Autumn Internationals

One of the best results in your sporting history and you lot can still not stop babbling about India.

Grow up lads and congratulations btw!
 
KM said:
One of the best results in your sporting history and you lot can still not stop babbling about India.

Grow up lads and congratulations btw!
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Jaysus, yiz are a sensitive lot. Just jokes and love <3
 
Some muppet on Kiwi radio said this is the All Blacks worst year since 1998 in one of the greatest overreactions you'll see. Remember, in 1998, the All Blacks lost three times to Australia: 24-16 in Melbourne, 27-23 in Christchurch and 19-14 in Sydney. They also lost twice to South Africa: 13-3 in Wellington and 24-23 thanks to a controversial match winning try from James Dalton.

Yes, there has been some controversy with the Chiefs boys getting in some disciplinary trouble and Aarom Smith getting up to some extra curricular activities in a Christchurch airport but gee whiz some perspective would be nice. Also, the New Zealand 7's team didn't do well at the Olympics but they've had a good year all told I think.
 
K2K said:
Good idea.

England set to get their first win against South Africa since 2006.

And I dont think Australia have enough in them for a Grand slam.
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It wouldn't be the greatest shock if Italy beat South Africa in a couple of weeks. Been watching Rugby seriously since 2006 and this is the worst Springbok team I've seen and the poorest coached team I've seen too. Scotland's World Cup revenge mission against Australia is up next. Just taking it one game at a time regarding the grand slam. More worried about Ireland than England at the moment.
 
Mitchell Nicholas said:
It wouldn't be the greatest shock if Italy beat South Africa in a couple of weeks. Been watching Rugby seriously since 2006 and this is the worst Springbok team I've seen and the poorest coached team I've seen too. Scotland's World Cup revenge mission against Australia is up next. Just taking it one game at a time regarding the grand slam. More worried about Ireland than England at the moment.
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This is the same South Africa that lost to Japan just a few months ago, and that was one of the biggest upsets in Sports.

Scotland will be pumped up for that game.They were simply robbed against Australia.
 
Didn't see the Scotland game, will catch the highlights. Not bad from England, but need to work on discipline. SA might actually even start to feel the nerves going into next weekends match with Italy - once the confidence goes it's hard to rope back in. Although a big score for them in Italy might just do that so it could be really, really good or really, really bad for them!
 
SqueakyWeasel said:
Didn't see the Scotland game, will catch the highlights. Not bad from England, but need to work on discipline. SA might actually even start to feel the nerves going into next weekends match with Italy - once the confidence goes it's hard to rope back in. Although a big score for them in Italy might just do that so it could be really, really good or really, really bad for them!
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Huw Jones and Hogg looked very handy.. really did deserve to win, Aussies were getting outplayed. More one sided game than the World Cup clash where it felt more even stevens sort of game.
 
SqueakyWeasel said:
Didn't see the Scotland game, will catch the highlights. Not bad from England, but need to work on discipline. SA might actually even start to feel the nerves going into next weekends match with Italy - once the confidence goes it's hard to rope back in. Although a big score for them in Italy might just do that so it could be really, really good or really, really bad for them!
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The last time South Africa lost to England,Jake White was recalled home mid-tour to explain himself. Coetzee needs to do the same.Terrible coach woefully out of his depth.

I think Italy will never have a better chance to win against at S.A. They should win in all honesty.

As for England,they have been brilliant but aren't they peaking too soon? Unless they want to All Black their way to a world cup
 
K2K said:
The last time South Africa lost to England,Jake White was recalled home mid-tour to explain himself. Coetzee needs to do the same.Terrible coach woefully out of his depth.

I think Italy will never have a better chance to win against at S.A. They should win in all honesty.

As for England,they have been brilliant but aren't they peaking too soon? Unless they want to All Black their way to a world cup
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Don't know if they are
They are still bringing through a lot of inexperienced players
 
Two down, two to go for Australia in their grand slam quest. Scotland have nobody to blame but themselves this time.
 
Phil said:
Who are you playing? You're mad if you think you're beating England and Ireland..
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AUS will lose at least one if not both of those games. I'm just glad this grand slam quest hasn't been fecked up by the halfway point like the previous two have been.

christy87 said:
3 to go France next week, Ireland the week after and then England
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The grand slam takes in games against the four home unions, not France or Italy.
 
Watching England vs South Africa was a laborious chore this morning. England probably knew they didn't have to stretch themselves in order to win and South Africa with the way they're coached have got no idea. The South African players look they're not enjoying themselves on the field at the moment. England still have room for improvement.
 
Mitchell Nicholas said:
AUS will lose at least one if not both of those games. I'm just glad this grand slam quest hasn't been fecked up by the halfway point like the previous two have been.
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Agree (probably the France game too)

Mitchell Nicholas said:
The grand slam takes in games against the four home unions, not France or Italy.
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Pretty sure he just means a "grand slam" in terms of winning all the matches in this years' Autumn Internationals.
 
I'll need a run down on the French before making a prediction for their game against Australia. Haven't seen them play at all this year. Don't even know who their coach is.
 
Mitchell Nicholas said:
Watching England vs South Africa was a laborious chore this morning. England probably knew they didn't have to stretch themselves in order to win and South Africa with the way they're coached have got no idea. The South African players look they're not enjoying themselves on the field at the moment. England still have room for improvement.
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I'd agree, I was at the game and as Eddie said after game was a good 6/10 performance. Some might think that is harsh but I don't think England ever really got out of 3rd gear. Thing is they didn't need too. Poor first 25mins but after was pretty comfortable. Still a good win and finally beat SA even if they're poor at the moment.
 
