Crucial weekend for knock out rounds.

Let me firstly congratulate Ireland on a very impressive forward performance. Australia's forwards were out psyched, out played and out muscled.

The australia scrum is reminiscent of their match against england in 2007. totally dominated.

Well the NH has got their wish. All three Tri Nation teams will now most likely end up in the same side come knock out rounds.

It looks like SA vs Oz in one quarter final, NZ most likely vs the unlucky buggers from England, Argentina and Scotland.

So you have your wish, yet another NH vs SH final.

biltongbek wrote:It looks like SA vs Oz in one quarter final, NZ most likely vs the unlucky buggers from England, Argentina and Scotland.

The real unlucky buggers will be the ones who go home early, but only marginally.

To be fair BB you will always have 3 of the big 5 teams (3N + FRA & ENG) in one side of the draw. The RWC seedings made the above case unlikely but surprise results such as today's in the pool have disrupted this. Prior to this FRA, ENG & AUS were in the same side.

There has only ever been 1 SH vs. SH RWC final out of 6 cups... not because of the luck of the draw but because more often then not there is a NH side which is better than at least 1 3N side.

I worry for SA now though in terms of their title defence... I think they have 1 big game in them... but to beat Aus & NZ in consecutive weekends will be tough.

We don't know that FA, they have done it before, we need to dominate australia in the quarter.

fa0019 wrote:To be fair BB you will always have 3 of the big 5 teams (3N + FRA & ENG) in one side of the draw. The RWC seedings made the above case unlikely but surprise results such as today's in the pool have disrupted this. Prior to this FRA, ENG & AUS were in the same side.

The draw is likely to have all the 3Ns teams on one side, and the 6Ns teams on the other.

Bar any upsets the 1/4s should be,

South Africa vs Australia
New Zealand vs Argentina/Scotland
Ireland vs Wales
England vs France

Aus and bok Quarter should be very interesing indeed.Boks lost the second test 9-14 with most of the team understandably rusty after months off.now the Boks are getting gametime and looking slightly on the right track whereas most of the Wobblies have been at it none stop and might start suffering some injuries in the latter stages . But the Wobblies are hot despite the little blip today (thank you bryce lawrence) and are looking for the treble and i for one would not bet against them not winning the WC

wales606 wrote:

fa0019 wrote:To be fair BB you will always have 3 of the big 5 teams (3N + FRA & ENG) in one side of the draw. The RWC seedings made the above case unlikely but surprise results such as today's in the pool have disrupted this. Prior to this FRA, ENG & AUS were in the same side.

The draw is likely to have all the 3Ns teams on one side, and the 6Ns teams on the other.

Bar any upsets the 1/4s should be,

South Africa vs Australia
New Zealand vs Argentina/Scotland
Ireland vs Wales
England vs France

SA could still lose to Samoa and not qualify from pool D. Samoa are a good team.

maestegmafia wrote:

wales606 wrote:

fa0019 wrote:To be fair BB you will always have 3 of the big 5 teams (3N + FRA & ENG) in one side of the draw. The RWC seedings made the above case unlikely but surprise results such as today's in the pool have disrupted this. Prior to this FRA, ENG & AUS were in the same side.

The draw is likely to have all the 3Ns teams on one side, and the 6Ns teams on the other.

Bar any upsets the 1/4s should be,

South Africa vs Australia
New Zealand vs Argentina/Scotland
Ireland vs Wales
England vs France

SA could still lose to Samoa and not qualify from pool D. Samoa are a good team.

Agreed.

maestegmafia wrote:

wales606 wrote:

fa0019 wrote:To be fair BB you will always have 3 of the big 5 teams (3N + FRA & ENG) in one side of the draw. The RWC seedings made the above case unlikely but surprise results such as today's in the pool have disrupted this. Prior to this FRA, ENG & AUS were in the same side.

The draw is likely to have all the 3Ns teams on one side, and the 6Ns teams on the other.

Bar any upsets the 1/4s should be,

South Africa vs Australia
New Zealand vs Argentina/Scotland
Ireland vs Wales
England vs France

SA could still lose to Samoa and not qualify from pool D. Samoa are a good team.

Hence the bar any upsets bit,

Wales could lose to Samoa
SA could lose to Samoa
Ireland could lose ot Italy
England could lose to Scotland