THE RUGBY WORLD CUP THREAD

I can't see the England team doing this before a match!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Settling into a bit of a tourny, mahoosive game Sat with the taffs in town, serious fist pump up the Fiji for running out the clock on the Oz denying them a BP. could be crucial come the death, I can see the Fijs causing the Welshies a good few problems especially as they have an 8 day rest up whereas the Welsh have a short five as KO is 8pm Saturday, the Welshies still have to save summat for their Oz game which may be a cruncher for them.

Basically what I am saying is that a loss Sat is not the close of play.

Our school teacher has picked an odd looking crew, Slammin' Sam and Barritt together is an odd call and not to realise that the Youngs brothers are the real problem really worries me, when the fork is he going to get Henry on to the field, comfortably the most gifted footballer in the squad, light years better then Ford or Offal, yet out in the cold, what was the point of keeping him in the squad if he isn't going to get a game when the likes of JJ get injured.

Black were nowt special, the Oz couldn't get a BP off the Fijs, the Sarfs look totally fubar, could be a great chance for an NH team to step up.

Lancaster has clearly wanted to get Farrell back in for ages, because Ford's match last week was quiet, but not nearly quiet enough to warrant being dropped, and he's been pretty good there otherwise.

A bit excited for Burgess tbh - although whoever plays alongside Barrett is always going to be asked a lot of when we've got the ball.

Went to the Millennium Stadium yesterday, can't remember enough of the game mind.

All Blacks against Namibia should be fun tonight...

Burgess versus Roberts is going to be epic. I think it's going to be 60 minutes of Warrenball from both sides before England try to be more expansive as the game opens up. I think (and hope) that the Welsh scrum is going to struggle.

I am glad I have tickets for it.

Like the way the japanese player yesterday tried to dive over about 8 bodies piled up on the floor

An amazing day - the set up at Twickenham was brilliant and the pre match atmosphere was great. Incredibly tense during the game and we just gave too many penalties away again. I think Lancaster has taken the team as far as he can as we struggle for composure during the important parts of the big games.

Cant see England getting anywhere near winning the WorldCup with Lancaster as coach and Robshaw as captain, Crap Substitutions cost England the game.

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

Cant see England getting anywhere near winning the WorldCup with Lancaster as coach and Robshaw as captain, Crap Substitutions cost England the game.

I said right from the off England wouldnt come close as they make to many errors and too many mistakes despite playing well and yesterday was a classic example of it. Robshaw made the wrong call to not go for the 3 points. Yes the angle was tight but it was achievable for Ford/Farrell to attempt with some conviction.

I still feel England will still qualify from the group although it will be tough to get passed the convicts.

Threw the game away, we let Welsh play when we should have shut them out and slowed them down, crap tactics not squad, gutted, dont want to see my welsh mates for a few days.

I don't think it was selection or tactics that cost us but indiscipline. It was giving away penalties when we were well-placed in the 1st half that kept the Welsh in it until they sprinkled their year's worth of pixie dust to score the try (and what was Mason doing when they did - real schoolby error stuff) before yet another penalty gave them the shot to win the game.

Hugely disappointing but credit to the Welsh for making it happen when it mattered.

Longer term it could be tricky for Wales to cope with both the injuries and having used up all of their pixie dust. Fiji will batter them and they might not have much left for the Aussies when the crunch comes.

Which it will if England beat the Aussies, which I don't think will happen, and Fiji cause a shock - and they might.

It'll all be extra points and point difference then but it's not looking great for England, is it?

So England could realistically be out of it at group stage. On dear, that will be a major embarrassment then.

Terrible stuff.

I forgot the game was on as was at a mates birthday party last night. Rugby was not high agenda I know that for fact.

At Wembley today for Ireland Romania. Looking forward to just enjoying the game. Yesterday was too nerve wracking.

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

I don't think it was selection or tactics that cost us but indiscipline. It was giving away penalties when we were well-placed in the 1st half that kept the Welsh in it until they sprinkled their year's worth of pixie dust to score the try (and what was Mason doing when they did - real schoolby error stuff) before yet another penalty gave them the shot to win the game.

Hugely disappointing but credit to the Welsh for making it happen when it mattered.

Longer term it could be tricky for Wales to cope with both the injuries and having used up all of their pixie dust. Fiji will batter them and they might not have much left for the Aussies when the crunch comes.

Which it will if England beat the Aussies, which I don't think will happen, and Fiji cause a shock - and they might.

It'll all be extra points and point difference then but it's not looking great for England, is it?

So, basically Wales were lucky.
I do love it when the English just can't admit they aren't good enough at whatever they're struggling with. Cheers me up no end.
If England had come from behind to win, with a try right at the death as well, it would be all how determined the team is and how they go for the full 80 minutes.

Did you miss this bit: "...credit to the Welsh for making it happen when it mattered"?

Nice to see the rugby side are as clueless as the football side

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Did you miss this bit: "...credit to the Welsh for making it happen when it mattered"?

