Sam’s the man in round one
13 Sep 2011
MARK KEOHANE selects his all-star XV and match 22 after the first round of the World Cup and says none was better than Wales captain Sam Warburton. Only two Boks and one All Black make his team.
Keo’s RWC Form XV
15. Israel Dagg (NZ)
14. Vereniki Goneva (Fij)
13. Jaque Fourie (SA)
12. Jamie Roberts (Wal)
11. Digby Ioane (Aus)
10. Quade Cooper (Aus)
9. Ben Youngs (Eng)
8. Sergio Parisse (Ita)
7. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Arg)
6. Sam Warburton (Wal)
5. Paul O’Connell (Ire)
4. James Horwill (Aus)
3. Ben Alexander (Aus)
2. Bismarck du Plessis (SA)
1. Andy Sheridan (Eng)
Substitutes
16 Marius Tincu (Rom)
17 Martin Castrogiovanni (Ita)
18 Brad Thorn (NZ)
19 Schalk Burger (SA)
20 Will Genia (Aus)
21 Sonny Bill Williams (NZ)
22 Richard Kahui (NZ)
The positions in which there was most competition definitely in the centres and at loose-forward. Wales’ Toby Faletau had a huge game against the Boks, but Sergio Parisse is the most complete No 8 at this tournament. It was hard to leave Schalk Burger out of the Form XV but Lobbe was immense against England. Jerome Kaino, David Pockock, Heinrich Brussouw and Radike Samo also had huge games in round 1.
Sonny Bill Williams was also very good, but Jamie Roberts get the nod because of the quality of the opposition and the intensity of the match.
A selection that may surprise many is Ben Alexander at tighthead. I was at that game and those first 40 minutes were brutal. He stood up to the Italian pack who couldn’t get parity in those first 40 minutes. There was one magnificent shove that should have resulted in a pushover try, but all-round I think Alexander will end this tournament as the most talked about tighthead.
Fill up the thread with your picks of round one.
293 Comments
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13 Sep 2011, 13:42 pm
@cane(cane)-143: What exactly? He has become an a$$hole these past 4 years.
@conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-148: Dr Crane, I cannot stand him.
13 Sep 2011, 13:53 pm
@cane(cane)-146:
come on cane, thats lame…the kick didn’t go over/through the posts.
blame the kicker for not making it a dead certainty by sailing it through the ‘sweet spot’.
13 Sep 2011, 13:56 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-150:
Next he’ll be telling us that the 1995 All Blecks were poisoned by a Third Force…
13 Sep 2011, 13:59 pm
The French coach is very wrong to do this in the media!
Rugby World Cup: Public rebuke dents French pride
6:42 PM Tuesday Sep 13, 2011
France’s Pascal Pape scores against Japan at North Harbour Stadium. Photo / Paul Estcourt
France coach Marc Lievremont’s public dressing down of his team after its unimpressive opening Rugby World Cup win against Japan has stung the pride of his players.
Even though France scored six tries in a 47-21 victory on Saturday, the lacklustre attitude that allowed Japan to close the gap to 25-21 after trailing 20-3 angered Lievremont, who lambasted his players in a news conference the next day.
“Our match was littered with loose play, technical mistakes, errors of discipline,” Lievremont said. “Wastefulness in our finishing, wastefulness in our organisation.”
The halfback pairing of halfback Dimitri Yachvili and first five-eighths Francois Trinh-Duc came in for some heavy criticism, while flanker Imanol Harinordoquy was vilified by Lievremont for his attitude on the pitch.
“His conduct (against Japan) annoyed me,” Lievremont said. “We know his talent, and very often he was extremely amateurish in certain phases. Given his experience and the role he has in this team, it’s annoying.”
Yachvili was annoyed that he heard the criticism “from a journalist” rather than from Lievremont before the conference.
“It’s a real pleasure, it’s touching,” Yachvili said sarcastically. “No, I would prefer to be told directly rather than going through the press. He spoke out in anger. I probably deserved him saying it, or not. (But) I would rather it happened another way.”
Yachvili, who plays for Biarritz, touched upon how things are different for him at club level.
“At Biarritz over the last four years, if they had something to tell me they did it to my face without problem,” he said. “It has to stay intimate because it’s something that stays between the coach and the player. A coach has to be a bit of a psychologist as well.”
Still, he insists there is no animosity between him and Lievremont.
“He’s under a lot of pressure from the press as well. I don’t hold it against him,” Yachvili said. “But it’s up to me to prove him wrong, as well.”
