RWC: Samoa - Wales (18-9-11, 15:30)

[hitman51]

Well, Wales played poorly and won. Samoa played well and lost. Pretty much a reverse of last week but that's rugby. It was always going to be a difficult and scrappy game, but Wales have a tendancy to play well against the best teams and poorly against sides they should put away. There's a hard test to come against Fiji yet but if we win that there's a golden oppertunity to go far, we've beaten England and Ireland in the last few months and we can do it again.

So it had nothing to do with Samoa playing well? Samoa dominated every stat wales got killed at the break downs. Poor option taking by Samoa cost them the game they had chances in the 1st half that should of been taken. Get off the welsh supreme high horse their not as hot **** as you think give credit to Samoa they played well, and well done to wales.

 

[Slippersccfcfawwrucb's]

Not quite sure how giving Samoa credit and acknowledging Fiji as another potential threat is being on a "welsh supreme high horse" but hey ho!

 

[hitman51]

Did you sign up for another account for this one post?

 

[Slippersccfcfawwrucb's]

Just saying...

 

[cimbomjubi82]

Samoa's usual problem of clinical finishing and faltering set-piece is usually the issue, and it was again today by the sounds of it. Just need more finesse and consistency. Apart from that, Samoa have done themselves no harm at all. They still have that 'group of mercenaries' kinda issue though, which is why if you look back in their heyday (91, 95, 99), the squad was based much more locally to the islands, rather than all over Europe so the team will naturally be less disjointed. Against the bigger teams they will provide stiff physical opposition, for 60 minutes, but lack that little bit of clinical finishing and finesse around the fringes.

 

[Ickon]

So it had nothing to do with Samoa playing well? Samoa dominated every stat wales got killed at the break downs. Poor option taking by Samoa cost them the game they had chances in the 1st half that should of been taken. Get off the welsh supreme high horse their not as hot **** as you think give credit to Samoa they played well, and well done to wales.

Yeah it just seems to be total disrespect from some people, but no point in trying to convince them as they were obviously watchinga different game. I don't know why they kept Lavea on for so long? I really hope Tusi Pisi is back for the last two games as I can't stand watching another game with Lavea at 5/8, him and Stephen Donald are the same in the sense that they and their coaches are the only ones who believe that they can play 5/8.

Samoa's usual problem of clinical finishing and faltering set-piece is usually the issue, and it was again today by the sounds of it. Just need more finesse and consistency. Apart from that, Samoa have done themselves no harm at all. They still have that 'group of mercenaries' kinda issue though, which is why if you look back in their heyday (91, 95, 99), the squad was based much more locally to the islands, rather than all over Europe so the team will naturally be less disjointed. Against the bigger teams they will provide stiff physical opposition, for 60 minutes, but lack that little bit of clinical finishing and finesse around the fringes.

Conditioning and set pieces wasn't the issue, it was decesion making at crucial parts and Wales defence.

 

[scarlets-fan]

Samoa played a very good game, helped by the ref being lenient in the ruck. But wales had way too many errors! Halfpenny made a hugh contribution to the win, should be at full back v fiji, use byrne against namibia. Got to pick up some bonus points though.

 

[Cofi]

Now it's our turn to play badly and win but winning 'ugly' is something Wales have got to do if they want to progress in this tournament and beat better teams. Learning how to win a game that's not going your way is crucial and we had to grind out a result today against a very tough Samoan team who played with real purpose. Our young players will gain a psychological edge from today's victory. Worrying spects concerning our performance can be put right but a winning mentality only comes from winning games like this one. Here's to more 'ugly' wins. It's better to be an ugly winner than a beautiful loser!

Hard lines to all the Samoan supporters on here, your team played good rugby.

 

[Macsen]

So it had nothing to do with Samoa playing well?

Er..did you actually read my message? "Wales played poorly and won. Samoa played well and lost." Get off your samoan supreme high... um, turtle... or whatever wildlife exists on that island.

Samoa dominated every stat wales got killed at the break downs.

Every stat but the one that counts.

(In actual fact Wales dominated a few stats, 92.82% tackling success rate compared to 86.57%, 81.8% lineout success rate compared to 80.0%, 66.7% kick at goal success compared with 50%.... I'll shut up now.)

 

[hitman51]

yeah shut up with your bullshit stats

 

[hitman51]

I wouldn't know what wild life lives on that island but i heard they have dragons like wales

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They're not bullsh**
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/match/93474.html

 

[Macsen]

yeah shut up with your bullshit stats

Chill bill. Good luck with the SA and Fiji game, you can still make the QFs.

 

[UilamOsa]

Yeah it just seems to be total disrespect from some people, but no point in trying to convince them as they were obviously watchinga different game. I don't know why they kept Lavea on for so long? I really hope Tusi Pisi is back for the last two games as I can't stand watching another game with Lavea at 5/8, him and Stephen Donald are the same in the sense that they and their coaches are the only ones who believe that they can play 5/8.

Conditioning and set pieces wasn't the issue, it was decesion making at crucial parts and Wales defence.

Agreed but I would take Stephen Donald over Tasesa every day and twice on Sundays.

Wales looked battered at the end of the match, they gave as much as they got but with South Africa then Samoa then Fiji - Good luck to you fellas.

Samoa looked like they run out of gas, especially the forwards - the spirit may be willing but sometimes the body can't follow. We should have hit our bench, although much respect to Schwalger, that has to have been his best game i've ever seen him play. He looked class out there.

We need to rest enough of our 'A' squad to give them a rest for Fiji but have enough of them there to win, but have all guns blazing for South Africa.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu needs to get some perspective....

 

[Ickon]

I think Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu needs to get some perspective....

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This is why professional athletes should not be allowed on social media!!!!!!! I agree with the first part, the draw favours the bigger nations. If anything the bigger rugby nations should have the short turn around because of the depth that most of them have.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

This is why professional athletes should not be allowed on social media!!!!!!! I agree with the first part, the draw favours the bigger nations. If anything the bigger rugby nations should have the short turn around because of the depth that most of them have.

I think that's fair enough, but Eliota is doing more damage to the perspective on that debate than good, the way he's tweeting.

 

[Ickon]

I think that's fair enough, but Eliota is doing more damage to the perspective on that debate than good, the way he's tweeting.

Yeah I know! I tell his cousin to tell him to stick to playing rugby and don't be a sore loser (i'm just ignoring the other part of his tweet because we all know that was just Frekin stupid!!)

Agreed but I would take Stephen Donald over Tasesa every day and twice on Sunday!

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I would prefer Stephen Donald as well! LMAO

 

[Seaton]

I think Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu needs to get some perspective....

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Equivalent/ likened to the holocaust?

IRB bigwigs are nae gonna be happy, not at all...

 

[SelimNiai]

Well that was too close. We defended well again and we needed to, Samoa were good at the breakdown but then we knew that they would be. I was impressed how we kept Tuilagi quiet, hardly had the ball to run at us.

That's the banana skin out of the way and I think that's us pretty much qualified as, no disrespect to Fiji they aren't the side of 2007 and nor are we.