November Internationals

Stev_o

Okay so we are a week away to what will be a very exciting and but also nerve racking time. For those that dont know we need to desperately hold onto our 8th place in the world rankings and hope for Scotland and France to loose all their matches.


Saturday, 08 November 2008
International Match
England v Pacific Island, 14:30
Ireland v Canada, 17:15
Scotland v New Zealand, 17:15
Wales v South Africa, 14:30
France vs Argentina

Friday, 14 November 2008
International Match
Wales v Canada, 19:30

Saturday, 15 November 2008
International Match
England v Australia, 14:30
Ireland v New Zealand, 17:15
Scotland v South Africa, 14:30
France vs PIs


Saturday, 22 November 2008
International Match
England v South Africa, 14:30
Ireland v Argentina, 14:45
Scotland v Canada
Wales v New Zealand, 17:15
France vs Aus.


Saturday, 29 November 2008
International Match
England v New Zealand, 14:30
Wales v Australia

Also Italy play Australia and Argentina but cant seem to find the fixture list.

I personally cant wait and hope to god the weather holds up and the NH teams can show the SH how to play real rugby (Except for Scotland i hope they get a 100 points put on them sorry :P)

ALH-06

How are the RWC pools formed exactly? Is it something like first-ranked team plus eighth-ranked team in one group, then second-ranked with seventh-ranked and so on?

And how come in the past we always seemed to get Argentina in our group? Was it because they were ranked lower than eighth always?

Seems like we only need to keep ahead of Scotland (ranked ninth), which should be no bother. There's no way Scotland will beat NZ or SA...

When will the RWC groups be announced?

Stev_o

ALH-06 wrote: »

How are the RWC pools formed exactly? Is it something like first-ranked team plus eighth-ranked team in one group, then second-ranked with seventh-ranked and so on?

And how come in the past we always seemed to get Argentina in our group? Was it because they were ranked lower than eighth always?

Seems like we only need to keep ahead of Scotland (ranked ninth), which should be no bother. There's no way Scotland will beat NZ or SA...

When will the RWC groups be announced?

Every pool is divided up into two teams from 1-8th rank and then filled with minows from 8th downwards. The draw takes place this December cant remember the date.

Scotland though might beat New Zealand if the blacks decide to send a 2nd string squad there which is likely and could prove disastrous for us.

Colm_OReilly

Damn that's a lot of Rugby to record!

Oh, and to whomever asked how much the DVR on ntl cost it's an extra €5 a month, which is very little considering our schedule in the house and how often we've used it so far.

So here's a question, how come Ireland are only playing three internationals, not four?

marco_polo

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Damn that's a lot of Rugby to record!

Oh, and to whomever asked how much the DVR on ntl cost it's an extra €5 a month, which is very little considering our schedule in the house and how often we've used it so far.

So here's a question, how come Ireland are only playing three internationals, not four?

I can't remember Ireland ever playing more than three AI. I believe it is only in recent years that some of the other unions have started to stick in a fourth game. Not sure if I am imagining this or not but I seem to remember a controversy a few years ago when the RFU first put an extra game into their schedule.

Perhaps to the IRFUs credit they are putting longer term player welfare over money?

EDIT bingo:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/5052970.stm

dave13

Ne Zealand are starting only 3 of the team that beat Australia on saturday against Scotland. If the Scots up their game , this could be disasterous for Ireland.
http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/rugby/2008/1104/1225523354257.html

Stev_o

Englands team vs Pacific Islands

England team to face Pacific Islanders:
D Armitage (London Irish); Sackey (Wasps), Noon (Newcastle), Flutey (Wasps), Monye (Harlequins); Cipriani (Wasps), Care (Harlequins); Sheridan (Sale), Mears (Bath), Stevens (Bath), Borthwick (Saracens, captain), Kennedy (London Irish), Croft (Leicester), Rees (Wasps), Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: Hartley (Northampton), Vickery (Wasps), Palmer (Wasps), Haskell (Wasps), Lipman (Bath), Ellis (Leicester), Flood (Leicester).


Its a strong side with Noon probably being the weakest link there doesnt offer them much maybe though he ll find his 6 Nations form. Should be a interesting match.


Wales and South Africa teams

Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Gloucester); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues).
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks), James Hook (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).

