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

[james5000]

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.

Obviously it was in reference to World Cup's.

We were definite Favourites to beat Aussie in that Semi and we would have been at least on par with England in terms of favouritism if we had made the final. We had been playing good rugby up until that loss.

 

[ret]

Australian media has it's fair share of Murdoch owned tabloid crap but also newspapers which don't tell lies. I think the former is guilty of talking up the Wallabies. Incidentally the majority of the population would not even know who the Wallabies are.

 

[donmcdazzle]

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.

I might get some on that too. 8-14 is paying $9.00 which is also enticing.

 

[Tricia McMillan]

Incidentally the majority of the population would not even know who the Wallabies are.

Not sure if you mean the Australian population or the world, but it's interesting that you mention that since I was just chatting with some Americans (I study and work in the US) about rugby. Some of them actually recognized the name "All Blacks" but most thought it meant our soccer team, which was pretty funny.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Not sure if you mean the Australian population or the world, but it's interesting that you mention that since I was just chatting with some Americans (I study and work in the US) about rugby. Some of them actually recognized the name "All Blacks" but most thought it meant our soccer team, which was pretty funny.

Just the Aussies Tricia.. it's funny coming from Melbourne. You ask someone if they're watching the rugby world cup and their response is, "oh yeah, how good are the melbourne storm". "no no no rgby UNION, you know the Wallabies??". "oh i don't understand that game" FACEPALM

 

[ret]

I mean the Australian population-Rugby is a minority sport in NSW and Queensland (well behind League) and the rest of the country is so AFL obsessed that they don't know the difference between the two Rugby codes. I just spent a week in Hawaii and a surprisingly high number of people had some knowledge of the All Blacks-could be the Polynesian factor.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

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.

Really?? that's what you think?? i think our forwards are more than capable of stopping him. you just have to be the first one at the breakdown to deny him the chance of getting the chance to get over the ball.

and if he gets to the breakdown first than we need two or three guys to blow him out straight away at the same time.
woodcock, mealamu, franks, thorn, kaino, mccaw and read are all very good at the breakdown when blowing the opposition away from the rucks, they just need two of them at the same time to get pocock out.

also mccaw is always up for the matches against pocock and so is kaino and read.

 

[Larksea]

Donald and Gear called into squad!

because of injury to Slade & Mills

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/10434626/donald-out-of-the-cold-for-the-all-blacks/

 

[jmmas]

Now that Pumas are out of the RWC 2011 I hope the All Blacks win the Cup. So, I'm expecting a win against the Wallabies. By the way, Springboks should be at semis, but rugby is rugby & everything can happen.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Really?? that's what you think?? i think our forwards are more than capable of stopping him. you just have to be the first one at the breakdown to deny him the chance of getting the chance to get over the ball.

and if he gets to the breakdown first than we need two or three guys to blow him out straight away at the same time.
woodcock, mealamu, franks, thorn, kaino, mccaw and read are all very good at the breakdown when blowing the opposition away from the rucks, they just need two of them at the same time to get pocock out.

also mccaw is always up for the matches against pocock and so is kaino and read.

I just dont think we can do it. He picks his moments really well, and is borderline immovable once he locks onto the ball. Even if he doesn;t get it he slows it right down and makes attacking pretty tough as the ball is static. Supporting the ball carrier will be paramount.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Donald and Gear called into squad!

because of injury to Slade & Mills

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/10434626/donald-out-of-the-cold-for-the-all-blacks/

Good god, Donald. I think this is one of the sings of the impending apocalypse.

 

[Wally]

Australian media has it's fair share of Murdoch owned tabloid crap but also newspapers which don't tell lies. I think the former is guilty of talking up the Wallabies. Incidentally the majority of the population would not even know who the Wallabies are.

You'd be hard pressed to find a more rubbish post than this.

 

[Darwin]

Donald and Gear called into squad!

because of injury to Slade & Mills

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/10434626/donald-out-of-the-cold-for-the-all-blacks/

Will be interesting if this is true - as it says it is based on twitter reports, which are far from a reliable source. I understand Donald is still in NZ as he is still contracted with the NZRFU until the end of the month, so he is the obvious choice if Slade is ruled out (I initially thought he was already with Bath). If Gear is called in to replace Muliaina it may indicate that Kahui's (and possibly Guildford's) injuries are possibly worse than first reported, as otherwise I would have expected a fullback (Smith) to be called in to replace Muliaina (given Dagg too is still recovering from injury).

 

[donmcdazzle]

I'd have Tony Brown any day of the week above Donald. I'd have Tony Brown above Cruden and Slade too to be honest, since all three are pretty flaky under pressure. Brown has the best defence and the calmest head.

I'm also surprised they didn't call up Mathewson and have Weepu as the first choice 10 with Cruden on the bench.

 

[Darwin]

I'd have Tony Brown any day of the week above Donald. I'd have Tony Brown above Cruden and Slade too to be honest, since all three are pretty flaky under pressure. Brown has the best defence and the calmest head.

I'm also surprised they didn't call up Mathewson and have Weepu as the first choice 10 with Cruden on the bench.

I wouldn't. Brown struggled with the pace of Super Rugby - he played about 20-odd good minutes, and apart from that he was poor. The 40 odd mins he played against the Crusaders at Carisbrook were shocking. He looked more comfortable at ITM Cup level, but was hardly a standout as many have suggested. He may have calm head, but he does everything in slow motion these days. He is good on defense when the opposition runs straight at him, but an elusive runner (e.g. Quade Cooper) would have no trouble running around him as he is painfully slow these days.

There is no point calling up Mathewson as he clearly isn't rated as one of the top three halfbacks - if they want to play Weepu at 10 they still have two other halfbacks in the squad. I actually thought Mathewson should have been the squad initially, but it is too late for that now.

 

[Larksea]

www.stuff.co.nz

BREAKING NEWS: Stephen Donald and Hosea Gear to replace Colin Slade and Mils Muliaina ... More soon

 

[Darwin]

www.stuff.co.nz

BREAKING NEWS: Stephen Donald and Hosea Gear to replace Colin Slade and Mils Muliaina ... More soon

Yep looks like it has been confirmed. Happy with the choice of replacements - I don't expect either will get much (if any) gametime unless there are further injuries (although Donald may be picked on the bench).

 

[Muzzy]

still not convinced about Cruden as a starter, he just seems so small against these players, but with slade and carter out, now he'll have to be our starter, making me really nervous

 

[Siva Tau]

Go with Cruden, then Weepu as fall back.

 

[bens_crazy]

New to the site but seems i've arrived at a big moment.

Stevie Donald!? Please god, anybody but Stevie Donald!!!!!!!!