Rugby World Cup

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AussieOwner @ Sep 7 2007, 03:19 PM) [snapback]508328[/snapback]</div>

Yesss!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AussieOwner @ Sep 7 2007, 03:19 PM) [snapback]508328[/snapback]</div>

Nooooooooooo!!!

The share market would crumble, mountains would tumble into the sea, Parliament would vote itself out, even the sheep would weep.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samiam @ Sep 6 2007, 10:29 PM) [snapback]508335[/snapback]</div>

Question 1: If sheep weep, does the wool getter even wetter and . . . more pungent?

Question 2: Why "All Blacks" for NZ?

Question 3: Who will play Ireland in the final?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Sep 7 2007, 04:18 PM) [snapback]508380[/snapback]</div>

A: I quite like the smell of wool, but don't read too much into that :lol:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Sep 7 2007, 04:18 PM) [snapback]508380[/snapback]</div>

A: It's what we wear. All Whites for national soccer team, Tall Blacks for the national basketball team, Black Caps for cricket team, etc.
Black is the colour of most of our international teams though (e.g., olympic, motor sport, equestrian...)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Sep 7 2007, 04:18 PM) [snapback]508380[/snapback]</div>

A:Ireland has actually had a good draw for the pool games. Their most difficult opposition will be the home side, France. Otherwise its "just" Argentina Georgia & Namibia. The US has a much more difficult road in Pool A with England, South Africa, Samoa, & Tonga all known for spilling a little blood.

 

What? You play a contact sport without armour and with only one team each? Don't you have to stop play for a turnover to change teams? (poster has no idea what he is on about here)
What about helmets? You gotta wear helmets.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AussieOwner @ Sep 7 2007, 02:23 AM) [snapback]508431[/snapback]</div>

I sense a certain Southern Hemisphere bias! That's allright -- I have my own slight preference.

 

Aotearoa! Aotearoa! Aotearoa!

Seriously, the French and the Italians are decent sides? :huh: :blink: In Rugby? :blink: :huh:

I can't believe the French would have anything to do with Rugby and the Italians are far too beautiful.

Is there diving in Rugby?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Sep 8 2007, 03:34 AM) [snapback]508560[/snapback]</div>

Awesomely good prediction! Certainly the favourites. But as one former Wallaby Captain put it (without sarcasm) "You can go to the end of time, the last World Cup in the history of mankind and the All Blacks will be the favourite for it" (Phil Kearns). Its because the All Blacks have a winning record against every rugby playing nation in the world. B)

On any given day though, they can lose. :blink: And after winning the very first world cup in '87 (demolishing France in the final 29-9, they've had 4 disappointing cup campaigns -- even though they've been the favourites each and every time.

But this year is the ABs year! B)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Sep 8 2007, 03:34 AM) [snapback]508560[/snapback]</div>

The french are merci-less. Ask Buck Shelford , he faced their pressure.

Or ask Ali Williams, whose jaw was broken earlier this year by
this polite frenchman, ==>[attachmentid=11280] Sebastien Chabal

It's hard to know which french team will show up on a given night though. Same with Italy, lots of potential there, and who knows?

The All Blacks play Italy tonight at 11.00 NZ time (GMT - 12)

Kia Kaha!

[attachmentid=11279]

 

Argentina? They lost to Argentina at Home?

I'd say maybe the Eagles have a shot at England.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AussieOwner @ Sep 9 2007, 03:32 AM) [snapback]509049[/snapback]</div>

No reason whatsoever. I think that's the point of following a team...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Sep 8 2007, 06:16 PM) [snapback]508969[/snapback]</div>

It was a valiant effort but to no avail (maybe they needed Don Henley :lol: )

England did not look like world champions though, geriatric and cynical most definitely.

Samoa also played inspirational rugby for 40 about minutes last night. Lack of training
meant they couldn't go the distance against South Africa who confirmed my suspicions
that they will be the winners of Pool A and the team the All Blacks will have to beat in
the final stages of the tournament.

Wales looked pretty good last night too, but not a serious threat.

 

My, how the mighty have fallen!
England looked well past their use by date this morning, not a single point scored against the Springboks.

If France Wales or Ireland don't get it together soon its looking like a showdown between the southern hemisphere teams.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samiam @ Sep 14 2007, 07:16 PM) [snapback]512799[/snapback]</div>

If the "real" Ireland players show up next week against the Azures (or whatever "les bleus" call themselves), then they should be in the quarters, right? Hard to believe Ireland has fallen so far. You had to see England as a little weaker this Cup, but it is difficult to believe England, Ireland & France all have looked so bad.

 

Are you writing off the Aus v Fiji match on the 23rd as a done deal?

I thought the match with Wales asked some real questions about the Wallaby pack...

Mind you, Fiji weren't brilliant against Canada and Japan, but maybe just good enough

As for Pool C, I think the NZ v Scotland match will be of interest as will Scotland v Italy.
In Pool D the Ireland v Argentina match will be at least as much interest as Ireland vs France.
Pool A .... Tonga Tonga Tonga! B)

 

For those readers less familiar with international rugby, for the past 102 years the All Blacks have begun their games with a haka - a traditional maori challenge. The haka is not a "war dance" or threat to the opposing team, its more of a declaration/demonstration of vitality and potency -- but that's beside the point here.

At times, opposing teams have suggested the haka gives the All Blacks an unfair advantage. Some teams have ignored it, tried counter demonstrations of singing, or tried to disrupt it by marching up to, or through it.

Appropos of this, an email has been circulating recently regarding what the International Rugby Board (IRB) could do to even up the situation. Yes, the following does play on national stereotypes, yes it is insensitive, and yes, its pretty funny.

"After complaints to the International Rugby Board about the All Blacks being allowed to motivate themselves by performing the haka, other nations were asked to suggest pre-match rituals of their own. The IRB Rugby World Cup 2007 Organising Committee has now agreed to the following pre-match displays:

* The England team will chat about the weather, wave hankies in the air and attach bells to their ankles before moaning about how they invented the game and gave it to the world, but no one appreciates them.

* The Scotland team will chant, "You lookin' at me, Jimmy?" before each of them smashes a bottle of beer over his opposite number's head.

* The Ireland team will split into two, with the southern half performing a Riverdance, while the Northerners march the traditional route from their dressing room to the pitch, via their opponents' dressing room.

* Unfortunately, the committee was unable to accept the Welsh proposal to form a choir and sing Tom Jones' It's Not Unusual.

* Two members of the Springboks will claim to be more important than the other 13, whom they will imprison between the posts. These two will then go about selecting the best parts of the pitch to settle on and claim that they have been there for centuries.

* The Italian team will arrive in Armani gear, sexually harass the female officials and then prepare pasta dishes, which they will flog to the crowd for a fortune.

* The Japanese will shock fans by demonstrating how to capture a whale for scientific research by harpooning an opposition prop.

* The Australians will have a barbecue on their side of the field and invite the opposition over before the game. The food and alcohol will be in abundance and by the start of the game no one will remember what they came to the stadium for. After some streaking, the singing of dirty songs and the occasional chunder, everyone will go home thoroughly convinced it was a bloody good night."