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Rugby Predictions for 2012

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Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
I think the Bulls will argue against that. They were 12th in 2010 and picked up 3/3 to start the competition last season.

Pretty much every team struggled with injuries and depth. They lost at home to the Lions and the Force in the final stages of the competition and the last two rounds saw a belting by the Tahs and the Blues. Their only real injury problem at that stage was Colin Slade. Sure they will be better off with Hosea Gear and a fit Colin Slade in the backs but I still doubt they'll finish any better than last season.
 
N

Newter

Guest
Forcefield said:
The Highlanders were found out in the end of 2011. I reckon they picked up a lot of their early season wins from taking sides by surprise. They are a good squad but they will be lucky to make the finals.
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Jamie Joseph was the best of the Kiwi coaches last year, based on the improvement he got out of his roster. He's now got Hosea Gear and Andrew Hore to add credibility to guts.

I think they might top the NZ conference, actually. I would say Crusaders but McCaw and Carter will miss games, Guildford seems to have gone bust, and the earthquake situation is volatile.
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I'll back them to top it as well. I love their pack. Hore and Haskell will add a lot of strength to it as well.

Crusaders will fall apart, last season was such a battle for them and I think they'll struggle, Carter and McCaw will miss more games than they play and they'll have a WC hangover. Blues and Chiefs are the Blues and the Chiefs.. and the Canes are a joke.
 
F

Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
IMO Hore is only equal to Mo Schwalger, who has now gone. Haskell will be good but will his arrival make up for the loss of Tom Donnelly? The Crusaders don't need McCaw to win, they took plenty without him last season courtesy of Matt Todd. Dan Carter out will hurt but I'd wager Tyler Bleyendaal will do at least as well as Colin Slade or Lima Sopoaga.

Agree that the Canes are a joke, and that the Blues and Chiefs will blow hot and cold, but I wouldn't underestimate the effect Dave Rennie/Wayne Smith will have on the Chiefs or the effect of the relative stability of the Blues squad (+ Nonu and Weepu). I wonder if they will both still be as inconsistent without the Duck or Stephen Brett.
 
Bardon

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
My predictions are for 2012 are:

France for the 6Ns
Australia for the rugby championship
Wales to struggle in the 6Ns despite their undoubted talent
Italy t ocause a few upsets throughout the year
Argentina to dish out a few bloody noses in the rugby championship
Someone to come up with a catchy name of the rugby championship that isn't so unwieldy, possibly TRC
Annoucement that talks are to take place for Samoa to join the rugby championship
An Irish province to win the HEC
a SA team to win Super 15
Ireland to finally get their first win over NZ
 
AngrySeahorse

AngrySeahorse

Peter Sullivan (51)
Forcefield said:
IMO Hore is only equal to Mo Schwalger, who has now gone. Haskell will be good but will his arrival make up for the loss of Tom Donnelly? The Crusaders don't need McCaw to win, they took plenty without him last season courtesy of Matt Todd. Dan Carter out will hurt but I'd wager Tyler Bleyendaal will do at least as well as Colin Slade or Lima Sopoaga.

Agree that the Canes are a joke, and that the Blues and Chiefs will blow hot and cold, but I wouldn't underestimate the effect Dave Rennie/Wayne Smith will have on the Chiefs or the effect of the relative stability of the Blues squad (+ Nonu and Weepu). I wonder if they will both still be as inconsistent without the Duck or Stephen Brett.
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Tend to agree with much of this post. I think Hore did a great job during RWC. On Tom Donnelly, I'm overjoyed he is coming to the Saders but looking at his situation he has a 1yr contract, he was left out of the highlanders for IMO lesser locks than him, plus he's coming back from injury to compete with the current lock set up at the Saders minus Thorn. For mine Donnelly will need to have a big season this year & if I were him personally I'd have plenty of motivation given his neglect at the highlanders, very strange. He is more than enough to replace Thorn & is slighty more mobile - I could see this evidence from when he was fully fit & playing for the ABs. So it will be interesting to see how he goes, if he gets another serious injury it may be game over.