Sounds rather patronising to me. "They wuz the better team for 5 minutes"
I always find it rather mirthful when fans  say their team would have won, should have won, if only they hadn't made mistakes. Sport is about minimising mistakes as well as the positive skills.  And just maybe, the Welsh were fitter than England and paced themselves perfectly. The best teams, the best players, make fewer mistakes. England made too many. Teams can improve when they face the fact they were beaten by the better team. No future in dreaming, where sport is concerned.
Still, The England bunch will be having a right royal row apparently, but they'll do it in private.  Like that one, that'll sort it..... not only did they lose to the better team, the coach wants to have a barney before they meet Australia. Geddon. So English, the management blaming the shop floor for losing, after laying down such a perfect battle plan. Would you like another port Sir Francis ?

English chap bashing the lazy workers wrote:

I don't think it was selection or tactics that cost us but indiscipline

At least in football, we now accept we're just not good enough. This England rugby team can't hold a candle to their world cup winners with Wilko boy.
PS.... Pixie dust doesn't run out, there's an inexhaustable supply for those who can see it. It's legs that run out.

England lost and were rubbish.

The Welsh didnt have to do that much to beat us, just keep chipping away at our horrible weakness at the breakdown, kick the inevitable pens, then take their chance when it came. The equivalent of one of those classic 1-0 away days under Sturrock mk1.

England came across as a bit wet, not very good footballers, and poor at decision making. Had Italy lost like that it would have been valiant.

I wonder for all the 'great environment' shite spouted, had England called upon Tuilagi, Hartley, Armitage, whether there would have been enough nous to push England over the line in that second half..

Australia today and I am reasonably confident. I expect an England backlash after last week. Whilst we are not a great side, we are certainly not a bad side. The bonus point is not an issue so a victory by one point would be enough.

I really didn't enjoy the game last week - the build up before was fantastic but the game was so tense it was hard to enjoy. I wonder if the atmosphere got to the players - but we certainly lack leaders on the pitch.

I am going for an England victory and qualification next week with a win against Uruguay - and a winner takes all match for Wales Vs Australia.

Frank Bullitt wrote:

Australia today and I am reasonably confident. I expect an England backlash after last week. Whilst we are not a great side, we are certainly not a bad side. The bonus point is not an issue so a victory by one point would be enough.

I really didn't enjoy the game last week - the build up before was fantastic but the game was so tense it was hard to enjoy. I wonder if the atmosphere got to the players - but we certainly lack leaders on the pitch.

I am going for an England victory and qualification next week with a win against Uruguay - and a winner takes all match for Wales Vs Australia.

Have you got tickets for this one, Frank?

any ideas for the score ? as i might put a£ on it.

No Comment wrote:

Frank Bullitt wrote:

Australia today and I am reasonably confident. I expect an England backlash after last week. Whilst we are not a great side, we are certainly not a bad side. The bonus point is not an issue so a victory by one point would be enough.

I really didn't enjoy the game last week - the build up before was fantastic but the game was so tense it was hard to enjoy. I wonder if the atmosphere got to the players - but we certainly lack leaders on the pitch.

I am going for an England victory and qualification next week with a win against Uruguay - and a winner takes all match for Wales Vs Australia.

Have you got tickets for this one, Frank?

I have mate. I really want to enjoy this one as the Wales game was too tense. I went to the Ireland Romania game on Sunday and that was fun - but that might have had something to do with being next to 90,000 Irish.

alannotivvy wrote:

any ideas for the score ?  as i might put a£ on it.

Bet 365 have England to win at -3. I think that is good value.

Frank Bullitt wrote:

No Comment wrote:

Frank Bullitt wrote:

Australia today and I am reasonably confident. I expect an England backlash after last week. Whilst we are not a great side, we are certainly not a bad side. The bonus point is not an issue so a victory by one point would be enough.

I really didn't enjoy the game last week - the build up before was fantastic but the game was so tense it was hard to enjoy. I wonder if the atmosphere got to the players - but we certainly lack leaders on the pitch.

I am going for an England victory and qualification next week with a win against Uruguay - and a winner takes all match for Wales Vs Australia.

Have you got tickets for this one, Frank?

I have mate. I really want to enjoy this one as the Wales game was too tense. I went to the Ireland Romania game on Sunday and that was fun -  but that might have had something to do with being next to 90,000 Irish.

Excellant. Have a great day, and hope the little one enjoys it if he's going along.

No Comment wrote:

Frank Bullitt wrote:

No Comment wrote:

Frank Bullitt wrote:

Australia today and I am reasonably confident. I expect an England backlash after last week. Whilst we are not a great side, we are certainly not a bad side. The bonus point is not an issue so a victory by one point would be enough.

I really didn't enjoy the game last week - the build up before was fantastic but the game was so tense it was hard to enjoy. I wonder if the atmosphere got to the players - but we certainly lack leaders on the pitch.

I am going for an England victory and qualification next week with a win against Uruguay - and a winner takes all match for Wales Vs Australia.

Have you got tickets for this one, Frank?

I have mate. I really want to enjoy this one as the Wales game was too tense. I went to the Ireland Romania game on Sunday and that was fun -  but that might have had something to do with being next to 90,000 Irish.

Excellant. Have a great day, and hope the little one enjoys it if he's going along.

No, he is staying at home. His daddy speaks too much French at rugby and he picks up everything at the moment