Knockout Stage - General Discussion

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

I disagree. I think the difference between the teams was more than one player.

Fine - lets agree to disagree -
I also think that if Wales have any show of beating the French it will be also him that leads the way. I think Wales can match France up front easily - but if they want to score through the backs it will be him that breaks the line.

I don't know who to tip out of France and Wales - I think Wales will go better than England - but I think that France coasted on their lead in the second half and if they attack for a full 80 they could be dangerous. Wales must score first if they can.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by Somerset

Given France's record of following these sorts of unexpected wins up with a poor performance I imagine Wales must be pretty pleased with how tonight's match went down. Have to say that despite France lifting their game, England were so poor. Dumb penalties given away in the first half (admittedly their final penalty count wasn't high at all) which gave France all the momentum and then some average efforts to actually play with some flamboyance - Tuilagi looked the best of the backs but I get the impression he tried to do too much on his own. Big games from the French loosies and Rougerie plus Yachvili for 55 mins (why was he substituted - injury related?). Very surprised England's scrum came under so much pressure too, as it was last week against the Scots - shows that the loss of Sheridan was perhaps underplayed.

I do think France only played 40 minutes. I think they can go better - and they have been to a final before. Honestly if they make the final they are a chance to beat anyone who makes it from the other side of the draw due to their X factor and passion.

Whichever of NZ/SA/or Australia makes the final - Australia seem to be the team to be most likely to have France's number in world cups.

The general feel I had was that the England France game was at a higher pace - hence if you made me pick a finalist right now I would say France but I will give it some thought during the week.

Wales must play their hearts out if they want to progress.

For the other side of the draw - Aussie must be the favourite if they can get by SA and can avoid injuries. I don't fancy a NZ side minus Dan Carter. With him in place we lost the bledisloe to Aussie. Without him we lost to SA in the tri nations. I don't see good things ahead for NZ.

[ripper868]

And Australia dodged a bullet by losing to the Irish on purpose

The Welsh look fantastic IMO - their rush defence is just so effective, Darcy, BOD and Bowe all looked capable of breaking it open but just weren't allowed to.

The French - what can you say, they were marvellous IMO. Noticably went downhill when Yachvilli went off - was my MOM up to that point. Too many easy metres for hairy donkey from the back of the scrums as well - the loosies must have been asleep the first 5 times it happened.

Can't wait for tomorrow's 4 nations tournament.

Tuilagi and Roberts will be a hell of a centre pairing for the Lions in 2013.

[centurymaker]

who do you think has the stronger side atm out of SA and Aus?

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Tuilagi and Roberts will be a hell of a centre pairing for the Lions in 2013.

Roberts is world class but have said enough about him already.

Tuilagi must be the most dangerous 13 in the world atm. Made a couple of errors tonight though.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by centurymaker

who do you think has the stronger side atm out of SA and Aus?

Aussie to win it tomorrow as long as it doesn't rain.

[ohtani's jacket]

Tuilagi was shutdown tonight. Was well outplayed by his opposite number, Rougerie.

[BoyBrumby]

The Welsh have some real talent coming through. Well, I say "coming through", tbf, they're in the team and performing. Warburton, Lydiate, Davies, Priestland, Roberts, Faletau & (especially) North are going to be in the team for the next decade. Roberts the oldest of them at 24. Shows what can happen when youth is given its head. Contrast with the old lags Johnson trusted for us. No coincidence our best player (by streets) was the 20yo Samoan tyro.

Annoyingly a few could've been in playing in white too; North was born in Kings Lynn, which is about 25 miles from me, Lydiate originally hails from Salford &, whilst Taff by birth, as his surname suggests Warburton's parents are both English too. Sigh.

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

Got what we deserved all tournament: nothing.

Spectacularly inept first half performance. Handling was dire and, as has been the case all too often of late, Wilkinson's kicking from hand was as bad. The way he fell off Clerc for the first French score was indicative of a chap who looks a bad facsimilie of the player he once was.

Christ, a Wales v France semi; I'll have to back the Leekists. Feel dirty typing it.

Personally I'd rather see France win than Wales. Guys like Jonathan Davies forever rambling on about how awesome Wales are except for all the really bad performances/mistakes they conjure up 99% of the time. It's almost like they're a decent side who performed well on one rare occasion isn't it? So massively over-rated you just want them taking down several pegs, a bit like how it must be for other countries with England's football team.

I do feel though that Wales will be favourites. I don't know why people are saying France were brilliant... err they scraped past an absolutely abject England side - how you can be 'brilliant' in winning narrowly against a ****house performance?

Anyway I'll be too busy to care next Saturday.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by ohtani's jacket

Tuilagi was shutdown tonight. Was well outplayed by his opposite number, Rougerie.

But who would you pick for your team out of the two of them.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Originally Posted by Hurricane

Fine - lets agree to disagree -
I also think that if Wales have any show of beating the French it will be also him that leads the way. I think Wales can match France up front easily - but if they want to score through the backs it will be him that breaks the line.

He may well be the one to break the line, he's certainly better at the crash ball type work than the other Welsh backs, but Shane Williams can make any small gap in the opposition defense look huge and Jonathan Davies looked bloody good too. I don't think the Welsh are going to throw all their attack through the one guy. I honestly don't. Yeah, he's a top player for them, but they do have some other attacking flair out there.

Tuilagi wasn't at his best today, but he has that X Factor that's talked about so often, and he'll come back better for the experience.

Loving Brumbles little semi-whinge about the source of some of the Welsh players too.

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

Loving Brumbles little semi-whinge about the source of some of the Welsh players too.

It's not like we're shy about a poach either, we're just bad at it.

[Marcuss]

Jamie Roberts is probably my favourite player in the world. Him and Manu.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

He may well be the one to break the line, he's certainly better at the crash ball type work than the other Welsh backs, but Shane Williams can make any small gap in the opposition defense look huge and Jonathan Davies looked bloody good too. I don't think the Welsh are going to throw all their attack through the one guy. I honestly don't. Yeah, he's a top player for them, but they do have some other attacking flair out there.

Tuilagi wasn't at his best today, but he has that X Factor that's talked about so often, and he'll come back better for the experience.

Loving Brumbles little semi-whinge about the source of some of the Welsh players too.

And you didn't mention North either who is a big boy. And they can't just pass it to him all day long agreed.

Do you at least agree he is one of the very top midfielders in the tournament? And if not who apart from Nonu do you rate ahead of him.

[wpdavid]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

So the moral of the story is that you can't win a game that's only a match for one half.

But how do you fix that?

Don't pick players who habitually give away penalties.

Don't pick players who are obviously past their best.

Find a manager who has the balls to do the above and actually deal with the rampant indiscipline instead of sulking at the camera and patronising anyone who has the temerity to query his teams performances.