Absolutely HHB ( great name by the way) yes true but is was the way some wrote the SH off with comments about some of AB players like ” Apart from Savea their backrow is not world class” and ” Sam Cane has no real presence in the breakdown” and “Cane is a sh-t version of Ritch McCaw” etc etc and boy did Cane make them eat some crow. I personally never worte either France or Ireland off the way they have been playing but I did predict on here a Boks v AB final and gave my reasons why which was not personal attacks on French or Irish players I might add. Just sayin’

You misread my comment completely BNHF. I never said anything about a gap only what the NH were predicting and saying.

No Funbus we live in global media world . I regularly watch NH rugby shows and read the UK newspapers so no not true that we live in some kind of media bubble.

As a matter of fact, FunBus the NH v SH rivalry has a very long history. This is only the second time ( the other was 2003) a NH side has been talked up as winning the WC. The NH wrote off the AB’s – not all – but most journos and there were endless predictions that either France or Ireland would win the cup. The QF losses have sucked the bravado out of those that made those claims and Spiro is right – and I do not always agree with Spiro – but this was a kick in the guts for the NH and hopefully we will no longer have people on here brazenly telling us how much better it is now than SH rugby. And there has been plenty!

The proof is in the pudding in the big show where tactics- mental strength and the individual skill of players is tested. We were told Ireland would dominate the break down but they got hammered most of the game and their lineout was frail against the Boks and the kiwis attacked it with great success. In short – the two big guns of the world game showed why they are the two greatest sides in the history of the game. It would be a brave person that predicts anything other than an AB v Boks final, Although I give England more hope against the Boks.

morale oops typo

Nice read Brett with some great points

“England are the only unbeaten team left!”…Well yes true Brett but they did not have any of the top 4 sides in their side of the draw and me thinks that that record might come to a dismal end this weekend in a one-sided contest except that England strength is their back row. We shall see.

I am very pleased with myself Brett, as before the cup I predicted on here that it would be SA v AB final and gave my reasons and never once swayed from that view. Silly me Brett, should have put a grand on it!

If there is one thing Australia has lacked in recent years IMO Brett is the ability to really galvanise as a side in the big moments consistently, to play as a unit from 1-23. And you may disagree Brett, but they still lack a genuine World Class 9-10 combination and with no depth in either position, with none in sight.

All the top 4 ranked sides ( SA now no1 and NZ now no2 just for the record) and the four sides in the semis have very good 9-10 combinations and depth on the bench in each position. Together with the 15, they are the spine of a backline, but the Australian backline IMO does not have a world class spine with strong back up. It is hard to say, but at the moment Australian 9-10’s at the World Cup would struggle to lead or control a pack of feisty sheep into a barn yard at international level with any consistency.

Miss timed and/or inaccurate kicking (an issue in Australian rugby for years now which is shameful really with all the coaches they have at super level, the mind boggles); consistent mistakes under pressure; lack of a consistent physical presence from their pack – something Fiji exposed and exploited; too often an inability to think on their feet quickly and accurately with turnover ball which was once never a Wallaby weakness.

They have so many issues that need addressing that I think even Eddie had no real idea just how much work needed to be done across the team and by the time he realised, his goose was already stewed. Revolving team selections, and especially across the last two or three coaches, suggests a lack of faith in many of the players to deliver against the best sides at this level. I mean how many locking combos and 9-10 combos have we had Brett? This has prevented strong combinations developing and arguably manifested a lack of belief in some players or resulting in some skipping town to overseas clubs.

So is Wallaby moral in the gutter? And if so, how long has it been there? And if so, who is to blame? When did the rot start? Super rugby level? Maybe, or somewhere else? Or is the moral just fine but the performance not? Oxymoron right there Brett!

AgainAgain – that is not arogance for knowing what everyone else new as well. They are entiled to belive and have faith in their ability and history to get through their pool and it was clearly not only the smart move but the successful one. Good on them. That’s smart coaching.

Ah yes indeed Geoff….yep that was some stuff up that was 😛

Yes 100% agree Geoff he should have been subbed but with the game so close the coach would not have wanted to read the headline the next day ” Dupont Subbing Costs France the World Cup”….if you know what I mean. That is the problem when the hype on one player begins to dominate the sum total of the rest of the parts of team and they start to become untouchable when they should be subbed.

That like by me was an error and i couldn’t delete it opps!!!!

