Rugby World Cup: And the Winner is...

[Havak]

Okay my maths are a little rusty.

The most likely scenario is that France will beat Georgia and get a bonus point. This seems to mean that Ireland would need a bonus point victory against the Pumas, would need to stop the Pumas scoring a try bonus point of their own and would still need to defeat the Pumas by nearly a clear three figures?

My word that is a desperate situation - at least England know it is a straight knock out game for their pool qualification!

The whole of Ireland will be screaming for Georgia to produce a huge upset I suspect (of course even then the paddies need to beat the Pumas handsomely and that doesn't seem very likely).

[LDiCesare]

Yes, I didn't count the points, but the Irish didn't get much in term of bonus. So they better hope the French don't score 4 tries (or don't win, which is unlikely).

[Joe Kick Ass]

Originally posted by Havak
Okay my maths are a little rusty.

The most likely scenario is that France will beat Georgia and get a bonus point. This seems to mean that Ireland would need a bonus point victory against the Pumas, would need to stop the Pumas scoring a try bonus point of their own and would still need to defeat the Pumas by nearly a clear three figures?

I don't think they need to win by any margin other than the 8 points to stop a Pumas' BP.

Head to head record for tied teams, IIRC.

Paddies going home anyway...

[Havak]

Is that right - I thought Points difference came before head to head?

[finbar]

I think points differential beats head-to-head.

[LDiCesare]

It's first the match between tied teams and then the difference in points. Obviously, head to head doesn't work if 3 teams are tied. Then I think it's the difference in scored tries and last the IRB ranking which decides who goes home.

[finbar]

Where does silliest looking strip enter into the equation?

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
Okay my maths are a little rusty.

The most likely scenario is that France will beat Georgia and get a bonus point. This seems to mean that Ireland would need a bonus point victory against the Pumas, would need to stop the Pumas scoring a try bonus point of their own and would still need to defeat the Pumas by nearly a clear three figures?

My word that is a desperate situation - at least England know it is a straight knock out game for their pool qualification!

The whole of Ireland will be screaming for Georgia to produce a huge upset I suspect (of course even then the paddies need to beat the Pumas handsomely and that doesn't seem very likely).

It's actually mathematically possible for Georgia to knock France out if they win by a 99-point margin.

[Joe Kick Ass]

Johnny finds touch...

Harrison: "That is INCREDIBLE. Fantastic skill from Wilkinson; how many others can do THAT?!"

[finbar]

Shame Tonga threw away any real chance with so many schoolboy errors, a lot of which led to England points. Still, England showed some good glimpses, even if a better team will punish their too often aimless kicks. You can also be sure that the Wallabies are printing out photos of P. Sackey to pin up with instructions:

1. Get ball
2. Run at P. Sackey
3. Score try
4. Repeat procedure

I can hear L. Tuquiri licking his lips from here.

Nice to see M. Tait getting involved. The boy can play rugby. Nice hands, lovely step. I don't know whether he's strong enough to play #13. O. Barkley obviously can't play #12, and A. Farrell will again be found out. I wonder if Tait would eventually make a #12.

[LDiCesare]

I couldn't see the match, but Sackey always seemed mediocre at best every time I saw him. He's fast, but doesn't seem to defend well or to even attack correctly if not given a nice clean ball in the first place.

[finbar]

He scored two tries. The first from a crossfield chip from Wilkinson, the second a length-of-the-field sprint after the Tongans spilled a ball at his feet. His coach was rapt. I don't know why. Grabbing at straws, perhaps. His coach also called him a genuine finisher. A bit rich. He didn't create either try. He's quick, but a disaster waiting to happen in defence. The first Tongan try-scorer virtually ran straight through him.

[Havak]

Yes that is fair. I’d still pick Varndell who whilst just as fragile in defence can actually create for himself going forward. But then I am biased as Sackey plays for Wasps and Varndell plays for the English champions.

Andydog will have to wait another week before laughing at England thankfully. And who knows by then France might be sending the so far untested ABs home from Cardiff? And pigs might fly.

Romania were brave – but brave isn’t enough against the Abs. Did you catch the cheers for the Romanian try though – the French love their underdogs. It looks like the “fifteen of the rose” will receive French support in Marseille next weekend (and that is not something you can say very often!).

A shame about Lyons Finbar. A very sloppy performance by the Wallabies – the score flattered them massively. What a shame that some of them won’t face England next week – the half backs in particular.

The things that stuck in my mind were watching Tuquiri choose a selfish option again when he should have given the ball - it summed up his occasional Cueto like brain fades. And that four on one overlap the Aussies blew was worthy of the very worst of English back play.

England will target the Australian front five and will expect to get on top there so a lot will probably rest with Gregan and Smith to get a good supply of ball to that impressive back division.

As for England – well we played at least 8 mins of pretty good rugby in the second half. These days I have to be happy with a 10% performance.

[Havak]

never mind jka - I am sure the Orange Prince of Wales is already giving an interview about how he would have won the cup for Wales.

It's no consolation for you but it was a fantastic game to watch.

[finbar]

What is it with England wingers who can't defend or tackle? Is there a special classroom at the Academy set aside for teaching this?

Wallabies B played like Wallabies Z. They were dreadful. Poor old Lote Tuquiri. I forgive him that effort. He's been tryless for a long time and has been deprived in this tournament either by incompetent touch judges or bad luck or selfish teammates. Fear not, those halves won't be within cooee of the A team. Julian Huxley isn't even back up #10 for his S14 team.

I've never seen a player have only three touches in a match and manage to knock on four times. How is this possible?, I hear you ask. Cameron Shepard, normally a very good handler, did it today. Two touches, two knock ons. Then, the third possession, within a metre of the try line, he knocked on, and knocked on again after he regathered.

If England keep it in the forwards, they will bother the Wallabies, but I think that's the extent of it. Unless the Wallabies have a stinker.

Extraordinary Taffys -v- Fiji match. Game of the tournament. Far too many Fijian head-high tackles and shoulder charges. I don't think the #10 or #13 tackled below the neck all day. Regardless, they thoroughly deserved the win. They set the pace, and, just when I thought they'd run out of steam, back they came. I have no idea how the Taffys let them back into the game. Same old Taffy problem, I suspect. They look good with ball in hand in space. End of story.