The Quarter Finals

[Grasshopper]

i have a horrible feeling ireland will win tomorrow and south africa will be boring and thump japan.

Relax bro, the game's not till Saturday.

 

[Howe_zat]

Serious questions have to be asked of the organisers if Ireland win tomorrow imo

 

[ripper868]

It's pretty easy to surmise why it's been done (defence, in a word), but the big worry is Farrell's relative lack of form. Whereas Ford has been arguably our best player.

I'd be nervous about the amount of Kerevi that Farrel may find coming at him, his technique when a bigger lad runs at him has been suspect for years, and he may find himself with a card with TMO 'don't wanna miss a' Skeen on duty.

I just hope we somehow get a flowing game, as unlikely as that is with the french ref team and Skeen upstairs.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Farrell's tackling is a card waiting to happen at the best of times, so it'll be interesting to see if he spends the entire 80 minutes on the pitch.

Ford's not quite the turnstile for attackers he was, but it's definitely the weakest area of his game.

 

[ripper868]

I'd say Ford I likely to score more points then he let's through as well, and more likely to stay on the pitch. I'm pretty pleased he's on the pine.

But as you said earlier, itll be won/lost up front with the prtty boys deciding by how many.

 

[Burgey]

i have a horrible feeling ireland will win tomorrow and south africa will be boring and thump japan.

Starting a day early is their biggest chance tbh

 

[Bahnz]

i have a horrible feeling ireland will win tomorrow and south africa will be boring and thump japan.

God I hope so. It’s been 12 years since I was last able to sup on the tears of infinite sadness that flow from the eyes of NZ’s endless hoard of smug rugby columnists whenever the AB’s lose a world cup. Oh, and it’d be good for the game to have a new champion and all that.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It would be nice if someone else won it, especially (parochial support for England notwithstanding) if it was an entirely new name on Bill.

However NZ did go 24 years between wins and were generally the best side throughout those two dozen annums, so NZ dominating now is kinda just reversion to the mean.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just watching Bristol v Bath.

Nathan Hughes having an immense game so far, great carrying and super support play for a try.

Can't help but think another specialist #8 would've been of more use than one of Francis, Cokanasiga or (my vote for most superfluous squad member) McConnochie.

 

[Howe_zat]

Yeah. If Nowell and Cokanasiga can't get into the 23, McConnochie is completely unecessary.

I find Hughes unconvincing but any additional back rower would probably be nice. If we hadn't had the France game cancelled, Tom Curry would have played basically an entire world cup.

Ludlam is the reserve 8 in Jones' eyes I think.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, think you're probably right.

I don't wanna turn this into the "why England didn't win the world cup" thread, but I think Eddie included too many chaps with injuries in the squad.

I can see why he'd take a punt on Mako regaining fitness for the business end and maybe Nowell at a stretch, but Wilson and Slade not so much.

Wilson has done really well since he came into the reckoning but he's not the kinda loosie who one looks at and says "yeah, guaranteed starter; world class".

I'd have far preferred a third 9 and a second #8.

 

[ripper868]

May be a bit late for this question, but do you see the 2 ad off being an advantage or disadvantage for England and France (and NZ/SA I guess)? In that training isn't playing, and no better place then matches to get things right etc.

Honestly think the humidity of Oita may really help Australia quite a bit, just in terms of familiarity with being proper hot and bothered.

 

[Howe_zat]

Before this tournament England fans were wincing at the prospect of trying to play up to 5 high intensity tests in a row. They’re the only side whose pool fixtures got progressively harder, demanding a first team every week after the USA match. So I think England are especially grateful for the breather.

Winning momentum is kinda a thing but if it were the be all and end all, we wouldn’t see almost every team rest their best players in one of their last two games. We see it at club level all the time too, where a team like Saracens will rest the first XV for the last match before the play offs.

 

[Howe_zat]

For ****s sake I have to go to work at 9 and it's still mr bean on itv for another 20 minutes

Why didn't WR have a contingency plan for this

 

[marc71178]

For ****s sake I have to go to work at 9 and it's still mr bean on itv for another 20 minutes

Why didn't WR have a contingency plan for this

Call another strike?

 

[Howe_zat]

Call another strike?

You might be onto something. 60% funding cut over nine years is one thing, but making me miss the rugby? They're over the line.

 

[Howe_zat]

Interviewer to Chieka: 'Is England selecting Tuilagi and Slade as a midfield something of a compliment to you?'

Chieka: 'To be honest, I couldn't tell you what their first XV is.'

Inspiring.

 

[Spikey]

he probably can't tell you what his first xv is either, tbf

 

[hendrix]

Good start from Aus.

I must say England really pushing that offside line.

 

[Howe_zat]

15 phases of really good ball from Australia, England did not manage to slow down their recycling at all.