Who will make the Final

There is the dirge of depression sweeping the boards, threads titled post mortums etc etc etc...!

So I thought I would try to lighten things up with a bit of looking forwards to the semis and beyond.

So who will come first, second, third or fourth...?

I've called 3rd (Australia) & 4th (France), but 1st & 2nd i dont want to call.

On the back of todays performances I think Australia will beat NZ in there game. And I'm going to back Wales to beat France in the semi and Aus in the final. As for third, dont really care. NZ i would think

Have to believe, so I've called Wales 1st. NZ second, as I think they may have too much for Aus. Aus 3rd and France 4th.

Still, some cracking rugby still to come, whichever way it goes!

1 NZ
2 France
3 Aus
4 Wales

Really hoping for a France v NZ final. Could be awesome!

I've gone for NZ 1st and Wales 2nd but honestly if we both manage to get there I just don't know. I think we have every chance of doing it, need to deal with the French first though, and that's not easy!

NZ v France final....i hope with France putting in their performance of the tournament to win it.

Welsh win
Come on lads get on board we all know its coming so you might aswell join us seems as you wont beat us.

Also when Wales make the final can i presume Cyril and Nottins from the old 606 are dead?
Because both of them told me on numerous occasions that Wales woul never make a RWC final in their life time! one can but hope eh!

they are probably turning in their graves because wales actually got out of the group

Given the record of the Nostradamuses on here in picking the quarter final winners I wouldn't pay any heed to whatever is said on here.

If you had ask this question last week i would of said that France will make the final ahead of Wales. But with how Wales played against Ireland, i would have to back Wales to make the final.

Against who? I dont know to be honest.

1 wales 2 australia 3 nz 4 france, got a feeling about this one, dont even think my neck is on the block, unusual for me!!

GeordieFalcon wrote:NZ v France final....i hope with France putting in their performance of the tournament to win it.

Hmmm...

1987, Eden Park, France...NZ...hmmm

I've gone with NZ to win against Wales in the final.

Australia to beat France in the 3rd place play off.

NZ have their injury problems and Wales looked the most impressive team this weekend for me so Wales wouldn't be without a chance in the final, even against the ABs.

However I a still just think the AB's will win this RWC. They've been the outstanding team for a the last few seasons and even if the wheels are falling off the wagon a bit I think they'll hang in there and pull it out of the bag.

I'd back Aus to beat NZ & win the final... they looked like champions elect today. How the won off the scraps die bokke gave them I'll never know?

Think France may edge the other semi but they will still have to up their game from Sat.

Why Fra? The mental edge they got from beating their biggest rivals in all aspects of life let alone rugby may just give them the confidence to put in back to back convincing victories (something in RWC they have never been able to do).

Four interesting facts,Wales have never reached a final.No team losing a group match has ever won a final.France have never won a final,Nz have never beaten Australia in a RWC.
On yesterdays form Wales,are favourites,France may have had there big game.
Australia seem able to win without Quade Cooper ,The Cake tin is murder for goal kickers.
NZ send for the cavalry,Rene Ranger,Hosea Gear,Ben Smith,Tony Brown ,Matt Todd it seems like a emergency ward.
Argentina incidentally have been tough for England,Scotland,Wales.NZ,as they proved yesterday smart and hard to beat.

i first said on old606, maybe a year ago, that if wales won their quater no semi final team would stop them getting to the final.

i thought that semi final team would be england (so i got that wrong)

i also said that wales would finish second to newzealand but that was because i could not bring myself to say publicly that i actually thought wales would win rwc2011

a wales nz final is the only place i think wales could finaly put the allblacks hoodoo to bed. we wont beat the allblacks for another 50 years.

i dont think it will be easy and im not putting any money on it but i belive this wales team have the right ingreadients to become world champions.

best of luck to all four teams. heres to good reffing and may the best team win

Dogtooth I am the opposite, I just hoped we would make a respectable account of ourselves.

But these lads have improved with every game. Now even the seemingly impossible seems reachable.

It is still one hurdle at a time for me though until there are no hurdles left to jump...!

SafeAsMilk wrote:1 NZ
2 France
3 Aus
4 Wales

Really hoping for a France v NZ final. Could be awesome!

You keep hoping SAM There's a thumbs up for you

1 NZ
2 Wales
3 Aus
4 France

RubyGuby wrote:1 NZ
2 Wales
3 Aus
4 France

yup, id be very happy with that. tbh id be happy with 4th, but the way wales are playing and conducting themslevs i am happily getting behind them and tipping them for the win.

dogtooth wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:1 NZ
2 Wales
3 Aus
4 France

yup, id be very happy with that. tbh id be happy with 4th, but the way wales are playing and conducting themslevs i am happily getting behind them and tipping them for the win.

I agree, Wales have already far exceeded my pre world cup expectations.

Anything from here onwards is a fantastic bonus...

It has been great to see these guys stand up and be counted, the dedication and enthusiasm is everything we ever wanted.

Has there ever been a set of semi-final games contested by only one pool winner before in previous RWCs?

I've gone for:

1. NZ
2. Wales
3. Australia
4. France

I had it down as a SA v France final from the start, so now I am taking SA's FORTUNATE conquerors (AUS) to reach the final, but to lose to France

As of today here are the IRB rankings for the semi finalists...!

1(1) NEW ZEALAND 90.62
2(3)  AUSTRALIA 87.21

4(6)  WALES 83.21
5(8)  FRANCE 82.68

Looking like

1st NZ

2nd Wales

3rd Australia

4th France