What do you expect realisticly from your country at the RWC?

[Teh Mite]

A lot of that depends if Sexton can carry them the same way he did Leinster in the HEC now BODs powers have finally failed him.

 

[lucky number 7]

A lot of that depends if Sexton can carry them the same way he did Leinster in the HEC now BODs powers have finally failed him.

Sadly BOD's most impressive trait in recent years (tackling) has failed him horribly in the final and so I too question his ability to carry us :/

 

[lynam1104]

One bad game and his powers have failed him... he had a bad 2008 and then the next year was in the form of his life (IMO) we'll see yet, while BOD hardy ever has a bad game while we some times like to believe he is not God.

 

[m0rris]

Meh,in 2008 he'd have been 29... he's now definitely in the twilight years for a back and it's coming to light.

BO'D is still a class centre but the magic that he used to create is behind him and Ireland need to look to the future with players like Earls rather than look back for past magic. However, this will, most likely, be BO'Ds last RWC and he'll play like it I'm sure.

m0rris

 

[Cacambo]

Beat Russia! And beyond that, be respectable against Italy. Playing Australia will be fun...

Hopefully have the tournament as a whole get more attention in mainstream media here so people realize its going on. Maybe be able to see the games on the TV and not have to torrent everything like usual.

Would like to see a good showing from France, getting to see them in the SFs would be great, along with the SANZAR nations.

 

[Jockstap]

As long as O'Brien(best flanker in the world at the minute) is fit I'll be happy.

 

[nato]

Sadly BOD's most impressive trait in recent years (tackling) has failed him horribly in the final and so I too question his ability to carry us :/

Not really... Missing two tackles doesnt make you suddenly "bad"
Not to mention Several other leinster plays missed tackles that match. I think he is still pretty good and ireland for a quarter/semi final hopefully.

 

[Draggs]

Well I'm hoping for robbie deans to get his timing right and the wallabies peak at the RWC. i've secretly been hoping for the last 4 years, the wallabies have been practising several set plays that will only be used at the correct moment and that the players have been playing at 80%. but i'm not so sure haha

Just a bit of useless trivia. I put up a 2007 wallabies world cup poster in my garage 4 years ago... counted the players still in the squad today... could only count 5
have any other teams changed as much?

Out of the 2007 Welsh squad I'd expect to see the following in this years: Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Dwayne Peel, Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones, James Hook, Shane Williams (9).

 

[King_D'Arcy]

John Hayes, Rory Best, Jerry Flannery, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Isaac Boss, Eoin Reddan, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll, Andrew Trimble

14... Jesus

 

[Draggs]

From South Africa: Smit, B du Plessis, J du Plessis, Steenkamp, van der Linde/Botha, Matfield, Botha, Burger, Smith, Rossouw, de Preez, Januarie (probably...), de Villiers, Fourie, Steyn, Habana, Pietersen (17)
England will have hardly any!

 

[profitius]

For the Ireland vs Australia game the Aussies will be under all the pressure and Ireland will have loads more experience and a belief that they can win. It should be interesting.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

For England:
Sheridan, Moody, Easter, Wilkinson, Flood, Cueto

(Possibles: Shaw, Chuter, Abendanon, Stevens)

So somewhere between 6 and 10

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I can see Wales actually topping their pool. Look at how close we always get to beating SA (Past three fixtures ahave been loses by 5 points, 4 points and 3 points, two of which we should have won) I can see us finally doing it under the biggest pressure of all. However, I can also see us slippnig up and getting knocked out by Fiji again.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think the Wales group will be the only one where 3 teams will win 3 matches. It will be one of the best to watch, Wales and S.A will go through on BPs if that happens because their players will know more about getting BPs in the important HC/S15 games.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Obviously not.

lol.

That dosn't even make any sense there champ.

I expect them to win because by rights they SHOULD win- the team is there.

There is nothing wrong with expecting a team to play to its abilities, and not take anyone lightly.

Wake up

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

That dosn't even make any sense there champ.

I expect them to win because by rights they SHOULD win- the team is there.

There is nothing wrong with expecting a team to play to its abilities, and not take anyone lightly.

Wake up

They don't have ''rights'' to anything. The team who concistantly plays better than the team against them will win. Saying it is their right to win is like me saying it is my right to play for Ireland.

 

[Darwin]

For NZ I'd expect about 12 returning players:
Woodcock, Hore, Mealamu, Williams, McCaw, Ellis, Carter, MacAlsiter, Smith, Toeava, Muliaina, Sivivatu.
Williams, Ellis, and Sivivatu are probably only 50/50 selections though.

A further four players (Tialata, Jack, Leonard, Rokocoko) will possibly come into contention if there are a few injuries.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

A World Cup contains 4 finals before you can lift the trophy. Every team needs to be on top of their game from the quarter finals onwards. A small slip can be the difference between winning the trophy and going home empty-handed. The fact that New Zealand has the best team, does not mean they will win it. Anything can happen. They meet England/Argentina in the quarter final and when they have a top day, the All Blacks can be in for a treat.

I expect NZ to win the World Cup but would not be surprised if they fail along the way.

 

[dangandan]

True, take for example the London Sevens that just finished. New Zealand have the best team but because of one slip up against Fiji they lost that comp.

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

New Zealands biggest problem it faces is always the pressure put on them to win the world cup. No other country has the burden of being pressured with 'win the world cup or you failed' expectancy that the whole country has for the team and it works against them. Especially now being at home the pressure will be Ginormous and that can cause players to choke, make mistakes and essentially, lose games. As someone else mentioned every other team goes into a match with them with a nothing to lose everything to gain attitude whereas they would be the opposite. All Blacks are the best team, but how well the handle all the pressure put on them will decide how far they can go in the world cup.