Originally posted by malinga
that's why they'll probably win it.

still though it's daft arranginf tests between countries who will probably meet in world cup. france could meet NZ in QFs - no wonder they didn't want to put their best on line - look at spear on o'driscoll for a good reason why

ireland only have about 18 quality players. we have feck all cover. we don't want any injuries - no wonder we sent out b team to play argentina who are in our group!

Most of our teams inc Ireland France and NZ have about 6-8 super stand out players that everyone gets gob-smacked about the quality of the next tier is where NZ gets ahead and sometimes gets into trouble through choosing to rest the wrong players at the wrong times.. There is nothing quite so hard as a match fit all black hyped up and ready to stomp on ya.. woo hoo.
I played with Buck Shelford in navy Days.. you want hard try tackling him round the thighs haha... as a young winger he fended me face first into the mud twice .. I feel so much better about that these days.

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Most of our teams inc Ireland France and NZ have about 6-8 super stand out players that everyone gets gob-smacked about the quality of the next tier is where NZ gets ahead and sometimes gets into trouble through choosing to rest the wrong players at the wrong times.. There is nothing quite so hard as a match fit all black hyped up and ready to stomp on ya. ...[text shortened]... inger he fended me face first into the mud twice .. I feel so much better about that these days.

i think you are all wrong. England have a spirit to take them all the way. ill admit NZ may be tough to beat but we were written off in 2003 when we beat the aussies in their own back yard. we will get through the group stages and yes it may be a bit of a struggle but we have proved that when it comes to the KO stages we have the desire to do well.

Originally posted by silly mctall
i think you are all wrong. England have a spirit to take them all the way. ill admit NZ may be tough to beat but we were written off in 2003 when we beat the aussies in their own back yard. we will get through the group stages and yes it may be a bit of a struggle but we have proved that when it comes to the KO stages we have the desire to do well.

Dream on.

Originally posted by silly mctall
i think you are all wrong. England have a spirit to take them all the way. ill admit NZ may be tough to beat but we were written off in 2003 when we beat the aussies in their own back yard. we will get through the group stages and yes it may be a bit of a struggle but we have proved that when it comes to the KO stages we have the desire to do well.

God love ya. No-one is doubting the english players desire to win. It's just their actual ability that is in question

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Most of our teams inc Ireland France and NZ have about 6-8 super stand out players that everyone gets gob-smacked about the quality of the next tier is where NZ gets ahead and sometimes gets into trouble through choosing to rest the wrong players at the wrong times.. There is nothing quite so hard as a match fit all black hyped up and ready to stomp on ya. ...[text shortened]... inger he fended me face first into the mud twice .. I feel so much better about that these days.

NZ have more than 6-8 quality players. A lot of NZ's second string could walk into another test side and improve it.

NZ rugby is in world of its own. Unless you are playing Ireland I'll be shouting for ye.

Originally posted by malinga
God love ya. No-one is doubting the english players desire to win. It's just their actual ability that is in question

lol. yer i did sound a bit poncy. i just feel as though people are writing us off far too early. look at the ashes we won it when we were at not a great point yet when we returned aas what seemed like a good strong team we trounced.

i have too agree that there is a long way for us to develop to beat the like of NZ but please dont be as sceptical to say we have no chance.

Originally posted by malinga
NZ have more than 6-8 quality players. A lot of NZ's second string could walk into another test side and improve it.

NZ rugby is in world of its own. Unless you are playing Ireland I'll be shouting for ye.

Plenty of quality but winning teams need real stars too. NZ has lost a lot recently we really don't have a star packed line up. Carter is injured.. NZ may struggle in the tri series.

Originally posted by silly mctall
lol. yer i did sound a bit poncy. i just feel as though people are writing us off far too early. look at the ashes we won it when we were at not a great point yet when we returned aas what seemed like a good strong team we trounced.

i have too agree that there is a long way for us to develop to beat the like of NZ but please dont be as sceptical to say we have no chance.

Sorry buddy but I honestly believe ye have no chance against NZ.

They are the yardstick. I reckon there are 5 tiers to this world cup. Any team can hope to beat 1 of teams in tier above them if everything goes their way on the day but no team will be able to climb 2 tiers.

1st tier - New Zealand

2nd tier - 4 teams who realistically could hope to win the World Cup - South Africa, Australia, France and Ireland.

3rd tier - is made up of teams who could beat one of teams in 2nd tier but I feel are unlikely to beat 2 of them and have no chance against All Blacks. They are England, Wales, Argentina.

4th tier is Scotland and Italy.

5th tier - the rest. There is little to choose between them and really they are there to make up numbers.

Originally posted by malinga
Sorry buddy but I honestly believe ye have no chance against NZ.

They are the yardstick. I reckon there are 5 tiers to this world cup. Any team can hope to beat 1 of teams in tier above them if everything goes their way on the day but no team will be able to climb 2 tiers.

