Will Wales/Ireland or Scotland ever make a RWC final?

First topic message reminder :

Will Wales/Ireland or Scotland ever make a RWC final?

IMO no.

But this is a discussion board so let’s discuss this intriguing subject.

The reason I said no is that I don't believe these three nations have the mental believe to take on the big boys in a KO competition like the RWC as it is a different type of pressure when compared to a domestic or euro cup.

Simple as that.

Discuss.

Scotland will finish in the bottom 2 in the 2013 6 nations because they lack depth, on there day they'll give anyone a game but once they get 2 or 3 injuries then it will be game over. IMO.

I stand by my statement by the way.

Russia or USA will get to a rugby world cup final within the next 4/5 RWC's

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I'd love to argue like Hersh - make up a few 'facts' to back up some ever changing statements and keep dodging and requests to back up these 'statements' and then crowing that he's right and Wales/Ireland/Scotland/France (delete as necassary) are terrible

I never mentioned France!

caoimhincentre wrote:

HERSH wrote:Why is it some people can't contribute in a sensible way

How disappointing.
You had a chance to argue you case and you resorted to insults.

So I take you're not a true Rugby fan then?

i dont know why you can't contribute sensibly. that is yourissue purposei suppose.

Fixed that for you Caoim - Hersh's motto is "I wum therefore I am"

HERSH wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I'd love to argue like Hersh - make up a few 'facts' to back up some ever changing statements and keep dodging and requests to back up these 'statements' and then crowing that he's right and Wales/Ireland/Scotland/France (delete as necassary) are terrible

I never mentioned France!

I didn't say you mentioned France in this article

HERSH wrote:Scotland will finish in the bottom 2 in the 2013 6 nations because they lack depth, on there day they'll give anyone a game but once they get 2 or 3 injuries then it will be game over. IMO.

I stand by my statement by the way.

Russia or USA will get to a rugby world cup final within the next 4/5 RWC's

clearly a statement to get an emotional response and annoy sensible rugby fans.

If only you could back it up with some sense and fact. something other than they are big counties. Ire/Wal/Scot. they are small

HERSH wrote:Scotland will finish in the bottom 2 in the 2013 6 nations because they lack depth, on there day they'll give anyone a game but once they get 2 or 3 injuries then it will be game over. IMO.

I stand by my statement by the way.

Russia or USA will get to a rugby world cup final within the next 4/5 RWC's

EH??? Did you mean make it out of their pool in 4 or 5 RWCs time?

Caoimhincentre - fair play to HERSH it got a result two of us bit.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

caoimhincentre wrote:

HERSH wrote:Why is it some people can't contribute in a sensible way

How disappointing.
You had a chance to argue you case and you resorted to insults.

So I take you're not a true Rugby fan then?

i dont know why you can't contribute sensibly. that is yourissue purposei suppose.

Fixed that for you Caoim - Hersh's motto is "I wum therefore I am"

Just because my opinion differs to yours doesn't make me a WUM.

I hate Wums, they destroy good articles IMO.

HERSH wrote:Scotland will finish in the bottom 2 in the 2013 6 nations because they lack depth, on there day they'll give anyone a game but once they get 2 or 3 injuries then it will be game over. IMO.

I stand by my statement by the way.

Russia or USA will get to a rugby world cup final within the next 4/5 RWC's

Ok so what positions do we lack Depth in? The front row? To be Honest Murray, Cross, Jacobson will all be lucky to keep their places after how well Welsh did in the 6N and how well Grant did in the summer tour. Ross Ford is a key player but Scot Lawson is more than capable of playing a full international test match, likewise Pat MaCarthur at Glasgow is in with a shout of getting his first cap in the Autumn.

2nd Row behind Gray and Hamilton we have Kellock, Gilchrist, MacKenzie and Ryder.

Backrow behind Brown, Rennie and Denton who are all probably 1st choice we have Strokosch, Harley (try Scoring debut in Samoa), Barclay, Beattie, Fusaro, MacInally.... all very capable players if you bothered to watch some pro 12 games.

Scrum half, arguably our Strongest position : Blair, Cusiter and Lawson. To a lesser extent Laidlaw.

Finally some Depth at fly half behind Laidlaw in the form of Weir, the promising youngster who was instrumental in Scotland A ripping the English Saxons to shreds in the 37-0 drubbing in the 6N and Jackson just coming back from injury.

In the Centres I'll concede we are just 1 injury away from seeing either Morrison or Lamont back at 12, although Robinson does have the option of playing Grove at 12 which I hope he'll do if anything happens to Matt Scott. Nick De Luca has his flaws but played well in the summer Tour and Ansbro can slot into 13 if anything happens to him. As can Max Evans.

Back 3 we have Jones, Hogg, MacVisser, The Lamont Brothers, Tom Brown (great Debut vs. Australia in the summer) and Max Evans.

So there you have it..... no apparent problems with depth as far as I can see. Over to you HERSH.

Russia and USA are beginning to take rugby seriously, it would be daft to ignore the size of their populations, if they get a good solid structure in place then the game will grow, on their day they can give anyone a game already.

I believe one of them will get to a RWC final before a Celtic nation does.


I have never rubbished France so to say that I would is just plain silly, I admire the French more than anyone else in the Rugby world.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

HERSH wrote:Scotland will finish in the bottom 2 in the 2013 6 nations because they lack depth, on there day they'll give anyone a game but once they get 2 or 3 injuries then it will be game over. IMO.

I stand by my statement by the way.

Russia or USA will get to a rugby world cup final within the next 4/5 RWC's

Ok so what positions do we lack Depth in? The front row? To be Honest Murray, Cross, Jacobson will all be lucky to keep their places after how well Welsh did in the 6N and how well Grant did in the summer tour. Ross Ford is a key player but Scot Lawson is more than capable of playing a full international test match, likewise Pat MaCarthur at Glasgow is in with a shout of getting his first cap in the Autumn.

2nd Row behind Gray and Hamilton we have Kellock, Gilchrist, MacKenzie and Ryder.

Backrow behind Brown, Rennie and Denton who are all probably 1st choice we have Strokosch, Harley (try Scoring debut in Samoa), Barclay, Beattie, Fusaro, MacInally.... all very capable players if you bothered to watch some pro 12 games.

Scrum half, arguably our Strongest position : Blair, Cusiter and Lawson. To a lesser extent Laidlaw.

Finally some Depth at fly half behind Laidlaw in the form of Weir, the promising youngster who was instrumental in Scotland A ripping the English Saxons to shreds in the 37-0 drubbing in the 6N and Jackson just coming back from injury.

In the Centres I'll concede we are just 1 injury away from seeing either Morrison or Lamont back at 12, although Robinson does have the option of playing Grove at 12 which I hope he'll do if anything happens to Matt Scott. Nick De Luca has his flaws but played well in the summer Tour and Ansbro can slot into 13 if anything happens to him. As can Max Evans.

Back 3 we have Jones, Hogg, MacVisser, The Lamont Brothers, Tom Brown (great Debut vs. Australia in the summer) and Max Evans.

So there you have it..... no apparent problems with depth as far as I can see. Over to you HERSH.

Fair enough, bottom 3 then.

HERSH wrote:Russia and USA are beginning to take rugby seriously, it would be daft to ignore the size of their populations, if they get a good solid structure in place then the game will grow, on their day they can give anyone a game already.

I believe one of them will get to a RWC final before a Celtic nation does.


I have never rubbished France so to say that I would is just plain silly, I admire the French more than anyone else in the Rugby world.

and with us taking rugby less seriously (Hersh has been driving around counting people so he knows) it is only logical with their massive populations that they they will no doubt win the RWC soon.

Personally i think 2015 will be too soon for both.

hence the 4/5 RWC!

HERSH wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

caoimhincentre wrote:

HERSH wrote:Why is it some people can't contribute in a sensible way

How disappointing.
You had a chance to argue you case and you resorted to insults.

So I take you're not a true Rugby fan then?

i dont know why you can't contribute sensibly. that is yourissue purposei suppose.

Fixed that for you Caoim - Hersh's motto is "I wum therefore I am"

Just because my opinion differs to yours doesn't make me a WUM.

I hate Wums, they destroy good articles IMO.

Apologies it's just the absence of facts or statisitics/links to back up your statements/claims, and the sometimes incendiary nature of your posts can sometimes make the posts to appear to be WUMs

So basicly not good enough to beat England and France? I could accept that. As I said I think a pre-requosite is winning all our home games this season.

If we can do that we have made progress for the 1st time in a long time.

If and it's a huge IF we can beat England at Twickers on the opening day, I reckon we have a chance at the GS. We'll have 3 home games on the trot before playing the French.

Unlikely I know but far from impossible. The signs for the 1st time are encouraging.

Nice to see you U-turn though....... are you a member of the Tory/Lib-Dem coalition?

HERSH wrote:
I have never rubbished France so to say that I would is just plain silly, I admire the French more than anyone else in the Rugby world.

Fair enough that's 1 nation (and Bath) you don't rubbish

To be fair the French are the only ones in world rugby who have a legitimate pro rugby league

Blimey. There's some outrageous statements being made on here today!