Aurelien Rougerie, who will captain France with flanker Thierry Dusautoir rested for the match, also felt Lievremont could have cut his players a little slack.
“We’re not naive, either,” Rougerie said. “We know how we did. We weren’t happy with our own performance.”
Yachvili, a veteran of 53 caps, makes way for Morgan Parra against Canada in France’s second Pool A match on Sunday.
While he does not contest that decision, because he feels squad rotation is crucial to keeping players fresh, Yachvili insists the criticism aimed at him and at Trinh-Duc was excessive.
“What you need to do is fulfill your end of the bargain (and win), which is what we did,” Yachvili said. “Which is why I find it a bit upsetting when I hear certain things, because the essential thing is to win, even though we didn’t do it in style. What would people have said if we had won 28-27?”
Centre David Marty, who came on in the second half against Japan, also thinks the players deserve a bit of a break.
“Of course we want to do better,” he said. “But we shouldn’t start panicking after the first match in a World Cup.”
Given that Lievremont has paired Trinh-Duc with five different scrumhalves since he giving him his debut in 2008, demanding that the halves play with seamless efficiency appears somewhat unrealistic.
“The system’s like that,” Yachvili said. “It’s been years that we haven’t wanted to put a fixed halfback pairing in place, because as soon as we have a bad match it’s because of the halfback pairing which can mask other problems.”
Despite all the criticism, France received a bonus point in the victory
Considering Scotland’s laborious win against Romania, Ireland’s patchy performance against the United States and England’s struggles against Argentina, France’s result was not the worst of the first week.
“I haven’t seen a hammering since the start of the tournament, the so-called weaker teams have managed to take up the challenge,” Yachvili said. “When I see the other results, I tell myself we didn’t play that badly because I think the Japanese will cause problems for a lot of teams.”
- AP
13 Sep 2011, 14:07 pm
no Frans Steyn? don’t think Dagg would have handled the french. no kahui?
13 Sep 2011, 14:24 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-147:
Just a fact of life.
Barnsey is being crucified for no reason.
End of.
13 Sep 2011, 14:30 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-150:
I have watched it, frame by frame.
Hoping I could say the Wales ‘Was robbed”.
I cannot.
And nobody else can either.
I STATE AGAIN:
The best two people to judge were the AR’s.
Both standing beneath the posts.
No other Human Beings on the Planet had a better view.
End of.
Full stop.
Period.
13 Sep 2011, 14:35 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-154:
i know i read it earlier.
had me laughing….silly frenchies hehehe
13 Sep 2011, 14:38 pm
@cane(cane)-157: Wales was robbed! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
13 Sep 2011, 14:39 pm
@conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-158: Can you imagine if Pdv came out in the press and said insulting things about the Boks being naive and annoying to watch?
13 Sep 2011, 14:41 pm
I thought the Welsh 13 owned Mossie on Sunday.
Nonu was very good at 13, and I hope the ABs will pick him there for the big games…
13 Sep 2011, 14:44 pm
@willievz(willievz)-161: i might have to watch that duel again, you say the oke OWNED TB13ITW?
13 Sep 2011, 14:50 pm
That’s the thing with RWC’s….a lot of the more competitive games will go down to the wire and much like their cousins in the SWC’s, some games will be won on pure guts and a dash of luck.
13 Sep 2011, 14:50 pm
@cane(cane)-156:
@cane(cane)-157:
oh ok, my apology then…i thought you were saying the opposite.
13 Sep 2011, 14:50 pm
@willievz(willievz)-161: Ja mossie wasnt that good the weekend. That 13 of wales looked overweight! lol
13 Sep 2011, 14:57 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-162:
The third best 13 in the world got owned on Saturday, Transie
13 Sep 2011, 15:02 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-159: the last comment might come back to bite PdV in the butt
IRB back ref Barnes
Tuesday, 13 September 2011 9.11 a.m.
The International Rugby Board has defended referee Wayne Barnes after he failed to review a Wales penalty kick against South Africa.
The Springboks, the Rugby World Cup holders, edged Wales 17-16 at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Sunday.
Wales had reason to feel aggrieved after James Hook squeezed a penalty narrowly through the posts during the Pool D match, only for the touch judges to deem the kick to be wide.
Hook appealed for Barnes to consult the television match official, but he chose not to.
The IRB has since backed the English referee for following procedure, despite his decision seemingly costing Wales dear.
