I'm totally looking forward to this tournament. Much as I hate to say it, I think the All Blacks are the favourites to win. It certainly is an impressive squad that they've recruited from the Pacific Islands and given passports to.
I'm totally looking forward to this tournament. Much as I hate to say it, I think the All Blacks are the favourites to win. It certainly is an impressive squad that they've recruited from the Pacific Islands and given passports to.
Um isn't it the ARU who always try to poach league players?
Exactly. Can you imagine how good the Wallabies would be if they had have been successful in poaching the likes of Willie Mason, Sonny Bill Williams, Andrew Johns etc?
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Originally Posted by CycloneLaunch
Wow... Are you serious?
Mils Muliana
Joe Rokocoko
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Rodney So'oialo
Chris Masoe
Jerry Collins
To my knowledge all of them attended high school in NZ, the only two who i would say may have been "poached" are Joe and Sivi, i know Joe was offered some form of scholarship to the high school he attended, but i highly doubt those players would be what they are today if they weren't bought up through the NZ rugby system.
Exactly. Can you imagine how good the Wallabies would be if they had have been successful in poaching the likes of Willie Mason, Sonny Bill Williams, Andrew Johns etc?
Frankly I don't really care. I am very much against the way the ARU operates wrt league players. As an Eels fan I'm just a tad livid that we lost Tahu. With that said, we'll replace him. We always do.
And Williams is a Kiwi, so the all blacks would look good with him, not sure about the Wallabies.
To my knowledge all of them attended high school in NZ, the only two who i would say may have been "poached" are Joe and Sivi, i know Joe was offered some form of scholarship to the high school he attended, but i highly doubt those players would be what they are today if they weren't bought up through the NZ rugby system.
The Pacific Isles are just as rugby mad as NZ.. they'd be very good indeed. Rupeni Caucaunibuca is an example of a player on a par with those guys. (and they tried desperately to get him in the All Blacks too). There's a definite funnelling of rugby talent going from the Isles to NZ.
Ireland are peaking at the right time but I think it's fair to say it'd be a surprise if anyone but NZ won.
This has the makings for a great World Cup. Though the All Blacks are as good as they've ever been, they still need to shake that nasty championship history they have, there could be a whole bunch of upsets and hopefully some great games.
This is also as competetive as the World Cup has ever been. Though some of the groups will still have their 'cricket scores,' a couple groups should have some very good games between the lesser countries, Canada's group should be good, they could be in tough to keep their streak of a win in each WC alive agaisnt Fiji and Japan.
I know Ireland is capable of winning the tournament, but they need their best
The Pacific Isles are just as rugby mad as NZ.. they'd be very good indeed. Rupeni Caucaunibuca is an example of a player on a par with those guys. (and they tried desperately to get him in the All Blacks too). There's a definite funnelling of rugby talent going from the Isles to NZ.
Ireland are peaking at the right time but I think it's fair to say it'd be a surprise if anyone but NZ won.
Since Rupeni left the NZ rugby system to go overseas he's been nothing. He played arguably the best rugby of his career for the Blues in the Super 12. Talent wise he was on a par but his poor attitude to the game has cost him.
The 'funneling' chain goes as follows:
Pacific Isles -> NZ -> Europe/Japan
Last edited by CycloneLaunch: 04-29-2007 at 12:06 AM.
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Well the Churchill Cup is all wrapped up, things look good for Canada.
I'm pretty suprised that the Saxons beat the Maori, but good for them, English rugby devellopment is in much better shape than I gave them credit for. Ireland A beat Scotland A in the Plate Final and Canada crushed the USA 52-10 in the Bowl Final. Canada also put up 23 points against the Maori and 20 points against Ireland A which at least shows promise for their offensive abilities, if their defense can pick it up, they could possibly see 2 wins in this World Cup.
The USA had a good game against Scotland A but losing 51-3 against the Saxons and 52-10 against Canada isn't too uplifting so close to the World Cup.
