Home› Sport
Options

Rugby World Cup 2015

irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
Forum Member
✭✭
in Sport #1
Surprised nobody has started a thread yet - Just 34 days left until kick-off :p

TV -
ITV (UK) - John Inverdale, Craig Doyle and Mark Durden-Smith with Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Robinson, Clive Woodward, George Gregan, Gareth Thomas and Brian O'Driscoll, Ian McGeechan, Francois Pienaar, Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Lynagh, David Flatman & Maggie Alphonsi.

TV3 (Ire) - Matt Cooper, Sinead Kissane with Keith Wood, Matt Williams, Peter Stringer, Shane Jennings, Hugo McNeil, Murray Kinsella, Liam Toland, Stuart Barnes & Neil Back.

Groups -

A
Australia
England
Wales
Fiji
Uruguay

B
South Africa
Samoa
Scotland
Japan
United States

C
New Zealand
Argentina
Tonga
Georgia
Namibia

D
France
Ireland
Italy
Canada
Romania

Quarter Finals –
Winner of Pool B v Runner-up of Pool A (Twickenham)
Winner of Pool C v Runner-up of Pool D (Millennium Stadium)
Winner of Pool D v Runner-up of Pool C (Millennium Stadium)
Winner of Pool A v Runner-up of Pool B (Twickenham)

Semi Finals –
Winner of quarter-final 1 v Winner of quarter-final 2 (Twickenham)
Winner of quarter-final 3 v Winner of quarter-final 4 (Twickenham)

Final –
Winner of semi-final 1 v Winner of semi-final 2 (Twickenham)

Current World Rankings -
1 New Zealand
2 Ireland
3 Australia
4 England
5 South Africa
6 Wales
7 France
8 Argentina
9 Fiji
10 Tonga
11 Samoa
12 Scotland


Obvious choice for winner is the All Blacks but they have yet to win a WC in the northern hemisphere. I expect England to go far, maybe even to the final. Wales and Scotland's are unknowns but I think Wales will struggle to get out of the group. Will Ireland's WC curse continue or can they have a say at the business end of the tournament.

For me -
England - Final
Ireland - Semi Finals
Wales - Not to get out of group.
Scotland - Quarter Finals


Can't wait for Kick- Off ... its going to be brilliant :)
«134567…130

Comments

  • Options
    MeicYMeicY Posts: 2,585
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #2
    irishfeen wrote: »
    Surprised nobody has started a thread yet - Just 34 days left until kick-off :p

    I just assumed it would be part of the All-Purpose (clue's in title!) Rugby Thread.
    Wales - Not to get out of group.

    :o
  • Options
    swingalegswingaleg Posts: 103,114
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Looking forward to this

    I'm a bit of a lukewarm rugby watcher and to be honest I normally only watch England games but during the World Cup I usually get inti it and watch all the games......
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #4
    MeicY wrote: »
    I just assumed it would be part of the All-Purpose (clue's in title!) Rugby Thread.

    :o
    I assume a general RWC thread is useful as its the biggest standalone rugby tournament ever 4 years??...

    Yeah I don't think Wales will come out of group A ... England and Australia for me!
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #5
    For me...

    A
    1 England
    2 Australia

    B
    1 South Africa
    2 Scotland

    C
    1 New Zealand
    2 Argentina

    D
    1 Ireland
    2 France
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #6
    RWC Warm-up - Ireland 28-22 Scotland FT

    An awful match in Dublin, Ireland were very poor - much for Joe Schmidt to ponder... I think its safe to say any injuries to the first 15 and Ireland are in trouble.
  • Options
    Wolfman13Wolfman13 Posts: 1,579
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #7
    irishfeen wrote: »
    For me...

    A
    1 England
    2 Australia

    B
    1 South Africa
    2 Scotland

    C
    1 New Zealand
    2 Argentina

    D
    1 Ireland
    2 France

    Agree with that but I hope there are some surprises.
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #8
    Wolfman13 wrote: »
    Agree with that but I hope there are some surprises.
    I think there is absolutely no doubt there will be upsets - Scotland for instance on their day are far better then the rankings suggest (12th best team in the world)
  • Options
    catsaregreycatsaregrey Posts: 1,128
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #9
    im not a watcher of club rugby and only really watch the 6 nations and the world cup for england games so forgive me if this is a stupid question but ive just heard sam burgess described as "can someone with mediocre club form transform into world class"

    if he has been mediocre at club level why is he in the england team?
  • Options
    Michael_VaughanMichael_Vaughan Posts: 12,149
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #10
    Wales under Gatland are generally more of a threat when we are written off.Look at the last World Cup,poor form in the years leading up to it and got to the semi final.Much is made of how good England are at home under Lancaster but he's yet to lead them to a six nations title.Don't underestimate the lack of experience of playing and getting to the World Cup latter stages for this England squad.They may rise to the occasion or really feel the pressure of the biggest global tournament on home soil.It's more likely that Australia will top the group of death and England v Wales on only the second weekend of the tournament will be the pivotal game.I also wouldn't totally write off Fiji in that group.There's usually at least one shock pacific islands result in each tournament.

