World Cup Final - will the Northern hemisphere take a hammering?

I hope this is not the case and whoever wins the Wales - France match can win/compete in the final.

At the moment I fear the northern hemisphere may suffer.

The Gramlin wrote:I hope this is not the case and whoever wins the Wales - France match can win/compete in the final.

At the moment I fear the northern hemisphere may suffer.

Based on?

I think they might be in with a reasonable chance given that whoever goes through from the Aus / NZ game will have well and truly had the bejesus knocked out of them by the other. If (IF) it's Aus that gets through they will have to get up for a third week in a row after the boks and the blacks...a tough ask.

No. It will be a hell of a game no matter who plays.

No, France will win the tournament

Taffineastbourne wrote:

The Gramlin wrote:I hope this is not the case and whoever wins the Wales - France match can win/compete in the final.

At the moment I fear the northern hemisphere may suffer.

Based on?

New Zealand and Australia being consistently better teams.

Full Credit - thats a very good point. The Aussies will find it harder than the Kiwis.

Untill recently when ever NH teams played SH teams, they (NH teams) nearly almost lost with a humilating thrashing.

But now in this years tournament you cannot say that. Who ever goes through to the final have a very good chance of winning.

So no, i do not believe that the Northern Hemiphere team will be in for a hammering.

The Gramlin wrote:

Taffineastbourne wrote:

The Gramlin wrote:I hope this is not the case and whoever wins the Wales - France match can win/compete in the final.

At the moment I fear the northern hemisphere may suffer.

Based on?

New Zealand and Australia being consistently better teams.

Australia are not consistently better. They are quite inconsistent v northern hemisphere opposition. NZ Zealand could hammer both but I wouldn't bet against France going all the way.

leinsterbaby wrote:

The Gramlin wrote:

Taffineastbourne wrote:

The Gramlin wrote:I hope this is not the case and whoever wins the Wales - France match can win/compete in the final.

At the moment I fear the northern hemisphere may suffer.

Based on?

New Zealand and Australia being consistently better teams.

Australia are not consistently better. They are quite inconsistent v northern hemisphere opposition. NZ Zealand could hammer both but I wouldn't bet against France going all the way.

Perhaps they are more inconsistent against Northern Hemisphere sides, but the world rankings say they are generally more consistent.

If we play Australia I am confident of being able to win.

If we play NZ, i am more confident now that we might win than I was two weeks ago.

However first we have to beat France. If the French win they could get a hammering from either or they could beat either. Wales wont get a hammering from either Aus or NZ.

Nice WUM though well done

The Aussies, and Kiwis will be tough opposition.

If we beat France, we deserve to be in the final, if we don't then the French very much deserve to be there, as we will give them a hell of a game.

Same goes for the Final, whoever we meet, should we make it will have to be very good to beat us. WE are a good side, we play attractive winning rugby and this is the best Welsh effort we have managed in a very long time...! If we cant win it all with them, then we will be back in four years, older, wiser and better and ready for another shot...!

The Gramlin wrote:

Taffineastbourne wrote:

The Gramlin wrote:I hope this is not the case and whoever wins the Wales - France match can win/compete in the final.

At the moment I fear the northern hemisphere may suffer.

Based on?

New Zealand and Australia being consistently better teams.

And the "hammering" aspect?

maestegmafia wrote:The Aussies, and Kiwis will be tough opposition.

If we beat France, we deserve to be in the final, if we don't then the French very much deserve to be there, as we will give them a hell of a game.

Same goes for the Final, whoever we meet, should we make it will have to be very good to beat us. WE are a good side, we play attractive winning rugby and this is the best Welsh effort we have managed in a very long time...! If we cant win it all with them, then we will be back in four years, older, wiser and better and ready for another shot...!

I would say France didn't deserve to be in the quarter-finals, let alone the final. If they come back from their 2 losses in the pool stage then it will be some turnaround, but the only reason they are through is because Canada beat Tonga, and I'm not sure Canada would have had Tonga had a full week's rest.

Tycroesosprey - not a "WUM", definitely not, definitely. Objectivity! I want to see Northern Hemisphere (esp. Welsh) win this.


Taffineastbourne - the ""hammering aspect", well, NZ & Aus may just be too good - we'll have to see......

[quote="robbo277"]

maestegmafia wrote:
I would say France didn't deserve to be in the quarter-finals, let alone the final. If they come back from their 2 losses in the pool stage then it will be some turnaround, but the only reason they are through is because Canada beat Tonga, and I'm not sure Canada would have had Tonga had a full week's rest.

The difference in recovery times between some teams and other has been a huge handicap for the Nations that generate less TV money. What a sad, cynical and awful truth to taint what has been a fantastic world cup. An advantage that has helped Wales equally, we played a SAmoa team who had a mere four days of recovery, that could well have been a better side with more energy in the tank...

Lets hope this never happens again...

It is a ridiculous fault, The games will be watched by millions whether they are prime time on a weekend or during a work day. We love rugby, we will find and make our excuses. THe IRB bowed to the TV companies so that the TV companies could catch all the fish possible.

A sad state of affaires.

Now though there are no excuses...!

Absolutely superb post Maesteg.

We wallow in being in the top 8. What we must not forget, is to understand that no matter how well we all do at this gig - it is fallow in World terms. A tightly knit and protected club , does not help the game grow. It never will.

A RWC should be set up, to help make it a level playing-field. To help and encourage the Rest to progress. To grow.

This, is blatantly not happening. Its all about de muny and TV audiences. Not rugby.

If I ruled the IRB, the top teams would play every 4/5 days. The developing teams would have what we now have. Preferential treatment.

Or am I totally feicin mad?

I think that's what they've agreed, or at least agreed to talk about.

France are the only team (I believe) to have got through the pool stages losing twice, and they're possibly half an hour away from a final.

Edit: Never mind, Fiji did it in 1987.

I think its clear after the semi that the nh is going to get one hell of a hammering next week. Looks like tomorrow is the real final