The business end: Quarter Finals

[Shan]

Fair play to Wales. They put up a great showing yesterday and kept it tight right to the end.

France on the other hand fell to pieces once NZ were more than 15 points ahead. Made it so easy for NZ to pile on the scores then. Not that I'd wish to understate how good NZ looked. Once they are given the opportunity they are ruthless. The key to beating them is not to let them get on top up front. You need a united and strong pack and a top class backrow to do this. Australia showed that in the rugby championship. One week later they showed what happens if you don't have it.

[bazzaj]

Have to say some monumental stupidity about but sure, nothing changes around here.

This is not the Argies 2nds/3rds we played in the jungle a summer or so back, these are the Argies who having been playing at a level much higher than we have faced so far this year and they didn't bottom out in the Rugby Championship, indeed winning at Kings Park is a feat beyond Ireland's knowledge to date.

Fortunately Fibber will instill more respect than we see here. Without, POC & POM definitely, probably without SOB & potentially without Sexting, only a fu@king fool would suspect this will be anything other than a major scrap.

Quite Bagster

I for one can't understand how we would be considered favourites for this particularly given our losses.
The Argies are a seriously good team who we traditionally struggle to beat.
They have also gone one better than us in World Cups as they have been to a semi.
They have no major weaknesses and as I said they are better than anything in the 6 nations having now found their feet in the championship this season.

A year or so ago I would agree with the consensus on here but their recent development is on a pars with Australias only they are slightly more under the radar.
The other qfs are more straightforward to predict but hopefully our guys coming in can impact to the same extent we saw on Sunday.
They will need to.

Anyone else getting bored of me being right all the time?
Unusually Bagster called it as well.

[againstthehead]

I think most people in the SH were calling a Pumas win... Decent side.

Semi-finals hard to call. Oz V NZ will be the dream final with both sides having the capacity to play some great stuff. Boks bore the hell out of me but their physicality will challenge NZ. I wouldn't write Argentina off either in a 1-off game. Oz showed a soft side against Scotland so could be there for the taking. Hard games to call but the obvious money is on NZ V Oz.

[bazzaj]

Safe .money says that but I would love the Argies to at least make the final.
Cant see it happening but it would be brilliant if they could and a triumph for a non former IRB side would be a fitting end to the best ever rugby tournament.
Anyway this chat is now off topic.

[againstthehead]

Safe .money says that but I would love the Argies to at least make the final.
Cant see it happening but it would be brilliant if they could and a triumph for a non former IRB side would be a fitting end to the best ever rugby tournament.
Anyway this chat is now off topic.

My fear would be an Argentina V NZ final. No contest. Anything else would be decent value.

[Beattiespastie]

Anybody V Newzealand is a non contest unfortunately. This AB side is head and shoulders above anybody and play wonderful entertaining rugby.