    Overall it looks like New Zealand as winners again but I wouldn't write off Australia or the Springboks.I'm predicting France as shock finalists again because they somehow manage it.Despite playing like 15blokes who've just met in the six nations year after year:D
  • Options
    swingalegswingaleg Posts: 103,114
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    catsaregrey wrote: »
    im not a watcher of club rugby and only really watch the 6 nations and the world cup for england games so forgive me if this is a stupid question but ive just heard sam burgess described as "can someone with mediocre club form transform into world class"

    if he has been mediocre at club level why is he in the england team?

    because he was one of the outstanding players in rugby league........he's got masses of talent but is still learning the 'union' game and hasn't quite got it yet

    I suppose the thinking is that they've got to give him a chance at international level before they leave him out of the squad......
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #12
    catsaregrey wrote: »
    im not a watcher of club rugby and only really watch the 6 nations and the world cup for england games so forgive me if this is a stupid question but ive just heard sam burgess described as "can someone with mediocre club form transform into world class"

    if he has been mediocre at club level why is he in the england team?
    Well he is from the England Saxons squad isn't he? he switched from Rugby League...

    These are only warm-up games giving a wide pool of players the chance to prove themselves - actual squads for WC not announced yet.
  • Options
    catsaregreycatsaregrey Posts: 1,128
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #13
    cheers for the replies, seems a strange one to me. Surely you learn the union game at club level before getting into the international team.
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #14
    Michael_Vaughan wrote: »
    Wales under Gatland are generally more of a threat when we are written off.Look at the last World Cup,poor form in the years leading up to it and got to the semi final.Much is made of how good England are at home under Lancaster but he's yet to lead them to a six nations title.Don't underestimate the lack of experience of playing and getting to the World Cup latter stages for this England squad.They may rise to the occasion or really feel the pressure of the biggest global tournament on home soil.It's more likely that Australia will top the group of death and England v Wales on only the second weekend of the tournament will be the pivotal game.I also wouldn't totally write off Fiji in that group.There's usually at least one shock pacific islands result in each tournament.

    Overall it looks like New Zealand as winners again but I wouldn't write off Australia or the Springboks.I'm predicting France as shock finalists again because they somehow manage it.Despite playing like 15blokes who've just met in the six nations year after year:D
    Wales showed last year v Ireland that on their day they can too beat anyone - I might be overly harsh on them now getting out of the group - we'll have to wait and see...

    France are France ..... Ireland v France, the game who decides the fate of who tops group D will be crucial for France and Ireland IMO ... winner almost certain to play Argentina... Runner up plays NZ and are on the way home for me..
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #15
    RWC Warm Up - England 12-3 France (Latest Score 18')
  • Options
    swingalegswingaleg Posts: 103,114
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #16
    this winger is playing himself into the first team.......
  • Options
    swingalegswingaleg Posts: 103,114
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #17
    catsaregrey wrote: »
    cheers for the replies, seems a strange one to me. Surely you learn the union game at club level before getting into the international team.

    I suppose the thinking is that at some point it will just 'click' and he'll be a world class player as he was in League........so they want to give him plenty of chances

    he seems to be playing OK here........that was a hell of a tackle !
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #18
    Some hit by Burgess there :)
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #19
    RWC Warm Up - England 12-6 France (Latest Score 26')
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #20
    Massive game for South Africa tonight in Buenos Aires... Puma's looking very strong.

    This would be 5th loss in a row for the Springboks :o
  • Options
    Michael_VaughanMichael_Vaughan Posts: 12,149
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #21
    irishfeen wrote: »
    Wales showed last year v Ireland that on their day they can too beat anyone - I might be overly harsh on them now getting out of the group - we'll have to wait and see...

    France are France ..... Ireland v France, the game who decides the fate of who tops group D will be crucial for France and Ireland IMO ... winner almost certain to play Argentina... Runner up plays NZ and are on the way home for me..

    France as runners up against NZ in a qtr final would be interesting. I'll always fancy their chances in a knockout match against the All Blacks after 1999 and 2007. They were unlucky to only lose the final by a point in 2011.There was certainly some questionable refereeing for NZ that day.
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #22
    Michael_Vaughan wrote: »
    France as runners up against NZ in a qtr final would be interesting. I'll always fancy their chances in a knockout match against the All Blacks after 1999 and 2007. They were unlucky to only lose the final by a point in 2011.There was certainly some questionable refereeing for NZ that day.
    Imagine Ireland beating New Zealand for the first time in our history in the Quarter Finals of the World Cup... it would be what dreams are made of.... although would prefer it to be in the final though :p
  • Options
    swingalegswingaleg Posts: 103,114
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #23
    England always seem to give a lot of penalties away in kickable positions
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #24
    Just looking on Paddy Power - Outright betting on RWC

    New Zealand - 11/8
    England - 7/2
    South Africa - 11/2
    Ireland - 8/1
    Australia - 9/1
    France - 18/1
    Wales - 20/1

    Anyone putting down an outside bet? ... France at 18's is tempting!
  • Options
    irishfeenirishfeen Posts: 10,025
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #25
    Argentina almost crossing the whitewash within 2min....
  • Options
    Darren LethemDarren Lethem Posts: 61,687
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #26
    For me Rugby League is the greatest game in the world yet it doesn't do itself justice at international level like Union does. Looking forward to the world cup and surprised that England are second favourites behind NZ. I fancy Ireland to do the best of the 6 Nations

    Re Sam Burgess - In league he was the best forward in the world, outstanding player. Yet here they are playing him at centre. Why ? Great player played out of positon. Just like they did with Andy Farrell, who could have been a great at both codes.
Sign In or Register to comment.