RWC Semi Final: New Zealand - Australia (16-10-2011, 21:00)

[Yorkshire Kiwi]

New zealand seem to be getting players back from injury while OZ losse them ....

Should be a good game

 

[UilamOsa]

For the sake of all international rugby, let's not hope there are any injuries to either team.

So that whoever takes it's too the final will attempt to score tries, attack from various parts of the field and generally do everything that's exciting about running rugby.




Blacks by 50+

 

[Teh Mite]

Ricky Flutey is one of those random guys and he was crap here in the SH.

Cipriani was pretty **** up here but turned plenty of heads in a shitty team down there.

#justsayin

 

[Dizzy]

Cipriani was pretty **** up here but turned plenty of heads in a shitty team down there.

#justsayin

Cipriani was ****? I remember at one point he was supposed to be the next in line for the no.10 shirt, it was said he had a promising future in English rugby then he had some dramas and left his girlfriend or something. So was he really as **** as you say he was if he was being talked up as the next no.10?. Only heads he turned down here were the medias. Seriously, I don't know much people who talked him up.

 

[Dizzy]

Eh? Not really - SOME stand out, a lot fade away into obscurity/are average at best
The ones that shine are the ones who are simply world class players, Nick Evans, Carl Hayman (before moving to France), Bruce Reihana, Doug Howlett, Isa Nacewa etc. - not your random SuperXV/ITM/Currie Cup squad players

Isa Nacewa never stood out in Super Rugby. He wasn't that good at all, and I never rated Bruce Reihana either, though some will definitely disagree with me.

Ricky Flutey is one of those random guys and he was crap here in the SH.

So was Thomas Waldrom, Isa Nacewa and Reihana. There was also someone on TRF earlier who said Tongauiha was a one man army who stood out in games up there.

 

[T-Rex]

To be fair, there were periods where both Waldrom and Nacewa were talked about as potential All Blacks, and if Nacewa didn't play that spell for Fiji, he may have worn black.

 

[Gavin]

This is the real final of the tournament now. The victors should smash France

Utter rubbish

 

[RuckinGoodStats]

Since there is a bit of debate thought I might wade in with a few numbers on Joubert given last night and the result. Will pop back in an hour or so and drop in some NZ v AUS stats if there is a bit of interest.

Ref is Joubert's average per game in RWC (2011 average in brackets)

• 2.8 Scrum resets, ranked 9 highest (3.2)
• 4.8 Scrum infringements, ranked 6 highest (4.5)
• 20 Pens awarded, ranked 6 highest (19.2)
• 12.6 Pens for ruck, ranked 4 highest (11.4)
• 3.6 Pens for scrum, ranked 5 highest (2.9)
• 0.2 Pens for lineouts, ranked 5 highest (0.1)
• 2 Pens for offside, ranked 5 highest (2.4)
• 1.6 Pens for other, ranked 2 highest (2.4)
• 7.4 Pens Awarded inside 22, ranked 8 highest
• 2.6 Total Free kicks awarded, ranked 4 highest (2.1)
• 1.2 Free kick for scrum, ranked 1 highest (0.5)
• 1.4 Free kick for lineouts, ranked 2 highest (1.4)
• 66% more likely to award a penalty that becomes a kick at goal on the RIGHT side of the field than the left side.

Joubert has a different pattern for scrums. He tends reset few scrums, so he favours infringements rather the resets. This makes scrum time, fun time and I'll be checking out where the goal posts are in relation to the scrum every time there is a one being set.

The thing about Joubert at scrum time is that he isn't consistent in the numbers. In his last Australia v NZ there were more scrums resets than infringements. So while the numbers suggest he favours infringements over resets it might be more down to the teams than the ref. Either way, check out the goal post in relation to the scrum. In the Tri-Nations game v NZ he reset 6 scrum and awarded 4 infringements.

 

[Blacktrick]

Sometimes I think we should have World Cup honors awarded on a point system then the truly deserving teams would get the credit due to them ( the teams that play consistently good rugby) then you wouldn't see the kind of B.S. result like we saw unfold last night, all because we had another contest ruined by some show pony in a refs uniform. What a ripp-off for all those fans who paid big money to see the Welsh play.
WHEN are these TWITS going to be held accountable for bad decisions! If youre going to award a red card in such an important game, for goodness sake, at LEAST consult with your officials before you act......

 

[Bryan Selwood]

Isa Nacewa was rubbish down here

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Ahh, a good old-fashioned SH/NH debate... I'll get the popcorn!

 

[187]

Cipriani was pretty **** up here but turned plenty of heads in a shitty team down there.

#justsayin

Cipriani turned heads because he was the first major marquee NH signing (not including Michalak) but he never lived up to his name. We were all going off what you guys (NH media) said about him so thought he was good. He turned out average.

In regards to tonight's game though. No team has dropped a pool match and gone on to win the Final. The All Blacks are the only undefeated team in the final 4... Dun dun duunnn!

Let's hope that trend continues! I am practically going to crap myself during this game so may have to have a couple beers beforehand to calm the nerves lol.

Whoever wins this game, which will be the ABs, will win the final.

 

[Gavin]

Whoever wins this game, which will be the ABs, will win the final.

Unless France turn up like they did when they toured New Zealand last year

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

In regards to tonight's game though. No team has dropped a pool match and gone on to win the Final. The All Blacks are the only undefeated team in the final 4... Dun dun duunnn!

In RWC history, every team winning the trophy, has beaten the defending champions in the tournament... Dun dun duunnn!

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Cipriani was pretty **** up here but turned plenty of heads in a shitty team down there.

#justsayin

And ehm... Cipriani turned some heads, but not because of his 'fantastic' abilities...

 

[T-Rex]

Unless France turn up like they did when they toured New Zealand last year

Was that the year they didn't even turn up because they had no matches scheduled to be played in New Zealand in 2010?

 

[DariusLovehall]

In RWC history, every team winning the trophy, has beaten the defending champions in the tournament... Dun dun duunnn!

Thats a bit of a silly comment - Thats more to do with the draw than anything else - its not NZ's fault the Saffers lost in the a quarter final is it? Otherwise they woulda played each other today.

Think about it ......

 

[DariusLovehall]

Cipriani was pretty **** up here but turned plenty of heads in a shitty team down there.

#justsayin

Wow where'd you get your info = Cipriani was dropped after a handful of games (then he dissapeared) - if fact he was so bad it he was about the worst player on the worst team.

 

[ACT1NUP]

Unless France turn up like they did when they toured New Zealand last year

This French team are nothing like any of the great French teams. They've manageded to play absolutely **** and make the final, well they had one good game against a England team more interested in whats on offer off-field. Whether NZ or Aus make the final France are in for a hiding, they simply don't get up for every big match they play like some think and more often receive pummellings than cause huge upsets. In the Final their looking down the barrell of a 40+ defeat. Tonight is the 'final' just with no silverware

 

[tbhp]

In RWC history, every team winning the trophy, has beaten the defending champions in the tournament... Dun dun duunnn!

One trend is about to end then !