the 3 big world cup winning prospects

[THE CHIROPRACTOR101]

lookin at the super 14 and watching the teams from across the board..id have to say that they are all level in depth leading into the world cup next year...

this is yet again a building year until next year..which will finalize alot of things leading up to france 2007

the level of depth is impressive and ofcourse australia are behind in that department but what they lack in numbers they make up in quality individuals..one player that rings a bell is drew mitchell..this guy is fantastic and i believe hes gonna be a real thorn in every bledisloe clash we have..australia are growing steadily,slowly but they are developing...and they are gettin real good..
i never really believed the results of last year would effect them long term and they will continue to prove time in time again there resistance to being behind

south africa have finally added that "flair" or "x-factor" to there forever imposing grunt style of play...before it was like they had hard az nail forwards but cushion soft backs outwide but now ya gettin heavy hitters in every part of the field..that also have control and what i mentioned earlier..."flair"

i also see alotta black players coming through..i dont like the quota bullshit but these black players are actually really good..and i finally see there athletic talents being used properly now...the likes of benjamin,janurie,habana,chamange,bobo etc all showing world class skills and promising talent for the future....the youth in the sth african teams popping up everywhere is outstanding too..they practically dominated the under21s and 19s circuits in past years and its showing in there new styles of play now...

allblacks...the firm favorites in our publics eyes...and pretty much every where in the world saying the abs are top contenders..yet they said the same in 03 and 99 ..too many buts and ifs not enough full stops in this type of convos...we have the talent,we have the coaching now and the desire but confidence seems to dissapear in crucial games..

we lack that killer instinct..that go straight for the gullet and tear it out..we perform with all fancy moves and techniques but at the end of the day you need to have the attitude to match and in previous tournaments we lose it right in the fight...
blame it on individuals and what not i blame it on the players as they dont play as a team...they lose all confidence in there fellow team mates and when the going gets tough..you can only get tighter right?...allblacks go other direction if its not a victory and i saw that in both 99/03 world cups when they new they were down and out..only certain indivuals lifted but invididuals arent better than a real team..


lookin at it now..it is hard to judge who is gonna win this thing..the southern teams are very very strong..there are only 2 northern teams i believe that can win this and thats england and france

to me the french team are going to be the best team at the world cup..there home turf,the preparation they are undergoing i mean they dont even care if they lose the odd test match..just as long as the coaching staff get a better look at there yungins

so ive come to the conclusion that the french team will be the best team come world cup time...its not hard to tell that from now unless they lose a bunch of there core players to injury..

question is...how will the southerners fair on foreign territory???

its a tough call......new zealand can win if they pick up there balls and play rugby..
south africa are on the up and up and australia just doesnt want to die..ever

so hows ya nation gonna fair come judgement day?...will they make it?...based on what youve seen last year and this year what can you make of it all?...

discuss..discuss

 

[The TRUTH]

I honestly think it will be won by either NZ,SA or OZ i dont really rate any of the NH teams ..... sure they have home advantage but if you look at the likely line-ups of the Tri Nations teams they look far stronger on paper.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Originally posted by The TRUTH!!@Mar 7 2006, 04:44 PM
I honestly think it will be won by either NZ,SA or OZ i dont really rate any of the NH teams ..... sure they have home advantage but if you look at the likely line-ups of the Tri Nations teams they look far stronger on paper.

France on French soil are the only team who look like coming anywhere near challenging for the World Cup at the moment, because at home they can be devastating.

England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales simply aren't currently good enough to challenge NZ and SA. Mabye Australia unless they improve drastically from the Autumn tests.

 

[loratadine]

its too early to possibly call

 

[BigTen]

For me at the moment it is France as hosts and the All Blacks as the #1 team at the moment. South Africa are on the rise and it will depend on their away form. Australia, even though they have won two world cups away, struggle away from home. England have the ability to improve a lot between now and then but time is running out quickly.

1. New Zealand
2. France

3. South Africa


4. England

5. Australia

 

[tafkag]

Its too early to tell.

On the whole i think its the SH teams (NZ and SA more so than Aus) who will be superior. But France are a good team, and on their own soil they can be great.

England dont have it anymore, they peaked ast the right time, but they will not be up there next year.

Unless Australia make MAJOR changes NOW, then i dont see us with a big chance at winning it. We should have changed things up after 03 (not because of the loss, but to keep fresh and competitive for 07), but we didnt and now we have left things late to prepare.


1. New Zealand (and that hurts to say)
2. France
3. South Africa

 

[kaftka]

True that. NZ, France and SA are the three top contenders for sure.

In that order I'd say.


Great name by the way Taffy...


...Oh, and welcome to the forum...

 

[Wally]

I reckon the Reds could win a World Cup if they were in it.

 

[kaftka]

I agree completely.

I also think that head-butting wars are fun.



See that? I'm mentally retarded. See the connection?

 

[The TRUTH]

Welcome to the forum mate.


It's not too late for the Wallabies to get there **** together ..... 2003 proved that and i think we have more quality players this time around, not to mention Australia always rises for the WC.

The key is our set peice and i think/hope Connolly will add a lot in that department

Our only real problem seems to be our props and so far this year they have looked much improved

If you look at the players we have we can match it with any team in the world...

props- Fitter,Young,Baxter,Sheprdson,Holmes,Blake,Robinson,Henderson....... this is the key area where we need a few of these guys to there hand up and cement a place in the front row.

2. Pual,Freier,Cannon,Moore...... no problems there at all

4. Sharpe,Mcmeniman
5. Vickerman,Chisolm............ our locks are solid
6. Elsom,Heenan........ both class players and its going to be a good fight for the #6 jersey
7. Smith,Waugh........ say no more
8. Roe,Lyons,Fava ....... 3 quality #8's any of which could own that spot

9 Cordingley,Gegan ........ the two form half backs of the Super 14 and Henjak still a chance
10. Larkham,Rogers,Giteau,Barnes ............. Class!
12. Giteau,Turinui,Johansson,Pelesasa .............Class!
13. Mortlock,Turinui,Tuqiri,Rathbone,Mitchell.......... Class!
Wings. Tuqiri,Mitchell,Gerrard,Rathbone,Sailor,Ioane ....... more Class!
15. Latham,Rogers,Mitchell,Gerrard,Norton-Knight ........Class again!

.....so dont wright them off just yet...... remember what happened last time everyone did that

Its up to Connolly now to get this talent to gel.