OV9

Rich B wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 3:12 pm Wales were definitely the most over rated team in the tournament.

That's clearly not the case now that NZ who were clear favourites aren't in the final

The man has a point!

Carlos wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 5:55 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 3:12 pm Wales were definitely the most over rated team in the tournament.

That's clearly not the case now that NZ who were clear favourites aren't in the final

I'm sure that’s the bookies take on it, but Wales were rated as number one in the rugby world rankings entering the RWC.

I’ve heard nothing but “don’t underestimate Wales” or “they’re the number one team” all tournament.

During this tournament we've beaten Australia, Fiji, France and lost in the semi's to South Africa by 3 points.

Given our size (England have 4 times as many adult rugby players) I'm very proud of our performance.

To have the chance to win this World Cup Wales would need a bit of luck in terms of their best 15 or so being fit for the big games and that hasn't happened.

Wales looked nothing like their normal selves. They looked knackered. At 16-16 tho I still thought they might grind a result out.

Here's hoping England don't fack it up now they've done the hard work

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 9:09 pm Wales looked nothing like their normal selves. They looked knackered. At 16-16 tho I still thought they might grind a result out.

Here's hoping England don't fack it up now they've done the hard work

This week in the training camp our 2 centres were wearing so much tape and strapping that they've been referred to in the press as RoboCop and RoboCop 2.

They historically make a number of clean breaks and 40+m per game each, today not 1 clean break and 3m made between them.

On the flip side England played as well as any side I've ever watched, they were awesome and appear to have little injury concerns they even have the depth to put Ford on the bench and play Farrell 10 and Slade 12 to add muscle.

Rich B wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 8:14 pm

Carlos wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 5:55 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 3:12 pm Wales were definitely the most over rated team in the tournament.

That's clearly not the case now that NZ who were clear favourites aren't in the final

I'm sure that’s the bookies take on it, but Wales were rated as number one in the rugby world rankings entering the RWC.

I’ve heard nothing but “don’t underestimate Wales” or “they’re the number one team” all tournament.

I haven’t heard that line touted this tournament but adding context to the claim, the world rankings aren’t calculated in a straight forward manner, Wales were number 1 for a matter of weeks and that was purely down to the fact they’d played more games than NZ, which Wales had won. On balance Wales were temporarily number one in the rankings by a technicality but they’d need to win all the World Cup games to translate that into something a bit more permanent. As it stands I think at the end of the tournament both NZ and Wales will slip down the rankings but they’re still both in the top 4 teams out of 100+ nations.

Edit to add: for clarity if NZ had played the same number of games as Wales, across the same period, then I think it works out that even though Wales won all their games NZ would only need to win 2/3’s of their games to remain number 1 ranked.

I really do think Wales were the better side today but I also think England deserve to win the World Cup based on their game yesterday. The problem is England have a habit of having off days or off second halves which can throw it all away and that’s what makes me nervous about the final.

OC, Just because you write over long posts mansplaining things, doesn’t make your opinions any more valid...

Carlos - fair points, and you have been pretty consistent throughout.

Rich B wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 9:54 pm OC, Just because you write over long posts mansplaining things, doesn’t make your opinions any more valid...

Carlos - fair points, and you have been pretty consistent throughout.

There was no mansplaining or opinion in in it, it’s a fact that’s how the system works. Christ, I bet you’re a barrel of laughs in a conversation where someone expands on a point

Should we all just wait until the great Richard has replied to a thread and close it after two posts?

I was running an Ultra at the weekend but an English bloke at one of the check points was on his phone roaring. From chatter at the half/10k the next day SA were piss poor team and not worthy of a place in the final?

18 months ago I found out I am half Engolish which was a shocker I can tell you. I would have supported Wales against Ingo but not against proper foreigners!

This may yet come back to haunt me

England please turn up, england please turn up, England please turn up, England please turn up...

Very quiet here - all you Inglanders down teh pub?

Glad I'm not! Not going well.

I wish. Would make watching this a bit easier! Not been right with Sinckler off. And Young isn't playing well at all

They're a bit all over the place. Hopefully Jones can whip them into shape during the break. They are beasting us in the scrum though which is a real worry.

ZA defence is immense.

Fixed our scrum far too late. SA hugely outgunned us.

Oooft, not looking good for engerland now.