What a difference 2 weeks makes.

Two weeks ago general consensus was that the ABs were well
ahead of the chasing pack and barring some sort of meltdown
the Will Webb Ellis trophy would be taking pride of place at NZRFU HQ.

Well i think most posters on V2 will now agree that the field seems wide
open and any one of 5 teams will have real belief that they can emerge
as 2011 victors.

This is great news for the tourney. There will be 5 sets of supporters who will
be turning up in NZ thinking maybe its our turn.

Aust. Two wins on the trot must be a huge shot in the arm for Aus.
Any time you go to SA and win then follow it up with 1st 3N win in a decade
puts you in a great frame of mind.

S Af. Vital win v ABs. Showed old fashioned grind and senior pros looked like
they were keen on a last hurrah. But will they have enough juice in the tank.
(add an accumulating machine like Steyn to mix)

England. 2 outta 3 wins. Won in Dublin. Contested last 2 finals.
Feel like they have got a pack who can grind down all comers (esp Aussies!)

ABs- Have they turned into an aging team lacking speed and a cutting edge
over a 14 day period? I dont think so. I can see the ABs wanting to be very
physical and impose themselves on all opponents from the get go. we all saw how difficult it is
to come back from 20-3 down at halftime.

France. Unbeaten warm up. Nobody wants to play them on "one of those days".

Aside from these 5 i can see any other side which is likely to win 3 on the trot
(or 6 from 7). (sorry Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Arg and Samoa. I am willing to be convinced otherwise)

Either way excitement is about to build.
3 days more work for me and then its purely rugby.
It should be a great tourney.
1st time since 1995 in SA when the host country is totally preoccupied
with the event.

I have never gone with the idea that NZ are going to win the RWC this year, even though they are favourites and it is being played in NZ.

Lets look back to just about every other RWC and you will find that NZ are the favourites to win it. Apart from maybe 2003 when England was the number one team in the world.

Have NZ team aged alot over the last 2 weeks, or as every other team uped their game and are playing better now, than they have done over the past year?


Are the nerves starting to show in the NZ camp? Whya as Graham Henry not played his best players in the last 2 games of the Trinations?

Is it a fear of his players getting injured?

Or is it a fear that he does not have as good a side(depth of players incase of injries)

Or was he simply complacent and thinking thast the Triantions is in the bag already?

Losing those final games will probably do New Zealand a favour, people will realise they haven't got a god given right to win the Cup, will now b aware there are at least 2 teams, who on their day can beat New Zealand.