.
 
T

Tom Flint

International Regular
France have always been my bet and I'll stick with that. Strange their price hasn't gone up since dupont was injured
 
Molehill

Molehill

International Captain
Tom Flint said:
France have always been my bet and I'll stick with that. Strange their price hasn't gone up since dupont was injured
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I've always fancied them too. I don't think their cause has been helped by getting SA in the QF either. They have a strong record against Ireland in Paris and I thought they'd always win that, not so sure against the Springboks.
 
Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Molehill said:
Not much between the top 3, but in my mind NZ are no value at that price. Unless they can show serious improvement, I'd have them more about 7-1.
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lol nah. Anything over 5 would be insane value. Ireland may be a top side, but there remain big questions about how they'd handle the AB's in the white hot pressure of a World Cup knock-out game. With SA and France I'd have fewer concerns about how they'd handle the occasion, but NZ won't have to worry about them until the final. I'd say the AB's paying $5 to win is about right.
 
Uppercut

Uppercut

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It’s a little surreal for Ireland to play the All Blacks with people thinking the most likely reason they’d lose is by choking. Maybe this is the first time you could say that Ireland at their best are as good or better than NZ at their best, but I still think that if we lose it’ll be because we were outplayed. That’s always been the reason we’ve lost to them before.
 
Howe_zat

Howe_zat

Audio File
A lot of rugby fans in general seem to be making out NZ aren't good right now because they aren't dominating as well, which is a bit of a fallacy than only seems to apply to NZ. I think people just want them to be bad so much it just kinda manifests in people's minds. Like they still won TRC this year without any of the matches being very close. They're clearly good.
 
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Uppercut

Uppercut

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Howe_zat said:
A lot of rugby fans in general seem to be making out NZ aren't good right now because they aren't dominating as well, which is a bit of a fallacy than only seems to apply to NZ. I think people just want them to be bad so much it jsut kinda manifests in people's minds. Like they still won TRC this year without any of the matches being very close. They're clearly good.
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I think it comes more from NZ fans and quasi-neutrals than from their opponents. I can’t imagine ever going into a game against them thinking ‘yeah we’ve got this’ and I’m pretty sure it’s the same for fans of every northern hemisphere team.
 
Howe_zat

Howe_zat

Audio File
Uppercut said:
I think it comes more from NZ fans and quasi-neutrals than from their opponents. I can’t imagine ever going into a game against them thinking ‘yeah we’ve got this’ and I’m pretty sure it’s the same for fans of every northern hemisphere team.
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I used to only think that against Scotland and even that got ruined
 
StephenZA

StephenZA

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
NZ are not the team they were even 5 years ago... coaching has not helped and they don't quite have as many of those all time great players. That's not to mean they are a bad team just they are not the dominating NZ we got used to for awhile. They can beat anyone on their day. It's just they often go off the boil nowadays against top opposition, and also under pressure make uncharacteristic mistakes. I rate Ireland better right now purely because they have been so very consistent and even under serious pressure have performed fantastically. That does not mean NZ can't beat Ireland, its just based on recent events in a real pressure match between Ireland and NZ, Ireland gets through. Will be a cracking match whatever happens.
 
Furball

Furball

Evil Scotsman
I take it the table ITV showed has us in 3rd place despite the point differential because of the loss to South Africa?
 
A

Ali TT

International Regular
I dislike that points differential across all the group games is used as a tie-breaker. It should only relate to the games between the teams on the tie-break. When you're racking up 70+ points against a side, it becomes a bit of a toss-up about just how many get scored for each - eg wet weather, whether or not the weaker side has players sin binned or not - that aren't equal in the matches involved.
 
T

Tom Flint

International Regular
Never understand why teams with a 5m penalty go for the line out rather than just a tap and go. The risk of losing the line out is too big whereas a tap and go on the 5m is garunteeing a ruck 3 or 4 metres out at worst
 
A

Ali TT

International Regular
Tom Flint said:
Never understand why teams with a 5m penalty go for the line out rather than just a tap and go. The risk of losing the line out is too big whereas a tap and go on the 5m is garunteeing a ruck 3 or 4 metres out at worst
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More set play options from a successful line-out
 
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