tribeinbrum
County: Galway
Posts: 904

1055923 Sideshow over.

All the fawning over Wales was getting to me anyway, bring on the 6 Nations.......

Can't wait for the final now, just to see whether it will be an All Black procession, or whether France, from the bottom of their boots, in spite of Marc Lievremont and his ridiculous moustache can pull off THE biggest world cup upset.......
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Interestingly enough it seems that the saviours on NH rugby, Wales, have flattered to deceive throughout this competitive. With the exception of beating our sorry asses in the QF they have singularly failed to beat any other tier one nation despite playing three of them, yet they are seemingly now the flag bearers of the 6 nations despite France actually making the final. So much column inches have been dedicated to this Welsh side, especially on the BBC sport site, that it seems that none of the other 6 nations need turning up next year, for me, I just can't wait to see them exposed yet again.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 21/10/2011 14:20:57    1056132

Yes Brend.

God knows what they'll make of it when Shane Williams retires and Gatland and Edwards ride off into an All Black and Wasp sunset in the not too distant future.

And here was me thinking that the team that gets the most points in a game, and makes there way into the final is worthy of praise. Obviously finishing 4th is now the way to go.

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 21/10/2011 14:31:06    1056157

They lost three games in the World Cup by a combined total of 5 points. That points to inexperience and an inability to get over the line but no doubt they have the players and the experience will come in time. Of all the Northern Hemisphere sides they have easily been the most impressive and with the youth in their team they are certainly the best team in the Northern Hemisphere. Of course with Lievremont going the French could pull it together in the Six Nations, I still can't believe they've made the final. As for Sunday NZ are quite possibly the biggest favourites ever in a World Cup final and 99% of the time they'll win by 20 points or so. But this is France and you can never write them off

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 21/10/2011 15:26:25    1056201

PP, losing by a combined total of 5 points ot 25 points means nothing, you still lost regardless.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 21/10/2011 17:37:18    1056333

I must be the only one who wants France to win.It would be one of the great world cup upsets.They could do it too,might sneak it late on.

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 21/10/2011 21:20:53    1056515

TheRoad
County: Galway
Posts: 46

1056515 I must be the only one who wants France to win.It would be one of the great world cup upsets.They could do it too,might sneak it late on.
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No, your not, I would l love to see the French rain on the AB's parade.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 21/10/2011 21:30:44    1056527

Team Lineups for tomorrow, cant believe france may win the world cup tomorrow playing a scrum half at fly half, should be a great game. Hopefully france can give a good performance in a final for the first time after very disapointting performances in the finals in 1999 and 1987
France
1 Jean-Baptiste Poux
2 William Servat
3 Nicolas Mas
4 Pascal Pape
5 Lionel Nallet
6 Thierry Dusautoir
7 Julien Bonnaire
8 Imanol Harinordoquy
9 Dimitri Yachvili
10 Morgan Parra
11 Alexis Palisson
12 Maxime Mermoz
13 Aurélien Rougerie
14 Vincent Clerc
15 Maxime Médard
Replacements
16 Dimitri Szarzewski
17 Fabien Barcella
18 Julien Pierre
19 Fulgence Ouedraogo
20 Jean Marc Doussain
21 Francois Trinh-Duc
22 Damien Traille
Coach Marc Lievremont

New Zealand
1 Tony Woodcock
2 Keven Mealamu
3 Owen Franks
4 Brad Thorn
5 Sam Whitelock
6 Jerome Kaino
7 Richie McCaw
8 Kieran Read
9 Piri Weepu
10 Aaron Cruden
11 Richard Kahui
12 Ma'a Nonu
13 Conrad Smith
14 Cory Jane
15 Israel Dagg
Replacements
16 Andrew Hore
17 Ben Franks
18 Ali Williams
19 Adam Thomson
20 Andy Ellis
21 Stephen Donald
22 Sonny Bill Williams

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 22/10/2011 20:24:39    1056920

Allez les bleu!!!!!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 22/10/2011 21:51:50    1057020

Jees the Ref is doing his best to hand NZ this world cup shocking calls .............

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 23/10/2011 10:37:57    1057052

Congratulations to New Zealand, the best team in the world are now the world champions so I suppose thats fair and hard luck to France aswell, they done something we didn't do against Wales ie gave it everything and left it all on the pitch. Has to be said though that in general this was an awful RWC, you'd struggle to pick 5 really good games out of it.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 23/10/2011 10:54:02    1057056

fortyfive .
i noticed the reffing as well , handing everything to the all blacks .. shocking

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 23/10/2011 11:47:53    1057076

Fair play to New Zealand, they kept disciplined at the end when it really counts. It was fantastic to see greats like McCaw, Thorn, Carter and Muliana get winners medals after all they've done for the black jersey. The ABs may not have been the best team today but they've been the best team by far throughout the tournament.

