I hope so. With NZ they always play until the final whistle and never know when they're beat. Unfortunately for Wales, we turn up 10 minutes in and play until the 75th minute then switch off. A fast start against SA and I'd like to think we would win. If we beat the All Blacks I'd be astounded. We have the players but not the belief or leadership, sometimes it's as if we resign ourselves to losing before a ball's been kicked.
Rugby Autumn Internationals
- Thread starter Lynott
- Start date
I hope so. With NZ they always play until the final whistle and never know when they're beat. Unfortunately for Wales, we turn up 10 minutes in and play until the 75th minute then switch off. A fast start against SA and I'd like to think we would win. If we beat the All Blacks I'd be astounded. We have the players but not the belief or leadership, sometimes it's as if we resign ourselves to losing before a ball's been kicked.
A big key to beating the All Blacks is the physicality. In our loss to the Boks this year, their forwards were more physical in contact, quicker to the rucks, slowed down all our recycled ball, and on the attack gave their backs a great platform. On top of that, their defence was bruising. It'll be a tough task for the Welsh but it's doable, moreso than it has been in the last couple of years anyway.
My predictions for this weekend:
England over the Boks by 4
All Blacks over Scotland by 16
Wallabies over France by >10 (this is a full-on guess, don't know much about the French at all)
England over the Boks by 4
All Blacks over Scotland by 16
Wallabies over France by >10 (this is a full-on guess, don't know much about the French at all)
It'll be interesting to see how France shape up this season given Ireland will be facing them in the world cup next year. They've named an unchanged side to face Australia haven't they? Rare in itself.
God I hate rugby refereeing sometimes. Springbok player gets an intercept, runs the length of the field to score a try, and the referee sends it to the TMO just in case. He didn't see any infringements, and neither did his assistants. Like, literally he said that he thought it was onside, but just make sure. WHY ARE YOU MAKING SURE IF THERE IS NO CALL FROM THE TOUCH JUDGE THAT HE WAS OFFSIDE?
What the feck, now the TMO can just interject when the referee doesn't even ask for his help, and that results in a yellow card? Feck that, rugby officiating is going down the drain. I'd rather the odd incorrect decision as opposed to this nonsense with no proper official in charge and every single incident being affected by the boos of the crowd, a guy behind a moniter or just no faith in one's own officiating.
I don't agree with you at all Oklaptop.
Very disappointing from England, again.
Very disappointing from England, again.
Didn't see any of the England games. How poor have they been?
England were slightly disappointing, but they competed more fiercely than they did last week. I expected them to take the match but it was still close right. And what do you disagree with, the officiating? What specifically?
And damn, Carter's having a rusty match. Although I guess it's only 20 minutes in and it's his first match in a long time right.
@okLaptop1 Did you watch the Wales game? The referee and TMO were terrible. Lydiate clearly grounded the ball in a ruck and for some reason a try wasn't given, and then Lloyd Williams wasn't held in a tackle, then subtly knocked it on. The referee/TMO didn't award the try because he didn't release the ball from a tackle which was never really made instead of the knock-on call. Right decision, completely wrong (and mindboggling) reasoning.
Nah I didn't watch it but I could imagine. Refereeing in test matches this year has been abysmal all round. I'm watching Scotland vs AB's with my old man right now and he's losing his shit at the officials, although that's probably because it's a close match and he expected an easy blow-out 
to be fair so did I, this is a great match.
to be fair so did I, this is a great match.Apparently some All Blacks bosses and lots of our fans were disgusted by the way the English crowd drowned out the Haka 2 weeks ago with Swing Low Sweet Chariot, like the English are obliged to show silent reverence for our culture or something. I even remember Justin Marshall on commentary saying they shouldn't have done that. Feck that, I thought Twickenham was brilliant. Why should we expect them to be silent while we are performing a war dance about how we're going to kill them?
Floodgates really opened up here now. Ireland running riot over Georgia as expected. 49-7 with 5 minutes to go.
