Arise Australia the Fair?

According to planet Rugby Australia`s chief executive is saying the Wallabies will be unbeaten before
start of RWC 2015. Presumably on Super Rugby form.
That is a notoriously fickle jade,and if true would make them favourites to win because winner Group A
will have a straight NH run to the final.
Loser at some point face Boks and probably or the AB`s before the final it is the key group.

Whether or not Australia is unbeaten before the next World Cup they will be a threat. They have the best record of anyone in northern hemisphere world cups. They've won two of three. They fly beneath the radar and have the natural confidence to apply their flair game under pressure in comparison to New Zealand who always choke away from home and South Africa who don't travel well and rely on a simple game easily countered by the strength of British teams.

I think Australia will come second in pool A behind Wales and reach the final at least.

SA's game easily countered by British teams?

Yes, moreso than Australia and New Zealand who are more unpredictable. South Africa rely on straight running and big forwards and kicking and conservative play in world cups. And this is more likely to be fodder for the Irish, the English, France and Wales.

South Africa have a poor record in Europe having suffered their heaviest defeats and having the worst away record here.

I'd have to disagree, would rather play Aus every day of the week! SA aren't even that predicatble anymore if their recent games are anything to go from. They'll start the world cup 2nd favourites.

Didn't he say the wallabies CAN go unbeaten up until the RWC?

AUS are easily dealt with if you are a team with strength. They lose to England, they lose to SA and they lose to NZ... because they simply get beaten up. Nothing has changed in that department and nothing will until they get a decent front row.

They have decent locks now and Will Skelton will worry all if he sheds another 10kg.

But they won't beat SA in SA, they won't beat NZ in NZ and they won't beat ENG in ENG, not with their current team... and they would be lucky to beat them in AUS too.

Scramble wrote:South Africa who don't travel well and rely on a simple game easily countered by the strength of British teams.

I think Australia will come second in pool A behind Wales and reach the final at least.

Yep. Pretty much don't agree with any of that, South Africa has been unbeaten in Europe since the last world cup.

The only countries they "travel poorly" to, is OZ and NZ, but then who doesn't?

The boks are easily countered by the strength of British teams?

Tell me when did a British or Irish team last beat SA?

Since 2007 they have played 30 games vs. the home nations inc. the lions tests and they have lost only 3.

One dead rubber vs. the Lions, one vs. Ireland in their exhausted AI 09 tour disaster (where they also lost to France, Saracens & Leicester) and one in the galeforce ambush in Murrayfield in 2010.

fa0019 wrote:The boks are easily countered by the strength of British teams?

Tell me when did a British or Irish team last beat SA?

Since 2007 they have played 30 games vs. the home nations inc. the lions tests and they have lost only 3.

One dead rubber vs. the Lions, one vs. Ireland in their exhausted AI 09 tour disaster (where they also lost to France, Saracens & Leicester) and one in the galeforce ambush in Murrayfield in 2010.

Your facts are astounding FA, please go easy on the new guy.

Biltong wrote:

fa0019 wrote:The boks are easily countered by the strength of British teams?

Tell me when did a British or Irish team last beat SA?

Since 2007 they have played 30 games vs. the home nations inc. the lions tests and they have lost only 3.

One dead rubber vs. the Lions, one vs. Ireland in their exhausted AI 09 tour disaster (where they also lost to France, Saracens & Leicester) and one in the galeforce ambush in Murrayfield in 2010.

Your facts are astounding FA, please go easy on the new guy.

Lies lies and statistics BB thats all. All boere propaganda !!!!

The home nations lose on purpose ready to unleash a surprise at the RWC

I can't see any team from group A winning the cup,2 big really tough matches before they even reach the knockout stages is likely to prove too draining imo.Unless the group winners have extraordinary luck with injuries I don't think it will happen.

I hope Gats has some amazing plan that will ready us for Pool A!

asoreleftshoulder wrote:I can't see any team from group A winning the cup,2 big really tough matches before they even reach the knockout stages is likely to prove too draining imo.Unless the group winners have extraordinary luck with injuries I don't think it will happen.

On the other hand the sides going through will be battle hardened from two or possibly three tough games...ready for anyone??

