Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
I really really hope you win next week but I think banking on a or inferring we missed ou bonus point might be ambitious
RWC: ENG v WAL (Twickenham): POOL A
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Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
I'm not banking on anything. I'm just saying that England isn't a must-win for us if we beat Wales. If that happens then we'll slug it out with Wales on bonus points, but Wales will have to get ahead of us on the table. Equal table points aren't enough, since the head-to-head winner goes through. If we lose to both England and Wales then of course we deserve to be out.
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
In the words of the great ch if you get four wins bonus points don't figure and you have lost anything yet
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
Bloody hell. It's not that long til it starts again. I've done stuff all cept call up and annoy Orc friends
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
IMHO I think those of us who say there is only one type of cement in Wales need to compare and contrast old cement of the first half and fresh cement of 2nd. Fair do s he is capable of a plan b
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
Wales' 2nd half cement was free flowing and extra gritty.
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
We re not really gonna learn anything from tonight's game are we
What's FIFA? Fly In, Fly Away?
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
There's some Wobs fighting for a starting position.
G
galumay
Guest
As long as we win it, no! I dont subscribe to the idea that there are players fighting for a starting position against the Orcs.
Its as its always been, just concentrate on winning each game, starting in this pool really meant Australia always had to approach it as if the pool games were already over, it was sudden death from the get go.
I reckon that is the approach Cheika has taken with the 31 and his game management of those players. Dont forget although we have the chance to run a different 23 against Uruguay, before the Orc's game, we then have the Wales game straight after that. So its two games against top teams fighting for survival, in one week - that we will need our best 23 for. Its improbable that the Wobblies would get through both those games unscathed with some sort of injury.
Then its straight into 1/4 finals 7 days later.
Just need to keep winning!
maxdacat
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Not unless it's somewhere that has an extradition treaty with the US.
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
galumay, I don't think there's even been a Cheika team where players weren't fighting continuously for a place on form. Phipps, Cooper, Skelton and To'omua are all possible starters against England. A blinding display by any of the three wingers on display could see them on the bench or better. Palu and McMahon are potentially auditioning for a bench spot as well.
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
I think if you can find anyone here who is confident that we can run the table, then you're reading a different thread.
And if you're confident that you can discern a tournament strategy from post-game comments, then good luck to you! Cheika is a noted bullshitter.
But on your actual point, that's a false dichotomy. The Walabies didn't give up the bonus point by securing the game by taking the points. They gave up the bonus point by failing to score again with 12 minutes left. Like England today, it was a failure of execution, not a failure of decision making. But this has all been said.
Lorenzo
Colin Windon (37)
I did clarify that I meant the coach.
Look, privately, he must understand the value of bonus points as much as the rest of us. I don't really know why he chose not to acknowledge it in public - perhaps he wanted to avoid any perception that he was throwing Hooper under the bus.
But his attitude seems to be that he isn't thinking about scraping through to the next round, ie that the only way through that they are contemplating is by winning everything. Which is fine - but we are coming up against two other teams that are also very capable (one of which we are 1-4 in our last five matches) and also want to win every match.
As I said, I think if we are going to "back ourselves" to win 4 from 4, we should also have the gumption to attempt to score a 4th try on Fiji with a 12 point lead and 10 minutes to go.
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
Of course he understands the importance of bonus points.
Of course he was pissed off that we didn't get one.
Of course he was going to say what he said.
None of that is "private". Everyone knows it, but are pretending not to, for the sport of ridiculing the coach. But we can keep it to ourselves if you like.
I think the decision to take the points was absolutely correct. Manage the larger risk first. There was plenty of time to get a fourth try. We failed to do so.
Mr Doug
Dick Tooth (41)
Mr Jarse, I hope you noticed that Mr Gruffudd was wearing his (extremely) Lucky Red undergarment?!
Lorenzo
Colin Windon (37)
All he needed to say was that yeah, he'd prefer 5 points over 4 but that he agreed with the decision to go for the points to secure the 4.
But he said some weird shit about not knowing about the bonus points or something? If he's being ridiculed, he's largely to blame for it for sounding like a dumbass.
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
Better get used to the Cheika bullshit bingo, because he's always been the same. If anyone really thinks he didn't know about bonus points, it's them that's being a dumbass.
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