”Under protocol, the referee may consult the assistant referees or the TMO if he is unsure as to whether a penalty kick, drop goal or conversion has been successful,” the IRB said in a statement.
”During the match in question, the match official team felt at the time that there was no need to consult the TMO following a Wales penalty kick as they were confident that the kick was not successful.”
“Correct protocol was therefore followed. The IRB will not be making further comment.”
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers also defended Barnes during a press conference on Monday.
“I stood there when Morne (Steyn) did his warm-ups and some of them (kicks at goal), we thought they were over,” De Villiers said.
“At that height, it came in but it could be behind the post.”
”Those guys who make the decisions are paid big bucks to make the right ones and they seldom get it wrong.”
13 Sep 2011, 15:04 pm
@willievz(willievz)-166: even I would OWN mossie if i was playing off the rampaging JAMIE ROBERTS
13 Sep 2011, 15:04 pm
Sheri is one of my favourite players and had some good warm-up performances but last weekend wasn’t one of his better games, anyway here’s my XV:
1. Pulu (Ton)
2. Tincu (Rom)
3. Castrogiovanni (Ita)
4. Albacete (Arg)
5. Lawes (Eng)
6. Kaino (NZ)
7. Warburton (Wal)
8. Lobbe (Arg)
9. Semenzato (Ita)
10. Arlidge (***)
11. Danielli (Sco)
12. Williams (NZ)
13. Nonu (NZ)
14. Goneva (Fij)
15. F.Steyn (SA)
13 Sep 2011, 15:10 pm
@cane(cane)-156: ‘Barnsey is being crucified for no reason.’
lol never thought I’d hear you say that cane but you’re quite right it was in fact NZer Vinny Munro who was so certain the ball went through the posts who assured Barnesy not to go to the TMO.
13 Sep 2011, 15:12 pm
@cane(cane)-157:
WAS ROBBED
13 Sep 2011, 15:14 pm
Quade Cooper a ‘boofhead’ for baiting McCaw
FRED WOODCOCK
Last updated 15:30 13/09/2011
Former Wallabies great Nick Farr-Jones has labelled Quade Cooper a ‘boofhead’ and says the first five-eighths apparent lack of respect for All Blacks captain Richie McCaw could come back to bite Australia.
Cooper’s recent cheap shots include using elbows and knees on McCaw. Although he escaped sanctions after being cited following the latest incident from the Tri-Nations test in Brisbane last month, Cooper has accepted he is ”public enemy No 1” in New Zealand.
Farr-Jones said he had no doubt that Australian team management would have given Cooper a stern message heading into the World Cup.
”I have no doubt, whether it’s Robbie (Deans, the coach) or my old teammate in the management of the team, Bob Egerton, or whether it’s the captain, James Horwill, but someone should tell boofheads like that to pull their head in,” the 1991 World Cup-winning captain and halfback told Radio Sport today.
”I only played in the amateur days but I don’t care whether it’s amateur or professional, or what sport you play, sport is all about respecting opposition and respecting the great culture when you’re playing the All Blacks. It is New Zealand rugby.”
On the Wallabies’ arrival in New Zealand last week for the World Cup, Cooper insisted there was no ”bad blood” between himself and McCaw and said he respected the All Blacks ”for what they’ve done and the history they have”.
”I haven’t had much to do with (McCaw) off the field but I know that when he’s on the field he wears his heart on his sleeve and does a great job of leading the All Blacks around the park,” Cooper said.
”I respect the All Blacks, but at the same time we’re here to win a competition, we’re not here to make friends, it’s all about playing rugby and enjoying it at the same time.”
However, Farr-Jones was in little doubt that a lack of respect had been evident on Cooper’s part.
”One of the things I’m talking about is the need for respect in international sport,” he said.
”There’s probably one player, in particular, in our Wallabies squad who has probably lacked respect for one key individual in your All Black team.
”Just from a distance, and I’m just another punter who looks on, my antenna vibrated very nervously when I watched what I perceived to be the lack of respect.”
There’s every chance the Wallabies could meet the All Blacks in the October 23 final at Eden Park in Auckland, and Farr-Jones is concerned Cooper’s antics would backfire on the team in that situation.
”I am pretty sure, if by chance we end up playing together on October 23, it might just come and bite him on the arse,” he said.
”There’s no doubt it could come back and bite you and it won’t be just him, though, it will be the whole squad that will be impacted by it.”