Winners Group A on any known form will reach Final and play one of the usual 4 suspects

GeordieFalcon wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:I can't see any team from group A winning the cup,2 big really tough matches before they even reach the knockout stages is likely to prove too draining imo.Unless the group winners have extraordinary luck with injuries I don't think it will happen.

On the other hand the sides going through will be battle hardened from two or possibly three tough games...ready for anyone??

That's only a good thing if they remain injury free.England have the depth to cope best with injuries and home advantage may prove enough to get them over the line but I don't think Australia or Wales can cope to the same extent.

2014-05-08

emack2 wrote:Winners Group A on any known form will reach Final and play one of the usual 4 suspects

What form is that?

bar their front 3 I reckon AUS have depth in spades.

At 10 AUS have Cooper, Barnes, Toomua, O'Connor, Beale.

At 10 ENG have Farrell... then Cipriani, Ford & Burns. Those 3 are very inexperienced compared.

Front 3 is key for AUS... they can be competitive with their first choice players... without they struggle... otherwise they have a conveyor belt of talent in every other department from Lock to fullback.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:2014-05-08

emack2 wrote:Winners Group A on any known form will reach Final and play one of the usual 4 suspects

What form is that?

Winners of group A have quite an easy path to the final. Say England come first. They won't face AUS, SA or NZ until the final.

Only have to get past France or Ireland in the SF. Good form or not, if you can beat Wales and AUS (ENG) or ENG & Wales (AUS) then you should feel confident in a SF vs. France or Ireland regardless if you're firing 100% or not.

fa0019 wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:2014-05-08

emack2 wrote:Winners Group A on any known form will reach Final and play one of the usual 4 suspects

What form is that?

Winners of group A have quite an easy path to the final. Say England come first. They won't face AUS, SA or NZ until the final.

Only have to get past France or Ireland in the SF. Good form or not, if you can beat Wales and AUS (ENG) or ENG & Wales (AUS) then you should feel confident in a SF vs. France or Ireland regardless if you're firing 100% or not.

That's if the WC was played this week,as an Irish fan I suspect that things will look quite different to anyone facing us by the time the WC comes round.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:

fa0019 wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:2014-05-08

emack2 wrote:Winners Group A on any known form will reach Final and play one of the usual 4 suspects

What form is that?

Winners of group A have quite an easy path to the final. Say England come first. They won't face AUS, SA or NZ until the final.

Only have to get past France or Ireland in the SF. Good form or not, if you can beat Wales and AUS (ENG) or ENG & Wales (AUS) then you should feel confident in a SF vs. France or Ireland regardless if you're firing 100% or not.

That's if the WC was played this week,as an Irish fan I suspect that things will look quite different to anyone facing us by the time the WC comes round.

Well whoever win both games of the Wales, Australia & England will be well placed come the SF. I think Ireland will struggle to replace the gap left by O'Driscoll, not necessarily in play but in the leadership he gives the team, also his rock hard defence. I think for Ireland a great achievement will be getting to a SF... not easy given they will have to beat France and probably Argentina (a bogey side for IRE) in the process.

Then again... Ireland have proved they are very close if not neck and neck to England even though they have lost their last 2 matches (both had little difference and could easily have gone the other way).

fa0019 wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:

fa0019 wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:2014-05-08

emack2 wrote:Winners Group A on any known form will reach Final and play one of the usual 4 suspects

What form is that?

Winners of group A have quite an easy path to the final. Say England come first. They won't face AUS, SA or NZ until the final.

Only have to get past France or Ireland in the SF. Good form or not, if you can beat Wales and AUS (ENG) or ENG & Wales (AUS) then you should feel confident in a SF vs. France or Ireland regardless if you're firing 100% or not.

That's if the WC was played this week,as an Irish fan I suspect that things will look quite different to anyone facing us by the time the WC comes round.

Well whoever win both games of the Wales, Australia & England will be well placed come the SF. I think Ireland will struggle to replace the gap left by O'Driscoll, not necessarily in play but in the leadership he gives the team, also his rock hard defence. I think for Ireland a great achievement will be getting to a SF... not easy given they will have to beat France and probably Argentina (a bogey side for IRE) in the process.

