Rugby World Cup

[cena-rules]

england s.a in the final

why do I feel we are going to win this time

QFT.

What a matchup. We're gonna go out there with double the passion: We want to keep hold of our trophy AND we want to show South Africa just how much we've turned things around since the group stage. I'd have put money on SA getting to the final, but I'm astounded at our performance. Can't wait. Will be an epic match for sure.

Im growing my nails for it

[Timotheos]

THIS CANT BE HAPPENING!

England is so frustrating, They didnt even deserve to be in the top 8.

Im still so gutted about the All Blacks loss, but it has been a great matches and the greatest world cup, but now, thanks to England, the finals barely going to be worth watching.

They play the most horrible rugby in the world, theres no way the final can be entertaining now, thanks for ruining the world cup.

I hope to god England loose, it would be great if its done by the pumas.

You choked, again... while england pull off the greatest turnaround in RWC history. (The All Blacks choking is a RWC tradition). if you didn't get a kick watching england's scrum take australia apart, or their sheer bloody-mindedness and gutsy defence against france, you either haven't got a clue or you've got a massive chip on your shoulder.
Face it: The final is ruined in your eyes because your boys aren't in it. Keep playing 'beautiful rugby' and keep getting knocked out in the semis. No one is worried by the tri-nations anymore. Total rugby? Nice idea, bollocks in practice. Didn't do you or the wallabies any good, did it?

See you in 2011.

\

No way, You guys keep on bring this about the All Blacks being kicked out. We have handled this real well (we have had abit of practice now, haha). We welcomed the boys back into the country with huge support and have stuck behind our coach (its hard to say that about most sporting teams after a HUGE loss). We stayed fairly positive and I had been enjoying every game and was looking forward to the final.

If anything there may be a chip on my shoulder from the long history of games that England has won through boring, shitty rugby.

This isnt about how the All Blacks lost, its about how I hate the way England win.

[Guiscard]

If anything there may be a chip on my shoulder from the long history of games that England has won through boring, shitty rugby.

This isnt about how the All Blacks lost, its about how I hate the way England win.

What should we do then? Add some 'style and flare' bonus points? Implement a Jonah Lomu Award for Exciting Play?

For fucks sake... how can you criticise a team which plays solid, dependable rugby well within the rules and wins?

One of Rugby's major plus points is the way that it hasn't quite slid down the mass-media, ticket-sales, star-player entertainment is all that matters road in the same way as football. I'd much rather watch a boring rugby match knowing that they were in it because they love the sport not because they love the paycheck and the celebrity girlfriend... The Chelsea chap saying that his main aim was to bring more entertainment value into the game is the prime example. His only motivation is ticket sales, merchandise and paychecks, not sport nor genuine achievement. Surely you don't want Rugby to go that way too?

[Timotheos]

Guiscard , I do agree with everything you just said, Rugby is great for all those reasons. There shouldnt be any Jonah Lomu award, but theres no way im praising a team thats plays horrible Rugby

For fucks sake... how can you criticise a team which plays solid, dependable rugby well within the rules and wins?

You call the English team a solid dependable team? Hell no! Theres no way they deserved to be in the top 8. They shouldnt have even been in the top 8! 4 Shitty years, They bust out two boring games and now they are this amazing team?

Sure enough they will go down in history and I cant say they havnt added another dimension to the sport but like I said...

"THIS CANT BE HAPPENING!

England is so frustrating"

[Titanic]

Saw the SA game, and I'm kinda feeling that England will lose. Although most of South Africas tries came from Argentinian mistakes, they totally owned them.

I will support England come the final, but if I had to put my money on a team it would be SA.

[heavycola]

THIS CANT BE HAPPENING!

England is so frustrating, They didnt even deserve to be in the top 8.

Im still so gutted about the All Blacks loss, but it has been a great matches and the greatest world cup, but now, thanks to England, the finals barely going to be worth watching.

They play the most horrible rugby in the world, theres no way the final can be entertaining now, thanks for ruining the world cup.

I hope to god England loose, it would be great if its done by the pumas.

