Tuesday, October 4, 2011
RWC2011...play time's over
What an interesting few days ey?!!
Pretty interesting pool rounds, but I guess the usual suspects made it through the pool stages, with the only 2 teams that can be really dissapointed not to make it being Samoa and Scotland. Both teams played as well as they could but i guess a tough draw in a tough pool resulted in their eventual demise or rather non-qualification. Scotland played with the ghost of William Wallace in both their last 2 games, but still managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it was pretty tough for them, particularly the last game, because I guess I am biased and i could think of few things better than to see England and their smug bums knocked out before the knock out stages.
Pool A finished as we had all predicted but the 3 minnow teams really did impress me. They may all have been well put away by the men in black, but I looked for more than that. The Japanese weren't exactly the biggest people but they played with much heart and structure and they threw everything they could have in all their games. particularly enjoyed their showing against France, sad shame about their draw against Canada, but alas i guess no one really deserved to lose that game. Canada played as well as could be expected with their bearded individuals shining their light. What let them down though was their conditioning in the last 20 or so minutes against the big guns. Tonga, by far my team of the pool stages. Their last pool match was just for me a proper David and Goliath story where David once again prevailed, but not because Goliath didnt play well, but because David played beyond themselves with lots of belief. My favourite world cup moment was the closing scrums on the Tongan line and the front row were excited about scrumming even though they were under the pump a little :). Their game against France my favourite game as well just because of the way they played.
Pool B, no suprises here, some called it a group of death, which i guess it was in some way it was the closely contested of the 4, but in the end it was really a 3 horse race, with Scotland i guess not having enough in the tank to keep the other 2 teams out, so unfortunate it was for them, but alas such is life i guess.
Pool C, what a ripper. Ireland v Aus maximum respect to the Irish on that performance, they had a game plan and they deployed it so effectively and I will not be supprised to see the Boks try and adopt parts thereof this weekend. Italy, USA and Russia gave a good account of themselves and you can see the improvement in those sides. What the latter 2 need is more game time without a doubt and they will be better for it.
Pool D, was another group i had much interest in. I was terribly dissapointed in Fiji. I expected much from them they had a fair amount of their team that did battle in 2007 present at this tournament and also had the support base as well but what they just didnt seem to have was the structure, plan or the heart to be as competitive as they were in 2007. Namibia unfortunately were no match for anyone. They did try hard and they had moments of brilliance and some individuals who really stood out like their flyhalf and captain to name a few, but once again, the lack of game time was to be their downfall. A team that I felt sorry for was Samoa. Man that team has much game. They were a tad rough against the Boks, without a doubt, but I think there was a plan there, either the Boks to get under their skin or them under the Boks skin. I know a lot of Bok supporters are on Nigel Owens' case for how he reffed the game, but I think he got it wrong both ways. I will cite a few examples...the Boks second penalty, Scrum, Nigel Owens is right there, Jannie is binding on his opposite scrumagers arm, immediate penalty, but what happens, penalty against the Samoans because the Boks pack was mucho dominant. There were 2 occasions where the Samoans were on attack and then Daniesaurous knocks the ball on to stop the flow and later Jacques does the same thing, only a knock on was given. Then there is a stage where the Samoans are hot on attack and JP off his feet dives in and taps the Samoans arm and boom knock on no penalty try....anyway bygones, but what i am trying to indicate is Nigel Owens helped alot. I am well impressed with the Samoans, and i will go as far as saying that Kahn and Williams (sans the palm plant on Brussows face) will make the form 15 from the pool stages. they will be a formidable force and I am pleased that many new zealanders with Samoan herritage are going back to play for Samoa, because World Rugby needs more competition.
Heading into the knock out stages, the only 2 teams with momentum and are looking like world beaters, in my humble opinion are Wales and Ireland, pity they have to face each other, because a semi between the 2 of them would have been absolute class.
Right now for the serious stuff.
I for some reason see either of those teams in the finals. England have been unconvincing as always but ey they have managed to win and we all know that nothing picks up a team more than winning when you actually shouldnt. BUttttttt, France are due their big game, and I could well be wrong, but i think this game against England could be it, the players have been riled up.
Ireland v Wales...yeah man, hot hot game this. very evenly matched teams, tough one to call but I am convinced the winner of this will go all the way. I enjoy both teams, great characters they seem, great ballers they are. its insanely tough to call but for some reason I am tending towards Wales.
SA v Aus, I am torn here, ASSUMING we make it past Argentina, i am not sure who i would rather face. SA brings a game we know well and not much will change, well not much has changed in the last 2/3 years, i doubt they would tinker now. Oz on the other hand would be more unpredictable and they have beaten us 2 out of the last 3 games. But its not about us this game, its about OZ and SA, both teams have injury worries, both teams have the no 1 and 2 fetchers (note not open side flankers, fetchers) in the world at the moment. SA historically has better/more brutish forwards that seem to dominate the collisions, but this has been undone of late. Oz without a shadow of a doubt has the most exciting backs in the game at the moment. We all know that games are won or lost up front. If PdV starts with Bissie and Alberts, Oz is in trouble, if its John or Spies, they can rest easy..er :)
its going to be an epic battle, hard to call, but once again, for some reason I am swaying towards the Boks, but i guess if i have an idea of their squads i can make a more informed decision.
I was having a conversation with a mate a week or so ago and i said that the loss of DC will be far greater than the loss of Richie. I had this feeling that DC would get injured. And boom groin no more. Feel so sorry for the man 2003, 2007...fail this was his time but alas its sport and if i was thinking this way I am well sure the 3 wise men must have had a similar thinking and should have made contingent plans. Rugby is a 22 man team sport and I believe the team is strong enough if not stronger to overcome...Earthquakes, Jock Hobbs, DC...Richies last RWC, RWC at home, can you think of anything more to galvanise a team? maybe I am an optimist, but I am pretty excited, a lot of people dont have faith in Colin, but the man has done it for the Saders time and time again in DCs absence, I believe he can step up, even though the pressure is not the same, he just has to be Colin Slade (not try to be DC) because he has mad game!! A backline that will see them through is Piri, Slade, Kahui, Nonu, Smith, Dagg, Mills....plenty experience all around him. I am sure the selectors may try start him with Ellis because they know each other, but Piri is my guy even as back up 10, he has the heart and the confidence. I am not totally dismissing Argentina. I think they will bring a serious forward game, but its out wide the Blacks might have their number. Its a pity they have lost so many of their frontline players like fernandez lobe, because they are a quality side and I am well pleased to see them in the tri-nations making it the 4 nations, I would have liked to see a 5 nations with a pacific nations side, but in good time.
My call for this weekend and watch me get it all wrong because i opened my mouth....Wales, France, SA, NZ
Saturday cant come soon enough for me man.
Happy viewing
Y
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