Thread: 2011 Rugby World Cup. Who will win?

Originally Posted by BKKBoet

it looks like Star Sports are showing the games

I only get Chinese Star Sports here, which'll be fun.

Looks like Matthew Rees the welsh captain will require surgery on his injured neck and will miss the RWC.

Adam Jones is also doubtful which means wales will have terrible FR problem especially added to the fact that Gethin Jenkins hasn't been able to feature in any warm up games.

Those three would have given us a great platform against the boks FR.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Looks like Matthew Rees the welsh captain will require surgery on his injured neck and will miss the RWC.

Adam Jones is also doubtful which means wales will have terrible FR problem especially added to the fact that Gethin Jenkins hasn't been able to feature in any warm up games.

Those three would have given us a great platform against the boks FR.

Looks like Wales might struggle to win it this time round.

Gonna take a good effort just to get out of the group.

Quarter Finals then home is the best hat can be expected.

After losing Morgan Stoddard last week with a broken leg, it looks like wales have lost Gavin Henson for the World Cup with a broken arm.

South Africa 's captain John Smit looks like he will miss the RWC with injury.

Lot of happy Jarpies out there.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Lot of happy Jarpies out there.

Well they put out an almost full strength test side last night and looked terrible with the Wallabies not looking much better.


Australia extended their winning streak over South Africa to three matches when they beat the Springboks 9-14 in the TriNations at Kings Park in Durban.

South Africa kept their best players out of the TriNations in their previous two matches and had targeted this match as preparation for the Rugby World Cup with a rehabilitation camp held in Rustenburg.

The Springboks led the Wallabies 6-0 at half time but Australia scored the first try of the match when Pat McCabe went over early in the second half.

Butch James and James O'Connor exchanged penalties in the second half and the lead changed hands with each successful kick.

While the Springboks preparations for the Rugby World Cup are not quite in tatters they have suffered a severe blow as their best players have now lost at home and they will not go into the world cup with the confidence they hoped for.

The Springboks could also suffer a further blow as fullback Frans Steyn was forced from the field with what looked to be a hamstring which will put him in doubt for the world cup which is now less than a month away.

A further concern for Springbok fans is coach Peter de Villiers insistence on moving captain John Smit to Tighthead during matches which again proved to be a failure and gave Australia's scrum big lift in the second half.

However Smit is also in doubt for the world cup as an early medical report suggests that he may have torn ligaments in his arm.

The Springboks have now played three matches in their 2011 TriNations campaign and have lost all three but can be expected to beat the All Blacks next weekend as they will field a second string New Zealand team.

A painful Tri-Nations campaign for South Africa continued Saturday at Kings Park as they surrendered a six-point half-time lead.

It was the third southern hemisphere championship reverse on the trot for the Springboks and while heavy losses in Australia and New Zealand were blamed on leaving 21 mainly senior stars at home they were almost entirely back for this match.

South Africa built a six-point half-time advantage but could not maintain the momentum and lost some crucial breakdowns while their scrum came under pressure as the game progressed.

South Africa fielded a near full strength team boasting a world-record 850 caps and were desperate to avenge a humiliating 39-20 loss in Sydney last month with a virtual 'B' team.

The first scoring chance in cool, windy conditions fell to the Springboks after three minutes when Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom committed a dangerous tackle and France-based full-back Francois Steyn made no mistake from 45 metres.

Australia hit back and looked set to score in the left corner until South Africa outside centre Jaque Fourie intercepted a James O'Connor pass and the danger was eventually averted.

Much attention was on Springbok fly-half Butch James, making his first start at 10 in the green and gold jersey for three years after a spell playing for Bath in England, and he calmly slotted his first penalty kick between the posts on 16 minutes after the visitors infringed at a scrum.

But his second penalty shot at goal four minutes later drifted wide of the right post after the ball fell over and the 32-year-old seemed anxious as he went through his routine a second time.

Bok scrum-half Fourie du Preez was impressive on his return after a 21-month injury-induced absence and when Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper failed to grasp a kick ahead, Fourie touched down only for the TMO to disallow the try for a knock-on.

Chances were few in a close first half fought predominantly between the 22-metre lines and James scuffed a drop kick attempt, O'Connor hooked his first penalty shot and Steyn was short with an ambitious drop goal effort.

