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

[ret]

Also, according to Zinzan, the 1991 game played there should have been a draw, due to the touch judges denying a penalty goal kicked by Lynagh.

 

[Isurus]

That's a matter of opinion, and I don't agree with that.

Clearly some of our teams haven't coped well with favouritism and played poorly in must win games, that's a "choke".

Why is it then that only New Zealand is ever accused of choking? Would you call Australia's loss against Ireland a choke? What about SA against Australia yesterday? England against France? Ireland against Wales?

England's performance against France in the quarter-final is more of a choke than anything New Zealand has ever served up in a world cup but the "choke" tag will forever be associated with New Zealand. It's a narrative that opposing fans and journalists love but it isn't real.

 

[Ostrayian]

Here is a prediction, Pocock will be very quiet in this match. Our backrow is the best around. The three wise men are the best around. They will nullify Pocock, you just wait and see.

Nah the ref will nullify Pocock. Aussies will have to be more accurate at the breakdown or else NZ will kick their way to victory like they did to secure the win against argentina.

 

[Sam91]

Why is it then that only New Zealand is ever accused of choking? Would you call Australia's loss against Ireland a choke? What about SA against Australia yesterday? England against France? Ireland against Wales?

England's performance against France in the quarter-final is more of a choke than anything New Zealand has ever served up in a world cup but the "choke" tag will forever be associated with New Zealand. It's a narrative that opposing fans and journalists love but it isn't real.

New Zealand are always accused of chocking because they are always the best team going into world cups and between world cups and well, always. So when they get to the world cup and don't win it many times well, you get the picture.

 

[Dizzy]

Why is it then that only New Zealand is ever accused of choking? Would you call Australia's loss against Ireland a choke? What about SA against Australia yesterday? England against France? Ireland against Wales?

England's performance against France in the quarter-final is more of a choke than anything New Zealand has ever served up in a world cup but the "choke" tag will forever be associated with New Zealand. It's a narrative that opposing fans and journalists love but it isn't real.

We are chokers because we dominate the World of Rugby through and through right up until the World Cup Finals where we are dead set favourites everytime and have yet to bring it home. We dominate pool play like it is nothing.

Australia's loss to Ireland is not a choke because they are still in the competition.

South Africa's loss to Australia also wasn't a choke because they weren't expected to win it outright. It was always going to be a close match and South Africa's matches in pool play were very close.... Oh and another thing, John Smit![Says it all]

England have had a poor World Cup campaign and were never really favourites to win anyway so that is also not a choke.

Ireland vs Wales, similar to the two former explanations.

 

[ACT1NUP]

I prefer underacheivers to chokers. It's our time ... NEKK MINIT

 

[james5000]

Why is it then that only New Zealand is ever accused of choking? Would you call Australia's loss against Ireland a choke? What about SA against Australia yesterday? England against France? Ireland against Wales?

England's performance against France in the quarter-final is more of a choke than anything New Zealand has ever served up in a world cup but the "choke" tag will forever be associated with New Zealand. It's a narrative that opposing fans and journalists love but it isn't real.

Could it be the fact that we're consistently the best team in the world and have always failed to deliver?

SA weren't even the bookies favourites, England were only slight favourites. When we have lost the last three world cup's we have been damn near unbackable favourites.

 

[Isurus]

Agreed. At times they display the mental strength of marshmellows. This was my biggest fear going into the ireland game and was my worst nightmare come true.
I dont think the wallabies ever take the AB's for granted but Eden Park definitely has an edge that intimidates some of our players. Quade Cooper in general has not played 1 good game ever on NZ soil.Home ground advantage means everything. Im sure the wallabies would much prefer to play at suncorp.

Remember the week leading up to the Bled/TriNations Eden Park test this year? All the talk was about Cooper being better than Carter and how conifdent they were of winning on NZ soil. The team and relevant individual performances were there for all to see. Really hoping for a repeat.

 

[ret]

The NZ "choke" is just a load of tall poppy bashing media bullshit. England's hopelessly inept display against France was certainly a choke. And comedy gold.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Nah the ref will nullify Pocock. Aussies will have to be more accurate at the breakdown or else NZ will kick their way to victory like they did to secure the win against argentina.

That is if the ref does police him strictly. He is pretty awesome and near impossible to stop when the ref gives the sides a bit of leeway at ruck time. I actually don't think the AB's can stop him, it will be down to the ref's interpretation (which is scary for us kiwi fans). I hope we get Craig Joubert as ref rather than Nigel Owens. At least we (both teams) won't have Brycey or Steve Walsh to ruin the game.

 

[Dizzy]

Remember the week leading up to the Bled/TriNations Eden Park test this year? All the talk was about Cooper being better than Carter and how conifdent they were of winning on NZ soil. The team and relevant individual performances were there for all to see. Really hoping for a repeat.

I was hoping for this repeat in the game we discussed earlier.. And it didn't happen. It's all about what happens on the day.

 

[Ostrayian]

Remember the week leading up to the Bled/TriNations Eden Park test this year? All the talk was about Cooper being better than Carter and how conifdent they were of winning on NZ soil. The team and relevant individual performances were there for all to see. Really hoping for a repeat.

That was a media beat up just like they always do and always will. You should see the news here right now. you'd think Aus already won the RWC.
In the end any competitor cant just turn up and publicly concede defeat before even having a crack. If you didnt ever back yourself to win would you ever win anything at all?

Eden Park definitely is a Hoodoo for us but wallabies have broken plenty of them in recent times. Time will only tell if the eden park hoodoo is broken this time or not.
Feeling very comfortable entering the game as underdogs with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[Dizzy]

Yeah the aussie media is terrible...

 

[ACT1NUP]

Aussie to win by 1-7 $6.50. There are some seriously tempting bets on TAB. If Aussie win the TAB gonna take a huge hit. Atleast someone has full confidence in an AB victory.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Aussie to win by 1-7 $6.50. There are some seriously tempting bets on TAB. If Aussie win the TAB gonna take a huge hit. Atleast someone has full confidence in an AB victory.

That is really good value. I've already got some on Aus winning head to head at $3.30, might have to look at some margin bets too.

 

[Dizzy]

Aussie to win by 1-7 $6.50. There are some seriously tempting bets on TAB. If Aussie win the TAB gonna take a huge hit. Atleast someone has full confidence in an AB victory.

I have full confidence in an AB victory. I just don't like excuses being made for past losses that's all.

 

[Isurus]

Withdrawing this post. Don't want to get into it.

 

[ACT1NUP]

I may just chuck a sneaky $50 on Aussie by 1-7. Atleast then I'd feel better with $325 if Aussie did the unthinkable and just won (lets be honest if they do win it'll be by no more than 7, surely). I'd part with $50 to see the ABs in the Final anyday.

 

[Isurus]

Could it be the fact that we're consistently the best team in the world and have always failed to deliver?

SA weren't even the bookies favourites, England were only slight favourites. When we have lost the last three world cup's we have been damn near unbackable favourites.

I will assume your "failed to deliver" comment is specifically referring to World Cups because otherwise it is demonstrably false.

We were not favourites in 2003 which is ironic because our loss in the '03 semi-final is the only NZ performance I would be inclined to call a choke.

 

[Isurus]

That was a media beat up just like they always do and always will. You should see the news here right now. you'd think Aus already won the RWC.

<Mr Burns voice> "Eeeeeexcellent"