France will be infinitely better when they a real coach in Saint-Andre come Six Nations. Dusautoir was freakish, the guy was everywhere. Inspirational player. You feel for plays like Harry-Ordinary but some of the management decisions were very very questionable

The final was the best game of the tournament and it was a good way to end the competition.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 23/10/2011 16:02:26    1057243

Gutted, really hoped the French would do it. A superb performance and they should have won it, NZ were hanging on ever since France's try. Still they done themselves proud after what was a poor World Cup for them up to that point. Well done NZ, undoubtedly the best team in the World so I guess it's only right they won the World Cup

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 23/10/2011 16:04:13    1057248

Well done to Michael Lancaster who won the fantasy rugby league beating 1 of my 2 teams into 2nd place
Manager Team Name Tries Assists Pts
1 Michael Lancaster IRAssassins 26 19 463
2 john hayes nenagh ormond 19 19 419
3 Patrick Woulfe Kidney's Plan B 21 12 402
4 Andrew Fitzsimons The Rampaging Rent Boys 17 17 402
5 George Hook Popeys Hooks 18 11 369
6 Liam McElroy Basil'sXV 10 13 324
7 Tony Smyth Yeovil Town 13 10 318
8 Peter Smyth Something Else 17 10 316

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 23/10/2011 17:26:24    1057335

French no 7 Thierry Dusautoir has followed up his Man of the Match award from that game by being crowned IRB World Player of the Year perhaps surprisingly beating New Zealand trio Ma'a Nonu, Jerome Kaino and final bottler extraordinaire Piri Weepu as well as Australia's David Pocock and Will Genia to the top award.

The All Blacks - shock! horror! - were named IRB Team of the Year, World Cup winning shots-caller Graham Henry was handed the Coach of the Year award and Gareth Rees, Jonah Lomu, Agustin Pichot and Brian Lima were all inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on a dissatisfyingly Irish-free awards night Down Under.

As an aside, Lomu's inclusion in the Hall of Fame gives all the reason the need to show this video again of Jonah at his rampaging best
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yhmQlxCDFSc

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 24/10/2011 15:26:05    1057857

Dusatoir is some player. More than justifies his tag as player of the year. Nearly won the World Cup on his own for the French yesterday.

Hard to argue with the rest of the awards. Fair play to New Zealand, there looked at a time yesterday when they were going to crumble but then Richie and the gang stood up to be counted. A lot will be made out of the fact they haven't won the W/C outside of New Zealand but for that group of players they are deserved World Champions.

Just have to say aswell, it's amazing how out of such a small country they have so many great players. There blueprint for producing world class stars is second to none in rugby terms. I know in Ireland there are quite a few different sports vying for young kids affections but it really does show that population means nothing in terms of rising to the top in your prefered sport.

Anyway, personally i enjoyed this World Cup, can't believe it's over already but at least the next one is a lot closer to home and won't require us waking up at stupid o'clock to watch the games.

Now bring on the Heineken Cup and Connachts assault on it!!!!! We're after that trophy Leinster!!!!!

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 24/10/2011 15:38:20    1057864

I see France were fined 10 grand for advancing on the Haka? What a joke.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12452 - 24/10/2011 15:50:02    1057875

That's disgraceful, I'm all for the haka and it sends shivers up my spine but is a bit unfair that the All Blacks are allowed to have this psychological advantage and opposing teams can't even stand up to it. The French did and then stood toe to toe with them for 80 minutes, fair play

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 24/10/2011 17:45:46    1057986

Craig Joubert, as a lot of people are saying had a shocker with the 50/50 calls, it didn't seem to matter who was the actual offender at all! He just raised the hand to wards the All Blacks every single time, perhaps crucially giving them the penalty Stephen Donald slotted to make it 8-0 when only a few seconds previously there was a blatant high tackle as the French were emerging from their own 22. I'm away from home, and had to watch the game on ITV, and when Lawrence Dallaglio is pulling for the French with regard to the lack of discipline shown towards the numerous high tackles, you know something is up!

Thierry Dusautoir was simply awesome, scored a fantastic try, and all over the field to help the cause. Fully deserving of the World Player of the Year, an undoubtedly class act. A special mention must also go to Imanol Harinordoquy who lorded the lineout and was everywhere at the breakdown, and also to Francois Trinh-Duc, who made some brilliant breaks throughout, I thought he turned the game completely on its head when he came on, which I would not usually say about the man. On the day he rose to the occasion, that penalty miss aside.

For me overall, the stand-out performers at RWC 2011 would be:

Jerome Kaino
Thierry Dusautoir
Ma'a Nonu
Mike Phillips
Toby Faletau
Israel Dagg

bob_dolphin (Limerick) - Posts: 694 - 25/10/2011 13:13:01    1058331

ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 354

1057243 Fair play to New Zealand, they kept disciplined at the end when it really counts. It was fantastic to see greats like McCaw, Thorn, Carter and Muliana get winners medals after all they've done for the black jersey. The ABs may not have been the best team today but they've been the best team by far throughout the tournament.

Whilst I agree with most of your post and agree that the All Blacks where the best team in the tournament, to say they kept their discipline is slightly incorrect in my view. About 5 minutes from the end Kaino dived straight off his feet into a ruck, penalty, referee lets it go. He then goes on to try and kill the ball, another penalty ref tells him to leave it, All Blacks then go offside and yet Joubert gives the All Blacks the scrum which ultimately wins them the game. The All Blacks were about 5 more minutes from imploding yesterday and if the referee had done his job fairly then the best team on the day would have won. I don't remember the All Blacks threatening the French line at all other than the try which was the one time the French failed to defend properly in the whole game. Weepu did amazingly well to stay on as long as he did and confidence in the fly half was that low that the full back and outside centre were kicking the ball more often than not. France should have won yesterday, and only for some very poor refereeing decisions would have

omaghredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 3656 - 25/10/2011 13:58:40    1058373