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

[dangandan]

Yeap, we're the new France.

 

[MunsterFan]

Great to see the lads have the nation behind them

 

[lynam1104]

I think Ireland are about as likely to make it to the semis as they are to get knocked out in the pool stages. Is that fair to say?

That sums up it pretty bloody well TBH. We can play brilliantly the players just fail to deliver on the day most of the time hopefully the munster/leinster ML/HC wins the boys will be confidant but it's what 98 days away a lot can change.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Play Sexto in all the big games. Simples.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'd think that out of the NH sides Ireland should be in the best place mentally. They had their best performance, arguably, the best performance of the 6nations in their last match. Leinster won the HC, Munster the ML and Ulster had their most successful season since '05(I think that was the year they won the Celtic League).
Although England won the 6N the loss to Ireland probably knocked their confidence and Leinster beating the saints the way they did, will knock a someof their most influential players confidence further.
I think France could end up like their football team, I'd imagine the players hate Lievremont after him calling them cowards and disgraceful etc...
I think Wales and Scotland will struggle getting out of their groups.

 

[lynam1104]

Play Sexto in all the big games. Simples.

Aye, Sexton starts and if it's tight we bring on ROG and kick the game into the corners, and maybe with ROG being fresh he might be able to make more of an attempt to tackle.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Aye, Sexton starts and if it's tight we bring on ROG and kick the game into the corners, and maybe with ROG being fresh he might be able to make more of an attempt to tackle.

Dream on chap.

 

[Groundhog]

ROG always plays better when he comes on for sexton probably cos hes indignant at not being started in the first place

 

[lynam1104]

Dream on chap.

Just let me, hes gone after this so hopefully the lazy bugger will try and tackle but I doubt it...

 

[Groundhog]

its not that he doesnt try its that when he does he gets flattened

 

[lucky number 7]

I think France could end up like their football team, I'd imagine the players hate Lievremont after him calling them cowards and disgraceful etc...

I wouldn't play under someone who called me a coward.

 

[CDN_Rugby]

Obviously Canada won't be beating New Zealand or France, but anything less than defeating Tonga and Japan would be a disappointment for Canada. Defeating Italy A 26-12 today shows that they appear to be on the right track.

 

[LittleGuy]

Obviously Canada won't be beating New Zealand or France, but anything less than defeating Tonga and Japan would be a disappointment for Canada. Defeating Italy A 26-12 today shows that they appear to be on the right track.

I actually think those are going to be fairly challenging games, Japan is a better team than in 07 and Canada never plays well against the Blossoms for some reason. Tonga should be made a little easier because they play NZ a couple of days before our game with them and will be tired. As for France while a victory would be pretty shocking they have looked unimpressive as of late and some times they decide not to show up it might not be that big of a Les Blues victory. New Zealand we lucily face in their last pool game and they should be playing their second 22, which might keep things marginally closer then they could be.

 

[Easdon]

Not entirely sure how to feel as a Scot... of course in tests we perform well but as soon as it gets into an actual competition we crumble. Our pool games against England and Argentina are probably the biggest of the tournament. If we can top the pool we face the runner up of pool A (France, most likely) whereas if we finish second it'll be a QF against the All Blacks and I'll be the first person to say that's an impossible task. Realistically, nothing's gonna change for us between now and the WC so we need to grind out a win against England, keeping the scoreboard ticking over with 3 pointers and be strong in defense then really go for it against Argentina. Course if we managed to top the pool then beat France, we'd inevitably run into Australia.

Unfortunately to get to the final as a NH team you invariably have to go through SANZAR which we just aren't up to. Realistically I think we'll scrape 2nd in the pool then get destroyed by NZ

 

[dangandan]

its not that he doesnt try its that when he does he gets flattened

Yeah every time i see him attempt a tackle he goes head on too high instead of low and without any power through his shoulder. It's like he thinks he's only supposed to slow down the ball carrier, not bring the guy down lol

 

[DorceOutSide]

I'm cautiously optimistic about Ireland's chances in this WC, if they can head into the warm up matches with the same form we saw against England I reckon we'd be in good shape for the semis.

But hey I was optimistic about reaching the semis in the last WC too so what do I know.

to be honest we should have gotten to the semi's last time around.