Official Rugby Thread

[Perm]

I honestly don't know what's going on with South African rugby, Jake White performed very well in his first two years as coach of the national side but they always seem to struggle whenever they go on the end of year tour. Leaving some of their best players at home is a mistake really, you should have your best 25 players going on these tours and perhaps leave the door open for a few bolters and projects that the management can groom.

Good win for the All Blacks, even better to see France showing some spine. Tony Johnson is a dickhead, the way he was ranting on about Carter setting up Nonu you would think he's in love with him. It was a simple cut and the French defence drifted too far.

 

[Langeveldt]

Am pleased we have unearthed Francois Steyn though, what a gun, I fully expect he's an Affies Hoerskool boy although I wait for Goughy to deny/confirm that.. Fully expect everyone to have changed from the Schalk Burger mop to the Steyn mop by the time I return to SA..

 

[BoyBrumby]

Nice to see us finally get a win, however jammy it was. I went to watch Cambridge City v Eastleigh (oh the joys of non-league football!) so haven't actually seen the game yet, but the reports I've read suggest we definitely had the luck of the bounce.

It's only papering over the cracks tho really &, worse, it'll be another reason for Robinson not to go.

 

[Matteh]

Australia to beat Ireland tomorrow IMO.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Australia to beat Ireland tomorrow IMO.

I'd be surprised in all honesty. I fancy the Micks to win pretty comfortably.

 

[Matteh]

I'd be surprised in all honesty. I fancy the Micks to win pretty comfortably.

So does the bookies i looked at...

Still, SA managed to lose the game today, anything is possible.

 

[KennyD]

I'd be surprised in all honesty. I fancy the Micks to win pretty comfortably.

Go die Brumbers. Larkham to impregnate every female at the stadium just by playing well.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I've just had the somewhat dubious pleasure of watching the highlights of our game on Beeb 2. It was pretty desperate stuff in all honesty. Sure, a win's a win, but I'm certain not three weeks ago the noises coming from inside our camp were that this autumn was all about performances. That being so we failed miserably. Our second try summed up our dearth of ambition; no attempt to throw the ball wide, just constant phases of possession until Vickery burrows over from about a yard.

SA just really didn't want to win; first De Villiers & then Steyn (who has a prodigious boot on him, BTW) choose to go for the line when a simple pass would've put Ndungane over for the try. Playing without a specialist kicker is suicide in this day and age too. All we've really proved yesterday is that Andy Goode is a better place kicker than Butch James.

I'm now hoping the Ireland-Oz game acts as a sorbet to cleanse the palate after that miserable excuse for a game. I'm taking Ireland by 8. 25-17 sounds about right.

 

[Matteh]

25-21 to Aus is my prediction.

 

[BoyBrumby]

25-21 to Aus is my prediction.

Still sticking with that Mathew?

It's been all Ireland, to be fair. Could get a little ugly with the Micks having the wind at their backs in the second half. Disappointing to see Larkham crocked again too.

 

[Matteh]

Still sticking with that Mathew?

It's been all Ireland, to be fair. Could get a little ugly with the Micks having the wind at their backs in the second half. Disappointing to see Larkham crocked again too.

I'm hoping for an England-esque comeback in the 2nd half.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Disappointing 2nd half, but fair play to Ireland. They've unearthed a few decent players from somewhere (mainly Ulster it seems).

 

[Matteh]

At least i got Ireland's final amount of points right in my prediction.

 

[Salamuddin]

Wallabies and England are hopeless .....can't see anything other than an All Black win at the WC next year.

 

[Matteh]

Wallabies and England are hopeless .....can't see anything other than an All Black win at the WC next year.

You've had thought so, but somehow they always seem to choke.

 

[Perm]

Wallabies and England are hopeless .....can't see anything other than an All Black win at the WC next year.

I'm still backing France to come right, with strong performances from Ireland and Wales and if South Africa get some of their selections sorted out they will be a real threat.

Good to see Ireland doing well, hopefully this provokes John Connoly into playing his first string side that is available to him and stop tinkering with players positions.

 

[Anna]

That was a complete breath of fresh air...the try just before half-time was wonderful to watch, especially O'Gara's movement. Being 1/4 Irish, I might just start supporting them...

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Anyway I will ask people like Voltman, Perm etc. iwith the AB's form is there a sense that next will be now or never for them, if they don't win the World Cup then they won't win iot again? In that context how England were going into the last World Cup where you new that if they didn't win it then they never would.

Nick Farr-Jones once spoke about the void he felt after winning the World Cup... That's sort of how I feel... If we win the World Cup, then what? I hope we win it, so we can put the whole 20 year wait to sleep, but after that, I don't think I can endure another meaningless four year build-up to a Rugby World Cup.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Does it really matter if it's Nonu, Mauger or McAlister? The All Blacks are winning these Autumn Tests regardless of who the second five is... Might as well leave it until the Tri-Nations to determine who the best second five option is.

 

[Craig]

Keith Wood was one of my favourite players during his career.