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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2011 15:30:43 GMT 1
Starts tomorrow in New Zealand. The All Blacks, as ever, start as favourites but haven't lifted the trophy for 24 years. South Africa will attempt to become the first team to successfully defend the title, while England could become the first team to play in three successive finals. Fixtures: (all times are UK times) POOL AFri 9 Sep - New Zealand 41-10 Tonga (Auckland, 09:30) Sat 10 Sep - France 47-21 Japan (North Shore, 07:00) Wed 14 Sep - Tonga 20-25 Canada (Whangarei, 06:00) Fri 16 Sep - New Zealand 83-7 Japan (Hamilton, 09:00) Sun 18 Sep - France 46-19 Canada (Napier, 09:30) Wed 21 Sep - Tonga v Japan (Whangarei, 08:30) Sat 24 Sep - New Zealand v France (Auckland, 09:30) Tue 27 Sep - Canada v Japan (Napier, 05:00) Sat 1 Oct - France v Tonga (Wellington, 06:00) Sun 2 Oct - New Zealand v Canada (Wellington. 03:30) POOL BSat 10 Sep - Scotland 34-24 Romania (Invercargill, 02:00) Sat 10 Sep - Argentina 9-13 England (Dunedin, 09:30) Wed 14 Sep - Scotland 15-6 Georgia (Invercargill, 08:30) Sat 17 Sep - Argentina 43-8 Romania (Invercargill, 04:30) Sun 18 Sep - England 41-10 Georgia (Dunedin, 07:00) Sat 24 Sep - England v Romania (Dunedin, 07:00) Sun 25 Sep - Argentina v Scotland (Wellington, 08:30) Wed 28 Sep - Georgia v Romania (Palmerston North, 07:30) Sat 1 Oct - England v Scotland (Auckland, 08:30) Sun 2 Oct - Argentina v Georgia (Palmerston North, 01:00) POOL CSun 11 Sep - Australia 32-6 Italy (Auckland, 04:30) Sun 11 Sep - Ireland 22-10 USA (New Plymouth, 07:00) Thu 15 Sep - Russia 6-13 USA (New Plymouth, 08:30) Sat 17 Sep - Australia 6-15 Ireland (Auckland, 09:30) Tue 20 Sep - Italy v Russia (Nelson, 08:30) Fri 23 Sep - Australia v USA (Wellington, 09:30) Sun 25 Sep - Ireland v Russia (Rotorua, 06:00) Tue 27 Sep - Italy v USA (Nelson, 07:30) Sat 1 Oct - Australia v Russia (Nelson, 03:30) Sun 2 Oct - Ireland v Italy (Dunedin, 08:30) POOL DSat 10 Sep - Fiji 49-25 Namibia (Rotorua, 04:30) Sun 11 Sep - South Africa 17-16 Wales (Wellington, 09:30) Wed 14 Sep - Samoa 49-12 Namibia (Rotorua, 03:30) Sat 17 Sep - South Africa 49-3 Fiji (Wellington, 07:00) Sun 18 Sep - Wales 17-10 Samoa (Hamilton, 04:30) Thu 22 Sep - South Africa v Namibia (North Shore, 09:00) Sun 25 Sep - Fiji v Samoa (Auckland, 03:30) Mon 26 Sep - Wales v Namibia (New Plymouth, 07:30) Fri 30 Sep - South Africa v Samoa (North Shore, 08:30) Sun 2 Oct - Wales v Fiji (Hamilton, 06:00) QUARTER-FINALSQF1 - Sat 8 Oct - Winner C v Runner-up D (Wellington, 06:00) QF2 - Sat 8 Oct - Winner B v Runner-up A (Auckland, 08:30) QF3 - Sun 9 Oct - Winner D v Runner-up C (Wellington, 06:00) QF4 - Sun 9 Oct - Winner A v Runner-up B (Auckland, 08:30) SEMI-FINALSSat 15 Oct - QF1 v QF2 (Auckland, 09:00) Sun 16 Oct - QF3 v QF4 (Auckland, 09:00) 3RD PLACE MATCHFri 21 Oct (Auckland, 08:30) FINALSun 23 Oct (Auckland, 09:00) POINTS SYSTEM FOR THE POOL STAGEWin = 4 points Draw = 2 points Lose by 7 points or less = 1 point Lose by more than 7 points = 0 points Score 4 or more tries in a match = 1 point
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Paddy
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Post by Paddy on Sept 8, 2011 15:58:19 GMT 1
If we win or come second in the group that QF weekend is packed for me.
England footy international, drinking into the night, early rugby game, F1, then more drinking. Since it will be my birthday!
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Post by Panda on Sept 8, 2011 16:10:14 GMT 1
If we win or come second in the group that QF weekend is packed for me. England footy international, drinking into the night, early rugby game, F1, then more drinking. Since it will be my birthday! Excellent! I think England have a genuine chance of making the final again, if they can win the group. That would mean France and Australia would be their most likely opponents in the quarters and semis and we have a great record at the World Cup against both of them... 5/1 for a New Zealand-England final is tempting...
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Post by paulgilb on Sept 9, 2011 11:39:37 GMT 1
First result:
Pool A
New Zealand 41-10 Tonga
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Post by Panda on Sept 9, 2011 19:42:29 GMT 1
Any predictions for tomorrow's games?
I'll say Scotland to win by about 35 points, Fiji by about 30, France by about 70 and England by less than 15.
