The Rugby World Cup thread

[Tonji]

I can only see England beating France, if the French freeze because of the expectation & pressure heaped on them by their media. The French supporters are already expecting a Final with South Africa. England's only hope is if Wilkinson can kick all the penalties offered & keep France pinned in their own half.

[thediceman]

I really can't call the England V France game. Obviously France have home advantage and on their day can beat any team in the world. Also England have been somewhat questionable over a last couple of years and whilst they defeated Australia they haven't really put in a performance that would make you say they could win the RWC.

However France have been known to underperform, just go back to there game against Argentina. The pumas play a similar game to the English, solid forward line and good kicking game. Are France suspect against such opposition???. I also recall the 2003 semifinal when France were favourites to defeat England. You can also go back to 1991 when England defeated France in France. France are also known to loss their discipline and penalities could be the difference in this game.

As for the Pumas v the springboks. Come on Argentina.

[TightEnd]

!

Great stuff Saturday night..happy to eat my words!


underdogs for the final, can England pull off a Massive shock compared to where we were a month ago?

[Josedinho]

This is great stuff. We've over acheived and all know it. 4 years ago i was so nervous because i knew we were the best and just had to go and prove it and now i don't care we're not the best i'm just glad of every victory. After winning against Australia i was delighted. We could come home and say the World Cup was a success and that we gave it a go defending our title. I was ready to go quote my own post from before the tournament where i said England would get to the Semi's and lose to New Zealand, South Africa would win it and Argentina would be the shocks and even heading into the France game where i truly got the "patriotic punt" feleing and piled on England + 9points i thought i might having to go and quote my thread where i said the best bets were France or South Africa and thought i had named the finalists now i don't give a monkeys how much i thought i knew about Rugby.

Those 30/31/32 men have done something unbelievable and win or lose i have as much respect for them as i do for the guys 4 years before.

I had money on South Africa because i believed thery were going to win it, i now hope they don't!

New Zealand coach Graham Henry said their failure would "scar them for life" but also said "we are the number one rugby side in the world and have been for a long time and still are.

"It's just that we haven't got that little yellow cup."

Graham - go ahead and be the best rugby side in the World, i'd rather have that little yellow cup for 4 more years!

[thetank]

What have the All Blacks and a Wonderbra got in common?

Both have tonnes of support, but at least the Wonderbra has a cup.

[CrestOfaWave]

Very funny. When was the last time Scotland beat the All Blacks..  Oh hang on .... Never...

[thetank]

Spot the sheep competition. 

[The_nun]

I dont do Rugby but if I did we get to have free tickets to the England V New zealand plus another two games..from work..pff..prefer a buy in to a fessy myself..

[KingPoker]

Right this could come back and bite me in the arse but i placed some bets on betfair last night as they were offering way better odds than any other site.

This is the key line- As long as NZ dont win i will make a nice profit

If australia win then i will do very nicely out of it, if england win i will do excellently, if wales win i can retire and france and SA are a tidy small little profit.

Fingers crossed for All Blacks to F up in the semis then i can relax for final!

ahhhhhhh its so nice to be right!!

Fully behind England on wknd for me to make a very tidy amount.

[Josedinho]

A great world cup. The best team won (as tipped by me) and England gave us all a great ride and a team to be proud off.