NH v SH Geoff? A much talked about thing before the WC was it not here and overseas? Almost a slam dunk to the SH isn’t it?

Most telling comment Geoff as Mounga who said the AB’s had benn planning for this game way before the cup and it was the only game they cared about as their entire focus has been about winning the WC. The draw helped here as NZ knew they would meet a top very physical side in QF no matter what the result in the opening game but I thought RM comments in the papers in NZ were very telling and you have to give the coaching staff credit. He actually said the QF was the only game that mattered in their build up as the opponent would be one of two sides.

Sam Cane’s performance was one for the ages Geoff 21 tackles and he made some good carries as well. But I called a SA v AB final long before these games Geoff as you know and gave my reasons on here and never flinched.

Injured or not, Dupont was not the difference France clearly thought he would be and it became less and less as SA bench started to take control of the game and the SA bench was so superior to the French bench that it was daylight between them. The big thing for me, is we have heard on here how superior NH rugby is now against SH and yet here we are dominating the playoffs yet again in an away WC. So we have hopefully put that complete dribble to bed. Proof is always in the pudding under pressure in the Big Show Geoff and the Boks and the AB’s showed why they have won 3 WC each.

And I am sorry Geoff but France are now the real chokers of WC’s – if we must have one. Never won the cup at home twice and made to the final 3 times and never won it. England is now the NH’s only hope against the Boks but…..France started to look knackered and despite many players playing in the North – SH rugby at international level is still played at a higher speed from the ruck if that team is dominating and SA line speed in the second half rattled France including Dupont who had no time on the ball, knocking it on at one point and having to rush some of his kicks getting out of the D. The way the SA used theior bench was much cleverer than the French coach who almost sort of slow called them out of the bench.

Grobu I think the comment from Alldritt was a bit of message sending to the refs and to SA. The truth is the Boks would silly not to go after him – legally obviously – but it does not have to be an illegal tackle to aggravate that type of injury. He was definitely message sending to the refs in my opinion. Clever tactic but hard hidden.

I know Muzzo, I need to get back on the medication 😛

No just a genuine assessment of the games. This is very different AB side to the one Ireland took on in NZ and people seem to forget the AB’s put 42 points on them in 1st test. In the second they played most of the game with 14 men and about ten minutes of it with 13 and it was not like they got thrashed. Similar issues in the 3rd test. This is also a different side to the one that lost to the Boks in the warm-up or France as the half the AB’s hadn’t played for over 4 weeks before the Boks game. I think Ireland are a fantastic side and brilliantly coached but the AB’s have found some of their mojo back and I just think they will win this time around. The Boks have the game to trouble France and Dupont is not fully fit no matter what they claim and Pollard coming back at 10 for the Boks makes a huge difference on a number of fronts. France will not is any way out boss that Boks pack so they are not going to win from set piece or at the breakdown IMO. The Boks also have a superb attacking lineout and rolling maul.

What I cannot wait to see Geoff, is how the Boks target Dupont and the tactics – that could be counterproductive – to protect him if he is in the run on 15. The more they hit him hard, the more he will be thinking about that jaw and the pins in it and especially if he feels something in there after a big hit. France may regret this pushing the injury aside tactic – at least they must be to some extent as it takes 5-6 weeks for the pins to mould in. SA by 9 for this kid. Pollard coming back in should not be underestimated either. The rest of your prediction I agree with except I think the AB’s will win by more than 6.

Hi Harry, nice read mate. I think the Boks will beat France in the semi with Pollard back and with Dupont not fully fit. And I don’t care what they say Harry – you play with a mask with a still not fully mended broken jaw, and you are definitely not fully fit, and the Boks will target him like a pack of Hyenas on a wounded lion. We all know how that generally turns out.
I think the AB’s will beat Ireland and I am going to put put my neck on the block here and say I am not even certain it will really close. When they played in NZ, they only won by 1 test (2-1) and the AB’s put nearly 40 points on them in the 1st. AB’s have a new coaching group since then and the key takeaway Harry is that when they toured, Irish Joe was a selector but was not that keen on bringing on Ireland’s downfall due to his strong connection with them. However, once on the WC coaching team he has changed his tune as he had to. His stronger input this time round will make a difference for sure. The Irish lineout has looked a bit wobbly and the AB’s set piece appears to be much stronger than previously with both their front rows starting to operate as a unit better and Retallick and Barrett must be the starting locks. People say one week is a long time in rugby Harry – well the AB’s had two of those! We saw the impact the injured players coming back had and Nugget is in some very serious form now as well. Also, if Sexton goes down injured – they are in big trouble IMO. Yes, I know, strong call even risky, but I just have a hunch the AB’s might be brewing for something special against Ireland. They do, after all, have a point to prove Harry, and I bet they are sick of listening to the UK media writing them off. I note Erasmus is way too smart for that sort of down talk, regularly hinting to journos and on social media that underestimating the AB’s is an unwise position to take up.

