Rugby World Cup: And the Winner is...

[Havak]

Gatland set the foundation for the Irish "golden generation" before his assistant EOS replaced him in what seemed to be a powerplay. He also won three play offs in a row with Wasps *spit*.

As long as the raw materials you give him are good he has a track record of getting results with them.

I have to ask the question therefore where do the next front rows come from for Oz?

[finbar]

I believe they're already looking under the leaves in cabbage patches.

[Havak]

To find a nice safe spot to return Mr Dunning to his wild habitat?

[finbar]

Nah, they found the only remaining primeval swamp and returned him there.

The stupid thing about the prop selection process was that they chose Al Baxter as back-up because he - theoretically - could cover both sides. Leaving aside the fact that he's hopeless. They chose him in front of Rodney Blake, a giant of a man, who at least has strength on his side, even if his scrummaging isn't yet there. Like the incumbents'.

[flipside]

Originally posted by Havak
Gatland set the foundation for the Irish "golden generation"

Yep. We avoided the wooden spoon and had BOD. Beats my childhood of relying of Bath bambi wingers to score the odd try.

[Havak]

Yes I think I saw Blake in some of the games earlier in the year. Perhaps he will get a look in now.

One swallow does not make a summer though so the Wallabies will have to join England in looking for more depth in coal face talent.

[kittenOFchaos]

The 2015 WC should be in Japan if we must have a NZ WC. The Japanese would come out in droves, have splendid stadia and it'd hopefully also help get more people playing rugby in Japan.

Also, no more countries sharing the WC, like this France/Wales/Scotland thing, it should have been all France.

[Havak]

Tell the French Union that. They offered games for votes to the Celts.

[finbar]

And Japan should have had the 2011 event. New Zealand just squeezed them out. The Australians voted for Japan which ticked off the bods across the ditch no end.

[MikeH]

Originally posted by finbar
Thanks for that. God bless the Guardian, one of my favorite journals. I've found their online Cup coverage, I'll try to find the ratings.

I finally found them...

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,,2185552,00.html

[Havak]

Cripes you thought they were realistic????

It's a classic case of a London journo giving top marks to all London club players and low marks to everyone else.

Did you really not spot the massive bias to the Wasps and Quins players?

[MikeH]

I believe I said "much more realistic" which isn't hard.

I don't think they are as bad as you make out.

In the backs Tait was the least effective closely followed by Catt. I'd have given Catt 5 for bad kicking and dropping that pass... Lewsey and Wilkinson were average by their standards, Sackey and Robinson were good and Gommorsal had a great game.

Sheridan and Easter were the best of the forwards. Shaw played better than Kay, Moody was involved more than Corry... I reckon they are all within a point of what I'd have said anyway.

What would your ratings have been?

[MikeH]

Mine:

Robinson - 7
Sackey - 7
Tait - 5
Catt - 5
Lewsey - 6
Wilkinson - 6
Gomarsall - 7
Sheridan - 9
Regan - 7
Vickery - 7
Shaw - 7
Kay - 7
Corry - 6
Moody - 7
Easter - 8

Catt only gets 5, too many errors for someone with his experience and I don't feel any of the tight 5 deserve less than 7 after that performance.

[Havak]

It's very subjective but for me you have all the backs over rated and the two flankers under rated. Nor do I think Raging Bull warranted a 7 (nor did Regan for that matter).

Lewsey a 6? No no no. 3 at a stretch. He is a shadow of his 2003 self.

[finbar]

Thanks for the link, MH.

For what it's worth:

Robinson - 6
Sackey - 5 (because he actually, astonishingly, made a tackle)
Tait - 4
Catt - 4
Lewsey - 4
Wilkinson - 5 (apart from missing kicks, he just can't organise a backline)
Gomarsall - 7
Sheridan - 9
Regan - 6
Vickery - 7
Shaw - 7 1/2 (best I've seen him)
Kay - 6
Corry - 6
Moody - 7
Easter - 7

I couldn't make out who S. Mortlock was brushing aside like tissue paper on his various charges.

And what's going on at the IRFU? Last week E. O'Sullivan had a contract that would be honoured, he was the right man for the job, et al. This week a contract means nothing. Has the IRFU found a loophole that means they won't be up for a payout?