2003 Rugby World Cup Final Stages

[Anders]

Going to hedge a little here, having France at 12-1 to win the tournament...

England ML $1.57 v France x 4 units

All Blacks -9 (1 unit)

Tournament to Date:

Spreads: 9-5 +8.50 units
Props: +22.17 units

Also hope the French avoid another yellow card so I can cash the ticket on Tonga come tourney end at 7-1...
And Dougie and Joe, run in those tries for Mils this time .... sorry Hoss

GL All

And go the mighty ABs

 

[PAWAQATSI]

Nicely done on the tournament Anders. It's funny how most of our games swing either way by just single digit victories. Lets hope for a great match.
I feel that our reign will end soon and your ABs will roll on to the ultimate victory.

But just keep your eye on those sneeky frogs!!

 

[hoss]

Right I'm playing!

1pt NZ (-10) v Aus

2pts Eng (-4) v Fra


good luck

hoss

ps in a rush due to a Poker game

 

[crookycymru]

Well, semi final time is upon us, and hard to accept that it is all nearly over and we are going to have to wait another four years for this tournament to arrive again.

Australia vs New Zealand

However, plenty of time to add to the kitty, and will go against the man and his dog tomorrow. Punters across the world are rushing out to back the All Blacks, but I still refuse to jump on the bandwagon, and still think that this All Black team will head home minus the Webb Ellis trophy.
I think this is a generous spread offered to Australia. It was not long ago that after trouncing teams like Namibia and Romania, people were talking about the Aussies being back to their best. That type of talk is a bit premature, but I think the woeful performance against Scotland did Aussie backers a lot of favours. Not only has it given us a better line in this match, but nobody is expecting the Aussies to win, and this could well play right into their hands.
It is a fact that they cant get much worse than the performance against Scotland, but if they cannot raise their game for a World Cup semi final in front of their home fans, then this would not be a genuine Aussie sports team. Of course they will improve, and although I am concerned at the omission of Joe Roff for the over hyped rugby league stars of this world, I feel they cause the All Blacks plenty of problems.
True, the All Blacks were impressive against the Boks, but that is the worst South African team I can remember, and they offered no attacking threat at all in that game. The Aussies will be a different kettle of fish, and I have a good feeling that this match is going to be a lot closer then many predict.

1 Point Australia (+12) at 10/11 with PaddyPower

 

[Let's Have Fun]

Nice call,crooky.
A very nice run. Worthwhile waking up in the wee hours of the morning.
Australia full measure for the win.

 

[PAWAQATSI]

Well, we've been waiting for the first real upset of the tournament and what a time to have it occur.

The Aussies show some true spirit and knock off the raging faves in the All Blacks. What a great defensive effort from our guys. Certainly not according to the script.

This was one tough game of rugby and I'm left wondering what the wallabies will have left in the tank for next weeks final against the best northern hemisphere team?

Poor old Anders!! We may not hear from him for awhile.....probably face down in some gutter somewhere....too ashamed to go home.....much like his Kiwi team and coach.
Wouldn't want to be in their shoes when the plane touches down in NZ.

But hey.......there's always 2007 to look forward to!!!



Sorry mate....but you know it's my duty to give you a 'serve'

:moon:



Nice call once again crooky. I wish I hadn't played against my team but losing a few $ is always worth it on a night like tonight!

 

[bombercoops]

Yep, bit of a suprise last night considering the favouritism by everyone (the public) for an all-black win. How are the rest of the world going to handle it though if we hold the world cup trophies in both the cricket and the rugby? Tonight's game should be a solid game also.

 

[kickserv]

good call Gareth...well done

 

[crookycymru]

Australia 22-10 New Zealand

Maybe touted as a upset by the rugby public, but for me this was very much on the cards. I insist that this is the worst All Black team to enter a World Cup. That might sound harsh, but is the truth. They are obviously still a world class rugby team, but looking at the standards of past All Black teams who have tried and failed to win the World Cup, I could not see any reason why anybody would back this current team to achieve what a All Blacks team has failed to do since 1987.

