So we have made it to the quarter final stage and my oh my this is turning out to be a great world cup. The ties next weekend all look mouth watering in their own different ways. Wales vs Ireland - The battle of the celts looks like it could be a classic encounter and with the rugby both sides are playing it could be a contender for game of the tournament. Ireland will have a bloody good go at suffocating the Welsh and trying to stop them play but I think in the end Wales will win. 28-19 Wales. England vs France - This match up is two big rugby nations who are both really under performing, England have been doing what they usually do and playing stale rugby but managing to grind out results and get the all important wins, where as the French have just been their usual erratic selves, although this time just a bit worse! They have lost two games one of which came against a team they would be expecting to beat comfortably. This game is 50/50 and impossible to call as we don't know which French team will turn up, but I will hazard a guess at England 22 - 26 France. Australia vs South Africa - The Battle of the Southern Hemisphere giants looks like the only match up that may rival the Wales vs Ireland game for rugby neutrals just wanting to see some good rugby. These two teams have 4 World Cups between them but will have very different teams on Sunday, South Africa have a lot of their 2007 Champions in the team and have masses of experience, whereas the Ozzies have got a very young side who love to run the ball. It will be a game of conflicting styles and if it opens up you would expect Australia to win it. Again this game is 50/50 and very hard to call but I will stick my neck out and guess Australia 21 - 23 South Africa. New Zealand vs Argentina - This game looks like another one sided NZL mauling, doesn't it? Argentina will be boosted by the fact that they will face a Dan Carter-less New Zealand, they will attack the 10 channel whoever plays instead of him and they certainly have a better chance now he is out. You still have to say realistically though that the All Blacks will have far too much for Argentina and I expect them to win and win comfortably. New Zealand 39 - 13 Argentina. What are your predictions for the games? and what are your opinions on them? I for one cannot wait!! Hurry up Saturday!
I think the Irish have the better backs in a straight comparison and so it will come down to who wins the ball within the pack to deceide this one. The Irish front row isnt as good as the Welsh, but the loose forwards are the better of the two. The way the Irish battered and softened up Italy to relase the space for the backs in the last match suggets that they have the mentality to win this. I also have concerns about the Welsh killing off the oppsition when it comes to the big, big games... And this is a big game... Irish to win by 10... England and France is a bit hard to predict as they have both shown signs of not knowing what style of play suits them. The French are a bit in turmoil internally and this may just give the English the edge. But as we know the French can turn on the flair when needed and also when the most unexpected... Johnno seems to want to play a forwards game, no change there then, but he feels that he must play open and this is where i think he struggles. Im not totally sure he knows what his best half back parings are and the big decision in this game will come down to who he picks... With Wilkinson i think we might lose... Pick Flood and i will be backing an England win... Shame for Johnny W but i would play Flood... Toby Youngs must start for me with Flood with England to win a tight game by 5... Ausralia v South Africa will again be settled up fornt. Id prefer the SA's forwards with the Aussies 3/4's so again the winner is hard to call... Though i have been impressed with the Aussie pack i just think the Sprinboks have to much for them... SA to win by 12... At this stage i dont think the Kiwis will miss Dan Carter... But they will eventually...!!! This will be settled before the half time whistle and i dont give much hope for Argentina in this... It will feel like a group game to the All Blacks and they will want Colin Slade to have a good soild match. He will be tested later in the tournament and may be good enough to get th All lacks to win this tournament, but he has a big pair of shoes to fill... New Zealand to win by 28 points... It will be good watching whatever happens...
Toby Youngs and Ben Flood? haha. I disagree with you on the Wales game, being unbiased I honestly think Wales have far stronger backs and also have better forwards. I might be getting carried away I just feel if we play our game we will be far too strong for the Paddies!
wales to beat Ireland by more than 7 England to beat France by less than 7 Australia to beat the Boks by less than 7 NZ to beat theArgies by more than 14
Wales and Ireland are both over rated. I'm hoping for an Irish win though. Please keep writing off England's chances
Ireland by 7 (next world cup wales in semis or final) France by 3-7 (controversial but i can see a backlash) Australia by 5 New Zealand by +21
I'm going to the game tonight. Hope like hell those big yarpie forwards smash the hell out of the shakle ratlers then the shakles backs run the boks tired so everyone ends up buggered for next week at Eden Park