- Stuff
13 Sep 2011, 15:15 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-167: Yeah! I hope he is gracious and accepts the bad calls when they affect his team.
13 Sep 2011, 15:17 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-167: This is the sentence I completely disagree with:
Wales had reason to feel aggrieved after James Hook squeezed a penalty narrowly through the posts during the Pool D match, only for the touch judges to deem the kick to be wide.
Since when was this conclusively accepted? I challenge anyone to review the 2 camera angle replays and tell me with 100% certainty that the kick “squeezed narrowly through the posts.”
It’s impossible. No way would a TMO have been better placed to call the result of the kick than the 2 TJs standing directly behind the posts.
What irresponsible and sensationalist reporting.
13 Sep 2011, 15:20 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-168:
Transie, despite Mossie’s experience, I still think he could have done with a calming influence on his inside…
13 Sep 2011, 15:23 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-174: calm down spooner
13 Sep 2011, 15:26 pm
Wallabies told to stop back-chat around refs
GREG GROWDEN Last updated 11:13 13/09/2011
The Wallabies were on the wrong side of a 15-9 penalty count against Italy and have been lectured by coach Robbie Deans about stopping the back-chat to referees.
The Wallabies have been told to keep their mouths shut whenever they are within earshot of a referee over the next six weeks because of the fear loose lips could sink their World Cup campaign.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was unimpressed that his players were twice penalised for back-chatting during the weekend victory over Italy, with Irish referee Alain Rolland repeatedly finding fault with Australia’s play.
Rolland gave Italy the advantage of a 15-9 penalty count, with the Wallabies often penalised at the breakdown. Several frustrated Wallabies made cutting remarks that were overheard by Rolland, who promptly marched them further down the field.
Deans took note and after the 32-6 win gave the team a stern lecture about the importance of discipline for the rest of the tournament.
Asked why the heavy penalty count went against them, Deans said: ”We were a little bit slow to adjust in the game.
“There were a couple of occasions there where the referee in an attempt to manage the game was talking to the player group, and they didn’t adjust. Well, that’s not sharp. And of course a couple of them [penalties] were for back chatting, which is inexcusable. I have already talked to them about that.”
Wallabies captain James Horwill was similarly unimpressed that his players gave Italy easy metres, saying such behaviour could prove costly later in the tournament, especially in the later stages.
”We just need to be more disciplined,” Horwill said. ”It was something we spoke about before we went into the game. Our discipline has to be strong, but we probably gave away a couple of silly penalties for back chat and things like that.
”Moving on in this tournament, you can’t do those sort of things – give up 10 metres for back chat or get a penalty turned against you for saying things to the referee. So we need to tighten up that area of things.”
However, Deans is not asking for an easy ride from the referees – just consistency.
”Our players were possibly a little anxious in the first half,” he said. ”And I think the refs are possibly a little bit anxious as well. They’ve obviously had the blow torch on them, which is good. They are really policing the areas which they indicated they would, and that’s important for the game.”
Will that now ease up?
”I hope not. Consistency is the key. And if you draw a line in the sand, it is easier for players to adjust. Getting on the right side of the line is good for everybody.”
Wallabies selector David Nucifora added that it was crucial to not allow penalties to blight their game.
”That many penalties in the first half didn’t let us get a flow in the game. It just kept going penalty kick, lineout, maul, so the game was being played at their tempo. We have to adapt, and we did in the second half where we got more rhythm, and caused more problems for their defence,” Nucifora said.
Looking ahead to this Saturday’s match against Ireland, Nucifora warned that their next opponent will be considerably more difficult.
”The breakdown will be hotly contested,” Nucifora said. ”The Italians did apply a lot of heat in that area yesterday, and the Irish won’t be any different. They have a number of good players around the tackle area. But they have a more diverse attacking repertoire, compared to the Italians, and will ask a lot more questions of us.”
- Sydney Morning Herald
13 Sep 2011, 15:28 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-172:
Always was, and remains so, a very classy man. hats off to you, Mr Farr Jones.
Cooper will get his come-uppance. Pr*cks always do.
Speaking of which, how is BaXXies coming along I wonder ? Hope he recovers in time to get back on the pitch.
13 Sep 2011, 15:30 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-174:
*chortle*
suck eggs my little nanny-goat.
13 Sep 2011, 15:32 pm
England under pump over numbers,
Last updated 09:43 13/09/
Martin Johnson’s team could face a fine from Rugby World Cup organisers after concerns were expressed about the ease at which the numbers on the back of their shirts peeled off during the scratchy 13-9 victory over Argentina in Dunedin on Saturday, according to a report in the Telegraph.
