valley commando
First XV
QF's
Wales v Japan
Oz V Boks
NZ v France
Ire V Arg
SF's
Wales Argentina
France Oz
Final
Wales France
Wales v Japan
Oz V Boks
NZ v France
Ire V Arg
SF's
Wales Argentina
France Oz
Final
Wales France
Agree completely, they don't have the centres to deal with a really physical side. If Ireland beat France they'll be in the semis unless they choke completely. Argentina are good but if you pressure their 10 and centres they can't bring their back three into the game and without that they can't win.I will most probably take some shots for this, BUT.......I think Argentina is TOTALLY overrated. They beat a pretty bad SA side ONCE and suddenly everyone rates them as world beaters? I mean no disrespect. I believe they are punching WAY above their weight class at the moment. Playing good rugby. They still have only one RC win ever, and the only game in THIS WC they've been tested, they lost to the AB's. The loss to the Pumas in Durban was as big a shock as the loss to Japan.
Don't get me wrong. I think they are a good team. I just think they will lose more games against the top 5 teams than win.Could say that about SA also, but SA's not in a good place right now regarding our rugby. I think this is the best coached Pumas team ever, but they must still prove themselves on the big stage. Maybe they will do that in this WC, I will admit I'm wrong then.
Sorry mate my stupid phone clicked send before I could actually finish my comment. This is what it was suppose to say....If Argentina put in a performance like they did against the All Blacks, then they will beat Ireland. That's if the two play in the QF's.
Calibre of all Ireland's opposition has been poor. Their first real test was Italy and they didn't set the tournament on fire. France will really show what the Irish team is made of
I think that Argentina are sometimes unfairly underrated because of their 'poor' results in the Rugby Championship, but are the pumas results that bad? How would one of the more rated teams from the NH compare to the pumas?I will most probably take some shots for this, BUT.......I think Argentina is TOTALLY overrated. They beat a pretty bad SA side ONCE and suddenly everyone rates them as world beaters? I mean no disrespect. I believe they are punching WAY above their weight class at the moment. Playing good rugby. They still have only one RC win ever, and the only game in THIS WC they've been tested, they lost to the AB's. The loss to the Pumas in Durban was as big a shock as the loss to Japan.
Don't get me wrong. I think they are a good team. I just think they will lose more games against the top 5 teams than win.Could say that about SA also, but SA's not in a good place right now regarding our rugby. I think this is the best coached Pumas team ever, but they must still prove themselves on the big stage. Maybe they will do that in this WC, I will admit I'm wrong then.
I literally wrote out my prediction about half hour before I noticed this thread it so here it is:
Quarter Finals
South Africa vs Australia
All Blacks vs France
Ireland vs Argentina
Wales vs Japan
Semi Finals
Australia vs All blacks
Ireland vs Wales
Bronze Final
Ireland vs Australia
Final
Wales vs All Blacks
I am only assuming if we beat Australia on Saturday if we don't I see us out by South Africa.
Just curious on those assumptions. If you beat Australia you believe Australia will knock SA out, but if you lose to Australia you believe SA will knock you out. Why is that?
Sorry mate my stupid phone clicked send before I could actually finish my comment. This is what it was suppose to say....
I think that Argentina are sometimes unfairly underrated because of their 'poor' results in the Rugby Championship, but are the pumas results that bad? How would one of the more rated teams from the NH compare to the pumas?
(NOTE: Before someone comments I know that the stats I am using are not 100% 'like for like' but they as close as possible and can still be used to compare fairly)
I have always wondered how teams like wales or Ireland would go if they competed in the RC. Before searching for this comment I thought that both those teams would fair similar to Argentina.
So to find out I am going to use the past two years of welsh and Irish results against RC teams (2013 and 2014 AIs and summer rugby tours) and compare them to argentinas last two years in RC (2015 and 2014). I
If Argentina are over rated the stats should show a noticeable difference in win/loss between the home nations And Argentina.
ARGENTINA
2015:
Loss to NZ away
Loss to AU home
Win to SA away.
Loss to SA home
= 1 win away
2014:
Loss to IRE home
Loss to IRE home
Loss to SA away
Loss to SA home
Loss to NZ away.
Loss to AU away
Loss to NZ home
Won to AU home
= 1 Win home
WALES
2014:
Loss to SA away.
Loss to SA away.
Loss to AU home
Loss to NZ home.
Win to SA home
= 1 win home.
2013:
Loss to SA home
Won to ARG home
Lost to AU home.
= 1 home win (to ARG)
IRELAND
2014:
Won to ARG away
Won to ARG away
Won to AUS home
Won to SA home
Win to SA home
=2 wins away
2 wins home
2013:
Loss to AU home
Loss to NZ home
=0 wins
So looking at those stats it would be fair to assume that both wales and Ireland would expect to see similar results to Argentina in the RC. Only Ireland's 2014 AI home results against the SH are distinguishable from the others.
So from that I would say that no Argentina are not overrated
Here's my predictions:
QF's:
Australia vs. Scotland - Referee: Craig Joubert
South African vs. Wales - Referee: Romain Poite
New Zealand vs. France - Referee: Wayne Barnes
Ireland vs. Argentina - Referee: Nigel Owens
Semi Finals:
Australia vs. Ireland - Referee: Jaco Peyper
South Africa vs. France - Referee: Glen Jackson
Finals:
South Africa vs. Ireland - Referee: Nigel Owens
Winner: South Africa
How in your top bracket did NZ and Ireland make it through the QF but not Argentina or France?
QF's
Wales v Japan
Oz V Boks
NZ v France
Ire V Arg
SF's
Wales Argentina
France Oz
Final
Wales France
I will most probably take some shots for this, BUT.......I think Argentina is TOTALLY overrated. They beat a pretty bad SA side ONCE and suddenly everyone rates them as world beaters? I mean no disrespect. I believe they are punching WAY above their weight class at the moment. Playing good rugby. They still have only one RC win ever, and the only game in THIS WC they've been tested, they lost to the AB's. The loss to the Pumas in Durban was as big a shock as the loss to Japan.
Don't get me wrong. I think they are a good team. I just think they will lose more games against the top 5 teams than win.Could say that about SA also, but SA's not in a good place right now regarding our rugby. I think this is the best coached Pumas team ever, but they must still prove themselves on the big stage. Maybe they will do that in this WC, I will admit I'm wrong then.