How confident are you about your country in the World Cup?

[bw245]

With just 4 and a half months to go, I certainly am getting excited about the World Cup. Just thought I'd start a thread to see how people are feeling about their team as of now? I know SH teams have yet to play, but still.

I feel more confident than I ever have for Ireland, but at the same time, I feel more worried, too. Think that's because I care more. The level of expectation on Ireland this RWC is huge, and we don't normally cope well under pressure, but that seems to be changing slowly.

Also, another question... Who will qualify out of group A? Really can't see the Aussies getting out of it at this stage, but hope I'm proven wrong.

 

[chippieolamus]

Well... I think if we play to our max (and don't get many injuries) we will beat Wales and Aus, as we have the home advantage and psychological edge over them having beaten both the last 2 times we played them. However, I wouldn't put it past us to crumble under pressure. If that goes to plan and we top the group, we should win the quarter then we would probably play Ireland in the semi. Couldn't call that, it would completely depend on both teams' form going into the match.
In terms of the rest of group A, Wales just don't seem to be able to beat the Wallabies, so sorry Wales but I'm backing you to drop out.

 

[Peat]

Not terribly confident but we seem to do well enough despite pessimism so I see a semi-final exit.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

I'm quite worried about Scotland to be honest after the six nations, Anything can really happen tbh

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Not confident to win RWC, but feel good about England getting out of Pool A. Whether that be first or second I don't know. Home advantage, England players upping their game for a home RWC and refs subconsciously favouring the home side should ensure qualification. Otherwise, Failure to qualify will be disasterous for the IRB coffers and also serve England right if they don't play well enough considering the advantages they will enjoy.

Samson Lee's injury and Wales hoping he will be fit for the RWC reminds me of the whole England hoping Beckham being fit for the 2002 WC and Rooney for 2006. It'll end in tears as what it shows is that they lack depth at tighthead prop.

Australia - well their front 5 is still **** and overseas rule and Giteau's return will not change that and without good front foot ball from their forwards, their backline can be starved of good ball.

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I'm quite worried about Scotland to be honest after the six nations, Anything can really happen tbh

Scotland will finish second to SA and get to the QFs. Somoa don't have a pack or a functional line out. USA and Japan? Come on; if Scotland can't beat them then they really will go back home ta think again..

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

If we play properly, I rate our chances. Our defence looked very leaky in the 6N and the SH teams will exploit that more. However our attack is vastly improved. As long as Ford stops getting charged down so often and players don't butcher countless opportunities like they did against Scotland, I'd say we can reach the semis.

 

[bw245]

I think England will either be dangerous, or a disaster. There was so much hype over their last game, about how good they played, when they did concede 35 points. I know circumstances allowed for more points to be conceded, but they also conceded a lot of points in other games. If they fix their defense problem, England will top their group.

Wales will be interesting. They'll have a lot of players missing in the summer squad, due to them not being released by their clubs. Samson Lee is a must for them. He needs to be fit because right now Wales haven't got anyone good enough to fill his boots. However, if they continue as they left off in the 6 nations, they will be dangerous. If they pick up from how they started the six nations, they'll be saying goodbye in the group stages.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Wales will be interesting. They'll have a lot of players missing in the summer squad, due to them not being released by their clubs. Samson Lee is a must for them. He needs to be fit because right now Wales haven't got anyone good enough to fill his boots. However, if they continue as they left off in the 6 nations, they will be dangerous. If they pick up from how they started the six nations, they'll be saying goodbye in the group stages.

Wales are kidding themselves if they think Samson Lee will be fully recovered from a ruptured achilles, be match fit and in form in 6 months time. Will they really waste a place in their squad of 31 in the hope that he will be ready for the knockout stages, knowing that they really have to top pool A to stand a realistic chance of getting to the final? As Gatland said - judge him on the RWC.

 

[bw245]

Wales are kidding themselves if they think Samson Lee will be fully recovered from a ruptured achilles, be match fit and in form in 6 months time. Will they really waste a place in their squad of 31 in the hope that he will be ready for the knockout stages, knowing that they really have to top pool A to stand a realistic chance of getting to the final? As Gatland said - judge him on the RWC.

Agree completely. If he's fit, he won't be match fit. It's a huge knock for them. Maybe it's karma for the Adam Jones saga!

 

[dullonien]

Yeh, tighthead is a big worry for us heading into the WC. I think we can make do against Aus with one of Rhodri Jones, Aaron Jarvis, Craig Mitchell or Thomas Francis (if he even chooses to represent us), but England are a different animal, with numerous powerful loosehead scrummagers to pick from. Adam jones is well and truly out of the frame now he can't even get in the Cardiff Blues match day squad.

