Rugby World Cup 2003

[Mega Tsunami]

The latest betting odds here in England have New Zealand to win – against England in the final.

New Zealand 6/5
England 12/5
France 9/2
Australia 8/1

I imagine in France the odds would be for them to lose to NZ in the final.

 

[Elsaak]

I think too that NZ could easally reach the final.

In the other side, if France can play like last Sunday, it would be hard to beat it. But against England and its crafty players, we can fall down in our last errors....

 

[Elsaak]

Originally posted by Mega Tsunami
I imagine in France the odds would be for them to lose to NZ in the final.

I'm looking on the web, but cannot find something like that...
But in our newspapers, France has indeed a good cotation...

 

[kryszcztov]

Originally posted by Elsaak
So, you guys, imagine an Australia-England final...?
Are you still sure of your pronostics ?

I second that !
My bet : France beats New-Zealand in final.
England gets the 3rd place.

 

[Captain Carnage]

this is gonna be exciting.

 

[Groovin']

I want France to win their semi, but i want NZ to beat England in the final! Still, shouldn't get ahead of myself, NZ v AUS first

 

[Mega Tsunami]

OK, how about some predictions.

New Zealand v Australia. NZ to win I suspect but never write the Aussies off in this situation. If NZ are at all complacent they will lose. 37-21 to NZ

England v France Very difficult to predict. On current form it should be France and they will be most people’s favourite I suspect. I detect a change in the English camp however since sending Wales home. We came into these finals with the favourite tag hanging very heavily over us, wondering if we had peaked too early. We didn’t play too well but got past the ‘boks. The Samoa game was a shock to the system and in the Wales game we were so scared stiff of losing we didn’t play well.
I personally feel a lot less pressure now having got this far in the cup. If the England camp feel that way (and I have read that they do) they will play much better against France. And so win by a whisker 19-15. If England play as they did in the first half against Wales, France will win 47-19

 

[Mega Tsunami]

I would like also to make a prediction regarding the referee in the Final.

I predict that if England are in the final, the ref will be from a Tri-Nations country.
I predict that if Australia are in the final, the ref will be from a Tri-Nations country.
In fact, the only way there will be a 6-nations ref is if the final is between NZ & France

How do I know this? All 5 games so far between 6-nations teams and Tri-nations teams have been refereed by a Tri-nations referee.
Now I am sure this is pure coincidence, but I expect the coincidence to continue into the final.

The main reason this matters is the differences in interpretation between the two hemispheres. (not as marked nowadays as it used to be).

@ainwood Maybe this also partly explains the number of penalties England have given away.

 

[rilnator]

Originally posted by Groovin'
I want France to win their semi, but i want NZ to beat England in the final! Still, shouldn't get ahead of myself, NZ v AUS first

NZ vs England in the final? Does that mean Australia to lose to the Kiwis? You Traitor!!!

 

[rilnator]

Australia to beat the All Blacks. France to beat the English.

 

[Mega Tsunami]

@rilnator

NZ vs England in the final? Does that mean Australia to lose to the Kiwis? You Traitor!!!

Voting with his head, rather than his heart

 

[rilnator]

Well I'm voting with my wallet Aus $3.65, Aus/ Fra double $7.50.

 

[Mega Tsunami]

Well done Oz! Where did that come from? I thought you got that little bit of luck at the start (could have been 7-0 down rather than 7-0 up) but deserved to win from then on.
The game resembled Rugby League at times with Australia stopping New Zealand from doing their thing and defending to the hilt.
Who knows, maybe the same can happen tomorrow – England can come out of their shell and change up a gear or two as well.

 

[kryszcztov]

Old memories from another century come in mind... Damn 1999 final where we were unable to play against the Aussies...

Today I got up at 10am, and I'm sorry to say I didn't see the French team. Definitely the kind of match I didn't want to watch. Of course there are the weather conditions but we played horribly bad, and the English just played their rugby so well. I mean THEIR rugby... Poor little Michalak (n° 10) who was unable to score any penalty. Too many, well too many faults, and so we were unable to go on offense. Funny how we scored a try and the English didn't ; I'm not even sure they searched to score one actually, they didn't need to after all.

