RWC 2011 Round 2 Predictions

by mrextreme Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:05 am

First topic message reminder :

Samoa vs Namibia - Samoa by 14
Tonga vs Canada - Tonga by 7
Scotland vs Georgia - Scotland by 7
Russia vs USA - USA by 10
New Zealand vs Japan - New Zealand by 40
Argentina vs Romania - Argentina by 19
South Africa vs Fiji - South Africa by 9
Australia vs Ireland - Australia by 16
Wales vs Samoa - Wales by 6
England vs Georgia - England by 20
France vs Canada - France by 32

Biltongbek, what is your predictions?

by kiakahaaotearoa Tue 13 Sep 2011, 3:08 pm

Those are fighting words Rob. Certainly if Australia can get on top, they have the backs in particular to cut the Irish to shreds. Give Genia and Cooper front foot ball and those long sweeper passes out wide will find holes to exploit. But something tells me this is going to be a tight one. Ireland have patchy form at best coming into this tournament but they have a way of stepping up when their backs are to the wall.

by Rob B Tue 13 Sep 2011, 3:14 pm

I think it will be tight in the first half. I know the Irish will be up for it, but you have to bring more than passion and desire to the game. Ireland are just making too many schoolboy errors this year and other than historical considerations, it is difficult to see why this will be close based on what I have seen this year from these 2 sides.

by **Pal Joey** Tue 13 Sep 2011, 3:16 pm

This is one game where I may feel more generous towards Australia on the day. My 14+ margin looks very conservative. Maybe in between that and Rob's call.

by doctor_grey Tue 13 Sep 2011, 3:34 pm

You know gents, I also think this one (Aus-Ire) feels like a close one. To me, Ireland have too much talent to play such dreary Rugby. Genia is the player which gets the Wallaby backline going, and if the lads in green can contain him, then they are in the game. Cooper can be a game changer, but only if he is getting quick ball, which comes back to Genia as the key. Of course, it is one thing to talk about shutting Genia down and another thing to actually do it. Lots o pressure on the Ireland back row.

by Comfort Tue 13 Sep 2011, 3:47 pm

O'Pressure playing in the ireland back row? who is this new star? Wink

Australia have been playing very well (Samoa game excepted) and Ireland are probably in the position we've all been in, they've woken up with no recollection of what the hells been happening after going out the night before for a "quick pint", dazed and confused.

Ireland have the ability to intensely ruck australia out of the game (see performance against England in the 6ns) and the non-ability to be a bit rubbish (see the rest of the 6ns and warm-up games).

All i would offer the Irish is this...

...as us welsh always say "on our day.........."

by alcoombe Tue 13 Sep 2011, 4:53 pm

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:I expect Tualigi to switch to Shane William´s wing to try to bully him. Could backfire on Samoa or could bring some reward. Worth a gamble.

I doubt they'd bother moving the wings from their preferred positions. The excellent Tagicakibau is on the other wing. He's not as bulky as Tuilagi, but no small specimen (taller & heavier than North), and I think his extra 3 inches & pace on Tuilagi would be just as important facing Shane. Better to have the more physical Tuilagi stay on his usual wing and face North.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these backlines against each other. I think Wales forwards (particularly the backrow), extra organisation and that Samoa will have had a match only 4 days before will see a Welsh win, but the midfield and back three confrontation looks really tasty.

by kiakahaaotearoa Tue 13 Sep 2011, 4:57 pm

Didn´t mean necessarily a permanent switch. Kahui found himself on the left wing a few times against Tonga. A good winger needs to go looking for work in this day and age. I just think Tualigi might go looking for Shane either on attack or on defence and if he does then it could be embarrassing for either player.

by Comfort Tue 13 Sep 2011, 4:59 pm

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Didn´t mean necessarily a permanent switch. Kahui found himself on the left wing a few times against Tonga. A good winger needs to go looking for work in this day and age. I just think Tualigi might go looking for Shane either on attack or on defence and if he does then it could be embarrassing for either player.

