Dallaglio the humours.

Dallaglio interview WalesOnline
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/lawrence-dallaglio-interview-wales-lose-8211777

The psychology and reasoning is hilarious, it goes like this,

Wales win two this autumn and lead the other two games into the last ten minutes but lose, chances of lifting the World cup? Zero! Why? because they didn't beat two southern hemisphere teams. Ok fair enough.

England win two this autumn and don't even lead in the two losses even concede a try to South Africa  whilst they had a player in the bin,chances of winning the world cup? only second to NZ!! Why? because they are England.
Then he alluded to England having the better Autumn than Wales.

Wales v England 2015 6 nations if Wales win, England will go away and LEARN evolve and improve and beat Wales in the world cup, Why? because they are England.
If England win the six nations game Wales will crumble from the inside and dread facing England and the hiding they are going to give them in the World Cup! Why? because thats why.

Then we are treated to some inside knowledge on how Sir Clive's England won the world cup.

I know i shouldn't get annoyed and i know there will be a million angles from ex players and coaches right up to the world cup, but all Dayglo has to back up anything he says is "Fortress Twickers" and Wales didn't have a good as Autumn as England! yes he does say that,England had the better Autumn.

Has he just dismissed that Wales never have a good Autumn? and England have only beaten Wales once since the last World cup?
Actually over the last decade Wales have won 7 and lost 6 v England.

I know it's just personal opinion and the guy has achieved more than i could ever dream about in Rugby, but he needs to be a realist about this and the Current crop of English players could easily buckle under home advantage as he keeps referring to, the pressure is on them.

Give him some slack - Italians are still fairly new to the game.

He's pretty rubbish on BT too

yappysnap wrote:He's pretty rubbish on BT too

True. Ben kay is quite good thou

I think he's been hanging around with BigTrevsBigMac. Both are delusional as one another.

The Saint wrote:I think he's been hanging around with BigTrevsBigMac. Both are delusional as one another.

Or madge

More key is the fact Wales have beaten England in 2 of the last three competitive games at Twickenham. I wouldn't be surprised if England went out in the pool stages. But I would be surprised if Wales went out in the pool stages. Nor would I be surprised if Australia went out in the pool stages.

The Saint wrote:I think he's been hanging around with BigTrevsBigMac. Both are delusional as one another.

DeludedOptimistorjustDave wrote:

The Saint wrote:I think he's been hanging around with BigTrevsBigMac. Both are delusional as one another.

Or madge

Oh the irony

HammerofThunor wrote:More key is the fact Wales have beaten England in 2 of the last three competitive games at Twickenham. I wouldn't be surprised if England went out in the pool stages. But I would be surprised if Wales went out in the pool stages. Nor would I be surprised if Australia went out in the pool stages.

Wouldn't it be a bigger shock if Eng or Aus, teams with more of a RWC pedigree went out? I do hope that it is Aus that goes out though.

Not really. I don't see the relevance of 'pedigree'. It may be a 'shock' in that it hasn't happened before. But on recent performances and my general feel for the level of the teams they're all about even in terms of 'shock' factor.

I really think it will be a lottery who goes out.

All 3 can realistically beat each other. Twickenham may have a slight advantage...but I really don't put much on home advantage. Wales and Australia are very used to playing there...and are professional players so wont be fazed.

OK. He didn't say he thought England were second favourites. He said the bookies have them as that.

He was aksed specifically who he thought had the better autumn with a view to the World Cup. Given that Australia are in the same group as England and Wales and England have beaten them and Wales have not, it's not a huge leap for an Englishman to have the opinion that England had the better of it.

He said it was psychologically important for England to have beaten Australia in the Autumn as they are in their world cup group I think that's fair comment.

He said the next Eng v Wales game is in Wales so it is more imprtant for Wales to win it on home soil as the next time they meet is in the World cup on Englands patch. The idea of defeat not as bad for England as at least the world cup match will be in twickenham where England will have home advantage. Fair comment.

Don't see the part where he said Wales would crumble and fall apart if they lose and that England would go away and learn from it.

Submachine wrote:OK. He didn't say he thought England were second favourites. He said the bookies have them as that.

He was aksed specifically who he thought had the better autumn with a view to the World Cup. Given that Australia are in the same group as England and Wales and England have beaten them and Wales have not, it's not a huge leap for an Englishman to have the opinion that England had the better of it.

He said it was psychologically important for England to have beaten Australia in the Autumn as they are in their world cup group I think that's fair comment.

He said the next Eng v Wales game is in Wales so it is more imprtant for Wales to win it on home soil as the next time they meet is in the World cup on Englands patch. The idea of defeat not as bad for England as at least the world cup match will be in twickenham where England will have home advantage. Fair comment.

Don't see the part where he said Wales would crumble and fall apart if they lose and that England would go away and learn from it.

You've read the article properly. Shame on you!

From what I've seen of the AIs - England could win their Pool and go on and win the WC.  Australia could win their pool and go on and win the WC.  Wales could win their pool and go on and win the WC.

Any of those three could emerge from their pool. I believed that six months ago, I believe it now, I'll still believe it if Wales come 5th in the 6N. What happened in the AI doesn't influence the truth that each of those three have a chance and none of them will take the other two lightly in preparation. All three know they're in a serious battle in a serious pool.

Why the need to complicate that simple truth, especially one so far yet away from the WC itself, with moans and groans about how some ex-player is seeing the world through English tinted specs?

