RWC 07 Build up starts here....

[Kaip]

England to win

[thesilverfoxlfc]

England to win

I dont want a 3rd weekend in a row been depressed after sports results

[disco]

I dont want a 3rd weekend in a row been depressed after sports results

You seriously want the frogs to win?

Fredo and co?

[ARIMAN]

interesting they've gone for the kicking game again, Traille playing full back.

feck i'm desperate for France to win

But unlike the AB, they`ll put the ball in the air, so snow comes down with it on Traile, and hit him with Moody and co. Dont imagine he`ll survive it that well.
When Chabal comes on, England can attack the scrum, but I imagine France major tactics will be to disjoint the scrum and hence the attacking capability of the front five

This game is going to be one by the kickers. Pretty close to call

SA should excute the Argies and as they have both types of game plan

[Taffy]

I fear another 'spoiling' game by the English - that is what they're good at and it has been proved very effective by them in the last two WCs.

It will be a very close call and I just hope the French flair pulls through eventually (being Welsh).

I just couldn't cope with them lot for yet another weekend, and especially not another final.

C'MON FRANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Red Chilli]

England to win

[Snigger]

Everyone talks of French flair but it has not existed since Laporte took over. Modern rugby is won and lost in the forwards these days, possesion is key and without no matter how good your backs are you stand a good chance of losing, last weekends England vs Australia was proof of that.

England do have the back, they just don't use them enough and when they do they are too static and play too safe. Anyone who says a back line of Gomersall, Catt, Tait, Sakey, Lewsey and Robinson is boring is clearly just jumping on a media bandwagon - what England need to do is let them cut loose more - having said that, it's a world cup and it's all about winning so you play to your strengths, something the Welsh don't have in either department.

[SouthAfricaRed]

I expect a SA vs England Final anf the result wont be 36-0 this time

[Snigger]

As a rugby fan and an Englishmen it would be nice to retain the WC even though it would not be deserved, but my world cup has already been made - I haven't stopped smiling since we sent those whingeing Aussies packing yet again in the one competition that really counts - the Kiwis being sent home is a bonus.

Schedule:

France meet England at Stade de France 8pm 13th Oct 07

SA meet Argentina at Stade de France 8pm 14th Oct 07

Aus meet NZ at Charles De Gaulle airport at 1pm 8th Oct 07

[Taffy]

Everyone talks of French flair but it has not existed since Laporte took over. Modern rugby is won and lost in the forwards these days, possesion is key and without no matter how good your backs are you stand a good chance of losing, last weekends England vs Australia was proof of that.

England do have the back, they just don't use them enough and when they do they are too static and play too safe. Anyone who says a back line of Gomersall, Catt, Tait, Sakey, Lewsey and Robinson is boring is clearly just jumping on a media bandwagon - what England need to do is let them cut loose more - having said that, it's a world cup and it's all about winning so you play to your strengths, something the Welsh don't have in either department.

I won't agree with you about the lack of French flair under Laporte as I feel they have showed quite a bit of it in the past year. The problem is that today's game is a lot more forwards orientated (as England like to play), but some teams use the forwards as a platform for the backs to do their bit. England have used their 'boring' forwards game to their advantage once again this WC and that is what works for them - they nulified (SP?) the Aussies by crushing their forwards thus stopping their backs from having the ball early and in space. They'll try to do the same again against the French at the weekend, then get Johnny to take the points as soon as they get close to the 20 metre line.

Your back three and possibly Tait have the ability but the tactics used doesn't give them the real opportunity or space to play, unless it's when the opposition make errors and gives them the room to do their bit. The forwards dictate how the English team plays and it's all based around keep ball and destruction of the opposition, and it's proved very successful when it counts most these past four years or so - even if it isn't like how I'd like to see the game played.

You go on about the Welsh lacking the strength. We do lack the strength and the winning mentality, especially amongst our forwards, which has cost us in this year's tournament, but we probably have the most exciting back line in world rugby at present. Our problem is that we don't know when to use it and when not to, and it's cost us. Our game management is hopeless, and we simply haven't the mentality to know when to do the right moves, and when not to, during a game. This cost us our tournament against Fiji, and showed up big time by going behind early against Canada, the Aussies and Fiji. It clicked into place in the Grand Slam year but has been lost dramatically since. England have this in abundance and play the strict, tactical game well and when it counts most, unfortunately (being Welsh).

[ARIMAN]

Am too gutted that the Welsh didnt show their full potential - but I guess neither did the AB,Aussies, Irish or Us.

However I hope this brings changes to the WRU not just the coach/players

England being underdogs - plays into their hands - and puts pressure on France to run the game (something they are not great at)

England just need to kick themselves 6 to 9 points ahead, and as you said play the spoiling game and put pressure on 9 and 10

I would really like to see an open game, but at SF stage its bound to be tight and tense

[Rocket]

would be very shocked if it was very open.

and realistically, in the exact same way as the Q/F, England will only win if its a close/tight game.

if it starts getting open and high scoring, France will have too much attacking ability for England.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

You seriously want the frogs to win?

Fredo and co?

Yes I would like France to win and ill tell you why. England rugby team have been woeful the past 4 years and even in this tourney they have been crap and they will be the first to admit it. England did a fine job on the Aussies there is no doubt and they way they did it was by limiting the Aussies and killing them in the forwards while Jonny popped them over from anywhere. The back might as well been in the stands. No imagination no flair and quick frankly boring rugby to the spectators but of course to the Rugby eye a fine piece of tactics they know there weren’t a better team then the Aussies so they just play a one dimensional game.

If England were to win it would be a sad thing for rugby in general a team that just has one thing going for them....a strong street wise forward back and a good kicker after number 10 the rest are just spectators like the fans watching. For rugby to grow and make a bigger impression on the world stage it has to have a team that can do it all have flair have a great pack and mix and match their game when needs be and not like England who have had one game and one game only for the last 4 years and even before that, its a forward game's highly efficient at times but bloody terrible to watch and a much better team on their day will come out of the game against England with a win cause they can adapt to the conditions which England play.

For me the other 3 teams left have both. Exciting backs and a forward game to match. Now im not anti- England in rugby cause I think the rugby crowds are different then the football I would cry if England ever won a major tourney but in Rugby I don’t mind they deserved to win it in 2003. There is great banter and uniqueness about Rugby fans that I love you can have the banter and take the piss and it’s not taken serious unlike the football when it can get nasty.

So for the sake of Rugby I hope a team that hasn’t improved or developed in 4 years gets knocked out and the other teams that have exciting thrilling and great for rugby in this World Cup win's

[disco]

Bollocks.

If anything Argentina are even more defensive than us

[Shaggy]

Well I ****ing hate rugby but now I really hope England win if only to devastate the Welsh, Scots and Irish BITTERS!!