Has this wc really been the best?

[diehardkiwi07]

But maybe the fact that both France and England beat Australia and NZ at the most important for the most important reason makes the two games a huge triumph for the respected winners. NZ had 70% possession. France's defense destroyed them. Australia were ridiculous and England attacked well. Sounds like a + for boths sides in my opinion.
[/b]

All this All Black bashing is getting abit much, the french won that game fair a square but all due respect to the All Blacks they didn't get beaten in the game as the stat's will tell you. The question is can the French keep the consistency of winning? and judging by your signeture would you bet your house or car on the French team beating the All Blacks again if they played them tomorrow? I think we all know the answer to that..

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

All this All Black bashing is getting abit much[/b]

Some of us have had to live with four years of digs being thrown at us, and countless times before the heady days of 2002-2003.



I'm sure you can cope with a couple of weeks of stick. Or at least until the next set of international fixtures come around.

 

[Prestwick]

I think this World Cup has been the best not because of top ten teams dumping other top ten teams out of the tournament but because of the superbly entertaining rugby that nations like Namimimimimibia/South Africa B, Canada, Portugal, Japan and Georgia for example have put on.

The matches between Japan & Canada, Japan & Wales and Canada & Wales for example were absolutely superb. The try from deep by Japan against Wales? Try of the tournament.

The stuff from the up & coming nations shown during this tournament is more than enough to make this the best RWC ever.

 

[polonius]

<div class='quotemain'>
I'm sure the English team would love to score more tries. Why don't they? Because the opposition continually and persistently infringe to stop them doing so.
[/b]

Or perhaps because thier backs are rubbish and thier tactics involve rumbling it up in the forwards and looking for penalties?

Don't even try to say that England attempt to play in a high try scoring way, it is just not true...
[/b][/quote]

Six Nations 2007

Tries for England v Scotland = 4, v Italy = 1, v France = 2, v Ireland = 1, v Wales = 2

Total = 10 at an average of 2 per game - this in the intensity of the Six Nations tournament.

Not too bad for a side (having a poor season) who, apparently, never even attempt to score tries.

But don't let the facts get in the way, eh?

 

[diehardkiwi07]

Total = 10 at an average of 2 per game - this in the intensity of the Six Nations tournament.
[/b]

Is that what they call intense up there :lol2tn:

Sorry had to have a chuckle at that :lol:

 

[jawmalawm24]

England won their last game with 1 try and their game before that with just penalty kicks but this might be the trend that gets a Rugby World Cup trophy so if they go all the way everyone else should copy.

Englands gameplay might not be the most exciting but it wins games and thats the result most people want.

I would chuckle at 2 tries per game too but they're in the final we're not so I can't bring myself to doing so lol.

 

[polonius]

<div class='quotemain'>
Total = 10 at an average of 2 per game - this in the intensity of the Six Nations tournament.
[/b]

Is that what they call intense up there :lol2tn:

Sorry had to have a chuckle at that :lol:
[/b][/quote]

Ever been in Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh or Paris on a matchday when England are the opponents? I would suggest it's coping (or not!) with the intensity of these sort of games that has served England well in the current RWC.

 

[polonius]

England won their last game with 1 try and their game before that with just penalty kicks but this might be the trend that gets a Rugby World Cup trophy so if they go all the way everyone else should copy.

Englands gameplay might not be the most exciting but it wins games and thats the result most people want.

I would chuckle at 2 tries per game too but they're in the final we're not so I can't bring myself to doing so lol.
[/b]

2 tries per game from a poor side that is accused of never even trying to score them isn't such a bad return.

But my point is England don't score many tries because the opposition give away penalties in order to stop the quick ball which would lead to a try-scoring opportunity. See England's third penalty against Australia as an example of what I mean.

And another thing ... the ESPN channel showed the 1995 RWC Final the other day - played between 2 SH sides. No tries only penalties and drop-goals - and plenty of drop-goal attempts which failed. Does this remind you of something?

 

[diehardkiwi07]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
Total = 10 at an average of 2 per game - this in the intensity of the Six Nations tournament.
[/b]

Is that what they call intense up there :lol2tn:

Sorry had to have a chuckle at that :lol:
[/b][/quote]

Ever been in Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh or Paris on a matchday when England are the opponents? I would suggest it's coping (or not!) with the intensity of these sort of games that has served England well in the current RWC.
[/b][/quote]

I guess its going to take alot for us down in the SH to get use to the idea of your guys intense matches.
(no offense) Its like us down here use to the sunny day's and you up there use to the cloudy days... Our style of play through the 3N and super 14 may not have won the world cup but it has sure entertained those who love running rugby

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Our style of play through the 3N and super 14 may not have won the world cup but it has sure entertained those who love running rugby [/b]

And I'm sure that's exactly what the likes of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are telling themselves: "Gee guys, we may not have won the World Cup but at least we'll be able to provide entertainment during the Super 14."



Some supporters need to realise that it is in fact possible for a match to be hugely exciting without both sides scoring 40 or 50 points.



In my ideal world, England would carve the opposition open every time they touched the ball, with flowing backs moves and flawless offloading. Unfortunately, international defences may have something to say about that. No point in spinning it wide every time if the opposition is strongest in the wide channels, while there is equally no point in keeping it close if that's where the opposition pack likes it.



This is professional sport. You play to where you're strongest, not where your opponents want you to.

 

[RoyalBlueStuey]

Heard an interesting snippet on 5live this morning...apparently in 2003 the RFU had to get the trophy engraved themselves when they got it back to England. Either it was always done that way, it was an oversight by the hosts or the trophy was flung at them with as much grace & ceremony as the winners medals were.

Either way the French have got someone to start the engraving the very second the whistle goes....which lends that little bit of class I think.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotemain'>Our style of play through the 3N and super 14 may not have won the world cup but it has sure entertained those who love running rugby [/b]

And I'm sure that's exactly what the likes of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are telling themselves: "Gee guys, we may not have won the World Cup but at least we'll be able to provide entertainment during the Super 14."



Some supporters need to realise that it is in fact possible for a match to be hugely exciting without both sides scoring 40 or 50 points.



In my ideal world, England would carve the opposition open every time they touched the ball, with flowing backs moves and flawless offloading. Unfortunately, international defences may have something to say about that. No point in spinning it wide every time if the opposition is strongest in the wide channels, while there is equally no point in keeping it close if that's where the opposition pack likes it.



This is professional sport. You play to where you're strongest, not where your opponents want you to.

[/b][/quote]

 

[RoyalBlueStuey]

I guess its going to take alot for us down in the SH to get use to the idea of your guys intense matches.
(no offense) Its like us down here use to the sunny day's and you up there use to the cloudy days... Our style of play through the 3N and super 14 may not have won the world cup but it has sure entertained those who love running rugby [/b]

click-a da link (get the kleenex ready first though)

 

[Brodizzle]

Some supporters need to realise that it is in fact possible for a match to be hugely exciting without both sides scoring 40 or 50 points.
[/b]

I would be happy with a low scoring game if it was a matter of the defense being good yet England don't even try to run the ball, that is what most people don't like...even if they scored 40 points a game the way they are playing people would still be complaining, although the way England are playing the game it would be near on impossible to score 40 points...

 

[Niue]

It's been excellent. I like watching the developing teams have a go at each other, and the "big boys".

Fiji, Tonga, and even Japan had a real go, and Fiji especially played some fantastic stuff, beating Wales, and scaring the life out of South Africa.

Roll on the next one, but keep the number of teams at 20!

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotemain'>
Some supporters need to realise that it is in fact possible for a match to be hugely exciting without both sides scoring 40 or 50 points.
[/b]

I would be happy with a low scoring game if it was a matter of the defense being good yet England don't even try to run the ball, that is what most people don't like...even if they scored 40 points a game the way they are playing people would still be complaining, although the way England are playing the game it would be near on impossible to score 40 points... [/b][/quote]

Maybe so, but what they ARE doing (although God only knows how) is playing rugby which reaches World Cup finals. You can bleat and **** up the wall all you want down in Australasia about "boring rugby" or "no running", but people only ever remember results... History will remember them getting to the final when everybody were written off before a ball was even kicked, going an Australian team teams who pride themselves on <strike>insulting the game of Rugby Union by not having anthing even nearly resembling a pack</strike> "looking good and running it". Then going through a French side who punished the Kiwis for insisting on keeping it pretty instead of playing rugby and winning the game.

If you want to watch pretty game, go watch the BaaBaas or Harlem Globetrotters. If you want a competitive game, pull your head out of your arse and realise that this time the forwards style won the clash. There is room in the world for different styles of play.

 

[RoyalBlueStuey]

The thing that this bemoaning the derth of open play rugby totally ignores is that Union is ALL about the competition for the ball. If your gameplan is to fling it wide then you have to win the confrontation at the breakdown, you have to earn the right to play flowing rugby.

 

[diehardkiwi07]

And I'm sure that's exactly what the likes of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are telling themselves: "Gee guys, we may not have won the World Cup but at least we'll be able to provide entertainment during the Super 14."
[/b]

That's New Zealand's style and as i said previously it may not have won the world cup but its been our style for years on end, and i would prefer us to play that way rather then get sucked into Aeriel ping pong which i and the majority of NewZealand public think they got sucked into playing in that quarter final which in turn lost them the game. But hey were not moaning where just saying the style looks boring and its gonna take a while for us to get use that. No need to get all defensive

In my ideal world, England would carve the opposition open every time they touched the ball, with flowing backs moves and flawless offloading.
[/b]

Are you serious?? Ive always known England to kick the ball at every chance given :bleh!:

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

<div class='quotemain'>
And I'm sure that's exactly what the likes of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are telling themselves: "Gee guys, we may not have won the World Cup but at least we'll be able to provide entertainment during the Super 14."
[/b]

That's New Zealand's style and as i said previously it may not have won the world cup but its been our style for years on end, and i would prefer us to play that way rather then get sucked into Aeriel ping pong which i and the majority of NewZealand public think they got sucked into playing in that quarter final
[/b][/quote]



Until New Zealand learn to use the right style of play at the right time, teams will continue to find ways to undo them when it matters most. Although in saying that, the forward battle they uncomprehensibly got themselves involved in against France is still mystifying to me. Had they spun the ball wide, as you say their style has always been, then cracks would undoubtedly have begun to appear in the French defense.



I wasn't quite sure what to make of your second point. Perhaps you aren't quite up to speed with the use of the word "ideal"?

 

[diehardkiwi07]

Until New Zealand learn to use the right style of play at the right time, teams will continue to find ways to undo them when it matters most. Although in saying that, the forward battle they uncomprehensibly got themselves involved in against France is still mystifying to me. Had they spun the ball wide, as you say their style has always been, then cracks would undoubtedly have begun to appear in the French defense.
[/b]

As i previously said we lost that game on the score board but we sure didn't lose the battle, We weren't beaten to a pulp if thats what your saying. What I'm saying is how many games have we won from our open style and how many games have we lost from it. Its 1 area we didnt use that day OPEN PLAY The stats will tell you to stick to what you know, not play someone else's game like how we got sucked into that day. I believe had Dan carter ran the ball instead of kicking away the possesion he had then it might of been a different story.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of your second point. Perhaps you aren't quite up to speed with the use of the word "ideal"?
[/b]

Sorry mate i didnt use that word and dont entend to :cheers: