The Rugby Thread

[darlowolf64]

Brave effort by Wales

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

One bit of magic won it. Tremendous little pass popped off to Du Preez.

 

[arklowolf]

Early penalties cost the Welsh in the end.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

Unlucky Wales. They just ran out of steam and the Boks experience shone through.

There was a huge dinner for the SA team last night, featuring the squad from the 95 win. They were in the stands cheering on the Boks and you could tell the Boks really wanted to do it for them. It was a piece of brilliance that was the difference in the end, the pass from behind to set up the try was exquisite.

 

[leedswolf]

<smirk>

 

[jd1981]

Wales played well but were just worn down by SA in the end, I think on the balance of play just about the fair result. SA dominated the second half with possession and most of the second half was played in the Wales half. Silly errors cost Wales in the end and giving away penalties in costly areas.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Smirk all you like. I will enjoy the fact I watched a fine game of rugby and that Wales and South Africa have both set the bar high for the rest of the quarter finals. Congratulations to the Boks for digging incredibly deep to find the one moment to take the game. It was a superb offload in the tackle, and one tiny error by Cuthbert to go in and help with the tackle rather than holding position. Fine, fine margins.

 

[leedswolf]

I will smirk and revel at the pay back for the triumphant shite given out by the Welsh when they beat England.

 

[Bit on the shaggies]

Well I'm glad that's over. Tense stuff and a bit thrilling at the end, but the Bokk's 'attack' looked as dull and as well thought out as England's did. They are a horrible advert for rugby on the whole.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Anyway, the tournament continues. I think New Zealand are going to go postal on the French tonight. They feel there are still scores to settle and I expect them to smash it. They will also beat the Boks in the semi (as they would have Wales too I guess). Down to Ireland to avoid a NZ v Australia final for me.

 

[jd1981]

Well I'm glad that's over. Tense stuff and a bit thrilling at the end, but the Bokk's 'attack' looked as dull and as well thought out as England's did. They are a horrible advert for rugby on the whole.

The invention for the try was top draw, i think you need to give the Wales defence a lot of credit in this situation, the second half was mostly camped in the Wales half but they withstood until the last five minutes.

 

[Tredman]

Wales were more than good enough Tredman. That is nonsensical. South Africa were going out and found ONE move finally.

They were not, they offer very little creativity going forward. The games are tense and interesting because they defend well. They are not good games to watch.

Wales beat England so it's a successful World Cup for them.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

The Irish coverage has a woman on the pundits panel, first time I've ever seen that and very refreshing tbh, as she's not talking any rubbish and seems to know the finer details about both teams, not sure who she is but fair play to TV3 for breaking the mould.

That was a good quarter final, sets the bar for tomorrow. I think Ireland will win but it may not be pretty. Sexton is out and we have a lot of replacements coming in. Argentina are a bit of a bogey team for us in the RWC. They dicked us in 1999 and 2007. I'd say it will probably be like the Italy game, a narrow win for us but sloppy performance.

 

[jd1981]

They were not, they offer very little creativity going forward. The games are tense and interesting because they defend well. They are not good games to watch.

Wales beat England so it's a successful World Cup for them.

I think it was the right result in the end just, if Wales had gone out and played free flowing rugby they would have been destroyed.

 

[leedswolf]

The invention for the try was top draw, i think you need to give the Wales defence a lot of credit in this situation

That's what you get with RL defending. Credit to Shaun Edwards there. Wales gain and England's massive loss.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The Irish coverage has a woman on the pundits panel, first time I've ever seen that and very refreshing tbh, as she's not talking any rubbish and seems to know the finer details about both teams, not sure who she is but fair play to TV3 for breaking the mould.

Maggie Alphonsi has been on our coverage, she's very good.

 

[Jabbawolf]

The Irish coverage has a woman on the pundits panel, first time I've ever seen that and very refreshing tbh, as she's not talking any rubbish and seems to know the finer details about both teams, not sure who she is but fair play to TV3 for breaking the mould.

That was a good quarter final, sets the bar for tomorrow. I think Ireland will win but it may not be pretty. Sexton is out and we have a lot of replacements coming in. Argentina are a bit of a bogey team for us in the RWC. They dicked us in 1999 and 2007. I'd say it will probably be like the Italy game, a narrow win for us but sloppy performance.

Thought Sexton was fit.

Great effort from Wales - in the second half, just looked like a matter of time before the Boks sneaked ahead - can't see them living with Australia or NZ though.

 

[Tredman]

I think it was the right result in the end just, if Wales had gone out and played free flowing rugby they would have been destroyed.

Yep, I'm not knocking it, but I just don't think they will win tournaments playing that way, nor does it make for games I particularly enjoy watching.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

Thought Sexton was fit.
.

He was but he pulled something in training on Thursday, an adductor strain or something. They don't wanna risk him exacerbating it especially as we could be in the semis and would really need him for that.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

Maggie Alphonsi has been on our coverage, she's very good.

Don't know who that is, but I think it's a good thing.

Tbh, the likes of Eamon Dunphy, George Hook, Lawrenson etc really annoy me these days. Their punditry is crap. It's just bitter opinions, badly researched and often they spend their time arguing instead of analysing the game. Too often we see Dunphy write off a team at HT, only to be proved wrong and then it's just him being a twat, refusing to admit he was wrong afterwards, engaging in point scoring with the other pundits and just spouting rubbish.

The lady analysing the rugby seems pleasant, she's not speaking over the other guys, her opinions are well researched and thought out and she's much better on the eye than George Hook.