From that match I'll remember :
- the rain ;
- Clive Woodward's horrible smile as the French are penalized ;
- the boring English supporters' song through the whole match ;
- the French power reduced to nil (fortunately we scored once at least).

Well once again we lose against that kind of team (that go after penalties). I was willing to play the Blacks in final, so as to have a good match to watch ; I was quite happy the Aussies won yesterday, so that we could take our revenge. Now we're gonna play the Blacks for the 3rd place on Thursday, which I won't be able to watch (school). And next Saturday will see the Aussies play against England : at last I'll have a whole morning to sleep, because I won't lose my time watching the most annoying match that can exist in rugby, I'm afraid to say.

Good luck to both teams. I'm a bit harsh, because I'm very disappointed and sad. All those easy and almost uninteresting matches, only to do that ? Well anyway, thank you, French rugbymen, you tried once and you tried to do your best. And well done England, you're definitely the best team on Earth.

Now I'm gonna go back to Civ. Where is Joan of Arc, when you need her ?

 

[rilnator]

And next Saturday will see the Aussies play against England : at last I'll have a whole morning to sleep, because I won't lose my time watching the most annoying match that can exist in rugby, I'm afraid to say.

The French played right into Englands hands with their 5/8 kicking the ball almost every time he got it- Boring! Steve Larkham ran the ball 14 times last night so I suggest the Pommy backs do some tackling practice. And while they're at it start writing the obliglitory apology English sporting fans are used to hearing from their LOSING sides.

Now I'm gonna go back to Civ. Where is Joan of Arc, when you need her ? [/B][/QUOTE]

Joan of arc is currently getting wiped off the map by me in my current game. Just like your team was tonight.

 

[Dell19]

On to the final

 

[col]

Boa constrictors can be pretty effective too.

Both sides made a lot of handling errors and it was clear that the ball was like a bar of soap. Too many turnovers - and the 'try' looks pretty unclear on the video playback. Without that France woldnt have scored at all.

Steve Larkham ran the ball 14 times last night

He's have been pretty stupid to have done so today. England won because they adjusted their game. France lost because they couldnt.

England beat Australia last year with an expansive game running in tries. They beat France by crushing them up front.

Just win, baby.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

Originally posted by rilnator
And next Saturday will see the Aussies play against England : at last I'll have a whole morning to sleep, because I won't lose my time watching the most annoying match that can exist in rugby, I'm afraid to say.

The French played right into Englands hands with their 5/8 kicking the ball almost every time he got it- Boring! Steve Larkham ran the ball 14 times last night so I suggest the Pommy backs do some tackling practice. And while they're at it start writing the obliglitory apology English sporting fans are used to hearing from their LOSING sides.

Now I'm gonna go back to Civ. Where is Joan of Arc, when you need her ?

It was v.wet and windy and passes weren't going to hand as well as both defenses very rarely missing any tackles.

Now the 'All Blacks' missed 17% of tackles, the French missed 9%, the English 8% and the iron defense of Australia missed 10% of tackles, slightly worse than England and France.

Quite clearly the strength of the French and English defence on top of the wet conditions made it difficult to run. I think the English defense will be a far greater hurdle for the Aussies to over-come and that it is almost a given that Wilkinson will haul at least 20 points.

The question is, can Australia put more than 20 points on England, because England will get at least 20 points...place your bets

 

[Mega Tsunami]

Wow, an Oz v Poms final. Couldn’t have written the script better myself. I am sure the Pom players will be relishing this final more than any other. And maybe we have finally turned the corner and are just starting to play well again.

 

[prettyvacant]

I suggest the Pommy backs do some tackling practice.

lol, the one thing none of the england team need is tackling practise. It is no surprise the two teams with the best defences (IMO) get to the final. And englands back three out-defend all the others.
NZ v France will almost certainly be the "better" match but..........