I've never understood it, its a war dance. A reply is a reply. Get up in their faces, shout back at them.
A dance is a dance as far as I'm concerned. Always found it a bit flowery.
Yeah as a kiwi who has seen many proper hakas performed by Maori dressed in their cultural attire, face paint, and wielding spears, it always seems flowery when it's performed by 23 guys in rugby jerseys and shorts. Pretty much the only thing that gives it gravitas is the fact that we always win. Imagine doing that dance all the time with a rubbish win-loss record.
Yeah, I always find it more fun when the opposition team or crowd does something back instead of just silently "respecting our culture". One time the South Africans slowly edged forward and leered during the whole thing, and by the end of it they were lined up over the half way line grinning menacingly at the All Blacks, it was awesome.
Stating the obvious, to win the WC, you going to have to win 3 big games consecutively(quarter,semi,final). The ABs are the only ones you could bet on to do that. And to be more specific, I just dont see England doing it even with the home support. They strike me as the sort of side who'll agonisingly come up short eventually.
I recently saw some older 70s maybe 80s video of the all blacks doing the Haka. All white guys and no style. Some were just copying the others. Cringeworthy 
Farrell and Barritt in midfield,ouch! Thats really ugly right there.
What is the TMO playing at clearly forward Ref should have overruled him, it was forward pass and short of the line.
Terrible call by the TMO.
Appalling.
Don't like not being able to hear what the TMO is saying.
Bloody hell that was an abysmal non forward pass call.
Yeah kick the ball at Isreal Folau, he'll never miss it.
Ireland need to mix their game up. The kick and chase can be very effective but not when you do it every single time you have the ball. Australia are so good in open field rugby as well, so they will create chances no matter how good your defence is.
Awesome game. Best one of the Autumn series. Both teams in top form giving it their all.
France lose to Argentina!
whose France daddy?
argentina
argentina
Boom! Well done Argentina and also Ireland.
@Marcosdeto will be even happier this evening.
England uninspiring again. I'd just like our big players back to see how we do.
@Marcosdeto will be even happier this evening.
England uninspiring again. I'd just like our big players back to see how we do.
I read a rugby blog and it was talking about how we need to start worrying about the French for the RWC. Somehow I just knew the French would lose. They're one of the weirdest teams out there, football or rugby. It's possible they could finish 4th in the 6 nations and hammer us in the WC or be hammered by us and then beat NZ. They have to be one of the least consistent teams in sport.
Did you think a target of 3 wins in 4 for this series was ever realistic? As an outside viewer, I thought England could get 2 from 4 (Samoa and the Aussies) but anymore would be overachieving. I'm surprised by how quickly the press has seemed to put pressure on Lancaster. Part of me thinks England is setting it's expectations by looking at its role as host rather then the players it has, a bit like Brazil did a few months back. We all know how that ended.
Thats bad, you normally don't hear rugby players scream in pain, Id say its a career ending injury, its a pity with the world cup coming up next year and all.
Jesus that looks bad. I hope he's back up and running for the World Cup. A class act amongst a team of less than savoury characters..
It's hard to see him coming back from that, at age nearly 34, unfortunately.
I wondered where Jaque Fourie had got to - it seems he's just retired from internationals. I don't know whether a place opening up will make him reconsider, or reaffirm his decision to take the money.
As for Wales, I don't think they held their nerve any better than the innumerable times they've blown such a lead - it seemed SA were just as keen to make a mess of things by then end Hopefully it's the proverbial "monkey off the back" about beating the big 3 though.
I wondered where Jaque Fourie had got to - it seems he's just retired from internationals. I don't know whether a place opening up will make him reconsider, or reaffirm his decision to take the money.
As for Wales, I don't think they held their nerve any better than the innumerable times they've blown such a lead - it seemed SA were just as keen to make a mess of things by then end Hopefully it's the proverbial "monkey off the back" about beating the big 3 though.