Rugby World Cup 2007

[miltonbentley]

France 10-34 Argentina

More

I didn't see it but according to some this was the best game of the tournament so far. Apparently Argentina were awesome although France played poorly. It adds to my feeling that they were overawed by the pressure last week.

Regardless of what happens to night Argentina are my team of the tournament. Great performances, real passion and character - they will win the RWC one day.

Now bring on the main event. 14 1/2 hours to go. If you want it you've got to win it.

Come on England one more for the gipper

[Donnyboy]

Milton..Jai yen yen matey.. tongue.gif

Always. Come early tomorrow. Limited space.

Is midnight too late ? Otherwise i will give it a miss.

Midnight OK for you as a formal representative of Australia

I'll roll out the red carpet

I might be later than that MB, need to drop off the misses off home first after the n/market closes at midnight.

[Donnyboy]

France 10-34 Argentina

More

I didn't see it but according to some this was the best game of the tournament so far. Apparently Argentina were awesome although France played poorly. It adds to my feeling that they were overawed by the pressure last week.

Regardless of what happens to night Argentina are my team of the tournament. Great performances, real passion and character - they will win the RWC one day.

Now bring on the main event. 14 1/2 hours to go. If you want it you've got to win it.

Come on England one more for the gipper

we softened France up for you

[Donnyboy]

ok, let the build up begin...............

World Cup final 2007

Defending champions England will aim to put the seal on a miraculous recovery with victory over South Africa in the World Cup final in Paris on Saturday.

England have had a torrid time since 2003 but have ripped up the form book to reach their second final in a row.

Their dire run reached a low point with a 36-0 thrashing by the Springboks, the 1995 champions, in the pool stages.

England have brought in wing Mark Cueto for the injured Josh Lewsey, while favourites South Africa are unchanged.

England's chances of becoming the first champions to successfully defend their title looked remote at best after that rout by the Springboks five weeks ago.

It was their fourth defeat in a row by the Boks but England coach Brian Ashton has no doubt his side will be a different proposition at the Stade de France on Saturday

more here

Jason Robinson has been England's most potent attacker in France

England could find no way through South Africa's defence last month

England: Robinson; Sackey, Tait, Catt, Cueto; Wilkinson, Gomarsall; Sheridan, Regan, Vickery (capt), Shaw, Kay, Corry, Moody, Easter.

Replacements: Chuter, Stevens, Dallaglio, Worsley, Richards, Flood, Hipkiss.

South Africa: Montgomery; Pietersen, Fourie, Steyn, Habana; James, Du Preez; Du Randt, Smit (capt), Van der Linde, B Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith, Rossouw.

Replacements: B du Plessis, J du Plessis, Muller, Van Heerden, Pienaar, Pretorius, Olivier.

Edited October 20, 2007 by Donnyboy

[Austhaied]

Milton..Jai yen yen matey.. tongue.gif

Always. Come early tomorrow. Limited space.

Is midnight too late ? Otherwise i will give it a miss.

Midnight OK for you as a formal representative of Australia

Tonight (tomorrow morning) i will be a Yarpie..Until the scores change anyway..

See ya there.

[Donnyboy]

BBC has a good in depth RWC final analysis on how England can win the RWC.

How England can win the World Cup

some good photos in there as well

[Donnyboy]

[Donnyboy]

Heres one for the Buddists........

Wilkinson turns to Buddhism - but it's not a conversion

Buddhism has helped England's Jonny Wilkinson get over injury and the massive expectations on him before the Rugby Union World Cup final against South Africa, he said in comments published on Sunday (NZ time). Wilkinson kicked England to a last-gasp victory in the final against Australia in 2003 and was subsequently feted as a national hero, until a string of injuries threatened to cut his career short.

But in an article in The Times on Saturday he said that as he battled back to full fitness, he turned to a variety of sources, including Buddhism, to help him cope with what he had achieved and the renewed burden of a nation's hopes.

