Rugby World Cup

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Not up on this at all here in Hungary! Very sad thing about many of us kiwis - too easy to get 'bláse' about things, then get our @sses kicked thru underestimating the opposition or situ...

PLEASE keep your wits about yas All Blacks!!!
 
I see some nervous Kiwis here. We all know how unpredictable and sometimes brilliant the French can be but they've been woeful in this tournament. If New Zealand play a half decent game I think they'll win. You are however right to point out that they haven't won yet!
Cheers
Steve
 
Nervous? You betcha!

Yep, with the way the ABs have been playing, they could beat France, but they'll come on like a heifer on heat, so the ABs can't be complacent.
 
The way the AB's came out against the Wallabies, there is no doubting how much they want it. The French have been poor and it is looking like the 2 players they have been playing and 9 and 10 for the tournament so far won't be playing or aren't at 100%. The points all point to the AB's but then the French are predictably unpredictable but for this tournament they really haven't impressed at all and haven't really shown any form. It would be a massive turnaround for them to beat the team that have been on form throughout and have been the most impressive team as well. The Wallabies shouldn't even have got to the semi's... The French only just got out the group and then have squeezed past an England team that has been awful all tournament and a Welsh team that shot itself in the foot, hardly great scalps.
 
In summary:

The All Blacks have won the Rugby World Cup. It was not an easy match for them; they had to fight to the very end and dig deep like they have never done before. France proved, once again that they can never be underestimated. After some pretty uninspiring rugby in the pools, losing to both Tonga and New Zealand, Le Bleu looked hopelessly outplayed, but this evening proved beyond all measure that France will always rise to the challenge of Finals rugby. The French played like a completely different team; with fierce determination they used every dirty kick, punch, gouge and off side play in their arsenal; they gave it all, but it was to no avail.

In the second half, the French dominated; a converted try and they broke the All Blacks' composure. In the last twenty minutes they played phase after phase of fast attacking rugby, but still the ABs stood their ground and refused to concede. Their discipline under pressure was astounding. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why the All Blacks are the World Champions. No other team in the World could have resisted what the French threw at them tonight. Just the All Blacks.
 
Most of the top defences would of held the French in the second half (Wallabies/Springboks etc), they had a lot of possession but weren't doing much with it, part of that was the defence but there was also an aspect of a lack of imagination/flair/impetuous from the French as well. Wasn't that impressed with their attacking play today, although were they found the form from is anyone's guess (as I said before the French a predictably unpredictable).

Weepu was poor today, it looked like the occasion got to him, was surprised he stay on for so long and was left with the kicking duties as well.

New Zealand were overall pretty poor today, there worst game of the tournament, I suspect the pressure got to them slightly where as the French weren't really playing under any pressure as nothing was expected of them.

Glad the All Blacks won, they deserved it more for their performance throughout the tournament even if in the final they weren't the best team for large portions.
 

Spot on Gnomey, the ABs got the wind knocked out of their sails. if France had of won, they would have deserved it fair and square. The fact the ABs held out in defence for so long though, is incredible.

A bit of a different response to an earlier thread by you in which you stated you didn't want New Zealand to win, eh?
 
New Zealand were a shambles! You may have lost your first,second and third choice number 10s but you have to trust whoever you play there to do the job he does,week in,week out,for his club. Hats off to Donald for marching up to take what turned out to be the match winning penalty,Weepu would probably have missed it. I'm looking forward to seeing Donald at Bath for the next couple of seasons.
They were very lucky to get out of that match with the win,I've never seen them so poor. France at least did turn up and play better than they have done at any other stage of the tournament.
When all's said and done New Zealand are the world champions,their name is on the cup,congratulations to them.
Cheers
Steve
 

A little but my meaning was I'll only believe they've won it when they've won because I still expected some form of 'team choke' which did nearly happen. That being said I thought the French would be rabbits in the headlights but in reality they were for 20 mins of the first half but then settled into the game better than the AB's.

My rational was anyone but the Wallabies. Home Nations/South African supporter here, if the Springboks had got past the Wallabies as they should of done it would have made an interesting tournament.
 
Yes, Gnomey, I have to agree; I thought the Springboks would do better. I was fully expecting them to beat the Wallabies in the quarters, but they were sluggish and too slow off the break down. The Wallabies just played the faster game in the end. It would have been a mean final. For New Zealand to win the cup again, it had to be France - it's fate. France are our hoodoo.


They were very lucky to get out of that match with the win,I've never seen them so poor.
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Yep, France really had them on the back foot, but remarkably they kept finding their defence. The points scorers reflect the desperation they were in; a try to a prop whose never scored a World Cup point before and a penalty conversion by their No.4 choice fly half. I saw an interview with Dulatoir after the match and he said that the French boys had given it all and had nothing left, so, right down to the wire, the ABs pulled out of the hat something else, even though they looked really bad whilst doing it.
 
wad59 said:
Congratulations to the All Black !
Gérard .
Click to expand...

Might I add my comiserations to Les Bleus, who played a magnificent match and, had they won, would have been fully deserved of it. My hat's off to the French rugby Players.

You might also be surprised to learn that most people I know think that the IRB penalising the French for advancing on the ABs doing the haka is just ludicrous. I supect much of New Zealand feel the same way.
 
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