Best of the rest

[Mikey Brown]

Missed the game, sounds a lot like Vahamaaina is responsible for them going out. Which is about as surprising as the Arg lock doing it.

[Donny osmond]

Missed the game, sounds a lot like Vahamaaina is responsible for them going out. Which is about as surprising as the Arg lock doing it.

Yup. Wales rode their luck, couldnt have argued if France had won, but ultimately losing a player cost the French the game.

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[Cameo]

That was a really really stupid elbow. They were going through without that and possibly deserved to even after that.

[Cameo]

Think Barnes is being quite generous to them with various knock ons and forward passes but Japan's discipline at the scrum and maul is interesting. They seem to have decided that even if they are going backwards they will be keep it up and make sure SA can't kick to the corner

[Cameo]

Japan's up and unders are strange though. Think they've played well but Scotland would be getting a lot of criticism for some of these errors and decisions.

[Cameo]

Hard to tell how good South Africa are as Japan are such an odd opponent (and Wayne Barnes has been on strange form today too) but they do have the power and the line speed in defence to knock anyone and force mistakes. Some teams will be better placed to deal with it than Japan who really struggles second half but it does give them a chance every game.

They then have the pace of they use it too

[General Zod]

Old school South Africa did the business there. Was good to watch if you’re a fan of such things! The 30 metre maul was a highlight for me!

Dunno if anyone else has heard that half time team talk from Cheika yet that’s doing the rounds on whatsapp? Let’s just say that I hope he’s not our next coach!

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Old school South Africa did the business there. Was good to watch if you’re a fan of such things! The 30 metre maul was a highlight for me!

Dunno if anyone else has heard that half time team talk from Cheika yet that’s doing the rounds on whatsapp? Let’s just say that I hope he’s not our next coach!

You sure it isn't the one from the rugby championship last year?

[General Zod]

Old school South Africa did the business there. Was good to watch if you’re a fan of such things! The 30 metre maul was a highlight for me!

Dunno if anyone else has heard that half time team talk from Cheika yet that’s doing the rounds on whatsapp? Let’s just say that I hope he’s not our next coach!

You sure it isn't the one from the rugby championship last year?

Ah, dunno. He doesn’t explicitly refer to England. It’s probably that one. If it’s the same one, while I think we could do with a dose of that, he doesn’t come across as a great motivator!

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Old school South Africa did the business there. Was good to watch if you’re a fan of such things! The 30 metre maul was a highlight for me!

Dunno if anyone else has heard that half time team talk from Cheika yet that’s doing the rounds on whatsapp? Let’s just say that I hope he’s not our next coach!

You sure it isn't the one from the rugby championship last year?

Ah, dunno. He doesn’t explicitly refer to England. It’s probably that one. If it’s the same one, while I think we could do with a dose of that, he doesn’t come across as a great motivator!

Well there's one where he pretty much called them an embarrassment and he is absolutely fucking furious. They were trailing Argentina 31-7 or something at HT, he went ballistic and they won the game scoring an unanswered 38 points in the second half or something. So it was clearly effective and motivational - something I'd hope has happened in our dressing room at half time on more than one occasion.

[Cameo]

I don't have the stats but I would put money on our second half record being significantly better than our first half one over the last couple of years actually.

Maybe as much because we start horrifically so often and the other team ease off as any genius half time speeches

[af73]

Perhaps but often as not we come out in the 2nd half with the coaches instructions fresh in the minds.....and give up the first score, very quickly. Much like the first 10 minutes of the first half.

Then when that wears off and they are on their own things start to improve, or at least, don't get any worse.
Go figure.

The endless water breaks and "runners" on the field is getting like the football manager on the touchline micro managing every minute of every game. You have to wonder if the players heads are so cluttered with the constant flow of instructions it's a relief to get a an extended passage of play where they have to think for themselves.
Add to that the fear of being dropped for "not following the coaches gameplan" and it's a simple game made complicated.

[Cameo]

Any thoughts on here on the semis. I've seen a lot of people saying they are too close to call but I think there are two clear favourites.

