You'd expect the Irish replacements to give them the decisive edge but they've done it the hard way, Italy unfortunate to have try disallowed, fine margins...
They'll need to, that was a lack-lustre performance. Credit to Italy, they kept their shape and made Ireland look average. Sexton's kicking not up to scratch at this level today...
Ireland very very poor today Delighted we got that tough match under our belt as hopefully that will be the wake up call we need. France wouldn't be too worried looking at that Great effort from Italy
Mixed about the England Australia result - as a Taff, first thoughts were wanting Australia to win to ensure Welsh qualification from this awful group. That said, preference was for England and Wales to qualify and put my countrymen (I am an Aus citizen too) back in their gloating boxes. They can be remarkably unbearable when winning. Saturday's match (Wales Australia) now has a huge significance as far as I can work out - the winner gets a presumably easier passage to the final (if successful of course). My predictor shows the winner gets (probably) Scotland and then a semi vs Ireland (or Argentina). The loser will face South Africa then NZ before a final against Ireland or Australia or Wales. If Wales are to progress beyond the QF, they have to beat Australia in my opinion - an incredibly difficult proposition if Australia scrummage like they did against England. To see a front row perform as they did, given that has been one of Australia's biggest problem areas for years, was alarming. Couple that with their back row and it is difficult to see the Welsh backs getting much ball. Unless Lydiate and Warburton have the game of their lives and the front row can compete, the recent history of 10 matches all lost by narrow margins will continue.
All we lacked on Saturday was: Iain Balshaw Josh Lewsey Jason Robinson Stuart Abbott Will Greenwood Mike Tindall Ben Cohen Dan Luger Mike Catt Paul Grayson Jonny Wilkinson Kyran Bracken Matt Dawson Andy Gomarsall Jason Leonard Danny Grewcock Simon Shaw Phil Vickery Julian White Trevor Woodman Mark Regan Steve Thompson Dorian West Martin Johnson Ben Kay Neil Back Martin Corry Richard Hill Lewis Moody Lawrence Dallaglio Joe Worsley
The rugby boys may need to follow the traits of the English cricket team and appoint an Aussie in the mix somewhere. Seems to provide a winning formula.
Guess you are correct - wouldn't be surprised to see Tipuric play in place of Lydiate, so that we'd have 2 7s to compete with "Pooper"
Oh dear, I saw England got knocked out at the group stages. Have they released their World Cup song yet, and at least beaten the england 1999 cricket squad in that respect? Also how are Australia so good at rugby union, when hardly anyone plays it out there? Are they all kiwis?
Pooper may be a spectator - his clearout on Brown was worth a week off - should have been a yellow at the time
I'm off to MK today for Uruguay v Fiji. I fully expect it to be the game of the tournament and one we'll be talking about for generations to come
The English rugby executives will indeed be short-sighted if they don't recognise that cutting edge managerial skills come mainly from the Southern Hemisphere, particularly Oz and NZ (and have done for many years)
Really enjoyed the performance of Uruguay last night, they were heavily out weighed in the scrum getting shoved back at a rate of knots but they didn't collapse the scrum like other sides would. Their lineout was good especially the flat throw to the front when the fijians weren't expecting it......they worked their socks off trying to stay in the game and it was only in last 10 minutes or so after the lad was sent off that Fiji ran away with the game...... Plus they scored a couple of really good tries........ They may get tonked by 60 or 70 points on Saturday by England but they have put a smile on peoples faces the way they played..... BTW the Fijian lad Nodola (spelling) has the sweetest left foot I have ever seen on a kicker, it is pure timing with no apparent effort......
Like Wats ..............I was at the Fiji v Uruguay match last night...So enjoyed it, pure fun...must go to more matches where I have no visceral connection to the result, cause you can just lay back and enjoy it. Great seat 2 rows back behind the posts, saw everthing...especially the last Nodola try, which I had been waiting for all night, happened right in front of me....boy is he a big lad. Such an athlete, great kicker, unstoppable runner. If the Fijians could all handle the ball correctly, the score would have been over 100 Enjoyed the spat between the small Uruguayan scrum half and the giant Fiji no8. Jack Russell and Great Dane going at each other hammer and tongs. I found myself chanting Uruguay, like most of the crowd, for most of the match. The Uruguayian hooker on the bench was the odest shaped athlete I have ever seen...Looked about 20 stone and 5 foot 8 in height...Barrell chest, tiny hips,, stick arms, thin legs...and panted horrifically when warming up. Anyway the stadium was rocking...near 40,000 of us...it was agreat atmosphere...I am sure it will be the same when we play there in a few months
If and when we build a new ground I think the MK Dons one is the best of the recently built stadia. As Beth says, even a handful of native Uruguayans were capable of creating a good noise. Great views from every seat, loads of leg room, good park and ride system getting us back to central MK, good food (by sporting arena standards). Most importantly, an entertaining game though I don't think it's a great spectator sport. More suited to TV IMO.
