Rugby World Cup '07

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Would be nice if they do manage it.

 

I can't believe Barmy Army isn't in here gloating about how England have gone further in this World Cup than New Zealand.

 

Well, I can gloat about Los Pumas being in the semis... hooooraaaaay!

 

If you want Harbs I'll do it instead, GLOATS

 

Our forward pack was amazing. Sheridan was a machine. We won without Wilko being anywhere near top form. That's the best England have played in 4 years.

I'm glad France beat NZ. We should have the mental strength to beat them, as we know we can get the better of France. NZ would have been a different matter.

Still SA for the cup though, especially with their free ticket to the final. It's almost as if they were destined to win it.

 

Who knows what will happen next in the drama of sudden death rugby. It's a bit like the F.A. Cup. Anyone can win it on their day. Argentina may want it that little bit more. Should be interesting, although it will be a complete travesty if England win it again after being so completely rubbish for the last 4 years...

Go Argentina!

 

Yeah, I'll be waving my Argentinian flag. Well, I would if I had one.

 

Logically it should be a Suid-Afrika v France final, which SA should win now. But I'll have my England shirt on

 

Well, that was a semi-final and a half! We made some sloppy errors, it was like England from the 4 years gone. But we held it together and clinched the win! Heh, and Johnny got a drop-goal again!

 

We were rubbish. Our kicking game was terrible. We defended quite well, though. Wicked result.

 

Unbelievable. How can England be SO crap for four years and then suddenly play properly in the only 3 games that matter for winning the World Cup? Has this been the plan all along?

 

That Joe Worsley tackle on that Froggy kid who was about to break through was the most important of his career. The French guy was already past him, then he made a wicked tap tackle on the guys ankle, and he couldn't stay on his feet. The defending from 1 - 15 + replacements was extremely effective.

This performance from England was nowhere near as good as the one against Oz, but what England did that they failed to do against South Africa is stamp their authority and pattern of play on the game. Call it what you want, call it ten man rugby, but the French got sucked into a game which they can't play and England will need to do the same in the final. Since when do the French hit up and unders just outside the opposition 22? We saw none of that against New Zealand, but England forced them into that style of play. Lionel Beauxis missed 4 drop goals as a result of it.

Special note to Robinson, who was Mr. Cool and Reliable under the French bombardment. He didn't miss one catch, then that run in the 2nd half was visions of Robbo of old.

 

The major thing was, although it wasn't a "good" rugby game, we got the win. We weren't plaing for tries, just the win. And we got it. New Zealand were playing very good rugby, driving the ball, trying to always get tries. They were very close to the try line of the French, but never passed it at the end. If they'd just gone for a drop goal... they'd have won. That's what helped us, we will take it where we can. Not attractive, no, but the win is all that counts.

 

Well, Argentina can't make the final. They made lots of errors, and were sloppy. Their line-out was shocking. Shame the end of the match was disgraceful, with a South African player sin binned, and then an Argentina player for elbowing a South African in the face.

 

Wish I could go back and time and put money on an England v South Africa final. I'd be rich!

 

Well, no complaints really. The better side won it and I don't think the try would have made THAT much difference. S Africa controlled most of the play. Worthy winners, but hey, England can be proud of what they achieved out there. Brilliant effort from our lads. The try that never was looked to be good but that's life.

 

I'm very proud of my country winning, I must say. I'm in the UK at the moment, and it was nice to see the South African spirit afterwards. Makes me feel like one of the Westernesse (Tolkien term).

Anyway, I dont really think that brilliant rugby was played by either side, but South Africa deserved the win. I prefer games won by tries, but I suppose in a world cup final, nobody wants such risky play.

I will say, for England to make the final after a 36-0 defeat is quite something. Pity Habana didnt get a try, he would have broken the record.

 

If we'd been given the try, who knows how it might have shaken South Africa, but we didn't get it. Bugger, oh well, at least it was a good game. Well done to the guys in green and gold.

 

It was a dire game m8. Tense and closed, both sides being offensively cautious. Just like all WC finals.

 

The real question will be whether anyone will bother watching the international rugby games between now and 2011, because clearly they count for nothing when it comes to the big tournament.