The English are also attracting criticism for their decision to go bungy-jumping, among other extreme sports, less than two days after their match at the Dunedin stadium.
England’s shirt number debacle has caused plenty of discussion with the Telegraph, who claim the white numbers were applied to the shirts by a New Zealand company, reporting that tournament organisers have sought assurances from England that there will be no repeat in Sunday’s match against Romania.
The issue is seen as a breach of the tournament participation agreement.
”There was an issue with the bonding of the numbers to the shirts and we will work with Nike this week to ensure the problem is rectified before the Georgia game,” a (English) Rugby Football Union spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Johnson has been criticised for allowing players to participate in a day of extreme sports after their underwhelming win over Argentina.
Former England coach **** Best said he was surprised that while outside-half Jonny Wilkinson had stayed behind to practise his kicking at the team headquarters in Queenstown, seven players had taken part in a series of extreme sports.
Tom Palmer, James Haskell, Nick Easter, Chris Ashton, Simon Shaw, Dylan Hartley and Ben Foden completed the challenge which also featured jet-boating, a helicopter ride and white water rafting,” the Telegraph reported.
Best, who coached the 1993 British and Irish Lions to New Zealand, questioned whether the players may even have been in breach of their contracts with the RFU.
”It’s not something I would have encouraged during my time as a coach and I am surprised that the players were allowed to do it now,” he told the newspaper.
”I’m not party to what it says in their individual contracts, but I know that in certain contracts, players are banned from taking part in any sports like that.”
England forwards coach John Wells said: ”I think it’s just a case of giving the guys a break. We’ve been together since the beginning of June and the guys haven’t had a lot of time to enjoy each others company.”
There were no concerns from the players.
Ben Foden wrote on Twitter: ”Hell of a day! Love Queenstown!”.
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13 Sep 2011, 15:32 pm
meh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh
~GULP~
*burrrrrrrrrrrrrrp*
13 Sep 2011, 15:38 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-178: Farr Jones knows that whatever issues Quade has, don’t belong on the pitch, where he can put his team at risk. Robbie ought to get this nonsense settled before he does something really stupid at a crucial time in the World Cup. His personal vendetta’s don’t belong with a team and staff who have been preparing for a World Cup for 4 years.
13 Sep 2011, 15:42 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-178:
So this site does have trolls.
13 Sep 2011, 15:42 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-181: fetal alcohol syndrome?
shame
13 Sep 2011, 15:50 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-145:
Yes Jake White is a great manager!! You should be thanking your stars you had him. Take SA rugby before he took over to where he left it and that’s all that is needed to be said.
We are going to need someone with his player selection abilities and technical skills post WC. It’s rebuilding time and it aint going to be easy.
It’s hard to judge Pdiv, he took over a WC winning team NO 1 in the world. He has done a lot right in my opinion and some wrong, just like any coach you’re never going to get it all right. His media utterances ruined his reputation a bit probably more than his coaching results did.
I think he didn;t bet on age taking its tole like it did though but we’ll see. It’s a team that knows how to win ugly and that’s a WC team.
13 Sep 2011, 15:54 pm
Jaque Fourie? Seriously, keo? The same Jacque Fourie whom you gave 6 out of 10 for his performance against Wales? I know you are prone to pretending your (soometimes very recent) opinions never existed, but even by your standards, that is just ridiculous. Jaque made 4 tackles and missed 2 – he was a nonentity both on defence and in attack.
As for Warburton – well, he basically just dove into the rucks side-on and lay all over the ball on numerous occasions – he was just lucky to have that blind Pommy Wayne Barnes as the ref, or his side would have been severely penalised. But I guess you’re basing your evaluation on the McCaw Philosophy that cheating is commendable if you get away with it.
13 Sep 2011, 16:07 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-182: why is quade painted as the aggressor here and richie as the harpless bystander getting bullied?
13 Sep 2011, 16:10 pm
@pierre(pierre)-186: how come when other opensiders get the better of SA it’s because they’re cheatitng, yet when our heinrich gets away with the same stuff, he is just BRILLIANT?
13 Sep 2011, 16:14 pm
Warburton was very good on the day but if you watched the build up matches you would see he is not nearly as consistent as Richie or Heinrich and what sets those two players apart from all the others is their ability to out perform anyone even when their team is performing poorly.