You choked, again... while england pull off the greatest turnaround in RWC history. (The All Blacks choking is a RWC tradition). if you didn't get a kick watching england's scrum take australia apart, or their sheer bloody-mindedness and gutsy defence against france, you either haven't got a clue or you've got a massive chip on your shoulder.
Face it: The final is ruined in your eyes because your boys aren't in it. Keep playing 'beautiful rugby' and keep getting knocked out in the semis. No one is worried by the tri-nations anymore. Total rugby? Nice idea, bollocks in practice. Didn't do you or the wallabies any good, did it?

See you in 2011.

\

No way, You guys keep on bring this about the All Blacks being kicked out. We have handled this real well (we have had abit of practice now, haha). We welcomed the boys back into the country with huge support and have stuck behind our coach (its hard to say that about most sporting teams after a HUGE loss). We stayed fairly positive and I had been enjoying every game and was looking forward to the final.

If anything there may be a chip on my shoulder from the long history of games that England has won through boring, shitty rugby.

This isnt about how the All Blacks lost, its about how I hate the way England win.

Please define shitty rugby. You want to see beautiful moves by the backs, scisssors, dummy runs, fast wingers? Most of the good teams are snuffing that out these days. Sure last night SA got a couple of lovely backs' tries - the offloading for that last one was fantastic. But Argentina made mistakes in defence and gifted them.
Look at the French defence against the kiwis. That to me was beautiful play. It's like the England vs Aus game. Since when did tackling like that become 'shitty rugby'? And the organisation... Gomersall marshalling the forwards, Wilko keeping the back line ready for the next attack. THAT was brilliant rugby.
If world-beating mauls and set piece play and fast breakdowns and contesting every ruck is shitty rugby then i must be missing something. What do you mean?

[Jehan]

if the argument is that rugby should be more interesting for the spectators then i will make the point that there is nothing more entertaining then watching your own team win, and i'm sure the english team cares more about their own fans than they do about the wallabies or the kiwi fans.

[Norse]

Entertaining rugby is like an enjoyable bout of herpies.

Have a good one mate
Twill

[Guiscard]

You call the English team a solid dependable team? Hell no! Theres no way they deserved to be in the top 8. They shouldnt have even been in the top 8! 4 Shitty years, They bust out two boring games and now they are this amazing team?"

No. They're not. And we all know very well that they're the same team who DID play shitty rugby in the group stage. They have, however, really pulled together and unlocked the potential in the last two games and that is very very admirable and very very entertaining. Seeing them discover their form is a wonderful thing. They've suddenly got the spirit to contest every maul and ruck and leap into every tackle. I agree 100% that on past performance they shouldn'tbe where they are, but I'm afraid they ARE where they are and they've achieved that because they turned up on the day and played a better game of rugby than France, who in turn played a better game of Rugby than the All Blacks.

We know how shit they've been for the last four years. Look at my post on page two (I think) for the absolutely dismal outlook at the start of the world cup... They're nowhere near the team who won in 2003, but its certainly entertaining seeing them really go out and achieve everything they're capable of. That might not be enough to topple South Africa, we'll see, but we'll go into that game looking to win not looking to lose like we did in the group stages. There is passion in English Rugby again. You might not like the style but there is definitely passion.

[Timotheos]

Good rugby means you should have good defence and attack.

I guess the English have the defence thing sorted and their attack, well that lands in the hands of wilkinson... and sometimes robinson.

And thats a offence I just cant bring myself to respect

The way Argentina, Tonga and Fiji had been playing would be my definition of great rugby. Enthusiatic, bone crunching defence from Tonga and Fiji. And passionate attack, create try scoring opportunities all over the field. And I dont care what you say, Tonga and Fiji should have been there in the top. It wasnt a lack of English grit that kept them out, it was pure luck of the day IMO.

But like Argentina, I doubt any of these teams could have made it the whole way in the end.

