Wales v England semi final..who will win?

While betting on Eng land to beat France looks like a relatively safe bet, it is also clear from posters this morning that Ireland might as well not turn up next weekend. I tend to agree we have done as well as can be expected and clearly winning our group while only beating those minnows like the tri nations champions means we havent a hope. Anyway I like wales they're great.

It's a paper, scissors, rock discussion.
I think England and Ireland will slow down our ball and strangle us out of the games to be honest, we can't compete in trench warfare rugby.

Shall we worry about next week first.

Alyn, why so downbeat. I'm not given to feeding the more normal Welsh optimism but of the three Wales look the more complete package. As things stand I would not expect England to beat Ireland or Wales and if you can maintain the energy and accuracy you should edge Ireland. Going to be tough though.

i am not confident we will beat ireland next week. ireland cannot rely on being the more experienced side although this is clearly in their favour. ireland will bring a game plan for beating an exciting and powerfull welsh xxii. i think ireland have a better than even chance.

if wales win, (and it is wales' biggest if of the tournament so far), if wales win i cannot see england posing much of a threat. sorry england but you are barely at the races in this rwc.

South Africa are a very experienced side and we came withing a whisker of beating them.
Our side may be young but they are not playing like headless chickens they know what they need to do.

The two semi-finals will be

England v Ireland
SA v NZ

Final will probably be England v NZ.

NZ may sneak the win.

Cymroglan wrote:South Africa are a very experienced side and we came withing a whisker of beating them.
Our side may be young but they are not playing like headless chickens they know what they need to do.

true, but experience is a factor. it was quite possibly the deciding factor in the wales sa game.

SafeAsMilk wrote:The two semi-finals will be

England v Ireland
SA v NZ

Final will probably be England v NZ.

NZ may sneak the win.

i am sure you have your tounge firmly in your cheek.

dogtooth wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:The two semi-finals will be

England v Ireland
SA v NZ

Final will probably be England v NZ.

NZ may sneak the win.

i am sure you have your tounge firmly in your cheek.

What, you don't think NZ will win?

SafeAsMilk wrote:

dogtooth wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:The two semi-finals will be

England v Ireland
SA v NZ

Final will probably be England v NZ.

NZ may sneak the win.

i am sure you have your tounge firmly in your cheek.

What, you don't think NZ will win?

however...
no i dont. i think southafrica will win.

This has become a vary interesting competition. The team left with the highest probability of beating the ABs is the Boks. If the Boks did get to the final, they would be favourites to win, but the NH team opposing them would have a chance. If the ABs get to the final, there is no chance of them slipping up to a NH team.

dogtooth wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:

dogtooth wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:The two semi-finals will be

England v Ireland
SA v NZ

Final will probably be England v NZ.

NZ may sneak the win.

i am sure you have your tounge firmly in your cheek.

What, you don't think NZ will win?

however...
no i dont. i think southafrica will win.

Ah, another SA/England final. The neutrals won't like that!

Odd I haven't seen anyone saying Wales will win.

Some things don't need saying when they are glaringly obvious

Arrogance.

its been a great rwc so far. the knockouts should be great

I think the Final could be a repeat of 2007 Rugby World Cup final myself.

England v South Africa( England win)Fingers crossed.

I fancy the Boks to topple Australia but lose to NZ, other side of draw I honestly don't know so going with heart Wales.

samuraidragon wrote:This has become a vary interesting competition. The team left with the highest probability of beating the ABs is the Boks. If the Boks did get to the final, they would be favourites to win, but the NH team opposing them would have a chance. If the ABs get to the final, there is no chance of them slipping up to a NH team.

without carter an (probably) mc caw nz look weak...slade is not up to steering nz to the final imo....unforyunately if nz dont have their two talismanic players they will scrape by argentina and then be beaten by a more experienced streetwise SA side(presuming the ausie pack struggle against the boks )
Going on current form i predict a SA v ireland final

dogtooth wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:The two semi-finals will be

England v Ireland
SA v NZ

Final will probably be England v NZ.

NZ may sneak the win.

i am sure you have your tounge firmly in your cheek.

well although i dont agree that will happen, the odss will tell you that it is certainly the most likley outcome. so..

Fair play to Ireland for what they have achieved with their squad.They should be well pleased.Plucky doesnt do it justice.Considering their poor history and lack of funding they have done really well.I do hope that none of the big boys give them a pasting.

Taffineastbourne wrote:Fair play to Ireland for what they have achieved with their squad.They should be well pleased.Plucky doesnt do it justice.Considering their poor history and lack of funding they have done really well.I do hope that none of the big boys give them a pasting.

I sincerely hope this is a WUM.

AlynDavies wrote:It's a paper, scissors, rock discussion.
I think England and Ireland will slow down our ball and strangle us out of the games to be honest, we can't compete in trench warfare rugby.

Yes we can, if we continue to take chances and score...we had very little possession for much of the Fiji game but looked dangerous whenever we had the ball. What we need to do is learn to retain the ball for longer periods, be patient and be more effective at the breakdown.

Whilst Wales have been playing some nice rugby and a brave defeat against SA I think they have a mighty stumbling block in the form of Ireland, who after that magnificent win against Australia have topped their group, undefeated, and despite their poor form prior to the RWC certainly seem to have struck gold at the moment.

Sorry Boyos but I just can't see you beating Ireland in the quarters.

So who do I think will win the Semi?

Ireland.

And I'm a England Fan!!

i have good money on ireland at 50's start of the tourny ,. also england at 19's after the argie game.

I think england would just squeak a win against ireland. But all the same no other team has performed against england as good as ireland did the the 6n gs decider- so i wouldnt be surpised.

I do find it funny how everyone is dismissing france mind, Alot of teams win WC's (in many sports) by having a shaky start.

France must not be dismissed- I think the majority of Irish are saying it because they would rather meet england in the semis!

mystiroakey wrote:

France must not be dismissed- I think the majority of Irish are saying it because they would rather meet england in the semis!

You're probably right... although I guess most folk have fallen into the trap of dismissing France because they appear to be a team in terminal free fall at the moment. They have just been plain awful every match.

they did enough against tonga, as bad as it was - they did enough.

I am offcourse going for england;. But this is not going to be easy. Both teams have been seen to only have done enough- or some posters think they have been lucky!

the fact remnains both teams are in the knock outs and both teams have the best NH rankings

The way I see it. Wales and Ireland are both in much better form than England in this world cup. Despite that being true England have dispatched of all opposition albeit not easily. In the end they have prevailed.

Coming back from 6 points down in two games takes a lot of balls.

England are a tough side to beat. No we aren't the best but we won't be pushovers.

Wales vs Ireland is too tough to call in my opinion. Both would be licking their lips at playing England in the semi but underestimate us at your peril.

The fact of that matter is that Wales, Ireland, England and France are all capable of beating each other. Ireland and Wales are the form teams but this is a knockout competition now and form might not come into it. Its a pity Ireland and Wales were not split up here but all fans of each nation will be going into the 1/4's with optimism - Not much more to say really, you can debate till the cows come home there's nothing in it and its going to be on the day