Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

New Zealand obviously favourites, but I wouldnt put South Africa and Australia that far behind them.

Results from 2007 tri nations:
SA 22 - 19 Aus
SA 21 - 26 NZ
Aus 20 - 15 NZ
Aus 25 - 17 SA
NZ 33 - 6 SA
NZ 26 - 12 Aus

Also bear in mind that SA sent their B team for the away games.

Watch out for Schalk Berger on the flank, and Brian Habana on the wing.
Francois Steyn is a good young player who has played at centre, wing and fullback before.
Ruan Pienaar is another good young player, but he probably wont make 1st choice scrumhalf. Hes played at wing before so I hope they find a place for him there.
And like all saffa teams there are some dirty [censored] forwards.

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

Hehe, great clips, love the comments in Youtube.

I've seen a lot of people saying SA has the best back line in the world, and that could take them past NZ.

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

NZ is the favorite, no doubt, but I disagree with OPs claim that their B team destroyed everyone else's A team. Everyone took Tri Nations lightly this year. I think SA has a decent chance of beating NZ in the finals. Their players looked very good in Super 14, which featured an all South African final.

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

Australia will win the tournament, NZ will choke in the semis as usual. Can't see England making much of an impression [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

I really hope the All Blacks do it. They have been brilliant for rugby for so long, and deserve it.

I dont think Australia will get beyond the semi, playing the All Blacks [and maybe *fingers crossed* Ireland!]. They have a weak pack, and somewhat like us [ireland] they rely on a small number of stars, and if one of them gets injured [like stories of Larkham going down over last few days] they are much less of a team IMHO

I really think it would worth be a gamble on the winner of Semi 1, which will be France versus South Africa. I would not mind a new name on the trophy, and france could get lifted, ala their soccer team in 1998 [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

only teams with a legitimate shot are france, nz and SA imo.

I know it's usually not wise to write off the aussies but i don't think they've got enough to win it.

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

So excited for the whole tournament.

Going to Paris for Ireland v Argentina at the end of the month. My first live game of rugby ever and hopefully one of the best group games. Wales v Australia and Italy v Scotland should be good as well. Will die laughing if England get beaten by Samoa.

I think it's unwise to write off any of the top nations.

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

[ QUOTE ]
just got a new hdtv to watch wales beat australia [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]Are any of the matches going to be aired in HD?

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

they are in australia

Re: *** Official 2007 Rugby World Cup
 

I'm very fired up here, as is pretty much the whole country I think.

NZ go in as favourites, deservedly so with their record over the last few years and the depth of the team. Obviously lots can go wrong though, and they have a tonne of expectation on them.

Be very interested to see who emerges from the France/Ireland/Argentina pool, not least as 2nd place gets the dubious prize of meeting NZ in the quarter final.

Also really not in favour of the suggestion that Scotland aren't even going to put up their first team against NZ in the pool. One of the traditional rugby nations giving up on a big game like that seems pretty poor to me.

Picking NZ to be too strong up front for the Aussies in one semi, and the French to have too much flair for the South Africans in the other. Then NZ too strong for France in the final, really can't wait for it to get underway though.

Oh and I'm up for some small scale prop betting if anyone is interested, I'll lay 2:1 on a last longer for New Zealand vs any single country.