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Post by paulgilb on Sept 10, 2011 11:25:08 GMT 1
Pool A:
France 47-21 Japan
Pool B:
Scotland 34-24 Romania Argentina 9-13 England
Pool D:
Fiji 49-25 Namibia
So MrH got all the winners right, but all the matches were seemingly closer than he predicted.
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Post by Panda on Sept 10, 2011 12:53:01 GMT 1
Pool A: France 47-21 Japan Pool B: Scotland 34-24 Romania Argentina 9-13 England Pool D: Fiji 49-25 Namibia So MrH got all the winners right, but all the matches were seemingly closer than he predicted. In the group stage, I'd be disappointed if I didn't get at least 36 out of 40 right... But yes the games were much closer than I thought they would be. England were shocking against Argentina but came to life late on. Argentina are always tough but aren't expected to be as good as they were four years ago. Scotland v Romania was a great game. I thought Romania were going to snatch it before Scotland's late burst. The games so far suggest the lower ranked nations have closed the gap and they seem to be competing because they're going into games with a plan, rather than simply turning up and getting beat. Romania seem to have learned from Georgia's performances at the last World Cup. And how great was the Namibian fly half kicking 3 drop goals in 5 minutes and a penalty from inside his own half?
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Post by Panda on Sept 10, 2011 12:55:37 GMT 1
Try count in each game so far:
New Zealand 6-1 Tonga Scotland 4-2 Romania Fiji 6-2 Namibia France 6-2 Japan Argentina 0-1 England
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Sept 10, 2011 14:46:17 GMT 1
I was actually having a debate with someone yesterday suggesting that the lower ranked nations have closed the gap. Went through them and although I think Georgia and Canada, and possibly USA, will be taken apart, I had doubts about how much of a mismatch the other teams games would be. Have only watched the England-Argentina game and haven't seen highlights of any other, but so far I seem to have been proved right!
As for New Zealand, not a certainty to win with their WC record but they're clear favourites for me. They've got home advantage and they're the No 1 team.
Wales - wouldn't surprise me if they beat South Africa and then lose to Fiji and Samoa. They seem to raie their game for the biggest matches and they've struggled against both Fiji and Samoa in the past.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Sept 10, 2011 15:02:35 GMT 1
England-Argentina - Relieved that England won, must admit for most of the match i thought it was just a question of how much Argentina would win by, but it was a poor game. Struggling to think of a match with more missed kicks, 1 or 2 of Jonny's were shocking!
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Post by Panda on Sept 10, 2011 22:32:05 GMT 1
I was actually having a debate with someone yesterday suggesting that the lower ranked nations have closed the gap. Went through them and although I think Georgia and Canada, and possibly USA, will be taken apart, I had doubts about how much of a mismatch the other teams games would be. Have only watched the England-Argentina game and haven't seen highlights of any other, but so far I seem to have been proved right! I don't expect Georgia to be taken apart at all. In recent years, they've been stronger than Romania and came very close to beating Ireland at the last World Cup. They could give England and particularly Scotland some problems.
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Post by paulgilb on Sept 11, 2011 11:33:26 GMT 1
Pool C: Australia 32-6 Italy Ireland 22-10 USA Pool D: South Africa 17-16 Wales
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Post by Panda on Sept 11, 2011 12:50:13 GMT 1
Try counts: Australia 4-0 Italy Ireland 3-1 USA South Africa 2-1 Wales
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Post by Panda on Sept 11, 2011 12:56:56 GMT 1
Standings after the first round of games:
POOL A played-points (points difference) 1. New Zealand 1-5 (+31) 2. France 1-5 (+26) --------------------------- 3. Canada 0-0 (0) 4. Japan 1-0 (-26) 5. Tonga 1-0 (-31)
POOL B 1. Scotland 1-5 (+10) 2. England 1-4 (+4) --------------------------- 3. Argentina 1-1 (-1) 4. Georgia 0-0 (0) 5. Romania 1-0 (-10)
POOL C 1. Australia 1-5 (+26) 2. Ireland 1-4 (+12) ---------------------------- 3. Russia 0-0 (0) 4. USA 1-0 (-12) 5. Italy 1-0 (-26)
POOL D 1. Fiji 1-5 (+24) 2. South Africa 1-4 (+1) ---------------------------- 3. Wales 1-1 (-1) 4. Samoa 0-0 (0) 5. Namibia 1-0 (-24)
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Tom
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Posts: 15,419
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Post by Tom on Sept 11, 2011 18:21:50 GMT 1
Real shame for Wales, they deserved to win. The other matches in that group are going to be very interesting.
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Post by Panda on Sept 14, 2011 12:54:26 GMT 1
Pool A: Tonga 20-25 Canada
Pool B: Scotland 15-6 Georgia
Pool D: Samoa 49-12 Namibia
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Post by Panda on Sept 14, 2011 12:58:55 GMT 1
Try counts:
Tonga 2-3 Canada Scotland 0-0 Georgia Samoa 6-2 Namibia
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Post by paulgilb on Sept 15, 2011 19:31:32 GMT 1
Pool C:
Russia 6-13 USA
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Post by paulgilb on Sept 16, 2011 17:49:07 GMT 1
Pool A:
New Zealand 83-7 Japan
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Post by Panda on Sept 16, 2011 18:52:39 GMT 1
Try counts:
Russia 0-1 USA New Zealand 13-1 Japan
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