RWC 2011 - Pool A - NZ, Tonga, France, Japan, Canada

[tigerland12]

And that's the game, was only a matter of time.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

FRA go in & I think thats the one that will break the camels back.

 

[tigerland12]

Canada was never gonna come back, but well done Cannucks. They have some high quality players and I suspect they will finish 3rd in the group. Carpenter, Monro and O'Toole were brilliant.

For France, Lievermont won't be happy, but is he ever? Picamoles was great, deserved man of the match, I also thought Clerc, Marty and Trinh-Duc played well.

 

[Bowside]

Parra is a very handly player. I like the look of this french team its a shame they are in shambles

 

[tigerland12]

Parra is a very handly player. I like the look of this french team its a shame they are in shambles

I think they are flying under the radar a bit. Problem is Lievermont doesn't know his starting 15. They have the potential to go to the semi's and then who knows. But first they need some cohesion and understanding between players.

 

[tranquility]

France can win this cup, no two ways about it..

 

[Jethro Tah]

Despite the score line the Canadians were competitive until about 20 to go. I liked their simple NH style simple game plan with plenty of good pick and drives with bodies at the breakdown, and they contested French possesion well to restrict quality ball to the backline. The French scrum and back three were the difference. This French side would have beat the Wallabies and even the Canadians would have kept our boys nervous. As per above, I think the French are the dark horses of this RWC.

 

[tblackadder]

3 good games today....really liked the way the canadians and georgians found a way to push back the more highly favoured teams with hard running, great support....and a sense of urgency and desparation that puts some of the forward play of abs and wallabies to shame

 

[Lee Grant]

I think they are flying under the radar a bit. Problem is Lievermont doesn't know his starting 15. They have the potential to go to the semi's and then who knows. But first they need some cohesion and understanding between players.

Well said. He's never known his best side and in past years he seemed to be playing turnstiles.

We moan, at least I do, about not having a semi-pro domestic competition and only 5 pro teams compared to the likes of England and France who have 12 and 14 respectively. Sure they have foreigners playing in their comps but they have about 3 times more professional players than we do, and that doesn't count pro teams in the lower divisions which, in effect, act as feeders.

You would think that both countries would produce more stars from these good competitions than they do, but as our cricket team found out even with its excellent Sheffield Shield comp, the appearance of star players is random. In a way therefore, our selection process is easier.

With not a lot of depth and not a great deal of width either (a lot of good players at more or less the same level) our selectors have it easier than the French. Many of the French players at the RWC are not noticeably better than their rivals left at home, especially from 12 to 15 - or at least these rivals are closer to the RWC players than the players left in Oz are to the Wallabies in NZ.

Yachvili and Parra are clearly the best scrummies in France but had they been unavailable to be in NZ there would have been choices that would have embarrassed the French selectors in that country where the scrummie and not the flyhalf is the main play maker. They have a few good ones at home.

But I digress. I suspect that France will rest their main players against NZ, as much as is possible, but play their best team against Tonga and in the play-offs. I agree with others that if their best team gets its act together they can beat any team on the day, including NZ, for whom they are a bogey team.


Incidentally, I doubt if 8. Picamoles, the MOTM against Canada, will be in the best starting XV ahead of Harinordoquy and arguably, up and comer Lakafia could keep him off the bench as well. You never know though, Lievremont sometimes seems to have an aversion to Harinordoquy for reasons other than rugby ability.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Great gutsy effort by us again.
We've improved dramatically since the last World Cup under Crowley. so much more structure to our game.
the difference was the front row and the back three.
we just seem to lack to that professional edge and know how up front. No member of our front row is professional so their highest level of regular competition is the domestic leagues. definitely showed in the match.
that said, great effort by them considering where they play and who they were up against.
We lack a potent counter attack in the back 3. our 11, Mackenzie is a great ball chaser, but with ball in hand he doesn't present as a real threat. our 14 Hearn was again silent all game. didn't look to be doing any work off the ball and to have been any sort of chance to stay the distance in the end we needed everyone firing 100%.
Great game anyways. Ander was excellent at 10.
Missed kicks cost us, lack of discipline cost us and tired legs cost us!

I get the feeling France NZ is going to be an absolute belter of a match.

For us, hopefully DTH is ok to play against Japan. If we win that we get automatic qualification to 2015 and extra IRB funding.
Huge incentive and I think the Japan game will be a great one.

 

[tigerland12]

For us, hopefully DTH is ok to play against Japan. If we win that we get automatic qualification to 2015 and extra IRB funding.
Huge incentive and I think the Japan game will be a great one.

Fuck you guys need him back. As soon as he went off, they scored 3 tries out wide. He is a quality player DTH, hopefully he is back for you. I reckon Japan vs Canada will be a brilliant game.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

backline changed instantly.
from his soon to be sister in law - he had a partially torn labrum before the game and was going to get surgery once he got home. initial diagnosis is that it is now fully torn. I did the exact same thing 6 weeks ago. shoulder joint is now bone on bone and I can't imagine tackling with that injury. safe to say he'll get the artho and be out for 6-8 weeks.

damn.

 

[antipodean]

I get the feeling France NZ is going to be an absolute belter of a match.

So do I, I've said previously that this French squad look like they are cruising; that they can flick a switch and immediately go up a gear.

The Japan v Canada match will be fantastic; too well matched teams targeting a win for much needed IRB funding.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

does anyone know the level of funding for the 3rd placed teams? or is that delving into specifics of the abstract organisation that is the IRB.

 

[Jnor]

All I know is the third team gets an allocation of funding over those below it in the pool but have no idea what form it takes or how much it is

 

[CanadianRugby]

Sorry but can someone clarify, I don't believe Canada gets automatic qualification for 2015 for finishing third....glad to hear about the IRB funding though.

Was really proud of the boys this weekend. Really thought they were in until the french got the two score seperation. Would like to see Crowley signed up for about a 100 year contract now.....

 

[Braveheart81]

If you win two games at the RWC you qualify for the next one automatically.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

from wiki
" 2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying began at the 2007 tournament in France, where twelve teams (the first three in each of the four pools) earned a place in the finals of the tournament, this automatically qualified them for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand."

Either way though, we have to beat japan. Here's hoping the Tongans put the hurt into them.

 

[tigerland12]

This game is brilliant, highly entertaining.

 

[Mr Doug]

from wiki
" 2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying began at the 2007 tournament in France, where twelve teams (the first three in each of the four pools) earned a place in the finals of the tournament, this automatically qualified them for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand."

Either way though, we have to beat japan. Here's hoping the Tongans put the hurt into them.

Sir Arthur, this may have been canvased elsewhere, but you, like me, would have to be "disappointed" at the scheduling. It's hardly a "level playing field" when the ABs get breaks of 7 days, 8 days and 8 days between games, and Canada gets 4, 9 and 5! No wonder the Samoans complained about their 4, 7 and 5! Is this tournament really about promoting rugby worldwide? Looking forward to tomorrow's match against Japan.