*** The Official Rugby World Cup 2015 Thread ***

Thing with France is, they always seem to produce one performance that you just think they are not capable of, that one game where all those flamboyant decisions all come off. And New Zealand have been on the end of it before. Logically cant see it, but wouldn't be the biggest shock.

So peoples predictions from here? I think:

Semi's will be

Ireland v Australia
New Zealand v South Africa

Final

Ireland v South Africa - South Africa to win
 
12105714_1056210481067319_2638761623917273619_n.jpg


Reckon Ireland will be flying the Northern Hemisphere flag solo.

Then onto:

Winner of QF1 VS Winner QF2
Winner QF3 VS Winner QF4

Don't think the image I quoted is in order of 1-4 is it?
 
Semi's will be

Ireland v Australia
New Zealand v South Africa

Final

Ireland v New Zealand - New Zealand to win

(have to go with this as I got NZ in sweepstake, worth £50 to me lol)
 
Big loses for Ireland in O'Connel, O'Mahony and (presumably) O'Brien, surely he is not going to get away with that? All down to whether Sexton is fit, if he's not I can see them beating Argentina but not be able to get to the final.
 
I had a little bit of a chuckle just now reading this story which says that Jonny Gray and Ross Ford have been cited for tackles in the Samoa match, I don't recall them making any particularly dangerous tackles but as I was alternately watching through my fingers/swearing loudly at the TV perhaps they did. What amused me though is that before the match against Australia the independent citing commissioner is Australian Scott Nowland...

Albeit he won't actually decide on the cases and I'm sure he wouldn't let national bias get in the way of doing his job properly anyway. I doubt it would change the result much regardless but you'd think they'd have a few independent citing commissioners so that they weren't citing on matches that either involved their nation or the next match where their nation would be involved.

I do feel a bit sorry for Ireland with the injuries and the probable loss of O'Brien for the punch as well but hopefully they'll make it through.
 
MikeTheNative said:
This is the Scotland incident. - https://streamable.com/t5rp

Not sure to make of this, they may just deem it a yellow card offence and therefore nothing given or it could be a few weeks.
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Cheers, I didn't notice it at the time but as you say that could go either way. I don't think there was any intention to hurt but he did pick him up without putting him back down safely (beyond dropping him on another player).
 
I can't see Scotland losing players over that - hardly even an incident.

Freefaller said:
True they beat them in 1999 and 2007?? But who knows which team will turn up at the weekend...
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Yeap, thinking of 2007. Either way, it's going tobe a good weekend's worth of Rugby ! :)
 
Participant said:
Don't worry, you're not alone!

Argentina in the 1/4s but not England just shows how bitter I am

Erm

Sorry I meant how ridiculous the draw system is.
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Argentina are a decent side? They ran the All Blacks closer than expected in the opener and have won in South Africa this year. They deserve their place on merit. As has been said, if England didn't want such a tough draw then they should have performed better in the run up to seeding.
 
One More Solo said:
Argentina are a decent side? They ran the All Blacks closer than expected in the opener and have won in South Africa this year. They deserve their place on merit. As has been said, if England didn't want such a tough draw then they should have performed better in the run up to seeding.
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To be fair it was Wales' poor run of form which made them 3rd seeds and created the group of death. I do agree that it's a bit disrespectful about Argentina, they are a good side and well deserved of their place in the QFs. They are probably better than Scotland. :p
 
I'm gutted for Japan, to win 3 games and not progress is tough. Going to make the 2019 world cup in Japan a very interesting competition though!
 
Eddie Jones making even more of a play for the England job ;)

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/jones-calls-for-experienced-england-coach/

I'm getting the feeling he really fancies it :D

As to the Quarters; I can actually see Argentina beating Ireland, especially with O'Connell now confirmed as out and his International career over, O'Brien probably picking up at least a 3 game ban for his punch on Pape and Sexton's fitness definitely no where near 100%. Australia will comfortably beat Scotland, South Africa will look forward to Wales bringing their Route One game as they'll happily nullify that all day because they are one team you can't out physical. I don't know why, I just think France-New Zealand is just to close to call, the ABs just don't seem to hold any fear for the French like they do to other teams.
 
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