Rugby World Cup 2011

Off Topic
101

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
I know dick-all about Rugby, but how is Canada’s team?

An Aussie friend of mine had the following to say about Team Canada: “You beat guys way better than you, and lose to guys way worse than you”[/quote]

Errm, im no expert on canada rugby, but from what ive seen of them, thats a bit of a lie. They are a good mid level team. They dont beat teams that are better than them eg england, ireland… but they dont lose to teams that are worse either.

That was a shit answer to a weird question lol.

102

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:

[quote]Jereth127 wrote:

On a lighter note…[/quote]

That just made my day! On a serious note NZ are definate favourites but could easily slip up under extreme pressure. They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

Australia are definitely the most exciting and dynamic team in the tournament. Their back line picks it self. Genia and Cooper are genius’s when given clean ball. It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.

Out of the home nations England will get the farthest even with the most boring centre partnership of any competing team. It would have been good to see how Andrew Allen and Tuilagi faired together in an England shirt. Can only be an advantage to have a half back and 3 quarter partership who play together week in week out. Flood and Youngs will have to do something special to make up for the lack of imagination in midfield. I played school rugby against Ben Youngs and even then you knew he was going to be something special (he was playing 10 rather than 9 at the time).
[/quote]

I agree with trying new players out, but dont you agree that some players will never ever play consistently for england because they just dont ‘look’ the part?

Andy goode for example. great player, but never seemed like playing for them. Allen will be another. Simpson daniel… there a few, i just cant think of them atm. Second row for gloucester, something brown?

EDIT: it is nick kennedy lol

103

thats the first time ive ever heard anyone describe andy foode as a great player!!i lived in england for 5 years and all the english lads i knew said he was shite…are u a worcester fan?

104

you’re having a laugh aren’t you? Andy Goode a great player? lol

he kicked a bucket load of points for the most dominat team that decade…he’s done nothing since.

105

[quote]rugggby wrote:

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:

[quote]Jereth127 wrote:

On a lighter note…[/quote]

That just made my day! On a serious note NZ are definate favourites but could easily slip up under extreme pressure. They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

Australia are definitely the most exciting and dynamic team in the tournament. Their back line picks it self. Genia and Cooper are genius’s when given clean ball. It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.

Out of the home nations England will get the farthest even with the most boring centre partnership of any competing team. It would have been good to see how Andrew Allen and Tuilagi faired together in an England shirt. Can only be an advantage to have a half back and 3 quarter partership who play together week in week out. Flood and Youngs will have to do something special to make up for the lack of imagination in midfield. I played school rugby against Ben Youngs and even then you knew he was going to be something special (he was playing 10 rather than 9 at the time).
[/quote]

I agree with trying new players out, but dont you agree that some players will never ever play consistently for england because they just dont ‘look’ the part?

Andy goode for example. great player, but never seemed like playing for them. Allen will be another. Simpson daniel… there a few, i just cant think of them atm. Second row for gloucester, something brown?

EDIT: it is nick kennedy lol[/quote]

I completely agree (apart from the Andy Goode comment!). I’ve found that in rugby there will always be certain clique’s, particularly at international level. Like you said, some faces just do not fit. I think Matthew Tait is a prime example of this. Has always played well at club level and taken his chances with England when he’s been given them. Must be so frustrating to see a donkey like Banahan being played ahead of him. It always surprises me that Johnson never wants to play the traditional big man at 12 with a slightly smaller and quicker 13 to run off him. Has worked wonders for all the other great centre partnerships over the years.

106

Haha he was a great player!!!

His positional play was second to none! I dont support leicester or worcester, im a wasps fan.
Yeah his tackling wasnt great, but i have always put him 2nd best, behind jonny. Yeah he played for a dominant team, but he steered the team as well. He was one of the main reasons they were dominant. If you gave away a penalty anywhere in your half, more often than not, youre looking at 3 points!

107

[quote]Adam-F wrote:
you’re having a laugh aren’t you? Andy Goode a great player? lol

he kicked a bucket load of points for the most dominat team that decade…he’s done nothing since. [/quote]

He’s brought worcester back into the premiership… hes very old for a rugby player now remember.