World Rugby awards were announced yesterday, the three notable awards are as following:

Team of the year: New Zealand - feel England are stiff as they could end up with a perfect year something New Zealand won't achieve despite their dominance.
Player of the year: Beauden Barrett - thoroughly deserving winner in my view, could pick any All Black really.
Coach of the year : Steve Hansen - Very lucky i think. Can you really overlook somebody in line for a perfect year, achieved a first ever series win in AUS?
 
Mitchell Nicholas said:
World Rugby awards were announced yesterday, the three notable awards are as following:

Team of the year: New Zealand - feel England are stiff as they could end up with a perfect year something New Zealand won't achieve despite their dominance.
Player of the year: Beauden Barrett - thoroughly deserving winner in my view, could pick any All Black really.
Coach of the year : Steve Hansen - Very lucky i think. Can you really overlook somebody in line for a perfect year, achieved a first ever series win in AUS?
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NZ won 18 in a row in fairness and we're probably slightly more convincing in their Rugby Championship whitewash that England were in their Grand Slam. Not much in it though and it could have gone either way - I probably would've given NZ team of the year and Jones coach of the year.

Barrett had to win the award from those nominated but in all honesty, how Brodie Retallick wasn't nominated is beyond me. He was head and shoulders the best player in the world this year for me.

Heaslip won try of the year for that magnificent team effort against Italy. Must have been tight though because the Japanese score was outstanding as well.

 
England will have to take their record into next year if they want to win it really. NZ well deserved, somehow Argentina came out of the Rugby Championship looking the best against them, says it all about well their improvement, but just how brilliantly NZ dismantled Australia and South Africa.

I'd love it if England go the year undefeated though, or at least get to that Wales game at 16-0, historically Wales being absolutely up for it have a massive massive struggle for England, behind New Zealand, it's the only test left for Eddie to pass, albeit if he passes all those tests 2 years before the World Cup....well wheres the motivation then for 2 years? So fancy the Argies to beat them as opposed to Australia maybe.
 
Itoje won breakthrough player of the year too. Deserved, looked top class. Gone from potential to in my opinion a start for the Lions in a year.
 
diarm said:
NZ won 18 in a row in fairness and we're probably slightly more convincing in their Rugby Championship whitewash that England were in their Grand Slam. Not much in it though and it could have gone either way - I probably would've given NZ team of the year and Jones coach of the year.

Barrett had to win the award from those nominated but in all honesty, how Brodie Retallick wasn't nominated is beyond me. He was head and shoulders the best player in the world this year for me.

Heaslip won try of the year for that magnificent team effort against Italy. Must have been tight though because the Japanese score was outstanding as well.
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AB's deserved winners but I had to go and check after your first 8 words got me thinking. If England beat Fiji, Argentina and Aus and GS the 6 nations again they equal that record. Of course, along with this jinx … Argentina, Ireland and probably Wales will be the biggest hurdles along the way (sorry Aussies) but altogether that is some turn around after the WC debacle of one year ago!
 
When NZ winning 18 straight is mentioned i need to mention that 8 of those came in 2015, which is obviously outside the time period used for 2016 awards. England would have been worthy winners for me. 11 wins from 12 in 2016 is still impressive nonetheless from the AB's.
 
SqueakyWeasel said:
AB's deserved winners but I had to go and check after your first 8 words got me thinking. If England beat Fiji, Argentina and Aus and GS the 6 nations again they equal that record. Of course, along with this jinx … Argentina, Ireland and probably Wales will be the biggest hurdles along the way (sorry Aussies) but altogether that is some turn around after the WC debacle of one year ago!
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I was gutted when you fellas hired Eddie Jones. There is simply no better coach to turn your previously big, ugly and a little dim Neanderthals into a top class outfit.

A year on and he's well on his way. England are still bigger and uglier than anyone else but they're far smarter now. With their playing resources and finally a top class coach, there's no reason England shouldn't be dominating.
 
NZ pummelled Wales, South Africa, Australia and Argentina vs Grand Slam & Whitewashing Australia in their own yard and also beat Ireland.

Who would win next year if England went to 19 by Grand Slam'ing again, but had an iffy Autumn when NZ have a perfect year whitewashing the Lions on the way?
 
Couldn't think where else to post this so banging it in here.

Irelands promo video for their 2023 RWC Bid.

 
So NZ have their locks back as well as Israel Dagg in the back 3 but they've lost Kaino to injury. They've also stuck with Moody, and Aaron Smith who need big performances after underperforming in Chicago. Wonderkid Lienert-Brown replaces the injured Crotty at centre.

Ireland are almost unchanged with only fit again Sean O'Brien replacing the injured Jordi Murphy at 7. In an astounding show of depth, Peter O'Mahony doesn't even make the 23 despite being fit to play. Ian Henderson returns and replaces Dillane on the bench while Keith Earls failed to recover from a dead leg, meaning young talent Ringrose retains the 23 jersey.

Massive game with two sides unusually close to full strength. The return of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock for NZ will be hugely significant while the presence of Dagg in the back 3 means Ireland shouldn't be able to bully them in the air again. Jerome Kaino is a big, big loss though and Ireland should have a slight edge in the backrow once again.

Expect the All Blacks to be much stronger up front and in the set piece than they were 2 weeks ago. Ireland will have to target Moody's poor discipline and Squires inexperience in the backrow, hope Smith doesn't regain form at halfback and put the same blitz pressure on the kiwi backs they did last time.

Hopefully SOB can put in a barnstorming 40-50 minutes and Van der Flier is a cracking option coming off the bench. Obviously Murray and Sexton will be key to Ireland winning but I suspect this might be just a step too far.

NZ by <5 in another epic tussle.
 
Need to close this thread now. Another 4 predictions and we'll be looking at another 60-0!
 
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