I'm still unsure about our chances. We ended the 6 nations strongly, and the time we have together before the WC should see us start well unlike in the 6 nations. I think Gats has timed things well in terms of fitness etc. Doing most of the work already. I have a feeling we'll see some big variations in game plan come the WC, with the untimate aim of getting North, Davies and Williams into space.

A lot of our important players seem to be peaking which is encouraging.

So yeah, other than the scrum, I'm quietly confident. Just depends on how much that will cost us against England.

 

[Shaggy]

The current form of some of the key NZ players will be a concern if it continues into the test arena. Being down a 10 (Cruden), is also a concern if we get any more injuries in that area, or at Hooker, or Scrum Half.

Looking forward to the Samoan test to see if they blood any newbies, and also the Rugby Championship to see the likely squad make up will be.

I guess I'm as confident as I can be, for a knock out competition - my major concern is whether some of the veteran players will last the distance

 

[j'nuh]

England gonna win this thing so hard, they'll retrospectively give us the 2011 WC too.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If we don't walk it I'll be surprised.

 

[Rich Taff]

I'm confident up until the 79th minute.

 

[CarferFragen]

I can imagine the Pumas as second in pool C (after losing to New Zeland and beating Tonga, Georgia and Namibia) then, facing Ireland in the quarter-finals.
Very complicated game for the Argentines and that can weaken - due to several injuries - to the Irish squad for the semi-finals if the pumas facing the game as they did, for example, against South Africa in the RC2014.

 

[Jaguares]

Yeh, tighthead is a big worry for us heading into the WC. I think we can make do against Aus with one of Rhodri Jones, Aaron Jarvis, Craig Mitchell or Thomas Francis (if he even chooses to represent us), but England are a different animal, with numerous powerful loosehead scrummagers to pick from. Adam jones is well and truly out of the frame now he can't even get in the Cardiff Blues match day squad.

I'm still unsure about our chances. We ended the 6 nations strongly, and the time we have together before the WC should see us start well unlike in the 6 nations. I think Gats has timed things well in terms of fitness etc. Doing most of the work already. I have a feeling we'll see some big variations in game plan come the WC, with the untimate aim of getting North, Davies and Williams into space.

A lot of our important players seem to be peaking which is encouraging.

So yeah, other than the scrum, I'm quietly confident. Just depends on how much that will cost us against England.

You lost the last 10 games against Aussies and you not afraid of them?

 

[dullonien]

You lost the last 10 games against Aussies and you not afraid of them?

Not afraid of their scrum. We won't dominate them there, but imo we'll gain parity even without Samson Lee.

I do think that beating SA will have got the hoodoo off our backs somewhat regarding the SANZAR sides, but I'm still fully aware that our record against Aus is pitiful.

With an in form Biggar at 10, this time we will hopefully have the game management that was lacking in many of those close defeats.

The group could come down to the wire, with Aus, England and Wales all losing one game. Bonus points could prove vital, particularly losing bp's.

Can't wait, that's for sure.

 

[SelimNiai]

Not afraid of their scrum. We won't dominate them there, but imo we'll gain parity even without Samson Lee.

I do think that beating SA will have got the hoodoo off our backs somewhat regarding the SANZAR sides, but I'm still fully aware that our record against Aus is pitiful.

With an in form Biggar at 10, this time we will hopefully have the game management that was lacking in many of those close defeats.

The group could come down to the wire, with Aus, England and Wales all losing one game. Bonus points could prove vital, particularly losing bp's.

Can't wait, that's for sure.

Agree with that. I think another reason we aren't scared of Australia is, unless I'm missing one, they've never really smashed us, we've competed in those games despite coming off second best. The players believe we can win, its about getting over that line, what better time to do that than in a World Cup

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The players believe we can win

Do they, though?
Repeated late game brain farts/implosions would suggest otherwise.
I think they have the talent, when everyone's fit, to beat Australia - I think after repeated close games/f**kups it's all mental at this stage, especially after so many close home losses to them.

 

[SelimNiai]

Do they, though?
Repeated late game brain farts/implosions would suggest otherwise.
I think they have the talent, when everyone's fit, to beat Australia - I think after repeated close games/f**kups it's all mental at this stage, especially after so many close home losses to them.

I'd like to think so. NZ aside, I don't think theres any game we go into thinking we'll lose. Agree we keep making an arse of things but its more nerves I think rather than anything else.