Wales v SA - Wales are very hard to dismiss because they have a remarkable habit of winning without looking that impressive. If they start well they could do it (especially as SA are about limited) but I expect SA to have too much all round. Close until late but I expect SA to win from in front.

England v NZ - Higher quality game this I think. England have the pace power and defence to beat New Zealand and can have devastating purple patches but, for me, New Zealand are comfortably the better team. I'd say that NZ would win 75% of the time but could all change if England get off to a flyer.

[Donny osmond]

Any thoughts on here on the semis. I've seen a lot of people saying they are too close to call but I think there are two clear favourites.

Wales v SA - Wales are very hard to dismiss because they have a remarkable habit of winning without looking that impressive. If they start well they could do it (especially as SA are about limited) but I expect SA to have too much all round. Close until late but I expect SA to win from in front.

England v NZ - Higher quality game this I think. England have the pace power and defence to beat New Zealand and can have devastating purple patches but, for me, New Zealand are comfortably the better team. I'd say that NZ would win 75% of the time but could all change if England get off to a flyer.

Pretty much the same.

Given how good their defences are, Wales and SA could fight out the most intense absorbing nerve racking 0-0 draw of all time. I mean that as a compliment, one of the great scenes in rugby over the last few years has been watching Wales mount a 10 minute goal line stand without conceding either a point or a penalty, its awesome. I agree tho that I think SA are just about favourites, probably stronger across the team as a whole than Wales.

England have a better chance against NZ than anyone else... but this NZ team seem to be playing a different sport right now. Maybe them picking a lock at 6 is how they are going to counter England's perceived power? Certainly I think a large part of this will be won and lost on the interplay between backrows and 2nd rows on each team, englands back five forwards need to pull some massive team effort out of the bag. Along with everyone else.

Sa v nz final says head
Eng v Wales final says heart

Heart always loses

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[Big D]

Looking forward to these games.

Cock on the block I want a Wales v England final. I like NZ and SA but they have won the last 3 and would be good to see a NH side triumph. I will not be disappointed if any of the 4 win the whole thing tbh.

Of all 4 sides, only NZ can say if they play at the absolute peak of their powers they will win their matches no matter what the opposition do.

I think Wales will win their game. I can't quite put my finger on why though. Probably their ability to dig in and tough it out during games.

The NZ v England game should be absorbing.

Hopefully no red cards or controversial calls and may the games be decided by good play.

[Chunks Baws]

Looking forward to these games.

Cock on the block I want a Wales v England final. I like NZ and SA but they have won the last 3 and would be good to see a NH side triumph. I will not be disappointed if any of the 4 win the whole thing tbh.

Of all 4 sides, only NZ can say if they play at the absolute peak of their powers they will win their matches no matter what the opposition do.

I think Wales will win their game. I can't quite put my finger on why though. Probably their ability to dig in and tough it out during games.

The NZ v England game should be absorbing.

Hopefully no red cards or controversial calls and may the games be decided by good play.

I put a tenner on Wales to win the whole thing when they were 11/1. I'm really not sure I could deal with their insufferable fans if they win it though.

[Big D]

England playing v well here.

[Big D]

Monstrous performance by some of those forwards.

[Chunks Baws]

England were very, very good. Underhill, Curry and that fud Itoje absolutely dominated. I think an all NH final would be much more enjoyable than England v SA.

[Donny osmond]

England were unbelievable there, absolutely dominated NZ who very quickly ran out of ideas. I'd say England were favourites for the cup now.

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[Cameo]

Yeah England were extremely impressive. When it works, their defence is so good. Weird for NZ to let themselves be pushed into touch so often but I wonder whether England had a plan to such them into sneaking up the line.

In attack England faded a bit after an amazing start but did all they had to and NZ never got going

[Donny osmond]

Wales SA is a real cripple fight, terrible game so far

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[Cameo]

If rugby was always like that, I wouldn't watch.

[Donny osmond]

2nd half was better but much as I admire AWJ and would've loved to see him in a final... struggling to muster much sympathy for wales there, point blank refused to play rugby for the first 60 minutes, can hardly go crying about losing in the end.

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[Chunks Baws]

Some proper melt downs from the Welsh on Twitter, it's all Garces fault

Limited rugby and luck can only get you so far.