Rugby World Cup 2007 - Twiddling Our Thumbs!

[Havak]

Sordid Photos would be my guess.

Catt-Farrell-Noon. I can't even keep a straight face writing that.

[finbar]

Someone on the BBC board has opined that A. Farrell will play at #10. Not the silliest idea in the universe. His lack of speed won't count against him as much, he obviously has a good brain, lovely hands and seems to be able to kick.

[Joe Kick Ass]

1(1) NEW ZEALAND 93.38
2(2) AUSTRALIA 87.03
3(4) SOUTH AFRICA 85.40
4(6) ARGENTINA 84.82
5(3) FRANCE 83.13
6(5) IRELAND 81.12
7(7) ENGLAND 78.89
8(8) WALES 77.53
9(9) ITALY 75.37
10(10) SAMOA 74.97

just wanted to post something...

(from yesterday, btw)

[finbar]

And within a couple of weeks:

15 (7) ENGLAND 01.00

[Havak]

Unless of course they actually win on Friday.

It's highly unlikely but stranger things have happened.

I don't think the Boks are perfect yet - and they are certainly confident. Hopefully over confident.

The situation just keeps getting worse - Tait and Hipkiss have both fallen ill with an unspecified bug. That leaves Noon as the only OC fit and well. And he is c***.

[Andydog]

Oohh! The C bomb!

An English victory is highly unlikely indeed. Vickery out for two matches.

Why drop Wurzle? The Saffa game is custom-made for him and everyone knows that Easter and Corry can't play together; it's been a disaster every time Ashton has tried it.

The backrow, even with Rees it, looks slow and ponderous. One of Worsley or Moody HAS to start at 6, surely.

That idea of picking Farrell and Tait has backfired big time. Charlie Hodgson has been quoted on the BBC as saying he was fully fit, passed every fitness test and did everything asked of him, he just wasn't selected. So England have a flyhalf with a long history of injury problems, but the only cover England take is a 12 who can play 10 at a pinch, and rather than selecting an experienced specialist 10 (even though he's been the incumbent for the majority of the time since the last world cup), England instead pick a rugby league convert who's done nothing - NOTHING - since moving to union.

I would have put Cipriani covering flyhalf than Catt or Farrell.

This is starting to look like Andy Robinson all over again.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Unless of course they actually win on Friday.

It's highly unlikely but stranger things have happened.

I don't think the Boks are perfect yet - and they are certainly confident. Hopefully over confident.

I suspect it's one of Eddie's jobs to control that. He's a great, um, deflater of pompous egos. The thing is, they're just as powerful as England ... and they have a functioning backline. Especially when they bypass B. James, which they've been doing a lot lately.

The situation just keeps getting worse - Tait and Hipkiss have both fallen ill with an unspecified bug. That leaves Noon as the only OC fit and well. And he is c***.

You left out the "a" prior to the C-word.

This is starting to look like Andy Robinson all over again.

Which makes me say, yet again, that the decision-making isn't all the coach's. I detect R. Andrew's dead hand.

And the Georgians did a better job of foiling the Argies last night than the French did.

[Havak]

You'll note that I am not substantially disagreeing with either of you as we look at the creaking England bandwagon.

Cipriani is a huge talent but better at FB for me. But then he is young and talented so like everyone else with those two qualifications he got cut.

Hodgson, like Barkley, can look the part against weak opposition but he has choked time and again against big sides. I really would have prefered Geraghty to make the cut as that lad has something about him - but I'd take Flood over Hodgson.

And why the hell Tom Croft isn't in the flanking mix with Moody and Rees just totally escapes me. he too is something a bit special.

It's not just Andrew's hand - this is selection by committee (an old RFU failing). Farrell was always going to play due to finances. Where you see Andrew's hand is in the inclusion of Falcons players that aren't really up to the job - Andrew touted Noon for England for years whilst driving Newcastle into the ground. Noon will get every chance whilst Andrew is DoER at the RFU.

Which is a shame because he does not warrant it.

I hate to say it but England need someone as strong minded as Sir Clive again. Clive had many faults but he knew what he wanted and he drove it through very forcefully indeed.

Have you heard about "sheep-gate"? I had to laugh when I heard Mark Jones apparently smuggled a (live and kicking) sheep into Peels hotel room. Those crazy taffs.

[Havak]

Well either Finbar or Sean Edwards now seem to pick the England side.

Farrell at fly half.

At this rate I'll be laughing harder than the Kiwis - but they will be tears of manic disbelief.

[LDiCesare]

And the Georgians did a better job of foiling the Argies last night than the French did.

Did they beat the Argentinans? I didn't see the match, but it sounds like the Pumas tried to attack first hand whereas against the French they only put pressure to prevent the French from attacking and take the spoils (well, no, they also tried some drop goals against France). Very different tactics, one where you try to score four tries and one where you try to score more than the opponent, should make for very different games.
(Unfortunately, the French were quite unable to adapt themselves to the opponent's tactics)

[Joe Kick Ass]

Charvis in for Popham, but BBC are reporting he'll start at number 8...

[Havak]

So who are the flankers?

And someone still isn't happy that the Pumas spoiling game plan worked then?

And Tonga beat the USA too.

[LDiCesare]

someone still isn't happy that the Pumas spoiling game plan worked then

I'm in fact unhappy, but particularly when I read Ibanez and Laporte's comments. They didn't anticipate such a situation. A good leader looks at all the possibilities and should envision defeat too. Had they seriously thought they could lose the match, they might have prepared differently and actually won it. Now, they're likely to not even reach 1/4 final and I'd be even more unhappy if that happened. I can still hope Italy will get qualified but I'd rather support France and I am not optimistic.

[Joe Kick Ass]

I'm assuming Wales will start 6 Charvis 7 Williams 8 Thomas.

That'll be the backrow anyway. It's good to see Charvis back in, and Alfie replaces Morgan at FB, which is another good move, IMO.

Jones back at 10.

Sonny at 12.

And Gavin did play last night...

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

I can still hope Italy will get qualified

I like you more and more every day.

Yes, the Pumas were trying to run it from all over the place. The Georgians kept getting in the way. It was only well into the second half that the Pumas rattled up the points.

Charvis in for Popham, but BBC are reporting he'll start at number 8...

Is Popham injured? Apart from last week, he's been in good nick.

Well either Finbar or Sean Edwards now seem to pick the England side.

Someone mentioned it on the BBC forum. I'd rather see Farrell at fly half than #12. There was no way they could bring over Flood or the other chap so close to the game. Blame the original silly selection set up.