Rugby : Rugby Union Thread

[Toto]

Originally Posted by Osem

Isn't one of the problems Wales had that they didn't sufficiently adapt their game to counter the strengths of the Fijians in a game they had to win?

Yup, which is what bayonet meant when he said "Fiji were superb and we made a game of it but we had a bad start again".

[Osem]

Sorry, my point is that Wales' start wouldn't have been so bad if they'd planned their game properly before the match. Trying to adapt half way through a game is always fraught with danger.

[bayonet]

Our kicking out of hand was and has been for a while abysmal, kick to touch and attack the line out miss touch and these sides will bury you. They are 7s specialists who can counter attack from anywhere. Take the scrum it was a shambles as far as Fiji were concerned did we learn....No. Jenkins said, "Judge me on the world cup." so he should resign but if you were getting his pay packet would you resign?

Why change kickers? either stick with one or the other Dwayne Peel has a half decent game and gets taken off. Mike Phillips, who should have started, comes on and looks the part but like the Jones/Hook debate Jenkins seems unable to admit he was wrong? Regarding changing game plan surely there is enough experience in that team to say "It's not working lads this is what we're going to do." Basically that's down to senior players and the captain

Originally Posted by bayonet

Our kicking out of hand was and has been for a while abysmal, kick to touch and attack the line out miss touch and these sides will bury you. They are 7s specialists who can counter attack from anywhere. Take the scrum it was a shambles as far as Fiji were concerned did we learn....No. Jenkins said, "Judge me on the world cup." so he should resign but if you were getting his pay packet would you resign?

Why change kickers? either stick with one or the other Dwayne Peel has a half decent game and gets taken off. Mike Phillips, who should have started, comes on and looks the part but like the Jones/Hook debate Jenkins seems unable to admit he was wrong? Regarding changing game plan surely there is enough experience in that team to say "It's not working lads this is what we're going to do." Basically that's down to senior players and the captain

Jenkins sacked

[bayonet]

Just got home after shopping with the present Mrs bayonet, a form of torture almost as bad as watching that game yesterday. Never happy when this happens but I'm surprised at how swift the WRU have acted this time.

So who's next lads Eddie Jones ex Aussie coach or Nick Mallett, he's gone downhill since tha Bombalurina single.

[Toto]

Yeh, pushed. A brave decision indeed, but with 4 years to the next world cup, and only the top 16 guaranteed to seed, a very brave decision indeed.

[Osem]

Ireland bow out too - what an anticlimax for that squad.

Scotland v. Aregentina for a place in the last 4!! Who'd have thought ????..

Don't think you can blame O'Sullivan for their failure though - the players just didn't perform.

[bayonet]

Ireland players have to hold their hands up having just watched the game they didn't perform at all. Argentine fo the final my dark horses have come through the defeat to Wales was a smoke screen they deserved to win that game really.

[Shadow Demon UK]

Originally Posted by Osem

Scotland v. Aregentina for a place in the last 4!! Who'd have thought ????..

Not much of a suprise, Argentina are ranked 4th in the world which is two places above Ireland.

Maybe Scotland qualifying instead of the Italians was a bit of a suprise.

[bayonet]

Yes Ireland was a surprise but my tip Argentina could go all the way who will they get when they beat our friends North of the border.

New Zealand Australia or South Africa?

[Shadow Demon UK]

They will play the winner of South Africa v Fiji

[bayonet]

That could be a hell of a game 2 good packs having a go at each other could be better than the final. Very interesting Scrum V program in Wales last night Jonathan Davies Garin Jenkins Ieuan Evans and Stuart Davies on the panel.

Opinion seems to be it all stems from the WRU, Jonathan Davies said Neil Jenkins is having to coach players on how to kick when they come in to the squad. Surely that's the regions fault and it showed on Saturday

See Martyn Williams has decided to retire today

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...sh/7021519.stm

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK

Not much of a suprise, Argentina are ranked 4th in the world which is two places above Ireland.

Maybe Scotland qualifying instead of the Italians was a bit of a suprise.

Disagree, there's a massive difference between world ranking and actual performance in a tournament. You only have to look at NZ's record to see that.

---------- Post added at 12:57 ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 ----------

I've never liked the deal done to split the World Cup games with venues in Scotland and Wales and I'm sure there are a great many Frenchmen who are wishing they were playing NZ in Paris as opposed to Cardiff.

[Osem]

So it's Farrell to start against Australia then Does Brian Ashton have Antipodean ancestry I wonder? Despite what Ashton says about Farrell being worth his place, I really can't see how his form to date justifies a place on the bench let alone a start in a World Cup quarter final. I think the Aussies are going to have him for breakfast.

[Shadow Demon UK]

Originally Posted by Osem

So it's Farrell to start against Australia then Does Brian Ashton have Antipodean ancestry I wonder? Despite what Ashton says about Farrell being worth his place, I really can't see how his form to date justifies a place on the bench let alone a start in a World Cup quarter final. I think the Aussies are going to have him for breakfast.

Not any more it's not http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7027824.stm
Which is a shame imo.