RWC 2023

[Worthy4England]

Good show in the first 40 by Portugal. Still expect Fiji to be too strong over 80, but they're not playing great...Few Aussies might have one eye on it...

Argentina v Japan was a decent watch, too.

[Worthy4England]

Great game and a grand win for Portugal. England should be made to watch their attacking intent, all week.

[TANGODANCER]

Should expect a real scrap; bit surprised at the team as wing speed we need. For me we rely a bit much on the bully beef down the middle stuff, and Figi are no powder puffs at brawling. Get in the sweet chariot boys....

[Worthy4England]

Great game. Hope the England lads were watching, because if they show similar tomorrow, they'll be sharing the plane...

[Worthy4England]

Great game so far Ireland/ABs....17-18 45 gone.

[Worthy4England]

Great game by the ABs - and Ireland, 17 unbeaten including 2 ABs scalps - ABs slightly better on the day.

Won it playing with 14 men for 20 mins in a game where people could hardly move with 5 mins left. Barrett gets his body under the ball for a held up, over the try line, in probably the best defensive tackle I've seen in ages, and the All Black's hold out despite a 30+ phase play extending past the 80. Wonderful game. Travesty that it happened in the quarters. I wonder a better opportunity for the wolrd ranked #1 team, Ireland, will present itself next time - feels like another WC miss in the quarter's for the 8th? time...

I trust everyone will now get behind the last remaining team from the British Isles, tomorrow.

[TANGODANCER]

Still reeling after two great games. As you say, only England left of the sceptered Isle army. Superb games and so close for the Irish lads, but they should be proud as the All Blacks are a real machine. COME ON YOU RED ROSERS..

[Harry Genshaw]

Bloody hell

I thought the England game was good but that France South Africa match was insane. Even to a RU numpty like me, you could tell that was as good as it gets. A brilliant spectacle

[Worthy4England]

Bloody hell

I thought the England game was good but that France South Africa match was insane. Even to a RU numpty like me, you could tell that was as good as it gets. A brilliant spectacle

All 4 QFs have been pretty decent TBF. In fairness, because of the cocked up draw, we've actually seen on seeding and world rankings two semi-finals in Ireland v NZ and France v Saffers.

Delighted England got through, but I'm dreading the gap between us and SA. I'd be pretty stunned if it wan't a NZ/SA final...

[TANGODANCER]

Delighted England got through, but I'm dreading the gap between us and SA. I'd be pretty stunned if it wan't a NZ/SA final...

Confessions of a Rose-tinter:

Unwillingly I have to share that fear. I watched both games (and also felt sorry for Ireland who has a tough task and gave it everything) . The All- Blacks and the Saffers are at peak performance at just the right (wrong) time. There was so little in N.Z that their beating France coluld have gone either way right till the death.England were great against a fighting Fiji and I'd give anything to be wrong, but unless our defence play out of their skins we might not have quite enough. Giving penalties away has cost us times more than a few, and the oppositions know it.

All said we ( England) played really well, a great team performance, and Itoji and Courtney Lawes were immense. I doubt we'll get another World Cup chance with this squad as some of the older end might call it a day soon . Funnily enough I think we might have a slightly better chance against the Springboks than against flying winger France, but it's all very que-sera. Like I said, I'd so love to be very wrong and see the Red Rose chariot swinging low, but only time will tell. Mouth's a bit dry already....

[Worthy4England]

On our day, TD, you never know, but Bokke don't have many off days at RWCs...there a reason they've won it 3 times...

[Hoboh]

I'd be surprised if we won to be fair, a little too slack defensively in my opinion.

[TANGODANCER]

I think I'd rather be seen as the underdogs on Saturday. Most of the pundits have us there anyway, and now David Campese (oh yes, we remember him all right) is beating the Saffers drum good and loud. We might not win, but "no se", and it would be so sweet if we do. Marcus Smith loses out to Steward for us and I reckon the Saffers will bring tricky Dicky (also known as Faf de Klerk) back to start. Good of him to stick with peroxide blond as it makes him easy to spot. There's much talk of a beef -battle, but I reckon it's speed in attack we have to watch for. The rest is very que sera.

[Worthy4England]

Don't think there's any doubt we're underdogs TD. Faf is on the bench for them. Steward bought in for us to help against the bomb squad. Not expecting anything, but never say never...

[Worthy4England]

Good news TD, we have our strategy nailed!

FB_IMG_1697736244195.jpg (62.23 KiB) Viewed 2943 times

[Worthy4England]

Clinical ABs in first half, three 22 visits, three tries. Argies have actually played pretty well and probably spent more time in ABs half...Fear for the Argies second half...

[Worthy4England]

And so it came to pass.


I just hope we give a decent account of ourselves tomorrow...

[TANGODANCER]

And so it came to pass.


I just hope we give a decent account of ourselves tomorrow...

Pretty depressing really. The Kiwis look impregnable...

[Worthy4England]

I doubt the chaps will be worrying too much about NZ, mate. We could be sick of the words South and Africa by midnight, we play them in the cricket World Cup too, today...

And in between, the Mighty Whites could use a win.

I'd swap a loss in the cricket for a win in the rugby, right now....

[Worthy4England]

Saffers 2/9 outright. England 11/2....

Bring me my bow...

COYWM