At the rate I’m sculling pints here, I’ll have to go to the toilet and do some chemistry before going home to the wife for a biology lesson
Can’t sleep so watched parts of the match again on the FF button. Simply amazing the discipline both teams showed with the physicality of that match. Can’t believe there was no red or yellows. Ireland’s lineout which was clinical up to 2 months ago just gave the SAs huge entry to the game. Every time Ireland tried to build momentum they simply handed it back to SA, which in turn allowed them to move up the pitch and build their own momentum. Crazy game riddled with mistakes due to the intense pressure. Both 1/4 finals on that side of the draw look mouth watering. Both can go either way. You can’t write off NZ. DuPonts injury may give SA the edge against France. England cruising in second gear. A lot of the negativity eroding. Scotland just very unlucky in that group but could still beat Ireland who won’t play their first 15. Can’t wait for the Wales v Aussies match. So much at stake. Think the Welsh will have enough
Was out last night. Watched the game this morning. ****ing hell!! What a brutal encounter. Could have gone the other way had the Boks taken their kicking chances. Fantastic resilience from Ireland. Must be the best Irish team I've ever seen and their best World Cup performance. Most of Ireland must have been in Paris. What an atmosphere!! Bet Eamon enjoyed himself. The Boks don't like it up 'em! One of these two will win it. Ireland still favourites.
Great result for the Irish, terrible result for the Jocks! Ireland are a very, very clever team and they have good players who are extremely well coached. That said, SA would have probably won if they had a goal kicker. Not the result that the Jocks would have wanted. Scotland's scenarios are (assuming BP wins over Tonga and Romania - and they are not a given) 4-0 Scotland Qualify in 2nd as they would have won head to head with Ireland. 4-1 Scotland go out as SA and Ireland have 15 points and Scotland have 14. Ireland win pool on head-to-head 4-2 (7 pens vs 4 unconverted tries) Scotland go out. Ireland win pool outright 5-0 Scotland Qualify in 2nd as they lost head to head with South Africa, Ireland out of the WC 5-1 Three way tie. If Ireland have best PD then Scotland go out, if SA have best PD then Scotland qualify in 2nd (if Scotland have best PD then miracles can happen and SA go out - this would unequivocally be the funniest and the best result for NH rugby) 5-2 Scotland go out on head-to-head with SA as Ireland win pool with 16 points. The more you look at the permutations in this group, the more ‘weird’ they look. The Boks seem virtually certain to qualify, as they are bound to get 5 points against Tonga. Scotland, despite currently having no points, could still be in with a shout of qualifying if they get two five pointers in their next two matches. That would set up a potential winner takes all match with Ireland, who, despite winning three from three, could still miss out if the Jocks play the game of their lives… unlikely but not impossible
I'm looking forward to the game tonight. Neither side are going to win the WC, anymore than England will, but they're well matched and it should be a terrific encounter. Wales to win by 5 points.
I really can't see the Aussies losing. To me beating the Aussies today, would be one of the greatest ever Welsh win. I have very little hope
Arguably, we played better against Fiji than did the Aussies - particularly before the wholesale changes from the bench made by Gatland when he thought the game was won. I can’t see him making the same mistake twice: what that bench - and the side selected v Portugal - would have ‘told’ him is that whilst we have a decent (first choice) XV, the remainder of the squad are not yet ready That said, I’m hopeful rather than optimistic.
Scots will win but not comfortable really. Very quiet stadium compared to yesterday evening. Good luck for later!
I had a blast Col, thanks. Not long back. What a match. It will live with me forever. The support Ireland got was simply awesome. The atmosphere around the whole city was just fabulous. Nuts wasn't the only one skulling pints yesterday. I bet he wasn't paying 9 euro for half a litre as I was in the stadium and 15 euro a pint in my hotel - I only had the one lol. The waiter stood there waiting for a tip after ripping me off for 15 euro lol. Despite all the hype, there is nothing won yet let alone qualification out of the group. We need a losing bonus point minimum against the Scots to win the group. It is game by game from here. Lots of goods teams still in it. Glad it looks like we might have avoided the French on home turf. Looking forward to going to the Scotland game on 7th October.