Sorry I meant whomever wins their quater final from the AB’s side of the draw will make the final

So I hope you will eat some humble pie and give Foster credit iof the AB’s win the cup or even make the final to be fair. I said at the start it will be an AB v Bok final and I stand by that.

The pressure on Ireland with be huge as they have never made it past a QF stage before and don’t think for a second that won’t be in the back of their mind playing the AB’s. I think Irish Joe will have a huge part to play in the game. When they toured NZ he stated he would be a selector but that he would not be part of plotting Ireland’s downfall for obvious reasons . However, he changed his tune when he was offered the assistent coaching job to go to the World Cup so it will be intersting to see what weaknesses he thinks they have behind closed doors.

And Irish Joe is a bloody good coach and proven at International level in the 6 nations and beating the AB’s when Hansen was in charge. But even he admits that Ireland without Sexton or shut Sexton down and they are a bit rudderless.
Their lineout is a bit of an Achilles Heel at the moment no question, and they haven’t really fixed it since the Boks attacked it with great success. The AB’s set piece looked on song against Italy who before the AB’s played them were never bullied like that by anyone in the 6 nations. In fact, quite the opposite. Underestimate the AB’s momentum now at your peril. People seem to forget that they beat NZ in NZ by one test only 2-1 and the AB’s put nearly 40 points on them in game one. They regrouped but so too have the AB’s now. And neither game they won was a blowout. Different coaching group then back then and Irish Joe is now going to help with Irelands downfall so it is a very different situation. As Hansen said over half the side hadn’t plyed for over a month or more bfore the Boks warm up game and then against France only one game – the Boks game.

The Irish game against Scotyland will be intersting to watch.

No not sure I by that one Geoff. Football is the only true giant in world sport and the success of the womens game road in on the coattails of the huge global market that the mens game had harnessed over 100 years. Also its a game that appeals to a wider audience – wider demographic – wider audience across both genders and the genious of players like Pele, Maradona, Messi, both Ronaldos, Bobby Chalton – George Best etc. I mean Messi gets paid 1 million US a week let alone all his sponsorship deals. It just such a finaicial monster and the game superstars are global house hold names even if you don’t really follow the game that it was inevitable that as woman’s football improved skill wise and with the right marketing would become big as well.

Though USA, when ranked no1 in the world got thrashed by a representative boys under 16 side by 7-0 and Australia got done just as badly against another under 16 side which was somewhat embarressing for both sides. And then the USA womens team – and I have no idea why – played a team of retired mens professional footballers – some who were in their 50’s and one even his 60’s and got 24 goals or something silly put on them so the gap between the two is a chasm.

Also many of the pro womans teams play for big name clubs with a fanatical long standing fan base that are so loyal they will support all the sides. Go to a junior Arsenal or Liverpool game – the crowds are still substantial. So we have to be careful when it cames to womens football. As a commentator said very recently – all the womens professional team sports ride in on the back of a monster well established mens game. This is why netball really struggles as he said ( cannot remember his name sorry) , because it cannot be propped up finacially by mens netball as it does not exist. It might be an uncomfortable pill for many to swallow Geoff but every successful professional womens team sport has required a very successful mens game before it so money from the mens game can flow through until it can hopefully support itself or at least nearly support itself.

You are a bit of an emoji fanatic CUW to the point where it becomes meaningless

“This is test rugby, not SR, and the refs are their to police time wasting.”

Yes but most don’t do a very good job under the new time wasting rules except for one French referee and one Australian referee. The rest are weak at policing time wasting. When teams realize this they just do everything they can to slow down the game against the AB’s as they know they are difficvult to stop if they are allowed to play the game at their pace. Every team knows this in the North and that is why they try to get away with it and too often do. Weak refereeing most of the time.

As you would know CUW – or perhaps not Blackadder can play all three backrow positions so you last coment does not help your argument.

Yes CUW – on that we agree