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IRB rankings and RWC 2015 pool draws

heineken said:
At least then there will be one game being played without rain affecting the game...
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That's quite an important point. Would HM develop the team towards 2015 with the weather in mind? You might want some different backline players and possibly bring in a different backrower for perfect conditions as opposed to a sopping wet affair which is quite likely.
 
I think there are some teams that were quite favoured with the draw:
- France: It's been said, I won't add anything.
- Ireland: Any argument you can give in favour of France's draw, you can give it in favour of Irelend's. Except, Ireland wouldn't stand a chance in the QF against the AB would they meet, whereas France hold a slim but non-zero chance.
- ARGENTINA: Yes, they will come second of their pool. But they will meet France or Ireland then, and they are certainly capable of beating any of the two. For the semis, they will not be facing the AB, and I think they stand a chance against pretty much any team. I think they are the underdogs to reach the final (and, for those who like to bet, Bwin pays 80/1 for Argentina to win the WC while other sites pay 33/1 and take bets against it...)


I don't consider South Africa particularly lucky. They avoided England and Wales, but would've probably beaten them anyway.

The betting odds for WC winner and pool bets are available already (see here for instance), and there are some interesting things: Australia are only the fifth favourites (after NZ, SA, FRA and ENG), and while Australia and England pay the same price to top the pool, England are considered more likely to progress to the QF. Samoa is just ahead of Scotland, while Tonga and Italy are 5/1 and 3/1 underdogs to qualify (Fiji pays 20/1 to qualify).
 
It's a million miles away. In the past 6 months alone Wales have gone from heroes to zeros. In 3 years things can change massively.
 
SelimNiai said:
Was always going to happen though wasn't it. I wouldnt worry, we've developed at habit of beating y'all at Twickers too recently

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/34Bc2OTe_xo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

Oh yeah
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Twice in the last 12 years is a habit? :p
 
"recently" "competitive"
Nothing like fudging the stats to suit your needs :p

We've won 100% of the recent, competitive, games in the Millennium Stadium.

:D
 
Little Guy said:
France are always a contender as well, especially when they get out of their historically underwhelming pool efforts.....sorry yoe91 HAHAHAHA :D

Edit: @yoe, I might have been a little harsh on France earlier but I would still say I fancy Canada's(albeit limited) chances against France rather than South Africa. A lot of people in Canadian rugby circles(including players) were VERY upset with the France vs. Tonga result(especially what looked like a subpar effort) last time round and could be out for revenge aginst Les Blues.
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hey don't apologize, no need for it.
It's just one couldn't say "France has underperformed historically in the pool stages", it's just not true, it doesn't exist.
In fact we never have underperformed in the pools ever, if not for that one match against Tonga in '11. We obviously completely underestimated them, took em lightly. It was the last game for us in the pools, France just let go off the pedal...and I think the energy/fatigue factor was the major cause. We were getting ready for either Argentina or England in the 1/4 F and I think our minds and energy were elsewhere during that match, in stead of facing Tonga as a day-to-day thing we didn't want to spend too much energy I think and tried to conserve it for the next round.
Those are obviously not excuses, but causes. We'd had no problem with Pac. Islanders recently then, and they didn't really shock the rugby world (losing to Canada, losing big to NZ 40-10...etc...).

Since we're at this: I'd like to formally thank you and your nation for beating Tonga and giving us a chance to make it all the way to the Final and losing by 1 point. ;)

And yes buddy, seems like France and Canada are kicking it off again next RWC ! No NZ this time around though..^_^


ZeFrenchy said:
I think there are some teams that were quite favoured with the draw:
- France: It's been said, I won't add anything.
- Ireland: Any argument you can give in favour of France's draw, you can give it in favour of Irelend's. Except, Ireland wouldn't stand a chance in the QF against the AB would they meet, whereas France hold a slim but non-zero chance.
- ARGENTINA: Yes, they will come second of their pool. But they will meet France or Ireland then, and they are certainly capable of beating any of the two. For the semis, they will not be facing the AB, and I think they stand a chance against pretty much any team. I think they are the underdogs to reach the final (and, for those who like to bet, Bwin pays 80/1 for Argentina to win the WC while other sites pay 33/1 and take bets against it...)