South Africa team: Conrad Jantjes; JP Pietersen, Adrian Jacobs; Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez; Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, John Smit (capt), Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Pierre Spiers.
Replacements: Brian Mujati, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Andries Bekker, Ryan Kankowski, Ricky Januarie, Frans Steyn, Jaque Fourie.

Leigh Halfpenny only 19 starts against South Africa nice introduction to international rugby

anonymous_joe

Strong enough England side. Would like to see one or two of their youngsters do well. But saying that, everyone has a soft spot for the Islanders I reckon. ^^

As for Halfpenny, good young player, but let's hope he's not ruined by the Sith Ifricans.

Pinetree Boy

I stand to be corrected (a bit bloody confused myself to be honest) but think pools work as follows.

Twelve teams already qualified from 2007 WRC are banded into three groups based on rankings at 1 December.

So top four each go into sperate pool. Next four in rankings are then drawn into the pools and then final four based on rankings. Then the teams that qualify in regional comps are drawn into each pool.

So at present Pool A could for example be as follows

NZ
One of Eng, Wales, France or Ireland
One of Scotland, Fiji, Italy or tonga
One qualifier

As I understand it who goes where fron the second and third bands depends on the luck of the draw.

Stev_o

Pacfic Islanders team for England

Kameli Ratuvou (Saracens, Fiji), Sailosi Tagicakibau (London Irish, Samoa), Seru Rabeni (Leicester, Fiji), Seilala Mapusua (London Irish, Samoa), Vilimoni Delasau (Montauban, Fiji), Pierre Hola (Longolongo, Tonga), Mosese Raulini (Saracens, Fiji), Justin Va'a (Glasgow, Samoa), Aleki Lutui (Worcester, Tonga), Census Johnston (Saracens, Samoa), Filipo Levi (Ricoh, Samoa), Kele Leawere (Hino Motors, Fiji), Semisi Naevo (NEC, Fiji), Nili Latu (NEC, Tonga) Finau Maka (Toulouse, Tonga).
Replacements: Sunia Koto (London Welsh, Fiji), Kisi Pulu (Perpignan, Tonga), Hale T Pole (Suntory, Tonga ), George Stowers (World Kobe, Samoa), Sililo Martens (Scarlets, Tonga), Seremaia Bai (Clermont Auvergne, Fiji), Epi Taione (Harlequins, Tonga).

One hell of a backline that is.

Shanegggg

marco_polo wrote: »

I can't remember Ireland ever playing more than three AI. I believe it is only in recent years that some of the other unions have started to stick in a fourth game. Not sure if I am imagining this or not but I seem to remember a controversy a few years ago when the RFU first put an extra game into their schedule.

Perhaps to the IRFUs credit they are putting longer term player welfare over money?

EDIT bingo:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/5052970.stm

does anyone know if Ireland only playing 3 matches affects their rankings? i presume if ireland win their 3 matches and scotland win thier four matches they will be higher than us? (i no this wont happen but still!)

btw tht SA pack looks incredible, i hope its a repeat of the summer tour wen wales wer wel beaten

Sparky14

Shanegggg wrote: »

btw tht SA pack looks incredible, i hope its a repeat of the summer tour wen wales wer wel beaten

Whats the story tho with Smit moving to prop and Pienar at outhalf. Pretty strange, Butch James and Van Der Linde must have had a little chuckle when they saw those selections.

Stev_o

Sparky14 wrote: »

Whats the story tho with Smit moving to prop and Pienar at outhalf. Pretty strange, Butch James and Van Der Linde must have had a little chuckle when they saw those selections.

You'd fancy England targeting them doubt Smith will last long at TH but they need him on the field yet they have a better hooker. Conundrum indeed

Stev_o

Since there's no Scotland vs SA i thought id post it here that everyone should get down on their knee's a pray to god almighty that SA manage to turn this 10-0 loss around and beat Scotland or else we could be royally f*cked

yeraulone

looks like your prayers are being answered.

11-10 to SA.

Chucky the tree

Oh dear. Shocking miss from infront of the posts. Would of made it a 1 point game with 6 minutes to go. Scotland still have a chance

yeraulone

14 - 10 to SA. Fulltime.

Scots played well but threw it away.

ktulu123

Shanegggg wrote: »

does anyone know if Ireland only playing 3 matches affects their rankings? i presume if ireland win their 3 matches and scotland win thier four matches they will be higher than us? (i no this wont happen but still!)

btw tht SA pack looks incredible, i hope its a repeat of the summer tour wen wales wer wel beaten

this guy is wrong!