Even had he said he belives Wales had the better AI season and look good for a WC favouritsim sticker - he'd still have been talking bunk.

We're all talking bunk.  It's a year away.  Form yesterday is not going to influence form all of 11 months away.

So.............. all of it is just enjoyable horseschitting around Enjoy...

England play Australia and Wales in Twickers so in all honesty they should be favorites for that group as they have just defeated Australia there and have won v Wales in their last match too.

There is a good chance that each of those teams will lose one match in that group in which case you would have to fancy Aus to top the group and England to come second.

In any case this is easily the toughest group so it is kinda hard to see any of the nations in the group making the final IMO. They will be zonked.

Cyril wrote:

Submachine wrote:OK. He didn't say he thought England were second favourites. He said the bookies have them as that.

He was aksed specifically who he thought had the better autumn with a view to the World Cup. Given that Australia are in the same group as England and Wales and England have beaten them and Wales have not, it's not a huge leap for an Englishman to have the opinion that England had the better of it.

He said it was psychologically important for England to have beaten Australia in the Autumn as they are in their world cup group I think that's fair comment.

He said the next Eng v Wales game is in Wales so it is more imprtant for Wales to win it on home soil as the next time they meet is in the World cup on Englands patch. The idea of defeat not as bad for England as at least the world cup match will be in twickenham where England will have home advantage. Fair comment.

Don't see the part where he said Wales would crumble and fall apart if they lose and that England would go away and learn from it.

You've read the article properly. Shame on you!

You will be getting a reputation like me! Shame on you...
What you need is a pair of dragon tinted spectacles & change the words round to fit your argument.

GunsGerms wrote:In any case this is easily the toughest group so it is kinda hard to see any of the nations in the group making the final IMO. They will be zonked.

The good thing for England is that after their 3rd October game against Aus they then have a game on 10th October against Uruguay so can effectively rest most of their first team until a potential quarter-final on 17th/18th October. You can't account for longer-term injuries but little niggles and fatigue can be managed during that period.

On the other hand Wales, Aus play each other on 10th October before a potential quarter-final on 17th/18th.

It's probably the closest to a 'Pool of Death'. However, the Ireland vs France pool game is a knock-out tie. The loser is out in the quarter finals.

I wouldnt say the loser is definitely out in the quarters. Given that NZ have defeated England four times this year I think France and Ireland are the two NH sides they would least like to face. Especially given France have a decent record v NZ in world cups and Ireland have come so close in recent times.

I wouldnt be very confident but I wouldnt give up all hope. Who does the runner up in England's group face?

GunsGerms wrote:I wouldnt say the loser is definitely out in the quarters. Given that NZ have defeated England four times this year I think France and Ireland are the two NH sides they would least like to face. Especially given France have a decent record v NZ in world cups and Ireland have come so close in recent times.

I wouldnt be very confident but I wouldnt give up all hope. Who does the runner up in England's group face?

I don't think think quarter finals are close really.Just saying.

The best scenario for Wales and England is that the Australian Union does implode next year and they arrive depleted then they both hammer the Aussies then you watch Wales lose to Fiji in all their naivety

I'm predicting Wales to win the group and the Wallabies to knock NZ out in the quarters - England to stutter to an early exit via a George North inspired spanking against Wales and an intercept try for Falou from a Sam Burgess offload attempt to Kyle Eastman - an out of sorts Farrell place kicking display to add to the woes.

Have Wales got the depth to win a RWC? Genuine question because I don't know. However England have some depth but not enough imo. Our first choice will be a serious match for anyone including NZ. But the AIs showed our seconds aren't good enough.

englandglory4ever wrote:Have Wales got the depth to win a RWC? Genuine question because I don't know.    However England have some depth but not enough imo. Our first choice will be a serious match for anyone including NZ. But the AIs showed our seconds aren't good enough.

It was hardly your seconds. Yes there were plently of good players missing, Cole, Tuilagi and Burrell etc. but there is no such thing as a first team really anymore. Most teams were missing good players.

rodders wrote:I'm predicting Wales to win the group and the Wallabies to knock NZ out in the quarters - England to stutter to an early exit via a George North inspired spanking against Wales and an intercept try for Falou from a Sam Burgess offload attempt to Kyle Eastman - an out of sorts Farrell place kicking display to add to the woes.

Dont think Aus can meet NZ in the quarters.

GunsGerms wrote:

rodders wrote:I'm predicting Wales to win the group and the Wallabies to knock NZ out in the quarters - England to stutter to an early exit via a George North inspired spanking against Wales and an intercept try for Falou from a Sam Burgess offload attempt to Kyle Eastman - an out of sorts Farrell place kicking display to add to the woes.

Dont think Aus can meet NZ in the quarters.

Just as well then as I'm also predicting an Ireland v NZ final....

englandglory4ever wrote:Have Wales got the depth to win a RWC? Genuine question because I don't know.    However England have some depth but not enough imo. Our first choice will be a serious match for anyone including NZ. But the AIs showed our seconds aren't good enough.

Well every team will have the same size of squad so in that context, I'd say that:-

D = ((QR / RO) * I / RT) * L

D= Depth
QR= Quality of Replacments
RO= Ranking of opposition
I= no of injuries
RT= recovery time
L = Luck

I think that should be ^ L rather than * L

Surely D = QR ?