108

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:

[quote]rugggby wrote:

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:

[quote]Jereth127 wrote:

On a lighter note…[/quote]

That just made my day! On a serious note NZ are definate favourites but could easily slip up under extreme pressure. They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

Australia are definitely the most exciting and dynamic team in the tournament. Their back line picks it self. Genia and Cooper are genius’s when given clean ball. It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.

Out of the home nations England will get the farthest even with the most boring centre partnership of any competing team. It would have been good to see how Andrew Allen and Tuilagi faired together in an England shirt. Can only be an advantage to have a half back and 3 quarter partership who play together week in week out. Flood and Youngs will have to do something special to make up for the lack of imagination in midfield. I played school rugby against Ben Youngs and even then you knew he was going to be something special (he was playing 10 rather than 9 at the time).
[/quote]

I agree with trying new players out, but dont you agree that some players will never ever play consistently for england because they just dont ‘look’ the part?

Andy goode for example. great player, but never seemed like playing for them. Allen will be another. Simpson daniel… there a few, i just cant think of them atm. Second row for gloucester, something brown?

EDIT: it is nick kennedy lol[/quote]

I completely agree (apart from the Andy Goode comment!). I’ve found that in rugby there will always be certain clique’s, particularly at international level. Like you said, some faces just do not fit. I think Matthew Tait is a prime example of this. Has always played well at club level and taken his chances with England when he’s been given them. Must be so frustrating to see a donkey like Banahan being played ahead of him. It always surprises me that Johnson never wants to play the traditional big man at 12 with a slightly smaller and quicker 13 to run off him. Has worked wonders for all the other great centre partnerships over the years.[/quote]

If youre big, you are always gonna have an advantage over someone smaller. At school boy, county and premiership academy levels. I think it is SLOWLY moving away from that and skill is coming into it a lot more.

mehhh, i just really dont rate tait. Id rather have banahan on than him, but at wing. And i think the back 3 is pretty much nailed down… except cueto fingers crossed. Id like to see sharples make the team, man has unbelievable gas and tackling tekkers.

109

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:
They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.
[/quote]

Stephen Donald is NOT second choice 10 mate, Aaron Cruden and Colin Slade are gearing up for that.

I think he is coming to play in your neck of the woods…I think it is Bath that has put in a bid for him?

I agree on Aussies tight five as they can be quite suspect. Our tight five need to make sure the Aussie tight 5 is going backwards all night which will mean Genia is too busy there to be able to break away. Minimise deep kicks to Cooper as well on defence then run Nonu then SBW at him all night. Cooper reminds me of Carlos Spencer – flashy, lots of skill, but a defensive liability and easily rattled and put off his game.

110

micks will be lucky to make it out of their group… england will over achieve, as always… new zealand will bottle it, as always… france will make it to the semi’s… australia will win it… wales have a chance of getting semi’s if they pick a certain gavin lloyd henson at inside centre…

111

[quote]Cheeky_Kea wrote:

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:
They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.
[/quote]

Stephen Donald is NOT second choice 10 mate, Aaron Cruden and Colin Slade are gearing up for that.

I think he is coming to play in your neck of the woods…I think it is Bath that has put in a bid for him?

I agree on Aussies tight five as they can be quite suspect. Our tight five need to make sure the Aussie tight 5 is going backwards all night which will mean Genia is too busy there to be able to break away. Minimise deep kicks to Cooper as well on defence then run Nonu then SBW at him all night. Cooper reminds me of Carlos Spencer – flashy, lots of skill, but a defensive liability and easily rattled and put off his game.

[/quote]

spot on about cooper

112

[quote]gavinhenson wrote:
micks will be lucky to make it out of their group… england will over achieve, as always… new zealand will bottle it, as always… france will make it to the semi’s… australia will win it… wales have a chance of getting semi’s if they pick a certain gavin lloyd henson at inside centre…[/quote]

lets all agree to ignore this dickhead for the greater good of the thread guys??

113

[quote]Cheeky_Kea wrote:

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:
They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.
[/quote]

Cooper reminds me of Carlos Spencer – flashy, lots of skill, but a defensive liability and easily rattled and put off his game.

