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AznLover EuropeDiscussions about living, working, studying, visiting, or playing in Europe.
Ok, you lot. The RWC 2007 starts in France in two days. Tips please on the eventual winners.
Who do you like? Who do you hate?
Who do you think will CHOKE? (baaaaaaaaaaa!!!)
Personally, I don't think the Aussies will be all that competitive this year because the scrum is still not competitive. The back row is ok but not the best. The backs, of course, are still very good.
As for the Kiwis (aka the Sheep-Shaggers), they have serious personnel problems in the locks/second row. They are going to lose a ton of ball at the lineout. Also, their centre combinations are untried, particularly at 13 since the retirement of Tana Umaga. They also cannot think on their feet and lose composure quite easily. However, they have a brilliant front row and a terrifying back row, particularly their No. 6, Jerry Collins, who is a fucking monster and a brute. Their guys at 10 and 12 are also very good. I don't rate their other backs that highly. They're quick yeah but they're also chicken-headed. LOL
The Jaapies (South Africa) - I hate the bloody Jaapies. 'nuff said!
NZ should walk it but they'll choke, France are looking good. Oz might pull something out of the bag they seem to do alright on the occasion same as England. The other home nations will choke due to the big stage, SA ominous.
A vegetarian who eats fish is like a pacifist who occasionally punches a small child in the face!
NZ should walk it but they'll choke, France are looking good. Oz might pull something out of the bag they seem to do alright on the occasion same as England. The other home nations will choke due to the big stage, SA ominous.
So what do you think of the England squad?
I think England are one of the few teams that might be able to neutralise the Kiwi scrum and, possibly, match it with them in the backrow. France and SA being the other teams with decent or great scrummagers and some very talented and aggressive backrowers. And France and SA are currently very dominant at the lineout whereas the Kiwis have been a shambles.
I gather that the England lineout hasn't really been up to scratch since the retirement of Johnson? And the forwards don't really have an experienced, physically-dominant fetcher like Schalk Burger or Richie McCaw.
Argentina have come such a long way since the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cups when their idea of backline play was the 'Garryowen' (high punt) and hareing after it like maniacs.
Great scrum when the French won the tight-head 5m from their own line though. However, they self-destructed. Not a huge surprise coming from that lot.
Love to watch the Argentine scrum take on the NZ scrum. Don't know if the draw will allow it though.
Ok, during the FRA v ARG match, I thought that the two words I'd use to describe the French approach to rugby are 'passion' and 'flair' (I'll hold back on the negatives for now).... ok, I won't. They're a bunch of bottlers. LOL
Similarly, with the Kiwis aka the All Blacks, otherwise known as "the sheepshaggers", it's about determination and ruthlessness. And CHOKING. ROFL!
With South Africa (aka 'The Jaapies' aka 'thebloodysetheffricans'), it's power and brutality or thuggery, even.
Ireland: enthusiasm and skill (these days). Back in the old days, they were a bunch of brawlers and bag-snatchers.
Argentina: scrummaging and a bit of flair.
Scotland: we don't give a toss, we just want to beat the Bloody English (or hammer them into the ground and have our very own 'Braveheart' moment). LOL
England: kicking and more bloody kicking....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
LOL Looks like the French have really screwed the pooch!
Apparently, France, Argentina and Ireland are all in the so-called "Group Of Death" as they are all capable of beating each other on the day and only two of them can advance past the round-robin stage. If France finish second in their group (ie if Ireland or Argentina finish the stage unbeaten), then they will have to play the dreaded New Zealand All Blacks (the tournament favourites) in the Quarter-Final(!) LOL
It also makes things interesting for the sheepshaggers cos no one looks forward to playing the host nation in a sudden-death match.
If this scenario plays out then the tournament will have lost a major contender (FRA or NZ) by the semis.
It's an especially juicy prospect because France knocked NZ out in the semi-final of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, this leaving the way open for Australia to take the championship. hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
Well Japan just got dicked (as expected) but they've improved a lot since last time considering that Rugby must be barely in the top ten sports over there (I reckon anyway). Argentina has to be considered for the tri-nations now they've improved that much they'd be able to do themselves justice against the southern hemisphere teams. England vs US if we have to beat any team...
^ I would really be quite pleased if Argentina won the RWC. If they can do over the French at home then they certainly have the potential. Just have to see what they show against the Irish.
I haven't been bothered to study the draw yet but I have serious doubts whether or not the Aussies can make it past the QF stage. That scrum is just a bleedin' serious liability. And I tend to blame Eddie Motherfucking Jones for some of it (not all). Ok, a lot of it. What people tend to forget though is that the five top tight-head props in Oz retired due to injury or decrepitude in the weeks or months leading up to the 2003 RWC. No rugby nation would have survived a calamity on that scale, not ENG, FRA, SAF or even NZ, let alone Oz where rugger is a minor code.
But, I say, the South Africans looked bloody sharp the other day against Manu Samoa who are not a shabby side. Schalk Burger should have been sent off for that flying tackle on the Samoan scrum-half while the bloke was still in the air. The bloody ref was weak as piss all game.
I'd have to agree though that the Japies are looking ominous and it can't hurt to have that crafty weasel Eddie Jones in their camp.
PARIS: South Africa centre Jean De Villiers is out of the World Cup after tearing his left biceps during the Boks' defeat of Samoa on Sunday.
De Villiers was substituted early in the second half and taken to hospital for X-rays which showed he would have to return to South Africa to undergo surgery. Wayne Julies was called up as a replacement and should arrive in France on Tuesday.
De Villiers, who has struggled with injury throughout his career, is a key member of coach Jake White's team. His latest setback is a huge blow for South Africa, who face defending champions England in their next group A game on Friday in Paris.
The 26-year-old centre was ruled out of the 2003 World Cup through injury and had been out of action for a month after sustaining a rib injury in a warm-up match against Namibia.
De Villiers is the second leading player to be ruled out of the Springboks' 30-man World Cup squad. No.8 Pierre Spies was withdrawn in June because of clots on his lungs.
Despite the headaches, South Africa have set their sights beyond Friday's match with England and made it clear they want to reach the final at the Stade de France on October 20. "Our goal is not the England game," coach Jake White said. "Our goal is to be in the final."
The Springboks certainly looked like title contenders against the Samoans, countering the Pacific Islanders' physical challenge before taking control with an exciting mix of muscle and pace.
