Rugbology October 13 2023.
Quick taps : Is Eddie on the move?; Think the NPC is still going - go the Naki: The possibility of all 4 semi finalists being from the North is scary but real: Fancy an AB test in Lisbon?:
A quick dab down the blind before the RWC knockouts this weekend ……….
So here we are at quarterfinal stage with 2 huge games and 2 lightweight clashes. We all know the Ireland v All Black and France v Boks games should and deserved to be semi-finals but thanks to World Rugby’s incompetence, we have 2 of the big 4 going home early.
So, who will it be? There’s really only a cigarette paper between all 4 with home advantage for the Frogs and the confidence of an Irish juggernaut (players and supporters combined) being countered only by the historic world cup success both the ABs and the Boks possess. On form, Ireland and France slight favourites but ……
…. will the heightened pressure and desperation get to the Irish who are looking at unchartered territory? Can they maintain their rhythm and composure without being consumed by the expectation and hysteria of their supporters?
…. and for the Frogs much the same is expected of them in front of a home crowd desperate for their first Bill after 3 losing finals.
The All Blacks are now an unknown quantity after 100+ years of consistency via a hard nosed will and an ability to find a way to get over the line. These days they’re like a volcano - explosive one week but dormant the next so we will just have to wait to see which one turns up.
As for the Boks, always very tough and their love of world cup domination is their driver. If there is one team that knows how to win huge games, is Rassies boys - mouthwatering!
So, trying to pick winners is impossible so just sit back and enjoy. As for the ABs chances, I remain hopeful but not confident especially now that Fuzzy has inserted Christie to the bench in favour of Roigard - thought the bench’s point was delivering impact!!
As for the other 2 games - who cares, the tournament winner will not come from that set but for the record Gatland will outcoach Cheika and England (the embarrassment of the tournament) will have a ‘little’ too much for the Bula Boys who looked knackered.
The pool matches were their usual mixture of thrashings, the odd upset, unlucky islanders and a big casualty - Australia this time! Fiji lived up to their billing, just, Argentina and Wales coming right in the nick of time, England a joke but with the safety net of a weak pool but the team of the pool section has to be Portugal. They were tough to beat, kept it simple yet played a good all-round game and best of all, looked like they were having the time of their lives. Outstanding.
My view is that the ABs should tour Europe and play Portugal, Georgia and Italy in successive weekends before playing a couple fixtures in Britain. They’d fill the ground in Lisbon and Tblisi like never before and give the game such a boost plus allow ABs to develop fringe players. Why the hell not - in fact if World Rugby was in any way serious about growing the game globally and improving tier 2 nations, all tier one teams should have to play at least 2 tier 2 nations each year. But we all know that World Rugby is really only about the needs and wants of the 5 major tribes from the North.
As for Australia, Eddie cocked it up in a way no coach ever has with his and the teams collapse being spectacular and for many, extremely popular. The problem that this provides NZ rugby is a weak Wallabies deprives the ABs and more importantly the NZ Super rugby sides with insufficient tough games.
And just as a wee complaint = has anyone else noticed how the Breakdown, Skys premier rugby program, only has outside backs providing the rugby expertise and critique? These guys know next to nothing about tight forward play so where are the cauliflower ear brigade? Plus I reckon Jeff Wilson has swallowed far too many “make me look and sound serious” pills - take a chill pill or six Goldie.
Enjoy the games, fingers crossed - will review Monday.
cheers