Then again... Ireland have proved they are very close if not neck and neck to England even though they have lost their last 2 matches (both had little difference and could easily have gone the other way).

I think we'll beat France easily enough,they're a basket case and Schmidt will have them completely figured out by the WC.They are a much tougher prospect in France than anywhere else so at a neutral venue I'd make us strong favourites.

I'm basing my optimism on my faith in Schmidts abilities as a coach,he has this fantastic talent for figuring out the weaknesses in a team and attacking it relentlessly.He is still learning at international level but by the WC he'll have had a lot more time to see what does and doesn't work against different teams,he more than makes up for the loss of BoD.It's been a long tie since Ireland have been coached properly and we're at the beginning of something big imo.

I understand that Schmidt is the messiah but looking at Ireland relatively poor record in the RWC, I tend to see Argentina as the main threat... Good luck nevertheless   

Pulver should learn to stand before he talks.
Once he has achieved that... then by all means... have a go at walking. How the hell did this incredibly ignorant and arrogant bloke get the gig?

I fear for Australian rugby with this guy running the "show" from the back seat. The Wallabies will lose a few matches this year (for sure) and will probably only get as far as the RWC semi finals again (at best) - although I am hoping for more miracles. We'll have to wait and see.

whocares wrote:I understand that Schmidt is the messiah but looking at Ireland relatively poor record in the RWC, I tend to see Argentina as the main threat... Good luck nevertheless   

Yeah you see that's the mistake a lot of people are making,thinking that results from 4 years ago and even longer are more relevant than results from this season.Ireland under Schmidt are a completely different proposition than anything you've ever seen before.We're only going to improve and France while full of talented players are poorly coached and will continue to be poorly coached,that's a handicap they will be very unlikely to overcome imo.

France are a tournament team though. Their record speaks for itself.. terrible form in 95, 99, 11 in particular... they always turn up.
They have only failed to not make the SF once in the history of the 7 tournaments.. they will be a force come next year, they have so much talent I think it will be touch and go between them and Ireland.

Ireland, good players, good coach.

Great players, great coach??? Still to be decided on that one.

fa0019 wrote:France are a tournament team though. Their record speaks for itself.. terrible form in 95, 99, 11 in particular... they always turn up.
They have only failed to not make the SF once in the history of the 7 tournaments.. they will be a force come next year, they have so much talent I think it will be touch and go between them and Ireland.

Ireland, good players, good coach.

Great players, great coach??? Still to be decided on that one.

95 and 99 are irrelevant and 2011 is hardly a convincing argument,lost to Tonga in the group stages and only squeaked past Wales in the semis after playing a huge proportion of the match against 14 men.The only reasonable performance they had was against England who weren't exactly a great side at that time either.They played well in the final alright but NZ choked and the true gap between the teams has been proved to be much wider since.

SA v Ireland final - get your money on it while you can   .

probably a good bet actually.

I think more likely SA vs. ENG or SA vs. FRA IMO but Ireland is not close behind and probably will give you better odds.

All cut and dried then Boks rule supreme back to IRB number one too.

 

The statement made was to put it mildly contentious I doubt ANY side will go undefeated
for the 15 months or so to the RWC.
Nz the most successful side in the Pro era average 2 losses a season of say 13-15 matches
per season [1998 and 2009 accepted].
My antipathy to RWC`s is well known but love the generalizations,Boks don`t travel AB`s
choke in NH.France worked out by the Irish,Wales have no chance etc.
Australia will be a force next year as there exiles will return home to compete.only SBW
is likely from NZ contenders.
SA will field a lot of Europe based players which should be an advantage,England are at
Home.BUT the pressure of having to live up to the 2003 side may effect them. IF they
win there Group the route to the final is the easiest since 2007.
There are ALWAYS upsets in RWC`s Refs usually effect at least one match viz AUS v SA
and Francev NZ.

The way things have been going at twickenham emack, England should walk it. I doubt they'll even be pulled up this time for ball switching or fielding 16 men!

Scramble wrote:The way things have been going at twickenham emack, England should walk it. I doubt they'll even be pulled up this time for ball switching or fielding 16 men!

I am feeling the shadow of ghostly stirrings around HQ, refs are being haunted by ghostly grey figures urging them to favour the home side.