The Quater Finals Thread

subfreq

Thought It a good idea to start up a thread to cover the QF's.

Two things stick out as interesting straight away.

Laporte selecting Damien Traille at full back. Is he suicidal? Obviously doesn't want to win the game or do Damien any favors giving him his first cap at Full Back against the AB's.

for the record I think that NZ are going to destroy the French this weekend.

The only real game will be Aus v GB. I think the Aussies will nudge it but it will be a lot closer than a lot of people think.

England are rumoured to be about to announce Farrell as a center for the game against the Aussies. Again what a crazy decision. I am happy being an Aussie but they will get ripped apart with a center pairing of Farrel and Tait.

MrJoeSoap

subfreq wrote:

Aus v GB

Who???

Marshy

Australia are good value at -11 I think. I'll be surprised if they don't win by about 15-20.

I hope France give NZ a game but Traille at 15 is another one of Laporte's very strange ones. Heymans backfired miserably but it seems he hasn't learnt anything.

The other 2 games should be comfortable enough. Although Scotland won't give much away. Their side isn't a semis-standard though by any means.

Whats the French and All Black teams?? Im in work now andhave restricted access....also wat times kick off?!

MrJoeSoap

France team:

1 Olivier Milloud
2 Raphaël Ibanez (c)
3 Pieter de Villiers
4 Fabien Pelous
5 Jérôme Thion
6 Serge Betsen
7 Thierry Dusautoir
8 Julien Bonnaire
9 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde
10 Lionel Beauxis
11 Cédric Heymans
12 Yannick Jauzion
13 David Marty
14 Vincent Clerc
15 Damien Traille

Replacements:

16 Dimitri Szarzewski
17 Jean-Baptiste Poux
18 Sébastien Chabal
19 Imanol Harinordoquy
20 Frédéric Michalak
21 Christophe Dominici
22 Clément Poitrenaud

New Zealand:

1 Tony Woodcock
2 Anton Oliver
3 Carl Hayman
4 Keith Robinson
5 Ali Williams
6 Jerry Collins
7 Richie McCaw (c)
8 Rodney So'oialo
9 Byron Kelleher
10 Dan Carter
11 Sitiveni Sivivatu
12 Luke McAlister
13 Mils Muliaina
14 Joe Rokocoko
15 Leon MacDonald

Replacements:

16 Keven Mealamu
17 Neemia Tialata
18 Chris Jack
19 Chris Masoe
20 Brendon Leonard
21 Nick Evans
22 Isaia Toeava

Kick-off is 8pm I think.

Marshy

Actually come to think of it, Pelous is another odd selection. I think he's long over the hill at this stage. Very surprised Chabal isn't starting.

It seems to be a safe, defensively orientated team. Choosing Beauxis over Michalak only highlights that all the more.

Thank you MrJoeSoap


Astonighing selection having Traille at 15. He's a great player but has he even played there for Biarritz??

shrapnel222

yup, another mind boggler by laporte , but at least he's got poitrenaud on the bench should this seriously backfire. apart from that, doesn't look too bad. france by 7

jayteecork

why is Traille at Fullback such a bad decision?
Clément Poitrenaud is not a big game player - he's fluffed it time and time again. Bit like O'Gara.
Traille has been France's best player so far, he's as solid as a rock and has a lethal left boot. Michalak is on the bench where he belongs. He's awful, and the All Blacks would have targeted his shocking defensive frailities.
I personally think this is gonna be a hell of a game, wasn't it in Cardiff also that the epic semi-final match in 99 took place?

shrapnel222

i don't think it's a bad decision and with his boot will kick the all blacks back in their half, but it's still a gamble, and only time will tell if it was a good one. hopefully it will be

subfreq

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Who???

He He. Well spotted must have been a freudian slip as I was typing about Farrell and his league background must have confused me.

I feel for Traille, he's been playing well but is going to get bombarded by one of the best kickers in World Rugby. He is going to be under immense pressure so fair play to him if he pulls it off.

And.. What the hell is Laporte doing saying publicly, "They are not the All Blacks they are just New Zealand." He's handed them all the mental prep they need? I know that Australia only call them New Zealand as part of their mental prep so as not to by into the legend of the All Blacks which is all well and good but you don't come out and lay it down as a challenge!

I think England have dropped a bollock. Farrell hasn't shown anything and against one of the best center pairings in World Rugby I would seriously expect him to be found out.

jayteecork

Yeah, they'll make a monkey out of poor old Andy Farrell.

davyjose

subfreq wrote:

for the record I think that NZ are going to destroy the French this weekend.