Business as usual with the All Blacks, destorying a d-grade french side (why did they even bother?). And then i learn we face Canada in a few weeks time
Ireland A beat Scotland A in the Plate Final and Canada crushed the USA 52-10 in the Bowl Final. Canada also put up 23 points against the Maori and 20 points against Ireland A which at least shows promise for their offensive abilities, if their defense can pick it up, they could possibly see 2 wins in this World Cup.
But that wasn't really Ireland A or Scotland A, more like B or C. Ireland's second string side have been in Aregentina playing a 2 Test series (they lost both) while their top side is back home with their feet up. Same with England, who sent their second team to get mauled by South Africa, and the NZ Maori who have all their good players with the All-Blacks right now for their international season. No offense, but those teams Canada scored 23 and 20 points against were duds.
Canada will get owned by Australia and Wales obviously, and Fiji and Japan will be tough matches. Its going to be a pretty tall order to win two games.
But that wasn't really Ireland A or Scotland A, more like B or C. Ireland's second string side have been in Aregentina playing a 2 Test series (they lost both) while their top side is back home with their feet up. Same with England, who sent their second team to get mauled by South Africa, and the NZ Maori who have all their good players with the All-Blacks right now for their international season. No offense, but those teams Canada scored 23 and 20 points against were duds.
the 'A' team isn't meant to be a second string side, its meant to be a second squad. And these squads aren't too shabby, England has a few Six Nations players in this squad (Geragthy, Haskell and Balshaw all started a game), Ireland has a handful of internationals (and soon to be internationals) and the Maori, depleted or not, are still a top 10 rugby team in the world.
Basically, these squads are on a similar level as they have been the past several years, and this is the best Canada has played against them.
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Canada will get owned by Australia and Wales obviously, and Fiji and Japan will be tough matches. Its going to be a pretty tall order to win two games.
Nobody expects anything less than an asskicking by Australia and Wales, Japan I expect them to beat, with Fiji its always tough to guess. Depending on what team shows up, Canada could beat them, or let them score 50, that's the game I'm looking forward to the most.
I know how A teams work. But you have to put it into the right perspective, that they are A teams in name only.
I do have it in the right perspective. The quality of the A teams that Canada and the US have played in the Churchill Cups has not changed. The only team who has any reason to send a special squad is the Maori but even they have sent 'A' squads instead of the traditional representative side to this event., everybody else continues to send their second best squad, sometimes tossing in a few full international players into the mix. Its an 'A' squad in name and in definition.
Go to the 1min mark. How the hell did he do that? South Africa is looking pretty good for the World Cup, but even better for the 2011 WC. At least 5 players under 23 and a bunch of injuries (including Brian Habana) and they still managed to beat the Wallabies.
Then New Zealand beat South Africa. The Springboks had control for much of teh game but the All Blacks proved to be too much in the end, their subs really made the difference.
And Australia came from behind to beat New Zealand, holding them scoreless in the second half. The NZ backs weren't very impressive (at least offensively), but their forwards absolutely dominated the first half, and once Australia found some holes in the backline, it was just too much. I still can't believe that Gear AND McCaw couldn't bring down a winger.
Adam Ashley-Cooper (the tryscorer) is no ordinary winger. In fact, he's not a winger at all, he's a bustling outside centre in the mold of Daniel Herbert. He's a big boy.
I haven't seen New Zealand play that poorly since the 2003 World Cup semi-final. There were some serious flaws exposed in midfield with and without the ball.
Australia are hands down the best defensive team in the world. But they play too much dumb rugby to make an impact in France.
Adam Ashley-Cooper (the tryscorer) is no ordinary winger. In fact, he's not a winger at all, he's a bustling outside centre in the mold of Daniel Herbert. He's a big boy.
I haven't seen New Zealand play that poorly since the 2003 World Cup semi-final. There were some serious flaws exposed in midfield with and without the ball.
Australia are hands down the best defensive team in the world. But they play too much dumb rugby to make an impact in France.
Keep in mind the All Blacks played with Luke McAlister at centre. I wouldnt say they are hands down the best defensive side in the world, they looked pretty ordinary in the first half. But if there's one team that will derail nz at the world cup it'll be Australia.