Kia, obviously you didnt see Shane topple the unstoppable force that is ~~Bananaman~~ Banahan. Wink

by doctor_grey Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:03 pm

Wouldn't be a surprised to find Tuilagi looking for the physical mismatch against Shane Williams when Samoa have the ball. But, then again, most wingers have a physical advantage against Williams, and somehow the little guy usually holds his own. But this would be pretty severe.

by Cymroglan Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:04 pm

Sailosi Tagicakibau (6 ft 4 in 15 st 10 lb

George North 6ft4 16st 7 lbs

alcoombe I'm not sure where you got your stats from ?

by alcoombe Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:33 pm

Yup kiakahaaotearoa, could definitely see them testing that out, working him into a move coming off his wing, across the field at pace.

Cymroglan wrote:Sailosi Tagicakibau (6 ft 4 in 15 st 10 lb

George North 6ft4 16st 7 lbs

alcoombe I'm not sure where you got your stats from ?

Wikipedia is not to be trusted. The WC official website has ST as 107kg & 194cm, GN as 105kg & 192cm. The ESPN site tallies with their respective club profiles, ST as 6ft 4in & 220lb, GN as 6ft 3in & 213lb.

by Cymroglan Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:36 pm

So what site can be trusted ? I guess the one that would make our argument a bit more plausible.

by Guest Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:40 pm

No sites can be trusted and especially not 'official' club/international sites where they add on a few pounds and inches.

by alcoombe Tue 13 Sep 2011, 5:53 pm

Well, given the user dependent aspect of Wikipedia, I rarely trust data on it unless it's source referenced. The WC site data is almost certainly the most up-to-date and official, the national unions would have supplied it when they confirmed their squads to the irb. Of the three sources that supply both sets of data only Wikpedia has North as heavier and at the same height, something the individually supplied club profiles also disagree with.

by Cymroglan Tue 13 Sep 2011, 6:09 pm

The unions would have supplied the stats but the form is probably researched and filled out by some junior office clerk.
Nobody is going to check if the facts are correct.

by alcoombe Tue 13 Sep 2011, 6:41 pm

From what I've heard North is actually 7ft & 22st, so somewhere there's probably an irb clerk cowering under his desk from North now rumoured to be after his blood Wink

by Cymroglan Tue 13 Sep 2011, 6:53 pm

Having closely followed Georges career since he started playing as a junior for my local side I know the boy quite well.
I'm 6ft 1 and George is a inch or two taller than me his weight is a bit harder to judge due to him being all muscle but I would guess that the Wiki stats are pretty close to the mark.
I'm also very friendly with his parents Dave and Janet I could ask them for confirmation Very Happy

by alcoombe Tue 13 Sep 2011, 7:22 pm

Maybe we need a sticky with actual heights and weights confirmed by friends and associates of players and their families. How close is LCDPete to the LI camp?

by iso Tue 13 Sep 2011, 7:43 pm

alcoombe wrote:From what I've heard North is actually 7ft & 22st

Those were his birth stats.

by andy powells minder Tue 13 Sep 2011, 7:57 pm

and he was 3 months premature aswell!!!!!!!!!!!! Very Happy

by Guest Tue 13 Sep 2011, 8:56 pm

Cymroglan wrote:
I'm also very friendly with his parents Dave and Janet I could ask them for confirmation

That would just be a bit, weird Erm

by welshy824 Tue 13 Sep 2011, 9:12 pm

Linebreaker wrote:Biltong,
'Home' advantage for Samoa might play a part though and the pressure to go one better for Wales might actually work against their game plan if Samoa get points on the board first. Then it could be a case of panic stations if they start to lose cohesion and try to push the plays too much and play at an even higher tempo than they already do. Could be playing right into Samoa's hands?

Wales will need to not only up their performance from Sunday - but also soak up some more heavy hits in attack, defend against the strong runners... and then have something left in the tank right till the end.

I can also see the opposite happening though - Samoa having a shocker, getting on the wrong side of the whistle, losing shape and confidence and getting fully routed by a Wales team on fire.

It's going to be great to witness this one!

i agree it would be great to witness this one if you arent welsh!!!!! i can already feel the nerves building, i am going to be a nervous wreck and at 4.30 in the morning!

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