Credit must go to Australia, who when it mattered played out of their skins. I find myself strongly agreeing with Pawaqtasi, in thinking that this match has taken a hell of a lot out of the Aussies, and this might be their last victory in the tournament. A lot of key players limping off towards the end, and while they are all back, it will be hard for the Aussies to lift themselves again to produce another epic performance. However, it might give us a line next week for the final, as I think firms will make the Aussies favourites now.

Back in a bit with the France-England play.

 

[crookycymru]

France vs England

The battle of the Nortern Hemisphere giants promises to be one to remember. France who have slowly been gelling their team over the last year, are peaking when it matters and for 50 minutes played some unforgettable rugby against the Irish in the quarter final. While the French flair is still there, Bernard Laportes has installed some discipline in a French team at last, and that will be key here as no team should offer Johnny Wilkinson the opportunity to kick points.
The French have class throughout their team, no more so in the back row, and easily the best two back rows in world rugby are up against each other today. This battle is where I think the game will be won and lost. If Serge Betsen can get to Johnny Wilkinson, and hurt him, then there could be problems. Likewise the likes of Richard Hill must disrupt the mercurial Michelak. Lawrence Dallaglio must come out on top against his opposite number, while Neil Back needs to be on top of his game.
This is very much a even matchup, but considering that England look vulnerable in areas during the tournament, I am going to go with France to upset the odds here.

1 Point France to beat England at 6/4 Generally

 

[hoss]

See you in the final PAWA + all

happy hoss

ps god, we're boring though

 

[british bulldog]

HOSS

This was England of two years ago. The condtions were awful and they just plated positional rugby, keeping the French on the back foot. The forwards for England were good as a unit for most parts of the game. Crooky has been saying for a long time that whike England have Wilkinson they are never out of the game and when sides keep giving away penalties England will punish them.

Remember, for all the flair and try scoring that teams do, it counts for nothing when you don't win and at professional sport that all that matters at the end of the day. A W next to your name.

If England do win the Webb Ellis trophey it will be the team that is remembered in future years and not the performance. Yes it is nice to win in style but next weekend I would settle for 10 penalties by Wilkinson to Australia's 4 converted tries.

 

[crookycymru]

I will give credit to England for getting the job done, but I am gutted at the way France performed. I will go as far to say that France bottled it. They had their fair share of posession, but too many big game players failed to show up.

It started with Michalak at ten, where the occasion clearly got to him. However, at 21 years of age, you can hardly blame him, but players like Olivier Magne, Tony Marsh and countless others were anonymous. I said beforehand, that the game would be won and lost in the back row, and this proved to be correct. Richard Hill proved what a weakened team England are without him, while Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio were superb, and protected Johnny Wilkinson to a tee. In contrast, Serge Betsen apart, the French back row were poor, and gave Wilkinson too much space.

I still think the only way this English team will get beat is to run the ball at them, and to keep your discipline. Wales did one of the two, but discipline let them down. I cannot see the Aussies scoring too many tries, so I think England are on course for World Cup victory. It may be one of the more boring tournament wins ever (England have been outscored on try count in their last three games), but they will go down as a World Cup winning team none the less.

 

[Anders]

Pawa - wasn't upset at all actually ... not a huge rugby fan per se, which makes if fun in NZ

Enjoying watching and listening to the post-mortem, and Mitch getting his just desserts for his approach to the media and the public :thefinger

As Crooky accurately pointed out, this ABs side had a lot of fallibilities - and they all emerged in the one game. Add in the fact the Wallabies played out of their skins - as you'd expect in a orld Cup semi - and it was all over, red rover...

Was way more gutted by the non-show by the French and their ill-discipline

From looking at a possible small fortune in props, I may just have to take what I've got....