"Don't get me wrong. Don't think: 'Jonny's now a Buddhist.' I am not. I have just been finding a direction, learning different ways of looking at life and taking bits I could use and discarding bits I could not," he wrote.

"Even down to the basics of how to relax, looking at meditation or better sleeping... How does all that impact on a game of rugby? I can't answer that.

more here

[Donnyboy]

som nom na

British bookmakers fearing huge payout

Bookmakers in Britain and Ireland are fearful of a huge payout should England beat South Africa in Sunday's World Cup final in Paris.

England are the 2/1 outsiders to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy but, according to Ladbrokes, 95 per cent of all bets in the UK and Ireland have been on England.

However, the leading British firm do face having to pay out to one customer on a 150,000 pounds ($412,000) bet at odds of 5/1 if South Africa are victorious at the Stade de France.

"A victory for Brian Ashton's side will send the bookies into meltdown," Adele Thompson of Ladbrokes in Ireland said in a statement.

"Across the water (in the UK) punters are queuing up to back England for the title so the losses would run into the multi-millions if the English manage a second World Cup in four years."

Meanwhile Ladbrokes are offering odds of 20/1 on a statue of Jonny Wilkinson permanently occupying the empty plinth in London's Trafalgar Square.

First five-eighths Wilkinson, whose drop-goal with just seconds of extra-time remaining saw England beat Australia 20-17 in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney, is widely expected to have to again play a key role if the champions are to retain their title.

No team has yet won the World Cup at two consecutive tournaments. - AFP

[miltonbentley]

Some questions for tonights game

Can England really turn round a 36-0 loss in just 5 weeks?

Can England cope against better individual players throughout the Bok side?

Can England contain du Preez and Habana?

Can South Africa compete in the scrum?

Can England compete in the lineout?

Can Jonny kick better than 63%?

Will players hold their discipline and avoid being sent to the bin (notably Burger for the Bokks and Worsley for England)?

Will the occasion get to South Africa?

Are the Boks undercooked having had the far easier ride to the final?

and most importantly who will win at the braekdown?

This will be a titanic match - I can't wait.

[Pink Mist]

Some questions for tonights game

Can England really turn round a 36-0 loss in just 5 weeks?

Can England cope against better individual players throughout the Bok side?

Can England contain du Preez and Habana?

Can South Africa compete in the scrum?

Can England compete in the lineout?

Can Jonny kick better than 63%?

Will players hold their discipline and avoid being sent to the bin (notably Burger for the Bokks and Worsley for England)?

Will the occasion get to South Africa?

Are the Boks undercooked having had the far easier ride to the final?

and most importantly who will win at the braekdown?

This will be a titanic match - I can't wait.

neither can I

[scousemouse]

Times like these I wish I was back in England ( but then realise I live in Bkk ) :

Apparently, sales of alcohol, snacks and consumer goods are expected to soar in England today ahead of the final. Sales of beer will be 70% higher than usual, pizza will be up 30% and curry 50%, while champagne sales will rise by 71% with lobster and beef steaks up by 38% and 22% respectively. Even sales of plasma TVs will go up 36%. At the risk of sounding all Jeremy Clarkson - THAT'S living people. None of this healthy-eating, exercise-driven nonsense for us Brits! I'm swelling with pride here...

"'Allan Lamb, Zola Budd, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss - Can you hear me? Your boys took one hel_l of a beating!' You'll be able to use this one come tonight whatever the result!"

I reckon it'd going to be a low scoring affair with England nudging it 16-12 .

[Donnyboy]

Some questions for tonights game My thoughts

Can England really turn round a 36-0 loss in just 5 weeks?

yes, it will be closer as its the final,but the Boks I believe will step it up as well

Can England cope against better individual players throughout the Bok side?

only if they play as a unit and not get sucked into a different style that they arent used to playing

Can England contain du Preez and Habana?

who knows.