Me too - and anyone else they play. In fact, I kinda hope they do. IMO Rugby is at a bit of a crisis point. European Rugby has fallen so far behing, it could take years to get anywhere near the rest of the World - for the last 3 years NZ have been doing something very right, and it's time to focus on how and why. Is it just me or do guys like Horan, Hayes, DOC, The entire back row, look distinctly out-of-date (and I don't just mean age-wise) compared to the SH teams. The same could be said for most of the English and Scottish sides too.

darrenh

how can you honestly think aus v eng will be close? aus by 16 points.

subfreq wrote:

Thought It a good idea to start up a thread to cover the QF's.

Two things stick out as interesting straight away.

Laporte selecting Damien Traille at full back. Is he suicidal? Obviously doesn't want to win the game or do Damien any favors giving him his first cap at Full Back against the AB's.

for the record I think that NZ are going to destroy the French this weekend.

The only real game will be Aus v GB. I think the Aussies will nudge it but it will be a lot closer than a lot of people think.

England are rumoured to be about to announce Farrell as a center for the game against the Aussies. Again what a crazy decision. I am happy being an Aussie but they will get ripped apart with a center pairing of Farrel and Tait.

yogidc26

shrapnel222 wrote:

yup, another mind boggler by laporte , but at least he's got poitrenaud on the bench should this seriously backfire. apart from that, doesn't look too bad. france by 7

France by 7 no way NZ will walk all over them maybe if was the final in Paris you might think France had a hope but not when its in Cardiff

gadaven

shrapnel222 wrote:

i don't think it's a bad decision and with his boot will kick the all blacks back in their half, but it's still a gamble, and only time will tell if it was a good one. hopefully it will be

i do agree....
Allez les bleus !

shrapnel222

yogidc26 wrote:

France by 7 no way NZ will walk all over them maybe if was the final in Paris you might think France had a hope but not when its in Cardiff

ah, let the boy dream will ya!!!sheesh

Imhof Tank

It is very hard to see any of the favourites being beaten in the QFs - but the only handicap match in which I would be confident of the favourite covering the points would be NZ - 13.

Factors militating against other favourites:-

Argentina - too cautious to build an enormous lead
England - surely they can get up for this RWC 2003 final repeat?
Fiji - they were an absolute revelation against Wales and I amnt sure we've even seen the best of them yet

On the other hand, in the France NZ match - I think you have an ultra motivated favourite versus limited France.

Imhof Tank

jayteecork wrote:

I personally think this is gonna be a hell of a game, wasn't it in Cardiff also that the epic semi-final match in 99 took place?

Twickenham I believe

tHE vAGGABOND

Fiji have lost their out half Nicky Little, who is their most experienced player, world class goal kicker and play maker. I fear they will only be half a team without him, and the SaFa's should beat them quite easily tbh - and could even rack up a score..

England have selected a terrible team imho [Dropping Matt Stephens, and selecting vickery and farrel is a joke] - Australia to smash them tbh

France are nothing special IMHO, they were very ordinary against us and he ahs messed about with their backline again. I think the all blacks will beat them with *plenty* to spare..

Argentina to beat scotland as easy as they beat us last week *cry* [maybe it wont be a thrashing on the score board, but I love how they get ahead and then do just enough to meantain the lead!]

shrapnel222

farrell is injured. his replacement will be announced friday

Fratton Fred

shrapnel222 wrote:

farrell is injured. his replacement will be announced friday

thank heaven for small mercies

nacho libre

Australia to win by 10 - 15 points
New Zealand - to win by 20 points
Scotland to win by three points
South Africa - Fiji, without Nicky Little, will be thrashed by 50-60 points

Zzippy

I was gutted for Rodney Little when he did his knee in the last couple of minutes against Wales, as I thought Fiji would give SA a really tough game with him playing. Now I can't see them getting close enough unfortunately.

Aus will beat England handily I think, England are very limited and only Wilkinson's kicking can save them from a hiding.

Argies to beat Scotland, but don't think it will be as easy for them as we made it, when Scotland go wide their backs are nearly all big men and can make yards, whereas we had D'Arcy and later on Murphy running into brick walls and getting turned over.

NZ to continue their run vs France - can see them winning by 15-20 points. France will rue giving games to Wales and Scotland, if this was in Paris they might have a chance but not a hope in Cardiff.

So 1/4 finals to go to form, no surprises, but can't wait for the semis - Aus v NZ could be a cracker!