2023 RWC Buildup, Squads, Fixtures 'etc'

There is way too much emphasis on the world cup and what it says about you as a team. Take 2004-2011, New Zealand wins 85% of their matches in that span and South Africa 65%, but looking at the world cups you would have to say they were equal in that time. But New Zealand wins 12 of the 20 matches between the 2 teams in that time. South Africa win the 2007 world cup by beating England in the group, Fiji in the QF, Argentina (before Rugby Championship and Super Rugby) in the SF and England again in the final. That is England that lost by 30 to Ireland earlier in the year. That was the Wayne Barnes forward pass that he missed in the QF against France for New Zealand. The year before South Africa lost 49-0 to Australia as well. They were not close to being the best team in the world, but the world cup tells you differently.

I also don't understand how you can say Australia and South Africa has New Zealand good record* against New Zealand at World Cups. I think you are remembering the SF loss to Australia in 1991 and 2003 and the final loss to South Africa in 1995 to come to that conclusion. Talk about looking at the past to predict future events, nothing that happened in 1995 or 1991 will have any impact on matches now.

*I know you didn't sayi they have a good record, but you said New Zealand has a terrible record against those 2, the opposite of terrible is good.

Said it after the game last night, will say it again now;

Fuck

Me.

One of my takes from this WC is that teams find it difficult to put in good performances back to back in high intensity games. Which in turn makes squad rotation and substitutes more and more important.

Both finalist came from the same side of the draw. Both have been beaten. England absolutely threw a golden opportunity away. The stars aligned for them this WC and they blew it.

I'd put NZ as favourites because of the ease of their semi final.

It worked out for them in the end, more through mistakes from England than anything. If he was such an incredible coach, he would have seen exactly how England were going to play, and select for it. It's almost he was taken by surprise by the way England were playing. Bizarre.

Genuinely not sure who will win this thing.

Very much depends on which SA team shows up. If the same SA team that started and played most of that game last night, turn up, NZ will be out of sight unlike England were able to do. If the one that turned up to play France arrive then we are in for a great final.

Agree with this. Although SA have the advantage of having incredible depth in their pack replacements which takes the edge of a bit.

But thinking back to 2019 I thought this was a factor in the final as well. SA got to the final after beating Japan and Wales in the knockouts where as England had to play Australia (I think) and NZ, was it therefore really a surprise that SA pulled away a bit in the final 20 minutes of that match.

With that in mind it's definitely advantage NZ in my opinion.

Overall I thought England were bit better and stronger, but to only score 3 points in the second half, SA probably deserving winners. They got their try

My predictions so far :

South Africa not to score in the last 20 minutes yesterday.

PP northern hemisphere treble in the quarter final.

Oh well.

As for the final I believe.... 😁😁😁

I just want to say that Ox Nché is the most underrated player in rugby. His performances too often get lumped in together with the overall impact of the bomb squad, when in reality his destructive scrummaging makes the bomb squad what it is. Best scrummaging loose-head in the world for me.

He just looks so friendly, nobody considers him the true force he his.

he really should be starting

Last season when Premiership clubs were going bust. Dallaglio said Wasps should be treated differently to Worcester, because they were a bigger club and should escape relegation.

Not a good take to be honest.