Rugby World Cup predictions

Is there a game on now or anything? I'm being an awul NZer so far, really

The quarter finals are on this weekend. My predicitions:

England vs Wales (England walks it)
France vs Ireland (France wins but Ireland puts up struggle)
Scotland vs Australia (Australia, easily)
NZ vs South Africa (tough game, but upset win by SA)

England beat Wales thanks to a late Wilkinson kick

France beat Ireland by a couple of tries, low score

Australia trounce the hapless Scots

New Zealand beat South Africa in the same manner as France-Ireland

I'm backing Ireland to beat France, thanks to the raging potato.

Doubt if I'll watch much of it though

if NZ start playing as a team, tighten up on line outs and scrums they destroy any other team in the tournament. they dominated the tri nations, they beat the springboks on the regs for fun, england don't hvae anything to compare to rokococo, spencer, howlett etc, i don't think the english realise the level those boys can play to, rugby is actually good to watch when that lot are playing well. what i want is england NZ final with the all black destrying them in a display of pure speed, invention creativity...

probably what will happen though is NZ will lose to the foward strength of australia and england will win a hugely dull final against somebody else. aussie presumably.

i mean, NZ will lose to fowrad strength of the South African bully boys

Ireland should beat France I think, though Hickey is a massive out. I will be up and watching it, with booze. I think South Africa were amazing against Samoa and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they beat underachieving NZ.

i predict that wendell sailor will not pass the ball, ever.

also:

England beat Wales thanks to a late Wilkinson kick

and the 6 tries they score, wales are *rubbish* with a capital RUB (not as bad as scotland though). ireland/france looks like being the most exciting of the 4.

I predict SA-NZ will be a hard, close, yet somehow boring game.

it will be a grinding mass of tedium...oh...hold on...

Sam, you're probably right.

France has so far looked the best, but they haven't really been tested yet. They had no real opposition in their pool, they might go spectacularly to pieces yet. But if they beat Ireland fairly convincingly, then I'll think they'll go all the way.

I got early last weekend to watch the England vs Uruguay game.

No I fucking didn't.

Wales played very well in their last pool game - if they can repeat that kind of showing (and I have serious doubts that they can) they might run England reasonably close - but really I think England should dominate them up front and win comfortably.

Australia to stuff Scotland, obv.

New Zealand will get it together now that it matters and beat South Africa by 5-10 points.

I feel least certain about France-Ireland. France have looked the best so far, but that's because they really haven't played anyone any good, so this will be interesting, and Ireland can worry anyone. They ran Australia very close indeed, and I think they are higher in the world rankings than France, so it would barely qualify as an upset if Ireland win. Nonetheless, I think French flair in the closing minutes, when many are tired, might settle it.

haha, ITV's trailers go on about 'the mighty bravehearts of Scotland' in an attempt to build their match into an exciting contest.

Martin OTM

South AFrica 9 All BALcks 29

The scoreline doesnt show it but the ALL Blacks were rampant, with the forwards demolishing the Boks up front. They will only get better as they brush aside Australia and France to glory , the cup is ours, nothing is surer... *grins manically*.

Hmm, I really don't know. The All Blacks should walk through this current Wallaby crop in the semis.And assuming England make it through a (suddenly slightly more tricky-looking) tie with the Welsh (and hasn't Iestyn Harris played well?) the semi should be fantastic, be it against the Irish or the French, actually the semi and the final should be two incredibly good games. From what I've seen New Zealand look the best side, but you get the feeling this England team have yet to hit their stride, and when they do, it could yet spectacular.

I didn't expect the French to roll over the Irish so easily. Ireland gave it a good go in the second half and showed the game it could have been, but France look very impressive. I hope England can look as strong against Wales.

I really expected it. Australia have been awful at this world cup so that one point win (while surprising at first) wasn't really.

Ireland only played better in the 2nd half bcz the french stepped off the gas.

I expect england to win today after a bit of a struggle (they won't need to play at their very best to beat them).

Aus vs NZ: new zealand have just come through a really physical match against SA (even though they won easily) and australia have the home crowd but I expect New zealand to be there.

England to beat France but you never know. They scored some lovely tries today.

My word, that was close! Fair play to the Welsh, but honest, truly, if we make that many mistakes in the next game, we're done foe.

France and New Zealand do lok the two outstanding sides now. Maybe that takes a bit of pressure off england though?

If this tournament so far was all I knew of England's rugby, I'd think they were certain to go out in the next round. The fact is, however, that these players and this team can play a great deal better - they've taken on everyone this year, mostly on enemy territory, and beaten them all. They have won in New Zealand and Australia and beaten France (can't recall where that game was played). Why they are so far below that level at the moment I'm not sure, but there is hope for England in the knowledge that they can play that well, so I wouldn't dismiss their chances. They clearly need a very steep improvement for the semi, though, and I'm not optimistic.

New Zealand will surely beat Australia pretty convincingly.

i predict the color black.

wurd

but how can this be...

MIKE CATT IS ENGLAND'S BEST PLAYER!!!!!

noooooooooooooooooo, all is ruin...

I tried to watch it but got bored, I must really hate rugby after all. Especially after encountering a bunch of swing low singing mysoginistic tw@ts on the tube on Friday (actual quote - "shut up woman, if you were fit I'd have let you off but you're not so F&*$ off" how charming)

France played a lovely game but went a little to pieces at the end. England were unconvincing against Wales. However I have a sneaking suspicion that England will finally get their game together against France. England probably to win in a cliffhanger ending with Wilkinson's kicking making the difference.

NZ have been wobbly, but spectacularly came good against SA. NZ to thrash Australia, then beat either France or England.

I think england are not playing at their bets simply bcz they don't need to. And its turned out fine so far.

I am not convinced they were that relaxed about going behind to Wales, nor with going 10 points down against Samoa. Still, I sort of hope you are right and they can get their game up to the pre-RWC 2003 level for the next two games - they'll have to, to win this, because France and New Zealand look pretty strong.