RWC Quater finalists - Scores so far...

Taking a punt here (only a little one) as the pool games isn't over yet, but these are my scores out of 10, on how I feel the teams have stacked up...

I know you'll disagree, but felt it was worth putting out there ...

Pool A
Australia - 9 : Have played extremely well and building nicely.
Wales - 8 : Come through each game (so far) as victor and considering the number of injured bodies that have stacked up, they are surprising most.

Pool B
South Africa - 7 : Ropey start, but starting to get momentum. However, this Springbok juggernaut hasn't really had any opposition so far, and think it may struggle in the knock-out against either Aus or Wales, both which have been tested in the pool of death.
Scotland - 6 : Only real opposition so far has been the Boks, and they didn't shine in that game. I think the opposition (or lack of) in this pool has flattered Scotland. They have little chance against Wales or Australia in the knock outs.

... but...

Japan - 8 : Are still able to knock Scotland out of 2nd place, if they win and the Scots lose. So only fair to score them. They've played in THE game of the RWC so far and came out of it victorious (against the Boks of course). They also beat Samoa (and all us Welsh remember Samoa   ). So they deserve to qualify, but if they do, at Scotland's expense, I cant see them beating Aus or Wales.

Pool C
New Zealand - 6 : The All Blacks, are really under cooked. They have had no opposition to prepare them in the pools and the results have shown. In the past, they would put 80, 90 or even 100s on the "minnows", but their best score diff only being 44 pts against Namibia. Instead, they are making unforced errors, passes going astray, they just don't look prepared. I expect the All Blacks to turn it up a notch in the Qtr Finals, but they will meet France or Ireland. They wont want to meet France (their RWC nemesis) they way they are playing.
Argentina - 8 : The Pumas are looking the best they have for a long time. The opposition in this pool hasn't been the strongest (All Blacks being exception of course), but they have equalled the All Blacks on points diff for most games. Facing France or Ireland in the Qtrs I think will step them up a gear, and I think they believe they can make the Semis.

Pool D
France - 8 : France have played well and seem to be building momentum. Had a few moments in each game so far, but each time have given a Gaelic shrug and just powered on to win with convincing score lines. I think they are one team who'd love to meet the All Blacks in the Qtrs, in the MS... Deja vu anyone  
Ireland - 6 : Ok, they have won each game with a convincing margin, all bar against Italy, where they could have easily slipped up. Ireland have not demonstrated the form that underpin them as most pundits NH choice, and I cant see them beating either NZ or Arg.


One final team, who I feel should be scored as its their home cup...
England - 9 : Have to feel for England (and I don't say that often). First, they where well beaten by Australia, but for 10 mins against Wales would have qualified at probably Wales expense. I actually think the English team has come a long way since NZ 2011. They played some very good rugby, and one team was always going to be unlucky in Pool A. As a Welshman, I hope the RFU do have knee jerk reaction and get rid of Lancaster, because if they don't, I see England winning the 6 Nation and possibly dominating NH rugby for the next 4 years putting them in pole position for Japan 2019.


I know you'll al have your own thoughts..... so come on, let them out.. Just one thing.. These are my opinions and as such are valid.. You may disagree with them (I hope you do), but just insulting me and turning this thread into a churlish bicker is pointless...

Pool A:
Australia 8 - fairly good start
Wales 7.5 - fighting spirit
England 5 - quite disappointing

Pool B:
South Africa 7 - back on the rise
Scotland 6.5 - as expected
Japan 6 - the big improvers

Pool C:
New Zealand 8 - more in the tank
Argentina 7.5 - a decent showing

Pool D:
France 7.5 - maybe hiding something
Ireland 7.5 - an extra gear perhaps

NZ playing rubbish according to experts here,only Namibia could be considered an
unopposed training run.25 tries scored 3 conceded out in QF?
Australia had iffy start with Fiji,unopposed training run v Uruguay,looked flustered
at times underpressure v England[unforced handling errors]
SA beaten by Japan,solid wins v Scotland,Samoa,not totally convincing v USA B an
unopposed training run.
Argentina good results to date.
Ireland,France look good but this is the weakest group.
Wales qualified could win Group despite injuries.
Scotland likely to reach there 7th QF only side except England of UK/Ireland to do so[Wales 3 times exit Group stage.Ireland 2]
Japan despite likely 3wins still won`t qualify.

Pool A:
Australia 8.5 Living up to their pre tournament hype and classy from 1-15
Wales 7.5 - Refusing to lie down and now not looking too bad on paper as well
England 4 - it's all been said

Pool B:
South Africa 8.5 Have shown England how you deal with adversity and now looking intimidating
Scotland 6.5 - It remains to be seen
Japan 9 - Playing some great rugby and not helped by the schedule

Pool C:
New Zealand 8 - As we expected and where the feck did they get Millner-Skudder
Argentina 8.5 - Looking very very menacing with great organisation skill and composure to go with their power

Pool D:
France 8 - Looking powerful and dynamic and a great team to watch. An Aus v France final would be the purists
Dream
Ireland 6 - The Curve awaits!

