RWC 2011 Predictions

[LittleGuy]

I agree with Melhor on his analysis of Pool A, Tonga has to face New Zealand in the opening day and then three days later plays a fresh Canadian side, Japan can beat Tonga and also has historically performed well against Canada, so I feel Pool A will finish,
1 . NZ
2. France
3. Japan
4. Canada
5. Tonga

 

[Darwin]

I agree with Melhor on his analysis of Pool A, Tonga has to face New Zealand in the opening day and then three days later plays a fresh Canadian side, Japan can beat Tonga and also has historically performed well against Canada, so I feel Pool A will finish,
1 . NZ
2. France
3. Japan
4. Canada
5. Tonga

There are 5 days between Tonga's opening game v NZ (09/09) and their match v Canada (14/9). In any case, I don't expect Tonga will put out a full strength team v NZ, so all their key players should be fresh to play Canada. I certainly wouldn't surprise me if the pool goes as you suggest, but I think a full strength Tongan team is actually a lot stronger than many people are giving them credit for.

 

[Larksea]

SF Predicitions:

Guys, the semi finals are to be QF 1 vs QF 2 winner and QF 3 vs QF 4 hence Australia vs New Zealand won´t happen if both win their pools.

SF1 - Australia v France

No repeat of november 2010. This time France will field the right team and get the game plan correct. Time to actually target Cooper and take him out of the game. The right back-three will be there and the frontrow will clearly dominate Australia. France wo win this by 5.

SF2 - New Zealand v Ireland

As said by someone earlier South Africa know how to win these matches but I can´t see a win here sorry. The team is aged and the wrong players are in the mix. NZ don´t lose games against sides kicking goal after goal. They lose when they aren´t allowed to play their own game. The key areas are the breakdown and the centres. The All Blacks are masters at breaking through the midfield, and doing so with many players and not only centres. They need to be shutdown here and South Africa lack the pace in the pack to do it.

But I think Ireland wil win the QF and as such face New Zealand in the Quarter Final. This will be spectacular. Ireland, much younger and with a better back three than New Zealand (if they go for Bowe -Earls- Fitzgerald) could rise up and make history. the issue ie inside centre. D´Arcy needs to left at the airport in Dublin. Make it 12 McFaddyn, 13 BOD. The Irish backrow can compete qwith the All Blacks and it should be even in the secondrow. The frontrow will be advantage NZ but Cian Healy is vastly better than Tony Woodcock. It will all go down to Carter and Williams who are the key. Ireland need to shut them down. McFaddyn tackling well with BOD there to tackle the player receiving the Williams off-load. I´m going to say it. NZ will choke vs Ireland in the semi final. The best every Irish side against an aged All Blacks side

Bronze Final:

Australia vs New Zealand: Neither side to give the occasion justice but hopefully NZ weill do the honorable thing and not cry over the loss like they have done so often.

Final:
Ireland v France

All European - worldwide excitement over this and the fact that it´ll be a new champion. BOD to suddenly be appologized to from the NZ media over the spear tackle from 2005 as France are called cheats and all sorts of the usual stuf that happens after the choke, John Key to pretend all is well. Quite an interesting scenario. Seriously, a plausible final and it would be an awesome game as it always is between these sides. France would win it thanks to the pack, Trinh-Duc and the young try scoring wingers. Dusautoir to lift the Williams Webb-Ellis Cup as BOD announces his international retirement to the media.

Winners: France

All very interesting but I find it hard to beleive that a RWC in the southern Hemisphere will end up with two Northern teams in the final. And I find it very very hard to believe that NZ will lose to Ireland for the first time ever while fielding a full strength team as much chance of that as Ire having a back 3 as good as NZ or even as good as NZ's 2nd choice back 3.

The AB's are hardly Old, ok outside Brad Thron (who seems to be able to defy the laws of nature anyway so he doesn't count). NZ has some key young Tallent as well - see Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock, Colin Slade, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford. Though as far as AB's vs. ireland goes I dont think the battle will be in the back 3 - it will be in the loose and Mid Field - I dont think Ireland can stand with the likes of Nonu, Sonny Bill, Conrad Smith, McCaw, Kaino, Kieran Read. Thompson & Messam could also do a lot of damage against Ireland.

I think the biggest problem NZ faces is if France field a 2nd string side in pool play and leave the All Blacks underdone in the knockout stage.

I think Aussie, England and SA are NZ's main threats. France a bit below that and any other team has almost no chance of beating NZ.

 

[aucklander]

I disagree tonga will have home advantage, Tonga will have a completely different team come world cup. Tonga to win against Japan and Canada but it will be very close games. Tonga to push France.

 

[aucklander]

Teams to look out for the RWC 2011 will be Tonga, France, Samoa, Fiji, Argentina, Scotland, Ireland, Japan. I think these teams will cause upsets at the RWC.

Pool D is the toughest pool this year. The top two teams from this pool will either win the RWC or will loose to Australia in the final.

 

[Shaggy]

There are 5 days between Tonga's opening game v NZ (09/09) and their match v Canada (14/9). In any case, I don't expect Tonga will put out a full strength team v NZ, so all their key players should be fresh to play Canada. I certainly wouldn't surprise me if the pool goes as you suggest, but I think a full strength Tongan team is actually a lot stronger than many people are giving them credit for.

I agree ... in fact I don't think any of NZ's opponents will put out a full strength team in their pool matches - I think I read that France might not.

My predictions:

Pool A

New Zealand, France ... I'd love Canada to qualify instead of France, but very unlikely - should be interesting which one of the other teams finish 3rd in this pool

Pool B

England, Scotland ... although Argentina could surprise again, but I see the fact that they haven't had their top team together for so long, as a negative, rather than a positive - Georgia should provide a couple of frights also.

