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Rugby World Cup 3rd XV


Gardian
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Last night's inept performance by England just confirmed my view that none of the current squad would get in to anybody's World XV 3rd team.  Hardly surprising therefore that we were beaten out of sight by a good RSA team.

Not a thing to shout about: not even a kick at goal during the whole 80 minutes (except for a couple of missed drops).

I have now assumed Welsh nationality on the basis of having visited Merthyr Tydfil once or twice on business.  All the best to them today (never thought I'd find myself saying that!!)

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Why are southern hemisphere teams so much superior? So far Australia

has 2 world cups, as has New Zealand, South Africa have one. The only

other world cup was won by England.

Compare

the populations of those countries (Aus approx 19 million, NZ about 5

million, SA 44 million to say France 66 million, England 50 million)

and the achievements look all the more amazing. Surely northern

hemisphere teams with more money and more potential should be doing

much, much better.
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[quote user="Gardian"]Last night's inept performance by England just confirmed my view that none of the current squad would get in to anybody's World XV 3rd team.  Hardly surprising therefore that we were beaten out of sight by a good RSA team.

Not a thing to shout about: not even a kick at goal during the whole 80 minutes (except for a couple of missed drops).

I have now assumed Welsh nationality on the basis of having visited Merthyr Tydfil once or twice on business.  All the best to them today (never thought I'd find myself saying that!!)

[/quote]

Take all the other whining tw*ts with you mate....we can then start rebuilding with people who care about the country, the good and the bad....

:-))
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I think they managed a first in this World Cup last night? A whitewash!

I'm not whining and the last thing on this Earth that I would do is to live in Wales or even think about nationality, sorry Twinks!!![:D]

I just don't know how such a potentialy good team could have been so amature and I wonder if they will have the cheek to pick up their pay packets. All apart from Robinson who ran his heart out and screwed his knee! I would love to see them win again, but they will have to act like the professionals they are highly paid to be![:'(]

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[quote user="Gardian"]

I have now assumed Welsh nationality on the basis of having visited Merthyr Tydfil once or twice on business.  All the best to them today (never thought I'd find myself saying that!!)

[/quote]

Good for you boyo! 

They just got slaughtered by the aussies though - I think.  Where the hell is Merthyr Tydfil?

(I'll send the CD next week - promise[:)])

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One of the biggest problems with the England team is their dozy coach  Brian Ashton - a real old fuddy duddy. Can't imagine him being inspirational. But as far as I remember no-one else wanted the job. It was so sad when Jason Robinson got injured - as someone said he seemed to be the only one with a bit of sparkle. What happened to Harry Ellis? He was so promising up to a few months ago. Surely they need to bring some more replacements over.
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Ashton may or may not be a good coach, but returning to my original point, the Tri-nations sides would virtually fill a 1st, 2nd & 3rd XV, with England (in particular) and most of the other 6-Nations hardly getting a look in. It hardly matters about the strengths of the coach if the quality of the players is lacking. Sad but true.

None of the major Southern hemisphere sides has (so far) struggled against so-called 'minnows' - the same can't be said for the North.

When England won in 2003, we almost certainly had 5 or 6 players who would have made most people's World 1st XV.  Not now.  

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[quote user="TWINKLE"]

They just got slaughtered by the aussies though - I think.  [/quote]

To be honest, I didn't see it as a slaughter - far from it.  They just give themselves too much to do in the 2nd half, which was fine against Canada, but too much against Australia.

I'm really enjoying the tournament, but do have a problem with this 'citing' lark.  Vickery gets cited and banned for 2 matches for a totally innocuous trip.  Two blatant and dangerous body checks (one by either side) in today's Wales vs Aus game pass by with a finger-wagging.   

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Gardian - your original point about the S. hemisphere producing better players. I know that Australia spends a lot on encouraging young players, even attracting them from other countries to try a season with their youth teams. The son of a friend of ours who plays for an Auch youth team - originally form Wales -  was sponsored by an Australian team to spend a season there. Do the english teams have such a system?As with athletics, UK isn't prepared to spend enough on spotting and training new recruits. We lived in Hull for a long time and prefer to watch Rugby League - more exciting and less injuries.
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The Irish are far from good right now and tomorrow night has all the hallmarks of a thrashing BUT the biggest difference between us and the English team right now is that we still play as a team and have some pride left. But only just I think.

Dont write the French off just yet. This is pretty much form for them, except the defeat against the Pumas.

Georgia and Namibia played the right game. Front it up, in your face and keep the ball. They have fierce and aggressive forwards and the picking and driving was great to see. They just hadnt got the experience to put us away. Merciful God be praised [;-)][;-)]

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[quote user="TWINKLE"][quote user="Jonzjob"]

Blimey! The return of Rasputin!![:-))]

I have seen ths guy in action in this competition and I for 1 would not tackle him!![/quote]

I would[:)]

[/quote]

Oh my gawd, he wouldn't stand a chance!!![:-))] But he can always run, which way is up to him. I'm not saying which way I would go [6]?

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