RubyGuby wrote:Pool A:
Australia 8.5 Living up to their pre tournament hype and classy from 1-15
Wales 7.5 - Refusing to lie down and now not looking too bad on paper as well
England 4 - it's all been said

Pool B:
South Africa 8.5 Have shown England how you deal with adversity and now looking intimidating
Scotland 6.5 - It remains to be seen
Japan 9 - Playing some great rugby and not helped by the schedule

Pool C:
New Zealand 8 - As we expected and where the feck did they get Millner-Skudder
Argentina 8.5 - Looking very very menacing with great organisation skill and composure to go with their power

Pool D:
France 8 - Looking powerful and dynamic and a great team to watch. An Aus v France final would be the purists
Dream
Ireland 6 - The Curve awaits!

Why the hell are Japan getting 9? We ran 5 tries past them and they are getting more points than NZ or Ireland or Wales? It's a dream guys! And as for the scheduling they had it better than Scotland. We had to play 3 games in 10 days!  One of the hardest turnarounds in the tournament.

Furthermore a team that is out (England) is getting a 9 from the OP?

What was this scoring criteria based on other than a bad attempt to wind folk up?

I'm factoring in expectation from the start Radge. Your teams RWC will be defined this weekend I think you might just have enough to get through it and after that you never know! But then again you probably do

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Furthermore a team that is out (England)  is getting a 9 from the OP?

What was this scoring criteria based on other than a bad attempt to wind folk up?

I think it came from his Twitter account a bit like Launchburys MOM v Aus.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:Pool A:
Australia 8.5 Living up to their pre tournament hype and classy from 1-15
Wales 7.5 - Refusing to lie down and now not looking too bad on paper as well
England 4 - it's all been said

Pool B:
South Africa 8.5 Have shown England how you deal with adversity and now looking intimidating
Scotland 6.5 - It remains to be seen
Japan 9 - Playing some great rugby and not helped by the schedule

Pool C:
New Zealand 8 - As we expected and where the feck did they get Millner-Skudder
Argentina 8.5 - Looking very very menacing with great organisation skill and composure to go with their power

Pool D:
France 8 - Looking powerful and dynamic and a great team to watch. An Aus v France final would be the purists
Dream
Ireland 6 - The Curve awaits!

Why the hell are Japan getting 9? We ran 5 tries past them and they are getting more points than NZ or Ireland or Wales? It's a dream guys! And as for the scheduling they had it better than Scotland. We had to play 3 games in 10 days!  One of the hardest turnarounds in the tournament.

Radge they had to play you when you were fresh 4/5 days after beating the Boks. I think it is fair to say you had a massive advantage in that match

Said it at the time, Japan would have been better served besting Scotland and losing to us. So it has served.

Anyway, 8,5 is pretty generous for the Boks, I'd say. We've seemed adequate bullying teams, but let's see what happens when a team fronts I suspect what will happen is a plane home

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Furthermore a team that is out (England)  is getting a 9 from the OP?

What was this scoring criteria based on other than a bad attempt to wind folk up?

Said in the OP where that came from... I dont actually think England played that bad, and probably no worse than other big teams in the Pool Stages. Only 2 can proceed, and they where unfortunate not to be one of them.

Take the game aginst us (Wales), for 65 mins I thought they where the better side, and Wales was going out. If for one bad decision in the end and it would have been us. Against Australia, I think they crumbled under the pressure. But the beat Fiji more convincingly than either Australia or Wales and i think poor old Uruguay will get a thumping tonight. On the whole, if they had gone through, with the performances they showed in the Pools, most here would have had them going all the way. That is where my score came from.

Also in my OP, I said it was MY OPINION, and as such can not be incorrect. You are free to disagree, but saying it is wrong holds no water ... - oh... and there is no WUM here....

England - 9

Lol.

I'll say Tattie

ABs - 6

Lol

Clearly they're a 4.5

Pool A:  The Fandabulous Spin  Pool
Australia 8.5 Wild as a sack of cats sharing the sack with a fistful of baboons and difficult to really judge them yet fully.
Wales 6 - A team that won a game they were losing and now believe it was a game they were winning and nearly lost.
England 5 - A team that lost a game they were winning and really..... a choke WC from them.

Pool B:  The Pool of Shock'n'Laidlaw
South Africa 8 Lost a game and showed how class is permanent to fight back with dominant ease.
Scotland 7.5 - They seem to play like a really serious team but SA tested that and it faltered.
Japan 8 - Big mouth coach set them up for the Scotland fall but playing way above what was expected.
Samoa 5 - for laziness and beauty from game to game.

Pool C:  The Sleeper
New Zealand 8 - Jogging through their Pool and laughing at all the headlines they're causing with knock-ons.
Argentina 8 - Looking shimmy sweet but haven't really hit a rough auld juggernaut yet (ABs were too busy jogging).

Pool D:  The Borefest
France 7 - Feeling confident and looking it. Michalak back from the grave and looking serious rather than flaky
Ireland 6 - Looked good against no hopers and looked no hopers against Italy

These are only numbers to date and I don't expect all the tall numbers to remain tall or the small ones to remain small.