Pool Draw 2027

[Leonormous Boozer]

How old will Bealham be?
Him and furlong both will be pushing it for that period which would make it hard

Yeah good point re Russell and not like Bath will manage his time for them

Honestly very surprised that Ireland didn’t chase hard Joe Heyes after the U20’s

Bealham will be dusht I imagine, he'll be 36.

2 years is a long time, we haven't been down from our usual standards like we currently are, and have been for 12 months, for longer than 2 years since before 2003 really.

Broken down, our route to the final is
Scotland - a team we beat more than we lose to
Argentina - a team we beat kore than we lose to
England - a team we've beaten more than we've lost over the last 20 years.

No guarantees but it's great for us.

Like if it was happening next week we'd be odds on to make a semi and Ireland
v England would be +/- 1 on a handicap.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

1/4 final
Australia = England
Argentina > Ireland

Is putting Argentina over Ireland just the QF hoodoo?

 

[Which Tyler]

Is putting Argentina over Ireland just the QF hoodoo?

Yes
Whilst it's the other way around for putting Aus level with Eng

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yes
Whilst it's the other way around for putting Aus level with Eng

Was wondering. Didn't really track with recent results!

 

[Welsh Exile]

It’s now clear to me that our sole target for the WC is to cripple England in the group match and bow out gracefully to Fiji in the next round in the knowledge that half of the England squad are in hospital.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

I have to admit that when i saw the draw and how would that develop into 1/8s, 1/4s, etc, my first thought was: "That's gotta be the best group since the beatles".

 

[Welsh Exile]

I have to admit that when i saw the draw and how would that develop into 1/8s, 1/4s, etc, my first thought was: "That's gotta be the best group since the beatles".

Argentina will be my second team after Fiji of course.

 

[saulan]

Looks like we will be repeating our 2023 run if we are going to win, just in a different order. New Zealand, France, England.

 

[BPM]

How old will Bealham be?
Him and furlong both will be pushing it for that period which would make it hard

Yeah good point re Russell and not like Bath will manage his time for them

Honestly very surprised that Ireland didn’t chase hard Joe Heyes after the U20’s

I don’t think Heyes was eligible for Ireland. Wales I think.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I don’t think Heyes was eligible for Ireland. Wales I think.

Yes it was us. We went after him but he turned us down. Can’t for the life of me figure out why.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I don’t think Heyes was eligible for Ireland. Wales I think.

His mum is Irish and was wanting him to play for Ireland

 

[spursincornwall]

Bloated and there’ll be way too many mismatches. Decent sides would be able to rest their entire first choice XVs during the pool stage and I hope some do to make a point.

All for growing the game but this isn’t the way to do it.

Completely agree, the game will contract because of this along with the Nations Championship. Look at , making great progress, but hardly any games against good teams before the next world cup. The world cup is a falicy that rugby is global. Hong Kong vs New Zealand, almost borderline criminal the game taking place

 

[Half Pint]

Does anyone think that we might see some gamesmanship to manipulate results or strategically put out reserve teams, either by Aus/NZ in order to avoid RSA in the knockout stages, or by Rassie just because he can?

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

No reason we can’t beat Samoa, they are bad. Japan used to be a winnable game but they are now closer to the T1s than to us.

Just got to hope we play Japan close and that France sends out their hungover b squad. We should be able to get to the round of 16.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Argentina - a team we beat kore than we lose to

Does that stat hold if you only consider world cup matches?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Does that stat hold if you only consider world cup matches?

No but that's also irrelevant

 

[OllyM97]

No but that's also irrelevant

Well if previous RWC results were irrelevant, then Ireland should have comfortably beaten New Zealand last time on the two teams’ respective form going into that QF. Irish fans can dismiss it all they want but I honestly believe that the Quarter Final hoodoo has a damaging psychological effect on Ireland at every RWC. How else do you explain them repeatedly getting to the Quarter Finals and turning in performances that bear absolutely no relation to how they have played in the Pool Stages?.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well if previous RWC results were irrelevant, then Ireland should have comfortably beaten New Zealand last time on the two teams’ respective form going into that QF. Irish fans can dismiss it all they want but I honestly believe that the Quarter Final hoodoo has a damaging psychological effect on Ireland at every RWC. How else do you explain them repeatedly getting to the Quarter Finals and turning in performances that bear absolutely no relation to how they have played in the Pool Stages?.

I disagree with that assessment of the last world cup but also that's not what I was saying. It is completely irrelevant to the reaction to a draw, past results barely matter at this point, it'd be a bit mad to want SA because we have a 100% record against them in the comp.

Of teams with a somewhat realistic chance (pre-draw) of making the QF I think only Scotland, Fiji and Italy are better draws than Argentina* and it's unlikely more than one of them make it. Argentina is a great draw for us if it happens that way, they won't mind us being in their way either.

The mental challenge is a funny one, obviously there's a shadow there but this time around it could be a case of players thinking that they had to play the best rugby they've ever played to reach the last QF and their reward was NZ. This time they could stumble their way to a QF and "only" have to play Argentina and have a bit more freedom.

But yeah, I'm not going to be convinced that this is a bad draw, we currently have 2 players in the squad who've ever lost to Argentina and 5 who've ever lost to Scotland.

*you don't really want the hosts if they're competent

 

[dirty harry]

But yeah, I'm not going to be convinced that this is a bad draw, we currently have 2 players in the squad who've ever lost to Argentina and 5 who've ever lost to Scotland.

Not saying this is a bad draw, but this attitude would probably have leant itself to their 2015 loss in cardiff. Ireland were undefeared in what 8 years since the 2007 RWC, which also included beating them twice in Argentina the year previous. I dont think many Irishmen had ever lost to Argentina pre that 2015 game, off the top of my head only POC and Best was at the 2007 RWC, not sure if they played v Arg.

Argentina very muchbhave the upper hand over Ireland in RWCs.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

No but that's also irrelevant

Consistently losing in WCs against a team you generally beat in friendlies is irrelevant?
Bold take.