Totally agree regarding Matt Todd, I have so much confidence in this guy from what I saw from him last season that the absense of McCaw doesnt really cause me any concern. The fly half back up to Carter I'm less convinced about but still after watching the Twickenham game last year I'm convinced the Saders can deal with any injury issues they come across. Although I believe we will win the SupeRugby it certainly doesnt mean I believe that it'll be a walk in the park. I actually think the Highlanders or Blues will probably top the NZ conference. I just have confidence the Saders will come through come finals time.
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Tom Donnelly wasn't left out for lesser locks. Jared Hoeta is seen as Thorn's replacement and Bekhuis is quality too and will no doubt be an AB. Donnelly is near the end of his career and was on the bench. It was a good move to go to the Crusaders where he will start and not sit on the bench.
 
U

Utility Back

Guest
I predict Quade will sign with the rebels,
Given the problems he's starting to have going out in public and the greater anonymity available in Melbourne, coupled with two of his good mates already there...it wont surprise me.
 
Brisbok

Brisbok

Cyril Towers (30)
...just what the rebels need! Another superstar in the backs (with similar defensive ability to Cipriani) commanding a huge salary, to the detriment of their already struggling, 'no name' forward pack.

I agree though, would not surprise me either!
 
Jets

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
I predict that Deans will use JOC (James O'Connor) as the back up 9 so that he can get more touches and make more unique contributions to the team.
 
D

daz

Guest
I predict Quade will sign with the rebels,
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My first instinct was to think "not a snow-balls chance in hell".

But then I realised I thought the same thing when JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale first had whispers of a move there.
 
Karl

Karl

Bill McLean (32)
After an article in a Sydney News Limited Paper enrages Rugby League fans across both places they can be found in the Nation (particularly by suggesting that they skipped the War and stayed home to play footy and root the wives of their brave Rugby brothers who were fighting in the trenches) a storm of protest brings the car sales website at which the author was employed to it's knees and sparks legal proceedings in the International Court of Justice against the French Rugby Union and the French Government to obtain reparations for the theft of League assets during the war and damages for lost revenue calculated with reference to projections demonstrating that League would now be the dominant football code in the world but for the heinous and despicable crimes of the Vichyballers.
 
D

daz

Guest
Karl said:
After an article in a Sydney News Limited Paper enrages Rugby League fans across both places they can be found in the Nation (particularly by suggesting that they skipped the War and stayed home to play footy and root the wives of their brave Rugby brothers who were fighting in the trenches) a storm of protest brings the car sales website at which the author was employed to it's knees and sparks legal proceedings in the International Court of Justice against the French Rugby Union and the French Government to obtain reparations for the theft of League assets during the war and damages for lost revenue calculated with reference to projections demonstrating that League would now be the dominant football code in the world but for the heinous and despicable crimes of the Vichyballers.
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My complete lack of understanding prompts me to ask: Umm...what?
 
suckerforred

suckerforred

Chilla Wilson (44)
Karl said:
They were so upset at me thinking the article was satire and funny that I wrote them one, but about Rugby. It doesn't seem to have made anyone happier.

It was called "Rugby isn't a game - it's a punishment"

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=395910&page=32[/quote]

Don't know which was funnier, the original article or your reply.........:D
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Lost interest in their replys when someone said 'League favours creativity, speed and impact.' I must be watching an entirely different rugby league.

Edit: It is because you are writing inside the [ /quote] tags. Do your reply after the tag.
 
redstragic

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
Jets said:
I predict that Deans will use JOC (James O'Connor) as the back up 9 so that he can get more touches and make more unique contributions to the team.
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Nice, I can just picture them sitting down for a KPI meeting at a Sydney juice or sushi bar and deciding on the optimum number. What a scene, JOC (James O'Connor) talking to what his brand requires and Deans carrying on with his Orwellian new speak. Afterwards they go for a blow-wave, foils, wax and massage.
 
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