Rugby World Cup quarter-finals
October 3rd, 2011 at 1:00 pm by David FarrarSo the quarter-finals are:
- Ireland vs Wales Sat 8 Oct 6.00 pm Wellington
- England v France Sat 8 Oct 8.30 pm Auckland
- South Africa v Australia Sun 9 Oct 6.00 pm Wellington
- NZ v Argentina
AustraliaSun 9 October 8.30 pm Auckland (corrected)
If NZ wins, we will play the winner of South Africa v Australia. That match arguably will be the effective final.
Related posts:
- Rugby World Cup Odds
- Rugby World Cup 23 October 2011
- Rugby World Cup 9 October 2011
- Rugby World Cup 12 September 2011
October 3rd, 2011 at 1:03 pm
South Africa v Australia Sun 9 Oct 6.00 pm Wellington
NZ v Australia Sun 9 October 8.30 pm Auckland
Aha – the strategy to exhaust Australia before they play the All Blacks. Do they have to run from Wellington to Auckland as well?
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:05 pm
I thoughþ it ws to give the wallabies 2 attempts to get over the line
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Interesting to see 4 Northern Hemisphere countries on one side of the draw and 4 Southern Hemisphere countries on the other. Guarantees a North vs South clash in the final.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:07 pm
right now – lol
i was at the England/ Scotland game on saturday night.
I have never seen a more unathletic bunch in my life. The standard of rugby was terrible.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:07 pm
I hope SA win, as they tend to be the most predictable in their play style.
Yes our semi will effectively be our hardest game overall, and even though we’ve lost Carter, SA lost a guy who punishes teams from 60m out with his boot.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I wouldn’t count out whoever gets through to the final from England/France/Wales/Ireland. They’ll have shown some tenacity, at the very least. My money would be on England. They haven’t always been very pretty, but they certainly know how to win.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Final match in the above is New Zealand vs ARGENTINA (not Australia)!
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Rightnow – very good, made me laugh.
Jebus, arguably the final is the final, I fear the All Blacks have been made imminently beatable by anyone, including Ireland, England etc. I think it all turns now on our tight forwards winning first phase and our loosies winning the breakdown to give Mr Slade an easy ride with plenty of front foot ball. Loosies will be charged with protecting Slade as well. Thankfully Kaino is on fire, question marks about Read and even Richie.
Anyone see the hospital passes Slade was throwing against Canada on static ball? We’ll be creamed if he tries that against a top tier team in a knockout game, especially SA.
Thank god we get the easiest quarter final. 80 more minutes for Slade to get his groove on for the big one a week later. We hope.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:30 pm
What are people’s picks? I’m going with Wales, England, Meat Eaters and us.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:32 pm
I guess that’s were we get the “most arrogant country in rugby” mantle from. Ireland & Wales are looking good. It’ll be the winner of that match in the final I think. If we make it that far to face them, history will be on our side as neither have beaten us in recent memory.
Amen. The Argies have been absolutely miserable this year but we need a tougher warm up before Aussie or SA.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:35 pm
cant access the current TAB odds here from work – does anyone know what they are
Is losing Daniel Carter the end of the world – I say no way – we still have a crash hot team.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Team selection is pretty important from now on. Seems like Slade will be given the starting chance against Argentina – to be replaced by Weepu during the match and for the semi (assuming we win QF) if he fails to fire.
Vote:Rest of the team picks itself – apart from choice of halfbacks depending on how they cover the first-five position.
October 3rd, 2011 at 1:37 pm
@hubbers Wales, France, Australia, New Zealand
@Monty NZ -> $1.75 (from $1.60)
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:40 pm
If Scotland had have had any of these players in their backline, they would have beaten England:
Nonu, SBW, Smith, Kahui, Toeava, Dagg. All line breakers.
We have a powerful lineup that wont be contained.
For what its worth – now Dans out, i think Mils needs to be fullback. Put Dagg on the wing. Otherwise we lack experience. Mils & Smith have been running our defense for years. If we take out Dan & Mills the “leadership” group is thin in the backs. COwan probably wont be there either.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:41 pm
There shouldn’t be any arrogance. We must have learnt our lessons from 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007, haven’t we? Each game is in itself a final. There is no second chance.