13 Sep 2011, 16:17 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-160:
now THAT would be some kinda funny…
13 Sep 2011, 16:18 pm
Samoa aiming to emerge from ‘Pool of Death’
PREVIEW: Samoa have set their sights on a quarter-final berth at this year’s Rugby World Cup, but have no illusions about the challenge ahead as they prepare to negotiate the tournament’s ‘pool of death’.
Every tournament has one, and in the case of this year’s Rugby World Cup, it is Pool D – with reigning world champions South Africa (currently ranked 3rd), Wales (6th), Samoa (10th), Fiji (15th) and Namibia (20th) – that has gained the moniker.
Despite this, Samoa’s forwards coach Tom Coventry told journalists in Rotorua on Tuesday his team has high expectations for the tournament, particularly after their stunning 32-23 victory over Australia in Sydney two months ago.
“You have to be realistic about your opportunities and where you sit in the pecking order, but certainly the match against the Wallabies has given us a lot of confidence.
“We’d like to make the quarter-finals. The ultimate goal is winning the World Cup. Whether that’s a bridge too far, I don’t know. We’ll find out in the pool games.”
Samoa opens its campaign against Namibia in Rotorua on Wednesday and Coventry said it would be important for the team to put in a strong first-up performance.
“Anybody can get up on their day and cause an upset, so we’re very wary of Namibia tomorrow and conscious of not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”
Coventry said Samoa was likely to employ a running brand of rugby and would look to involve giant wing Alesana Tuilagi, who was so impressive in the win over Australia in July.
With the weather expected to clear in Rotorua after three days of unsettled conditions, the stage should be set for an entertaining afternoon.
“We’ve got a few other things up our sleeves which you will see tomorrow. One of the options is to get the ball to Alesana, but there’s plenty of strike power in the rest of our team as well,” said Coventry.
“Our plan is to use the width. We have a game plan that is pretty exciting and involves just about the whole XV.”
It is a tactic Namibian coach Johan Diergaardt is expecting and his team will look to combat Samoa’s expansive style with a game plan they didn’t use in their opening match, a 49-25 loss to Fiji.
“We’ll try to keep ball in hand, slow down the rucks, starve them of the ball, not kick into their hands like we did (against Fiji). We want to keep the ball away from them.”
Namibian flanker Jacques Burger gave some insight into both the challenge and the mindset of his team as they prepare for the Samoa match.
“We have to play like there’s nothing to lose. Our work rate has to be better than theirs. We won’t outskill them or outpace them or outpower them, but we can outwork them.”
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13 Sep 2011, 16:19 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-171:
oh blackie (sigh)…in the land of the cheats…a one-eyed referee would be king…
13 Sep 2011, 16:19 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-187: Ask Farr Jones.
13 Sep 2011, 16:21 pm
@pierre(pierre)-186: Are you the number 4 lock for France?
13 Sep 2011, 16:29 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-174:
i know, kiwis (some of them) have their heads so deap up their own arrses sometimes its just laughable.
its like the video replays they’ll show over and over and from a zillion different angles if its anything anti bok or any other team, but if its an all black transgression then the camera angles and replays somehow magically dry up…
13 Sep 2011, 16:37 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-178:
oh he’ll come along just fine for the 16 october, dont you worry and thank you for asking, you type that into your keyboard and hit save…its a date.
oh and btw how’s kieran? send my regards…
13 Sep 2011, 16:43 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-191:
Samoa will give the Welsh a pakslae, because:
1) Wales will be psycologically dented after their loss against SA.
2) History proves that Wales don’t perform well against the Islanders
3) Wales’ game plan was set for the Boks. A change in game plan at short notice will do them no favours
4) It will almost be a home game for the Samoans
5) Wales will be more nervous as the Samoans would still not have played SA and therefore potentially without a loss, maiing their chances at 2nd place safer at the time of the game
13 Sep 2011, 16:44 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-187:
i know its quite funny.
although i loved it when quade moered reechie in the 3n final after clearing him out close to the blacks try line.
13 Sep 2011, 16:47 pm
So far, South Africa has won a world cup for each of our post apartheid leaders.
Mandela at ’95
Mbeki at ’07
If Zuma does not stay on for a second term, this cup will be ours!
Also, I rate our chances at 2019 (Motlanthe) and 2027 (Malema)
13 Sep 2011, 17:02 pm
@Helen(Helen)-199: You are assuming that Malema will only have one or two terms. I’m sure he will be a life president which means we will only win again in 2071…
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