RWC 07 Build up starts here....

[disco]

yes , i know that fella, but i still think its gonna happen. your team had been together for years and all at pret ty much peak ages

Course you ****ing did

[FatTony]

I've got no problems with the other parts of your post Tony, but I feel I must respond to the above. Firstly, I did not think that Shane Williams' dive for that fantastic try was out of 'disrespect and arrogance' at all - I thought it was simply to celebrate what he rightly thought was a superb and, at the time, a very important try for Wales. Shane has used such a dive on numerous occasions over the years, and I thought that the run he made for the try was out of this world and one of the very best individual efforts of the WC! Anyway, moving on.

I also expect England to be out next week as I firmly believe that they have struggled so far, whilst their opponents are looking better and better as the competition progresses. Yes, they've played some squad players in recent games but I can assure you that their first team will be a formidable outfit next weekend and will look to make amends to their defeat last time around.

I actually think that the Aussies can beat the All Blacks in the semi if both progress as is expected, and have backed my thoughts financially too.

I say good luck to both England and Scotland is their respected QFs, although I believe both will lose as I think they'll come up against better opposition who are in much better form - but I also must honestly say that I will be rooting for the Aussies at the weekend as that's in my nature as a Welshman when games involving England are concerned.

Taffy, good post, thank you for you honesty. You will be laughing into you'r beer next week, no doubt! I'm sure you'll understand what I've had an issue with in other posts.

I do not expect a Welshman to support England, not now, not ever. I moved to Wales when I was 13, and worked in bars from the age of 18. In England, in the Forest of Dean, rugby was not a huge deal. Plenty of people played the game, but the home nations never drew a big pub crowd. There was support for England obviously, but there wasn't an anti welsh support to any extent. I moved to Wales and started working in bars at 18 until I was 21, and I've obviously drunk in my fair few Welsh bars. At first the Welsh/English thing did my head in, I'd never experienced it before, and I could not understand why whole pubs were cheering on the likes of France against England. Now I've accepted, its LFC v Manutd.

Taffy, you will be a happy f*cker next Saturday...

[Red Chilli]

Taffy, you will be a happy f*cker next Saturday...

Not necessarily, I think the Aussies and NZ have peaked too early and are in danger of being complacent.
I genuinely think France will win and i think England might have a chance if they catch the aussies on an off day.

Who knows

[disco]

It will have to be a very off day for the Aussies

[Kilteragh]

Not necessarily, I think the Aussies and NZ have peaked too early and are in danger of being complacent.
I genuinely think France will win and i think England might have a chance if they catch the aussies on an off day.

Who knows

You're forgetting South Africa who I had discounted before the tournament but are looking like they could do some damage.

Looking forward to a New Zealand v Argentina semi-final (don't think France are good enough) but surely the Kiwis can't leave it behind again!

[FatTony]

NAME ****ING DROPPER

He still looked ****ing stupid in the middle of a tight game, trying to look ****ing clever Joke's on him.

I have to ad that Henson is not that nice a chap. He and his fellow welsh team mates were in Cardiff club a couple of years ago and P*ssed in a bottle of champagne which they handed around to the Welsh fans. Nice.

[disco]

He's a Welsh chav who got lucky.

If by lucky I mean '****ed Charlotte Church'.

She can have her.

[FatTony]

Not necessarily, I think the Aussies and NZ have peaked too early and are in danger of being complacent.
I genuinely think France will win and i think England might have a chance if they catch the aussies on an off day.

Who knows

If Wilko kicks well and we keep it with the forwards we may have a chance, but the Aussie defence is too strong and their backs are better.

England have mediocre backs and forwards, its no contest. Wales would have a better chance against the Aussies than English will.

[Red Chilli]

You're forgetting South Africa who I had discounted before the tournament but are looking like they could do some damage.

Looking forward to a New Zealand v Argentina semi-final (don't think France are good enough) but surely the Kiwis can't leave it behind again!

I'm not forgetting SA, I was talking about the up coming quarters.

Scotland v Argentina
England v Australia
New Zealand v France
South Africa v Fiji

Really all of those matches could go either way IMO

[Rocket]

Welsh program on tv last night, Scrum V summed up British sports.

we are unable to build on success.

England Ashes tour - win , but then become usual English cricket team
Wales - Grand slam rugby to Spoon
english rugby team - Rugby world cup to average team

[El Diego]

I think that Scotland have the best draw out of the second placed teams to go through. I am expecting to get knocked out, I don't know what happened to Ireland in the world cup everyone thought they would probably get to the semis

[Rocket]

Argentina have started showing that with the world class pack they already had, they've also got a few world class backs to add to that.

Argentina's potential route to the final is Scotland followed by South Africa. anything can happen there.

[disco]

Possibly in hindsight, I'm surprised people thought Ireland would qualify ahead of the Argies - they're ranked 4th in the world, above France and Ireland!

I never realised they were supposed to be that good

[Rocket]

Possibly in hindsight, I'm surprised people thought Ireland would qualify ahead of the Argies - they're ranked 4th in the world, above France and Ireland!

I never realised they were supposed to be that good

just think about it dazza, england won the world cup with a brilliant pack, ok backs and a world class fly half.

Argentina have got all of that.

[disco]

Fair point. What did you think to ODs moan that only one team was playing attacking rugby etc.?