[/quote]

I agree.

114

Oh God please don’t mention Gavin Henson on a rugby thread! The guy has done more damage to rugby’s reputation than all the eye gouging and “blood” incidents (Harlequins) put together.

I hate the fact that when the general public think of a rugby player nowadays, they probably think of him. There’s nothing “rugby” about him. He’s just a football player who’s lost his way. I remember when he first came on the scene and said how he gelled his hair and shaved his legs before matches, WTF?. He’s clearly not a team player and has no love for the game (just what it can get him). And his lack of effort?, just watch him in defence during a game if there’s a line break, he dawdles back as slowly as he possibly can and waits for someone else to make the tackle.

He was never that good a player anyway and if it weren’t for his looks, his continual desire to be in the spotlight and the fact that he was banging Charlotte Church, we wouldn’t even remember who he was. (I’m confused by my feelings about her btw, she’s rough as fuck, but I probably would!).

And he’s part of the reason that the Wales set up is seen as such a joke. They used him to model the team kit when he wasn’t even a Wales player! and he gets back into the national side despite having not played a game in 2 years (played shite against the Barbarians too) and was then given the luxury of finding form and fitness during game time! Who else would be given this chance?. Shows how desperate Wales are right now.

I really hate the guy. Let “reality TV” keep him.

BTW, the epitome of a rugby player to me is Sergio Parisse.

115

[quote]krebcycle wrote:

[quote]gavinhenson wrote:
micks will be lucky to make it out of their group… england will over achieve, as always… new zealand will bottle it, as always… france will make it to the semi’s… australia will win it… wales have a chance of getting semi’s if they pick a certain gavin lloyd henson at inside centre…[/quote]

lets all agree to ignore this dickhead for the greater good of the thread guys??[/quote]

LOL at wales and semi finals. Il put it out there that wales will not even make it out of the group.

116

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
BTW, the epitome of a rugby player to me is Sergio Parisse.

[/quote]

My friend, the epitome of rugby and all that is good, is the legend that is Jonny Wilkinson…

117

[quote]Cheeky_Kea wrote:

[quote]Austinsprodigy wrote:
They are also a completely different team without Dan Carter so I’m sure he’ll be wrapped in cotton wool for the remainder of the tri nations games. Still do not know how Stephen Donald is second choice 10. He has been consistently crap when ever he’s been given a chance.

It all depends on their tight five and whether they turn up or not.
[/quote]

Stephen Donald is NOT second choice 10 mate, Aaron Cruden and Colin Slade are gearing up for that.

I think he is coming to play in your neck of the woods…I think it is Bath that has put in a bid for him?

I agree on Aussies tight five as they can be quite suspect. Our tight five need to make sure the Aussie tight 5 is going backwards all night which will mean Genia is too busy there to be able to break away. Minimise deep kicks to Cooper as well on defence then run Nonu then SBW at him all night. Cooper reminds me of Carlos Spencer – flashy, lots of skill, but a defensive liability and easily rattled and put off his game.

[/quote]

Well said. But I think hes much more talented than Spencer. Spencer belonged in a circus, and had no speed to back up his eye for a gap.

I think the aussie 5 will turn up and front up against anyone in their way. I have no idea why im backing the aussies so much, so strange…

118

[quote]rugggby wrote:

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
BTW, the epitome of a rugby player to me is Sergio Parisse.

[/quote]

My friend, the epitome of rugby and all that is good, is the legend that is Jonny Wilkinson…[/quote]

Poor fragile little Jonny…

119

[quote]Cheeky_Kea wrote:

[quote]rugggby wrote:

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
BTW, the epitome of a rugby player to me is Sergio Parisse.

[/quote]

My friend, the epitome of rugby and all that is good, is the legend that is Jonny Wilkinson…[/quote]

Poor fragile little Jonny…
[/quote]

OOOOH! dont even go there! Man is a rugby legend, not just an english legend and you know it my kiwi friend!

120

[quote]rugggby wrote:
Well said. But I think hes much more talented than Spencer. Spencer belonged in a circus, and had no speed to back up his eye for a gap.
[/quote]

No speed? WTF?

Maybe you should take a little look at this