Have an awful feeling Mitch will now rest Muliaina for Thursday's game, although his versatility may just get him a run somewhere :shrug:

Will be cheering for my trans-Tasman cuzzies on Sat nite - can't stand that prat Woodward and yes, while Eng are smart and successful, they're fuggin diabolical to watch at times and if a ref had enough balls he'd send Martin Johnson to the sinbin...:nono:

 

[MR.MANHATTAN]

england

england

in the finals? = destiny. i lost 55potatos on the eire crew but will recoup w/the redcoats for sure. Thoughts from a ignorant(american) rugby fan.....wishing 'they played it with skulls at cashman field in las vegas, nevada.u.s.a.

 

[downbythe river]

I must admit to being more a lurker than a poster, but I have to say enough is enough when it comes to what's being said about the current England side.
In the past they have been accused of choking, they got rid of that label in no uncertain terms when mullering the Irish in last seasons 6 Nations winner takes all.
In the same game they scored FIVE TRIES and showed how far this current side is apart from the rest of their 6 Nations opponents.
They then went down under and notched up two wins in successive weeks against first the All Blacks and then the Wallabies.
During those games they showed both power and guile unmatched by ANY current national side in world rugby today.
Before they left for their trip to this world cup, they showed how much strength in depth they have by narrowly losing to a full French side in Marseilles with their A side and then completely outclassing the French A team at Twickenham a week later, oh and scoring another FIVE tries into the bargain.
So all this crap about England being a "One trick Pony", boring and killing the game, in my view is being made by people with alternative agendas, some who support sides that are already back on their home soil and are suffering a bout of sour grapes and jealously, whilst others basically fear the fact that England are the most professional national side of any sport, currently on the world stage today.
Australia will not win the World Cup, England will avenge their heartbreaking loss of 1991 and I personally could not care less whether they do it through champagne rugby or JW's boot, as history has no place for losers.

 

[redsfan]

Fair Dinkum - well argued.

I was 6 when England last won a World Cup - I'm now 43 and my son is 6
I'm also fed up with those that knock the most successful sporting team these islands has ever produced and most of them , believe it or not live on these islands and are not from countries who have flown back home.

However, two things are clear to me. Firstly, there has been a sea change since 1991. I remember watching the fingame with several friends from Wales who wanted England to lose that final because we (The English) are too arrogant. Those same friends have shifted those accusations to those currently wearing the green and gold.
Secondly, Clive Woodward has built a team that not only wants to win, but believes they can win a world cup. All those who are English should be immensely proud of this - since it is uncommon for a country that has learnt how to fail on the sporting field.

My enthusiasm and confidence for Saturday are tempered only by my knowledge that the most feared sporting country in the world today will not want to lose to the Poms in their own back yard.

Let's see shall we

And by the way, I believe the French did show up last Sunday, but suffered heavily from not having played a decent side in the tournament and woeful inexperience of the big occasion.

 

[hoss]

I just spent ages typing a huge preview + lost it 'cos I wasn't logged in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3pts NZ (-16) v France reserves

4pts England (-2.5) (Superodds - Oz book!) v Australia

not putting it all again, but Oz have already won their final, England never came off bit.

1/2 pt first scoring play England DropGoal 10/1 Ladbrokes, W.hill

19/14 +14.7pts
hoss

 

[PAWAQATSI]

the fact that England are the most professional national side of any sport, currently on the world stage today.

Big call this!!!!

My enthusiasm and confidence for Saturday are tempered only by my knowledge that the most feared sporting country in the world today will not want to lose to the Poms in their own back yard.

Got this call right!!!

I just spent ages typing a huge preview + lost it 'cos I wasn't logged in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just cut to the chase Hoss!!!
Have jumped on N.Z -14.5 earlier this week locally so glad to hear you like 'em.

And let's just remember this all you pommies lurking out there.......the Wallabies weren't even expected to get this far. One winner-take-all game to go with all the expectations on your boys (that would be a first wouldn't it??!! :thefinger ). Make sure they don't CHOKE when it really matters!!

 

[Pumpkin]

My Heart says Australia and my head says England

I'll just enjoy the game and a few quiet drinks with friends. Best of luck to all and thankyou for all you help and guidence during the tournament :clap: