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"Ardie Savea’s 58th-minute try ended the longest ever period of a RWC match where New Zealand had failed to score a single point."
Puts England's massive performance in to perspective (if it wasn't already obvious!)
Apparently Rugby Australia have been urged to splash the cash and get EJ back.
It’ll be interesting to see if he stick around or does one. He’s done alright out of the last two world cups in terms of improving his CV / employability. I’m guessing that they don’t have the cash to buy him out of his contract.
There’s a few Kiwi’s looking a bit daft in FB. One made some comments yesterday in reference to Lawes being a bit pants (Slightly more sweary though) etc in regards to Retallick not knowing who he was a few years ago. Most have been pretty accepting.
I’m looking forwards to tomorrow’s match. If we do face S.A. next week, I hope we don’t get suckered into a forward dominated game because their pack is pretty monstrous.
It would be good to have an all NH final but then I’d be worried about the welsh boys trying to give Gats the ultimate send of and really raising their game.
Ben Spencer called up for Willi Heinz.
On the plane to Japan instead of playing for Sarries on Sunday afternoon.
was how tactically inept NZ were
Yep. How many times did they kick possession away while attacking in or near the English 22m? Including one box kick from Smith when he was just out of the 22. I haven’t seen such muddled thinking from a team for a long time, especially not from a NZ team, never mind such poor kicking.
It started with selection though. Scott Barrett is a good player but giving him his first back-row start in a RWC SF? (He’s also a bit of liability in terms of penalties.) And then how did they use him? They didn’t. It wasn’t that he was shut down, he just wasn’t used.
**** yeah!!!!
Watching on catch-up, Wrightyson?
We won't spoil the result, fella, we know you're only 2 minutes in.
Hansen offering the reporter outside. Lol.
Hansen offering the reporter outside. Lol.
He’s never come across as the sharpest tool but that’s a bit ridiculous. Lots of Welsh players struggled with his coaching style.
A friend sent me a link to a Wales Online article about how wales can get on over on England in the final...
Not saying that that won’t beat us (more than likely world) buy they appear to have forgotten about S.A. in the morning.
Did seem a bit odd for Hansen to offer to give the journo a rugby education outside. 😂
Thought the only disgrace was NZ carping on to the ref like it is a soccer game.
besides Farrell’s play acting as mentioned above, he also wouldn’t shut his mouth when the referee rightly didn’t give either of the disallowed tries. It’s the first time I’ve ever noticed such dissent in a rugby match although granted I don’t watch loads, but usually the decision is respectably accepted.
But still, well done England, an unexpected but fully deserved win today.
Sweepstake on who pulls out injured this morning? I'm going with a Jiffy Junior accumulator!
Sweepstake on who pulls out injured this morning? I’m going with a Jiffy Junior accumulator!
Oh, don’t. I’m known as a pessimist, [although I think I’m just a realist], but your worse than me! I have a fear that JD2 will not look right from the start and go off after 12 minutes (never to play again).
Re the carping to the ref I really meant that it was a noticeable lowering of respect standards towards the ref. Not making a point that England are totally innocent in this respect just that I v much noticed the NZ SH chirping away.
Farrell talking to the ref respectfully as cptn is fine. Play acting (I didn’t see that not saying it didn’t happen) is not.
TJ Perenara asked Farrell if he was playing in the Premier League, rather than the Rugby World Cup semifinal.
Farrell doesn't talk to the ref respectfully. He disagrees and interrupts in a whiney voice. He has no idea how to speak to referees. He should take a look at AWJ or how Warburton used to do it.
The tension is relieved by everyone else’s posts, so keep them up.
Obviously I’d love Wales to win the whole tournament. But, I’d be happy just to make the final. I’d even be happy to beat NZ for third place. Unfortunately I can’t see any of these things happening.
However, before the 6nations I could see Wales winning with a bit of good fortune. And before this World Cup could only see Wales winning, if England beat NZ in the semi and Wales playing them in the final ...
So the dream goes on. For the next 80 minutes it could just happen. Warren Gatland, AWJ, ...
C’mon Wales!!!
Good luck Wales
Springbok shirts on - off to the bar to watch the Bokke!
Hope today is as exciting as yesterday!
Farrell doesn’t talk to the ref respectfully. He disagrees and interrupts in a whiney voice. He has no idea how to speak to referees. He should take a look at AWJ or how Warburton used to do it.
Instead he's a carbon copy of Biggar! Both ****s, both remarkably tough competitors, I like them.
Cmon Wales!
Wales win the singing, lets leave it their shall we!
Instead he’s a carbon copy of Biggar
Yeah but Biggar's not the skipper is he?
Interesting re the chat about the big England pack; the one yesterday was only 4kg heavier than the welsh one, which is heavier than the Boks.
This Halfpenny chap isn’t a bad replacement for Williams is he? 😂
Interesting re the chat about the big England pack; the one yesterday was only 4kg heavier than the welsh one, which is heavier than the Boks.
As Shane said, I was 5foot 9 in the programme!! No way is thecwales pack as big as SA orcNZ.
How is that not a pen?
SA are effective if a little boring.
A game of penalties....
Ouch, North is done.
Was North a pundit earlier in the tournament?