I don't consider South Africa particularly lucky. They avoided England and Wales, but would've probably beaten them anyway.
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Yup good points. And you're welcome for doing all the dirty work again about France ;)

"and, for those who like to bet": says the guy with 13950 vCash !!


P.S.: (I LOVE YOU IRELAND !!!...)
 
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I think is a very good draw for Argentina to reach at least semifinals. Why? Because we can lose with the AB's and don't be eliminated!! It's great!!
We'll finish second in pool C and we'll face France or Ireland in Q'finals. With the advantage that the Pumas will be more rested because they can put an alternative team against New Zealand, and only work to secure second place. On the other hand Ireland and France, will "kill" each other to avoid the AB's in the quarterfinals, and they'll be more tired to reach that game against Argentina.
 
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yoe91 said:
In fact we never have underperformed in the pools ever, if not for that one match against Tonga in '11.
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France underperformed a lot in the 1999 pool stages. Struggled past Canada, just put 47 points on Namibia (not that impressive if you consider that Canada and Fiji put 67 and 72 points of them respectively) and then got lucky against Fiji with one of the most dismal refereeing performances of all time. They won all their games but didn't play as well as they can, which is why that upset against New Zealand came as a complete shock.

In 2007 they lost at home to Argentina too, and in 2011 gave a poor effort against New Zealand and lost to Tonga.

So apart from 2003 where they were exceptional in the pool stages, I would agree with Little Guy that they have underperformed in pool stages over the last few World Cups.
 
psychic duck said:
France underperformed a lot in the 1999 pool stages. Struggled past Canada, just put 47 points on Namibia (not that impressive if you consider that Canada and Fiji put 67 and 72 points of them respectively) and then got lucky against Fiji with one of the most dismal refereeing performances of all time. They won all their games but didn't play as well as they can, which is why that upset against New Zealand came as a complete shock.

In 2007 they lost at home to Argentina too, and in 2011 gave a poor effort against New Zealand and lost to Tonga.

So apart from 2003 where they were exceptional in the pool stages, I would agree with Little Guy that they have underperformed in pool stages over the last few World Cups.
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In fairness, given the year they had in 1999 they weren't under performing in the pools. The form the carried in from the 6 nations indicated they'd be less than amazing.
 
Superalexmarket said:
I think is a very good draw to Argentina to reach at least semifinals. Why? Because we can lose with the AB's and don't be eliminated!! It's great!!
We'll finish second in pool D and we'll face France or Ireland in Q'finals. With the advantage that the Pumas will be more rested because they can put an alternative team against New Zealand, and only work to secure second place. On the other hand Ireland and France, will "kill" each other to avoid the AB's in the quarterfinals, and they'll be more tired to reach that game against Argentina.
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Yep, very good draw for Agentina and you'll have had the benefit of 3 more years in the rugby championship to hone your giant killing skills (not that you guys aren't becoming giants in your own right..).
 
TRF_Feicarsinn said:
In fairness, given the year they had in 1999 they weren't under performing in the pools. The form the carried in from the 6 nations indicated they'd be less than amazing.
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yup. One of our worst (probably THE worst) 5N/6N in the pro era. And then lol, dropped 43 on Lomu and NZ...:rolleyes:
Zis iz ze french way, I guess..."predictably unpredictable" said some Kiwi after that game.

And yeah, Argentina have it pretty good I suppose...I don't think they'll play a second string team though (VS NZ), energy levels do need to be managed esp. in a RWC, but won't they at least look for the upset ?...lol, how defeatist. I mean, you might as well just not play the match at all and say "yeah ok, you won" to conserve your strength !

And yeah, France and Ireland are gonna GO AT IT like CRAZY hahahaa !! The stakes have never been higher out of this specific matchup (FRA IRE) in a RWC.

I think out of the 1/4 F matchups, however impressive they've been recently Samoa will be the most solicited out of the RWC. And that's probably Australia or England. Whoever clinches 2nd in Pool A has to face SA...yikes. AUS ENG and WAL will fight like monumental psychopaths too then...

Honestly I don't think Wales will make it. England just have that Twickenham pride and there's nooooooooooooo way they're not making the 1/4F, as hosts especially. They'll be preparing like crazy...and Australia ? You think they won't make it to the elimination stages ?...but Wales is strong too, it's just they're up against perhaps strong-ER.
 
TRF_Feicarsinn said:
You also have a habit of losing every test match you play recently mind.
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av8ho.jpg
 

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