Pool C

Australia, Ireland ... unless Italy can replicate their six nations heroics at the right time, Russia will also be competitive

Pool D

South Africa, Wales ... Namibia will be the only team not to trouble anyone in this pool.

QF 1

Australia V Wales

QF 2

England V France

QF 3

South Africa V Ireland

QF 4

New Zealand V Scotland

SF 1

Australia V England


SF 2

South Africa V New Zealand

Final


England V New Zealand

... people talk about the pressure that New Zealand will be under playing at home, but it's much harder for other sides to win in New Zealand IMO ... particularly at Eden park ... I think Australia were the last side to do it, in 1986 - South Africa only once, in 1937

... I agree with Melhor when it comes to crying over the result if it doesn't go NZ's way ... hopefully we can be gracious winners too, if that occurs

 

[smartcooky]

IMO, we almost have two "Pools of Death" in this RWC;

Pool B: England, Argentina, Scotland, Romania, Georgia.
I can't see Romania or Georgia troubling the others all that much as their packs will be all over the minnows. Its a toss up between Argentina and Scotland for the runner up position

My prediction, England 1, Argentina 2

Pool D: South Africa, Wales, Samoa, Fiji, Namibia
Namibia will be no more than a training run for the other four. They will get plenty of practice restarting and tackling.
If I were Wales, I would be very nervous about this pool. If Samoa can front up the way they did against Australia, they could give Wales a hiding.
Its entirely possible that Wales might win only one game in this pool, v Namibia. It really is a three way toss-up between them and the two Pacific Island sides for the second spot

My prediction, South Africa 1, Samoa 2.... just

 

[Aout]

Many people are forgetting the fact that NH nations have a 3-4 months preparation. This is something that they only have every 4 years, whereas SH squads are training much more frequently.

This had always a huge impact, because during the 3 last world cups, NH nations (France & England especially) have done very well while everybody was saying "NH squads will be annihilated by SA, Aus and NZ". This is true in test matchs, where France, England, Wales, etc... gather 23 tired players 1 week before the game. This has never been true in WC. Remember 2007, France defeated NZ, England defeated Aus. Who would have bet a penny on one of these sides before the game ?

2003, England won against an other big 3, South Africa, with once again France in the semi final
1999, France managed to get to the final.

I'm not saying that France or England are better than the big 3, just that you have to be very careful with your analysis, as NH countries will benefit from a preparation they never had before. And it does change a lot of things.

 

[Logorrhea]

Just wanted to say Melhor Time that was a good read.

Dont agree with everything you put down, and I think you were too generous to Ireland but it was pretty well put together.

Thanks for taking the time.

 

[smartcooky]

Just noticed this bit too...
Ireland do have a cracking back 3, but better than New Zealand? Not quite. Not only are they fantastic players, but they have a ridiculous amount of them if any gets injured. You've got Muliaina, Hosea Gear, Rokococo, Sivivatu, Guildford and Jane to name but a few.
An 'aged' All Blacks too? I'd say they have a decent mix of youth and experience, the vast majority are in their 20's, with a few around the 30 mark, which isn't that old at all! Irelands team is hardly young, so if you call the All Blacks aged, then exactly the same tag would have to be given to the Irish too.

To add to that back three list, you have (in no particular order) Sean Maitland, Declan O'Donnell, Isaia Toeava, Jared Payne, Rene Ranger, Lelia Masaga & Ben Smith


Maitland would be a shoe in were it not for the other talent there. He has to be the unluckiest played not selected.

PS: How could anyone regard BOD as youthful?

 

[Feicarsinn]

To add to that back three list, you have (in no particular order) Sean Maitland, Declan O'Donnell, Isaia Toeava, Jared Payne, Rene Ranger, Lelia Masaga & Ben Smith


Maitland would be a shoe in were it not for the other talent there. He has to be the unluckiest played not selected.

PS: How could anyone regard BOD as youthful?

Showoff.

 

[smartcooky]

Showoff.

Trouble is, no matter how much backup you have, there can only be 15 player on the park

 

[Seaton]

Well, in reality, what is actually going to happen is Scotland are going to win the world cup, but heres the catch




Without scoring a single try... You know, cause they can't score tries

 

[Toko_11]

well if Scotland can win the world cup... so can Georgia, Lelo-Lelo Sa-Kar-Tve-Lo!!!

 

[psychic duck]

well if Scotland can win the world cup... so can Georgia, Lelo-Lelo Sa-Kar-Tve-Lo!!!

what does that mean?

 

[Seaton]

what does that mean?

If wiki is right, its a chant of "Try!Try! Georgia!"

 

[TompOwl]

Pool A: 1st New Zealand, 2nd France
Pool B: 1st England, 2nd Argentina
Pool C: 1st Australia, 2nd Ireland
Pool D: (Hardest Pool to guess) 1st South Africa, 2nd Fiji (beat Wales four years ago, will like playing on big pitches)

QF1: Australia beat Fiji
QF2: France beat England
QF3: South Africa beat Ireland
QF4: New Zealand beat Argentina

SF1: Australia beat France
SF2: New Zealand beat South Africa

3rd Place: France beat South Africa

Final: New Zealand beat Australia

 

[Toko_11]

what does that mean?

That means if Georgia can beat Scotland and Scotland can win the world cup. Georgia can also win the world cup. it makes sense to me

 

[Toko_11]

what does that mean?

and yeah it means. Try! Try! Georgia! its the chant we use to support our National team

 

[watershedmoment]

australia all the way!!