Bollocky bollocks, North was looking really good.
South Africa on top and Wales creaking, but a really unconvincing win is just what Wales need.
I’m with Wales to win this. S.A. don’t look particularly convincing tbh, and are making a mess of a few things.
I appreciate not if you are Welsh or South African .... but crikey it is a boring game of rugby. The first 27 minutes seemed purely kicking.
Wales scrum will crumble with Lewis at 3.
S.A. looked a bit sharper to me in the 1st half
I appreciate not if you are Welsh or South African …. but crikey it is a boring game of rugby. The first 27 minutes seemed purely kicking.
Yep, although Wales are merely trying to hang on, SA would want to have built a good lead by now.
Never seen Moriarty take so many lineouts!!
Wales for the win.....after breaking themselves ahead of the final after running into those monstrous Boks for 80min ?😉
From a neutral perspective this game is hilariously bad!
9-9
Praying for one of those, jump up out of you seat, out of nowhere Wales tries!
This is the problem with modern rugby.
In the old days a little prick like de Klerk would never mess with Jake Ball because he'd get a smack and everyone would just get on with it.
In a hope not to curse next weekend, but I can’t see England having a problem with either of these sides based on the performances so far
Borefest.
Dan Bigger is the new Mike Brown!
Boredom is the one feeling I don’t have!
Finally! Yeeehaaa
Soft try.
Poor tackling. Not what you'd expect from Wales.
Jeez what was wales 23 doing there? Almost ushering him across the line
Arse.
Kick the damn points!
OK percentage wise it was the wrong option but I'm glad they got the try.
Thought Wales were going to get that over.....
Nicely played. They deserved that.
Much as I'm a Liam Williams fan Halfpenny is the perfect player for a game like this.
Frans Steyn used to be a young, slim blond kid - now he's a big, beefy boer with a beard!
Patchell drop goal?
Too soon. Too far out.
In a hope not to curse next weekend, but I can’t see England having a problem with either of these sides based on the performances so far
I'm not so confident, but jones will be hammering them this week. If it's SA we'll be expected to take the game to them. Wales I fear as they can rattle out tries on their day.
Someone lost a boot there.
In the old days a little prick like de Klerk
He's a shortarse with girl hair, but he's as tough as teak.
He's a good watch at Sale, always grits his teeth and gets stuck in; doesn't matter how big, he's sure he can take them down.
Oh shit. So close.
Hard luck Wales. Wrong option and a couple of mistakes at crucial moments.
Crappy game, such a shame for Wales.
Who knows who’ll turn up next week but if England play like yesterday and S.A. today it’ll be England by 20. I hope.
Wales could/should have won that.
Rubbish game but understandably tight and nervous.
I kind of wanted Wales to win but I don't think I could stand losing to them in a world cup final!!
Unlucky Wales, maybe just to too many key injuries in the end.
Wales could/should have won that.
Could not should I think. Should never have taken on that drop goal from out there.
That was both boring and tense in equal measure!
Glad the Boks pulled through but feel for Wales.
I'm going to have to pick a side for next week now . . . .
Could not should I think. Should never have taken on that drop goal from out there.
Agreed, although Wales’s try was well taken (despite last forward pass) the S.A. was very soft.
Bugger, never mind a good run, and now it’s over 🏴 My interest in RWC is now over.
In other news the paint I was watching is now dry........
That was both boring and tense in equal measure!
To quote Frans Steyn (again) :
It's not about playing rugby. It's about winning.
Not a great game. But then World Cup semis and finals are not usually the place to find running rugby and tries galore.
Grind up the middle, kick the penalty, win by a single score is very often the formula.
Wales did the best they could and kept in the game bravely. No complaints. England should beat SA
He’s a shortarse with girl hair, but he’s as tough as teak
Oh yeah. I know. He's a great player.
It's worse in rugby league now in the afters. Little blokes can annoy big blokes without getting smacked.
Ice hockey has it right. Mess about with somebody harder than you and suffer the consequences.
Pretty dull game of rugby and a shame for the Welsh to go out like that (I.e. in a bit of a bore fest).
Interesting week for England this week now that everyone is making them firm favourites. Against Australia there was an element of doubt and no one gave us a hope in hells chance against the AB’s. Now we’re expected to win. Pressure is going to be huge.
Oh come on pigface, you've got the consolation playoff to look forward to 😆
Ah! There goes my £5 then.
I hope England don't come up short. There is a huge risk of a come down after yesterdays game and thinking that it is job done.
Today's game could lead to some over confidence too.
On what I have seen so far we should beat SA but I fear we might not show up in the final.
a shame for the Welsh to go out like that (I.e. in a bit of a bore fest).
And how should they go out? they were second best in all aspects and dont have the players to play another way. Losing Anscombe in the warm ups did for any hope of an attacking game plan and not having Liam at the back didnt help either.
they were second best in all aspects
I don't think so. I think the two sides were pretty even. Wales could've snatched it at the end.
A poor decision to go for the dg at that point followed by a couple of small errors or unlucky bounces of the ball was all it took to lose.
Personally I'm gutted.
The banter on here would've been terrific for the next week!
With respect AA you do talk bobbins at times.