Go the Blacks!
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 1:53 pm
dime
Vote:Interesting point re Muliaina – I think I’d go with that. It’s not as though he’s been playing badly; Dagg has demanded inclusion.
October 3rd, 2011 at 1:59 pm
dime,
Vote:i was at the Scots – Poms game as well. the atmosphere was no-where near to the Irish Australian game.
The scots back linehad a go but did not take their chances. the poms were lead footed but took the one chance they got.
I think the saffers in a fortnight will be a pretty big mountain to get over.
I like your back line suggestion. the forwards are looking after themselves. it is the link 9@10 between the backs and forwards which worries me.
October 3rd, 2011 at 2:03 pm
1.Ireland vs Wales
I think the Irish have looked the best Northern team, but the Welsh looked in great form monstering past Fiji. I’m picking Ireland by a nose.
2.England v France
England, by a narrow magrin. Expect it to be an UGLY game.
3.South Africa v Australia
My Cantabrian loyalties to Robbie Deans are unbreakable. Looks set to be a cracking match.
4.NZ v Argentina
The only question here is how much the AB’s win by. Easiest of the four games to pick… Which will do us no favours as a lead-in to the semi final.
I’m picking Australia to beat Ireland in the final.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Phil
Vote:I think the ABs would be pretty happy to have Argentina in the QF and hope the Aussies and Jaapies beat each other up a bit. It gives us another opportunity to start Slade at 10 and go to Pan B (Weepu) if it’s not working.
October 3rd, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Phil,
Vote:your picks,
1. Agreed
2. Agreed, it will give new meaning to the word ugly. But, the french team of old could turn up and dump the poms on their collective dwarf tossing, hotel worker harassing, cleavage rubbing backsides. Dreams are free I suppose.
3. This game will be like watching both teams feed themselves into mincing machines. I suspect that there will be lots of injuries to both teams.
4.Agreed, but less injuries unless Woodcock decides to test the strength of his skull against all comers.
October 3rd, 2011 at 2:21 pm
I don’t believe the All Blacks will get past the semi (they’ve lost their edge with Carter gone).
I’d pick either SA or Aus to progress and win the final.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 2:35 pm
1. I’m happy for either Ireland or Wales to go through, I like the way both are playing.
2. I’d like the ABs to have another go at France but they’ll probably get outstodged by England (if they choose to run with Flood they might surprise but I’d be surprised if that happens).
3. Australia have been hit by injuries much more than us but if they bring their A game I think they can run around SA who are looking arrogant as if they are natural defenders of the cup and could be too complacent.
4. The ABs will get a useful workout in the forwards but should be able to do too much in the backs. Argentina haven’t had to defend much decent running yet and have also been clobbered by injuries.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:01 pm
those picking aus or south africa to beat us :
what have you seen that suggests they will?
Not that us winning is a given. heir form has been patchy. the All Blacks smash everyone and we are picked to lose.
Aussie lose to Ireland, leak 22 points against russia and have injuries as well. They havent won at eden park in 20 years and have lost 10 out of their last 12 against us?
South Africa – they lost their freak show goal kicker. The forwards arent great. Scrum isnt great. Beat Samoa 12-7 with a dodgy ref and their A team.
I think the standard at the cup is on par with 2007 – poor!
Anyone can put a performance in on the day, but i think the bookies have it right thus far.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:07 pm
I’m with you dime. NZ still the team to beat. Reckon we will see England in the final. Ireland and Wales have played the better rugby, but the Poms know how to win when it matters.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Ireland, France, Saffers and AB’s to win.
Ireland are playing well.
Vote:France will pull one out of the bag.
Saffers will out bash the Ozzies in the forwards and run thru second five/center.
Argies dont have a backline at all. We could do them by 40 pts.
October 3rd, 2011 at 3:32 pm
in regard to the quality of the play in this tournament – I dont agree dime.
wales – we have not seen this kind of individual talent out of Wales in a generation. Genuine world class players in key positions – warburton, phillips, jamie roberts, hook, shane williams.
ireland – tasty forward pack, best player in the tournament so far – O’Brien – and a positive game plan with the ability to grind, but also capable of scoring tries.
Agree England and France have been dire, but no surprise there.
RSA have been typically dour doing enough to win. they are still very capable of closing us down. an aging pack with a classy 1/2 back struggling to find his best form ….
Australia will not play as poorly as the effort against Ireland and have beaten us this season.
we have leaked too many points to feel comfortable, but have shown an ability to unlock defences – without being really tested …..
it now gets interesting.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Forwards determine who wins the game, backs determine by how much. In other words, we’re now placing our World Cup hopes squarely on the shoulders of Richie McCaw.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:35 pm
France will pull one out of the bag.
I’d be quite happy for France to pull two out the bag, as long as it stays at two out of three ain’t bad. They haven’t done anything to deserve even that level of success and the troops don’t seem very together.
SA and England will be hoping they can turn very ordinary pool form into two/three in a row successful grinds but I’m hoping for something more creative to come out on top, so Ireland or Wales are my choices against us should we make the final.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:40 pm
SHG – I don’t think we are that reliant on McCaw, there’s much more at play. The front five are as key as the back row. Front rows and scrums seem to be a lottery. Refs in general can be a lottery, Barnes was once again very lenient on rucks and mauls yesterday, others can be pedantic. In a way not having mcCaw would help as the refs may rule more on what they see rather than preconceived ideas and “advice” from the opposition.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:41 pm
We have by far the best forward pack when considered as a unit. IMHO Richie is on the downward slide but Reid helps out with scavenging and Richie carts it up a bit as payback. Fantastic props, locks are solid, Kaino is a beast.
Its going to be a huge weekend in front of the TV!
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 3:58 pm
double d – thats fair enough. Wales & Ireland have been good so far.
Not sure about genuine world class players though.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Its going to be a huge weekend in front of the TV!
At least we have weekdays to catch up on other stuff now. It was hard to fit mowing the lawn in yesterday (I have to try and finish it tonight).
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 4:09 pm
I would be more worried about losing Kaino than McCaw at the moment. I think McCaw attracts all the wrong sorts of attention from the referees and other players. Kaino just makes yard after yard all game.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 4:10 pm
I decided to let the garden lie fallow for the duration of the tournament.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 4:52 pm
This wont hurt France’s chances either.
England utility back Delon Armitage will miss the rugby World Cup quarter-final against France after he was given a one-week ban for a dangerous high tackle during last weekend’s match against Scotland.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 4:57 pm
1. Ireland to come from ten points down at half time but close out the match in the second half against Wales, and not be in doubt in the last ten.
2. England to wallop France.
3. South Africa to take out the Aussies by twenty points.
4. NZ to thrash Argentina.
Semi 1: England to beat Ireland with plenty of penalties, despite Ireland looking the better side the entire match
Semi 2: NZ to change the lead multiple times against South Africa, but just come out on top.
Final: NZ reclaim World Championship, rest of world to proclaim: yeah, but they can’t do it away from home!
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Even without Carter we should beat Argentina & South Africa/Australia. The yarpies are average & really do have to build phases to score, unlike the AB’s who can score out of nothing. Our top forward pack is better than theirs by some distance. Oz are dangerous for mine, if we let them be. Goal kicking will be vital & that’s where Carter will be sorely missed.
If we make a final the British teams will be hard to bowl. The frogs are pus & won’t get past the poms.
Too right labrator, Kaino has been a monster through the middle of opposing forward packs.
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Exactly.
The yarpies struggle with our higher tempo game as well & we have the better forward pack too.
By jingo’s I hope we just get past the Argies for now….
Vote:October 3rd, 2011 at 6:05 pm
if we play SthA, we need Smit to start and our line-out MUST attack their line-out. Matfield has become a one trick pony (a good trick mind) but that’s all. Slade and Cowan had poor passing games (Slade did one really good pass to set up a try but others were shockers).
Vote: