Oh dear oh dear...

[Te Kaha]

After that embarresment, in order to win the world cup the wannabies have to beat the yarpies, then the AB's then probably England... for a team that cant win 2 hard games in a row amd cant win on Eden park.. no matter who they are playing... might be just a little too far

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yep, uphill battle for the Wallabies now. Downside of it is it puts all the SH sides on one side of the draw meaning some overrated NH side will probably cruise into the final. Hope it's the Irish after that TBH.

 

[Butters]

3 starting players out injured, 2 on game day. Nothing to worry about

As long as those useless turds McCalman and Ashley-Cooper are dropped and never picked again, this loss will be an overall good for the wallabies.

 

[Butters]

I like how you're already picking NZ for a semi spot. They have to get through the quarters first mate ;-)

 

[Parra Pride]

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Wallabies......

 

[Red Bear]

 

[Thomas]

Go italy!!!!!

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I like how you're already picking NZ for a semi spot. They have to get through the quarters first mate ;-)

Considering that NZ have made it past the quarters at every world cup except 2007, and our quarter will probably be against Argentina (who've never beaten us), I'm not losing much sleep over that one. Even if we drop next weekend's game to France we'll get England on the quarter, who don't look too threatening either.

 

[Te Kaha]

3 starting players out injured, 2 on game day. Nothing to worry about

As long as those useless turds McCalman and Ashley-Cooper are dropped and never picked again, this loss will be an overall good for the wallabies.

Your lack of depth exposed then... how come your squad couldnt cover??? you were playing a team ranked 6 places below you... who had been beaten by EVERYONE in the lead up to the cup...

I like how you're already picking NZ for a semi spot. They have to get through the quarters first mate ;-)

The argies wont stop us.. they play way to conservative... its SA in the semi that will be the test...

 

[Te Kaha]

Unfortunate timing for this article to come out....
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/r...y-world-cup-2011/story-e6frf4zl-1226139674371

Robbie Deans builds Wallabies scrum powerful enough to win Rugby World Cup 2011



When England steamrolled the Wallabies scrum in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Marseilles in 2007, it would have been almost unimaginable that Australia would enter the tournament four years later with a set piece that commanded respect rather than ridicule.


It seemed the Wallabies would never change the perception that the scrum was their achilles heel.

Well, somehow coach Robbie Deans has managed just that and just in the nick of time as well.

The Australians now scrummage not only with technique, but passion and combativeness.

Deans has used nine props -- Benn Robinson, Matt Dunning, Al Baxter, Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, Pek Cowan, Salesi Ma'afu, Ben Daley and James Slipper -- in 49 Tests and six hookers -- Stephen Moore, Adam Freier, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Saia Fainga'a, Huia Edmonds and James Hanson.
It is almost paradoxical, but Deans has been able to create stability and continuity in the frontrow, while experimenting and building depth.
Moore -- who has an Irish mother and once considered playing for Ireland -- is one of the best scrummagers in rugby, while Polota-Nau was also developing into a powerful scrummager, but Australia needed new props.

Overlooked for the 2007 World Cup, Robinson became a mainstay of the Wallabies scrum at loosehead, developing into arguably the best No. 1 in the game.

Before the end of his first year Deans had discarded Baxter, Australia's most-capped prop, and replaced him with rookie loosehead Alexander at tighthead in a move that former Wallabies prop Bill Young described as "madness".
Yet, by the end of the 2009 season the Robinson-Moore-Alexander frontrow had become the preferred combination.
Last year the Wallabies endured an injury crisis in the frontrow with Moore, Polota-Nau, Robinson, Alexander and the emerging Kepu ruled out of the Tests against England and Ireland.
Many critics demanded Deans recall Baxter and Dunning, but he chose to blood young props such as Ben Daley, James Slipper and Ma'afu to increase the depth in frontrow ranks.
When the rookie frontrow of Daley, Fainga'a and Ma'afu was humiliated by England in Perth it looked like the Wallabies had regressed to the bad old days of 2005, but they were actually improving.
This year, Deans put new emphasis on scrummaging and tight-five play in general, which he believed was crucial to the Wallabies' chances in the World Cup.
Even though Robinson was ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury, the frontrow of Kepu, Moore and Alexander played well in the opening win against Italy, seen as the best scrum in Europe.
Of course, the scrum is more than just the frontrow. Australia has two strong-scrummaging secondrowers, James Horwill and Dan Vickerman, while blindside flanker Rocky Elsom scrummages like a third lock. Number eight Radike Samo pulls it all together.
The Irish have a much improved scrum and will test the Wallabies in Auckland tonight, but Australia will enter any game with the confidence that the scrum will not only not be a weakness, but a potential strength.
The Wallabies have not felt that way about their scrum since they won the World Cup in 1999.

 

[Twizzle]

that was pretty embarrassing being out scrummaged by a team not know for its scrummaging ability

certainly an uphill battle from here but I will be supporting them regardless

 

[Silent But Deadly]

that was pretty embarrassing being out scrummaged by a team not know for its scrummaging ability

certainly an uphill battle from here but I will be supporting them regardless

I'm speechless. Seriously. f**k!!!!!!

 

[Butters]

Your lack of depth exposed then... how come your squad couldnt cover??? you were playing a team ranked 6 places below you... who had been beaten by EVERYONE in the lead up to the cup...

Because Robbie Deans in all his wisdom thought it better to have 5 blindsides/no. 8's and only 1 openside in the squad.

He seems pretty content to let Ben McCalman to do his mr invisible impression, rather than having a real openside (Beau Robinson) in the squad as backup.

The argies wont stop us.. they play way to conservative... its SA in the semi that will be the test...

Just like how France had no chance in 07.. FMD you'd think after 5 world cup chokes in a row you'd be a little more humble. :lol:

 

[Silent But Deadly]

Because Robbie Deans in all his wisdom thought it better to have 5 blindsides/no. 8's and only 1 openside in the squad.

He seems pretty content to let Ben McCalman to do his mr invisible impression, rather than having a real openside (Beau Robinson) in the squad as backup.



Just like how France had no chance in 07.. FMD you'd think after 5 world cup chokes in a row you'd be a little more humble. :lol:

Yeah I've got no idea what Deans sees in McCalman. He's okay, but he can't be a lock, number 8 AND an open side flanker. At test level he's average at the first 2 and a hopeless number 7...anyways the good news from this is that if we're good enough to make it, we will (which has always been the case). I actually think the AB's may be a little more worried than normal because there's a good chance we will play them in the Semis (provided we beat the Boks in the quarters)...we're now rank outsiders so more pressure is put on everyone else...

 

[Te Kaha]

Because Robbie Deans in all his wisdom thought it better to have 5 blindsides/no. 8's and only 1 openside in the squad.

He seems pretty content to let Ben McCalman to do his mr invisible impression, rather than having a real openside (Beau Robinson) in the squad as backup.



Just like how France had no chance in 07.. FMD you'd think after 5 world cup chokes in a row you'd be a little more humble. :lol:

Difference the frogs can beat us and they know it.. the argies cant... havent yet and wont for a very long time... if ever... and you are getting at the All Blacks for choking??? get back to us when we lose to Ireland and Samoa... the wannabies have to be the biggest choakers in world rugby now..

 

[Silent But Deadly]

Difference the frogs can beat us and they know it.. the argies cant... havent yet and wont for a very long time... if ever... and you are getting at the All Blacks for choking??? get back to us when we lose to Ireland and Samoa... the wannabies have to be the biggest choakers in world rugby now..

I wouldn't go that far. The term choking is usually reserved for defining/knock out games...we're still in this. No doubt we f*cked up last night but it's not time to pack our bags just yet. Sure it's almost impossible for us to make it through to the final from here, but in a few weeks, it will be a level playing field. It will be knock out footy between quality teams with history counting for nothing once each game starts (Ireland v Wallabies a classic example).

 

[Butters]

Difference the frogs can beat us and they know it.. the argies cant... havent yet and wont for a very long time... if ever... and you are getting at the All Blacks for choking??? get back to us when we lose to Ireland and Samoa... the wannabies have to be the biggest choakers in world rugby now..

The last time NZ played Argentina was 2006 and NZ won 25-19. They've improved a hella lot since then.

 

[Silent But Deadly]

The last time NZ played Argentina was 2006 and NZ won 25-19. They've improved a hella lot since then.

I'd like to back you on that Butters, but it's arquebale that the Pumas have improved. IMO the Pumas were a better team in '06 than they are now. AB's definitely have improved and whilst they deserve their number 1 ranking and seeding, it still grates with me the way TK is so over confident...will just have to wait until I can throw that 'wannabies are the biggest chokers in the game' comment back in his face

 

[Te Kaha]

I wouldn't go that far. The term choking is usually reserved for defining/knock out games...we're still in this. No doubt we f*cked up last night but it's not time to pack our bags just yet. Sure it's almost impossible for us to make it through to the final from here, but in a few weeks, it will be a level playing field. It will be knock out footy between quality teams with history counting for nothing once each game starts (Ireland v Wallabies a classic example).

Bollox... a team chokes when they lose when they should have won.. it has nothing at all to do with knockout games... the simple fact is the wannabies are ranked much higher than both Samoa and Ireland and lost to them both.. those are massive chokes...

The last time NZ played Argentina was 2006 and NZ won 25-19. They've improved a hella lot since then.

Against an All Blacks "B" team... they will be playing the top team this time.. they dont have the flair and unpredictablity that France does.. they wont beat the AB's... i would put my house on it.

I'd like to back you on that Butters, but it's arquebale that the Pumas have improved. IMO the Pumas were a better team in '06 than they are now. AB's definitely have improved and whilst they deserve their number 1 ranking and seeding, it still grates with me the way TK is so over confident...will just have to wait until I can throw that 'wannabies are the biggest chokers in the game' comment back in his face

there is only one team team who can beat us this world cup and we will be meeting them in the semis... and guess what.. it aint the wannabies..

 

[Butters]

Against an All Blacks "B" team... they will be playing the top team this time.. they dont have the flair and unpredictablity that France does.. they wont beat the AB's... i would put my house on it.

Just like how the Reds wouldn't beat the Crusaders? Just like how the Reds wouldn't finish minor premiers? Just like how the Reds wouldn't win the grand final?

So many predictions gone horribly wrong yet you're still cocky as ever. :lol:

there is only one team team who can beat us this world cup and we will be meeting them in the semis... and guess what.. it aint the wannabies..

Lol its a world cup mate, anything can happen. 5 world cup chokes in a row and you still havent learnt.