Australia had a great opening 10 minutes into the second half that yielded an O'Connor penalty and a Pat McCabe try for an 8-6 advantage that stunned the home supporters.

O'Connor planted his penalty kick between the posts from close range and almost in front of the posts and he also featured in the slick handling that ended with inside centre McCabe having time and space to dot down near the corner flag.

South Africa were back in front by the hour mark thanks to a close-range penalty kick from James only for Australia to edge ahead again at 11-9 on 66 minutes as O'Connor kicked his second penalty.

The mood of the crowd matched the dark rain-bearing clouds and another successful O'Connor penalty six minutes from full-time after a superb Wallabies scrum forced South Africa into conceding a penalty stretched the lead to five points.

Final Score South Africa 9 Australia 14

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Well they put out an almost full strength test side last night and looked terrible with the Wallabies not looking much better.

They are not happy about that, but the Smit injury has cheered them up.....

Originally Posted by Bobcock

but the Smit injury has cheered them up

You mean that there are some in the South African camp that are not in favour of Smit?

Yes, I am sure Victor Matfield could fill the role as Captain although he only looked a shadow of his former self last night.

In fact it looked like a team of old foggies playing a bunch of kids last night.

Sometimes experience doesn't win games and the Yarpies looked very flat and slow losing to a very young sloppy Wallaby side.

This tournament is a tournament too far for SA, being saying it for the last 12 months.

NZ and Australia are the only potential winners I can see and the only reason I say Australia because anything can happen in a one off game between them and NZ. I certainly don't think they are good enough at this moment, but on the day......

Originally Posted by Bobcock

This tournament is a tournament too far for SA

If that is their best side you can rule S.A out of the W.C as well.

I was pretty shocked at how poor they were even with the Wallabies putting up such a crap performance.

Looks like the Blacks are just getting stronger and stronger.

By the way Bob, good win for the Taffs last night but bad news regarding Henson.

by this tournament I meant the RWC, as for Henson, good player but I can take him or leave him as a person.

Our centres are well covered without him after all, he's chosen not to play for ages

Victor Matfield didn't do a good job of being captain last time I saw him in that role against the ABs. He got frustrated, grumpy, looked like he was ready to unleash a barrage at the ref at any moment.

Originally Posted by Plan B

He got frustrated, grumpy, looked like he was ready to unleash a barrage at the ref at any moment.

Captain's often get that way when his side is being trashed.

Originally Posted by Plan B

Compare Fitzpatrick, McCaw, Eales, Johnson

Johnson was probably the best out of that bunch as a leader from the front.

Henson had surgery in cardiff this morning on a dislocated bone in his wrist.

Out for 6-8 weeks which must make his availability for selection doubtful.

Hook looked in fine form last night (or about 10 mins ago, as I've only just managed to find time to watch it). The Welsh defense was damn fine too and were good for the win as England should've had them dead & buried by half time, bust screwed it up (again).

Still, we look miles better than we did 4 years ago, so we'll probably fail to get out of the group.

Did you manage to distinguish him from Flood?

Isn't it funny how no one mentions Wales' black away kit......

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Isn't it funny how no one mentions Wales' black away kit...

I thought it looked quite cool, but red is better.

Yeah, I like it as I liked the last black one.

I just wonder why we the WRU doesn't suffer the same barrage of abuse that the RFU and more specifically ( not that it was their decision) the England team.

The bad news is confirmed.

Wales'captain Matthew Rees will miss the World Cup joining Matthew Stoddard and Gavin Henson in the last two weeks.

Wales and Lions scrum half Dwayne Peel is also an injury doubt having been injured in pre-season training with his club Sale sharks. Incidently Sale had refused to release him for the initial games, as the english club had the right to do. Don't see them holding any England players to that stupid rule.....cvnts. Peel's a big loss as he has been in excellent form and had a good chance of getting the job I've always believed he should have based on talent alone.

Add to that Gethin Jenkins our best player who has not played since January and Adam Jones who also has been out for a while it doesn't bode well for our FR.

Never mind, we have a potential great to lead us as captain and by example, so it's not all doom.