Can South Africa compete in the scrum? yes

Can England compete in the lineout? yes

Can Jonny kick better than 63%? who knows

Will players hold their discipline and avoid being sent to the bin (notably Burger for the Bokks and Worsley for England)? no, it will be a titanic struggle in the breakdown, Im expecting more blood

Will the occasion get to South Africa? probably not

Are the Boks undercooked having had the far easier ride to the final? no, the pool games where tight

and most importantly who will win at the braekdown?

This will be a titanic match - I can't wait.

[intumult]

3 finals in 6 rugby world cups and - as usual - we have dashed the hopes of many along the way.

Tonight we will not just be up against the Springboks as a team but will also have so many French, Australian, Scots, Welsh etc., supporters cheering on the Boks.

I believe that will spur on the England team. We have had our backs to the wall on many occasions and risen to the challenge.

It will be bloody and dirty and I for one cannot wait for the match to start

Long live the Bulldog Spirit and here is to England winning tonight and sending another Southern hemisphere team home with their tails between their legs

[OlRedEyes]

3 finals in 6 rugby world cups and - as usual - we have dashed the hopes of many along the way.

Tonight we will not just be up against the Springboks as a team but will also have so many French, Australian, Scots, Welsh etc., supporters cheering on the Boks.

I believe that will spur on the England team. We have had our backs to the wall on many occasions and risen to the challenge.

It will be bloody and dirty and I for one cannot wait for the match to start

Long live the Bulldog Spirit and here is to England winning tonight and sending another Southern hemisphere team home with their tails between their legs

I suppose you are allowed to dream...

VRYSTAAT!!!!!

[wolf359]

Ole Jonah the steam-roller. Most impressive AB of all time

France's players are throwing their weight behind the Springboks in Saturday's final.

Who isn't?

me!!

[OlRedEyes]

[intumult]

I can imagine one h_ll of a lot of English fans feeling the same as that Bulldog in the morning.... after we win tonight

[miltonbentley]

If we win I hope to be still drinking through the morning

I've opened my account with a couple of vodka redbulls.

[Austhaied]

If we win I hope to be still drinking through the morning

I've opened my account with a couple of vodka redbulls.

Then i hope you win, cause I'll be there..With another fellow Wallaby.

I'm on my 6th red-bull now, trying to stay awake....zzzzzzzzzzzz..

Get those Beer Lao's chilled matey...

Edited October 20, 2007 by Austhaied

[miltonbentley]

I am now on the Beer Lao. More V&RB to come. I am surrounded by giant Saffers.

Atmosphere is awesome.

[scousemouse]

Well , one of my teams have already won tonight with a last gasp set piece ( get in there Liverpool ) , so now I'm just waiting for Lewis Hamilton to get pole and for us to spank the springboks with a last gasp set piece from Jonny .

The fridge is full of Leo , bring on the Bok's .

[scousemouse]

QUIETLY CONFIDENT

SCOUSEMOUSE.

C'MON ENGLAND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chantal]

Up the Bokke!!!!!!

[intumult]

Hope you lot are keeping awake to watch this historic victory over the Boks as ENGLAND win the first back to back world cups.

I am glad to be in the U.K. for this.

Grub up in a minute, tv warmed up.

England to win!!

Go for it lads!!

[intumult]

Now, that is one h_ll of a good game.

9-3 to the Boks so far, but I still think England can take this as we are harrying them all the way

Certainly not the same as the earlier match.

so....

C'mon ENGLAND!!

[intumult]

Congratulations to South Africa on winning the world cup.

Condolences to England.

Was a good game and had me on the edge of my seat for a long time.

[Pink Mist]

Well done Green and Gold

[cdnvic]

Congrats to South Africa, and thanks to both squads for a good effort

England's got nothing to be ashamed of, they made a spectacular comeback from a terrible start in the tournament.

Edited October 20, 2007 by cdnvic

[Austhaied]

Commiserations to England (and Milton Bentley) .. Congrats to the Yarpies. Better team won on the day.