1st tier - New Zealand

2nd tier - 4 teams who realistically could hope to win ...[text shortened]... - the rest. There is little to choose between them and really they are there to make up numbers.

i do like the way you have put that. i can understand where you are comming from. looking at the game you are probably right but i will still be expecting alot, cheering alot and drinking alot. i would say may the best team win but in this case lets hope a 3rd teir team win? :-)

Originally posted by silly mctall
i do like the way you have put that. i can understand where you are comming from. looking at the game you are probably right but i will still be expecting alot, cheering alot and drinking alot. i would say may the best team win but in this case lets hope a 3rd teir team win? :-)

Thanks.

Drinking, shouting and cheering is what the World Cup is made for!

Originally posted by malinga
Sorry buddy but I honestly believe ye have no chance against NZ.

They are the yardstick. I reckon there are 5 tiers to this world cup. Any team can hope to beat 1 of teams in tier above them if everything goes their way on the day but no team will be able to climb 2 tiers.

1st tier - New Zealand

2nd tier - 4 teams who realistically could hope to win ...[text shortened]... - the rest. There is little to choose between them and really they are there to make up numbers.

How do you work this out.. no way is there any evidence to support your tiers.

SA are the form nation down under hands down.. they are primed and ready to go.. hard and talented. They are the team to beat.

Aus France and NZ would be next as they have the proven potential to take any team apart and are always hard to beat. Ireland may be the form Euro team but they haven't got the wins of the class as those on this tier.

Samoa would get my bet as wild card to do as well as any of the rest but on the day Ireland England Wales Argentina and Scotland. Samoa are dangerous and shouldn't be rated off this tier.

Then its Italy Canada USA Japan of which Italy get the most thrashings so they may do well in this tier haha.

Originally posted by silly mctall
i think you are all wrong. England have a spirit to take them all the way. ill admit NZ may be tough to beat but we were written off in 2003 when we beat the aussies in their own back yard. we will get through the group stages and yes it may be a bit of a struggle but we have proved that when it comes to the KO stages we have the desire to do well.

my school's basketball team that i am player on of have come 3rd in the all ireland twice in three years because we have the desire to win
next year we have the desire to go the distance and win it finally,
Except that's not the same as england wanting to win the world cup
the usa have the desire to do well but we all know that geroge bush could be a top player on their team if he wanted to

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
How do you work this out.. no way is there any evidence to support your tiers.

SA are the form nation down under hands down.. they are primed and ready to go.. hard and talented. They are the team to beat.

Aus France and NZ would be next as they have the proven potential to take any team apart and are always hard to beat. Ireland may be the form Eu ...[text shortened]... Canada USA Japan of which Italy get the most thrashings so they may do well in this tier haha.

there is no evidence to support my tiers. it's my opinion. i expressed it. relax your kaks there Dan. your composition is tiers seems to be:

1 South Africa
2 Australia, France, NZ
3 Ireland England Wales Argentina Scotland Samoa
4 Italy Canada USA Japan

We aren't all that different - you think 1 of 4 (top 2 tiers) could win it with South Africa favourites. I would include Ireland in that group and think its just nerves from a Kiwi trying not to be favourite when ye are. Rightly.

You think Scotland deserve tier to be in same group as Wales England and Argentina. I think Scots are rubbish.

I'll look out for Samoa. You watch Italy - they could get out of their group.

Originally posted by malinga
there is no evidence to support my tiers. it's my opinion. i expressed it. relax your kaks there Dan. your composition is tiers seems to be:

1 South Africa
2 Australia, France, NZ
3 Ireland England Wales Argentina Scotland Samoa
4 Italy Canada USA Japan

We aren't all that different - you think 1 of 4 (top 2 tiers) could win it with South Africa favo ...[text shortened]... are rubbish.

I'll look out for Samoa. You watch Italy - they could get out of their group.

At the moment, Tirau Dan's tiered groups look a bit more realistic - yours perhaps were based more on last year's form.

The tri-nations will give us a better look as to whether the ABs can get back to where they were last year.

Originally posted by treetalk
At the moment, Tirau Dan's tiered groups look a bit more realistic - yours perhaps were based more on last year's form.

The tri-nations will give us a better look as to whether the ABs can get back to where they were last year.

The weekend game against France shows too, that tests outside the world cup are just a nonsense.. ABs thrashed France 61 points to 10 scoring 9 tries to 1. Does anyone think that was a test... I think not the French Team and Reserves were watching it on telly planning how they will play against the ABs in the cup.

Sad for rugby... sad for France.. a total dishonour..


was this nothing more than a worthless romp for the abs .. they should have sent the French team home and played a team of welsh housewives, who would have put up more fight. Pardon me up the valleys ;-)