Congrats for finding your 'form'. Im going to change my stance... If England can win this final, then I will give in and agree with you guys that they deserve to be there and are the best team at this tournament. Being able to beat SA after a huge loss a few weeks ago will prove that to me. but if they lose, I will hold on to my angry grudge that a better team should have been there... if only for entertainment purposes

[heavycola]

Good rugby means you should have good defence and attack.

How does a team win rugby tests without a good attack? Did you see the English pack? forcing the other team to give away kickable penalties or creating drop goal opportunities is part of the game.

Wilkinson and Robinson? Sure. You picked the kicker and the best runner from deep, and I guess from that POV JR is the prettiest player. But you haven't mentioned sheridan's/easter's ball carrying, or shaw/corry at the attacking lineout, or gomersall's passing and pack management...
i think the game is a lot more subtle than you give it credit for. Rugby scorelines tend to reflect the teams' ability. Would england beat france 10/10 times? of course not. Would france beat NZ 5/10 times? Probably not. But each game was won tactically.
If England win on saturday it will be the same way they have won the last two games - using the power of their pack to create platforms. Why would a win that way change your mind? (and they are going to pwn the SA pack, which was creaking horribly yesterday...)
I think SA will win, but that's not to detract from england. At all.

[Timotheos]

Your completely right heavycola.


I still hate to watch England in the Final, ha.

[diddle]

Your completely right heavycola.


I still hate to watch England in the Final, ha.

you alone could inspire the england squad, i make it their loyal duty to prove you wrong

[Timotheos]

well, I make it South Africa's loyal duty to prove me right

[Timotheos]

well, I make it South Africa's loyal duty to prove me right

EDIT: That was a fairly dumb post, I think that was obvious.

[Skittles!]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

No, you are not meant to be playing Cricket either.

[Titanic]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

No, you are not meant to be playing Cricket either.

Yer, because we didn invent all 3 of those sports....

[Iliad]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

No, you are not meant to be playing Cricket either.

Yer, because we didn invent all 3 of those sports....

[Skittles!]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

No, you are not meant to be playing Cricket either.

Yer, because we didn invent all 3 of those sports....

Doesn't matter, you seem to be not the best at Cricket.

[Titanic]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

No, you are not meant to be playing Cricket either.

Yer, because we didn invent all 3 of those sports....

Doesn't matter, you seem to be not the best at Cricket.

Because your country is freakishly good at every sport they try.

[Iliad]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

No, you are not meant to be playing Cricket either.

Yer, because we didn invent all 3 of those sports....

Doesn't matter, you seem to be not the best at Cricket.

Because your country is freakishly good at every sport they try.

Hehe. Aussie Rules!(pun not intented)

[heavycola]

Woo, go South Africa! Beat those pommy turds, and take them back to the game they should be playing! Soccer!

You mean football

Timotheos I think SA will win and i may have to absent myself from tthe forum for a while afterwards in case you feel like a gloat. Please excuse me.

[ogr8cdd]

Isn't it funny to see how this thread started with the poll, would be interesting to take a NEW poll. Everyone was so "Oh how nice the world cup is here" and "Oh how good the teams are playing"
NOW
All papers and this thread, dedicated to trashing one of the two teams in the final. Isn't it great to see the two teams in the final. Doesn't matter how they got there (except some dodgy decisions, but that happens in all games)

I for one am looking forward to an exciting final. Originally from SA now living in Isle of Man, anyone's guess who I support.

[Guiscard]

Isn't it funny to see how this thread started with the poll, would be interesting to take a NEW poll. Everyone was so "Oh how nice the world cup is here" and "Oh how good the teams are playing"
NOW
All papers and this thread, dedicated to trashing one of the two teams in the final. Isn't it great to see the two teams in the final. Doesn't matter how they got there (except some dodgy decisions, but that happens in all games)

I for one am looking forward to an exciting final. Originally from SA now living in Isle of Man, anyone's guess who I support.

Good post.

[DAZMCFC]

well i`m at a party on Saturday night, so i`m guessing all the blokes will be watching the rugby and all the women will be in the kitchen or garden or anywhere it does not matter. c`mon the Boks.