128 Responses to Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland vs Italy – Live Game Article

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  121

  nortie on 4 October 2015 at 8:01 pm

  @ nortie:
  Actually, even if Ireland win their pool, I can’t see them beating Argentina in a QF.
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  122

  Vrystaat on 4 October 2015 at 8:08 pm

  @ nortie:

  Had Ireland struggled as much against, say, Japan, I might have written them off. However, I’m inclined to think that this was just a bad day at the office against opposition that they did not treat with quite the necessary respect.

  Anyway, I don’t really think any northern hemisphere team has much of a chance, but if I had to pick one northern team with an outside shot, it would be Ireland. Their recent record against southern teams is pretty decent.

  If I was a betting man, my money would still be on NZ. (Good thing I’m not a betting man, though – that’s where I would have put my money in every WC since 1987.) Australia does seem to be in rather fine shape, but I’m not quite convinced yet. Beating England is not exactly an awe-inspiring feat. As for the Boks, I’m not optimistic. Winning against a second string Scottish team does not erase memories of a loss against Japan. Hope I turn out to be wrong. Fortunately, that’s the case rather often.
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  123

  robzim on 4 October 2015 at 8:12 pm

  @ nortie:

  Thats how i see it as well.

  What is happening to our favourite local team ? were they bad or were the Lions just brilliant ? … i was out of town since Friday afternoon and did not see the match and refuse to watch the recording as I hate to watch matches i know they have lost.
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  124

  nortie on 4 October 2015 at 8:23 pm

  @ Vrystaat:
  Yep, my money is also always on NZ, they deserve their favorites status coming into every WC.

  Australia under Cheika is a different side than they were last year.

  Bokke, also not sure where we are at the moment, due to injuries we saw our best combination yesterday, but it’s a pity what we consider our best combination must be forced upon the coach, and it’s not necessarily what he considers the best team.

  @ robzim:
  Rob, in all my years of watching CC, I have never seen a season where one team is so far ahead of the rest.

  I also never thought I would see the day WP concede 60 plus points 😀

  Since Nienaber left to the Boks our defense has become non existent.

  I’ll tell you one thing, when we go to Loftus for the semi, that will be a very good game to lose. Winning is no prize, it only means you must go to Ellis Park to get smacked in the final.

  The Lions are that good, in a league of their own
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  125

  robzim on 4 October 2015 at 8:29 pm

  @ nortie:

  @ 124

  Thanks for the honest and brutal assessment.

  I have just decided that if we make it to the finals not to watch it 🙂
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  126

  Vrystaat on 4 October 2015 at 8:53 pm

  @ nortie:

  Agree that Australia is a different animal this year. As long as Quade Cooper – the poor man’s Carlos Spencer – is not playing in the 10 jersey, they stand a decent chance. The fact that they now seem to have a decent front row to go with the awesome backline and loose forwards they always produce might make the difference.

  As for the Bokke … I don’t have much faith in Meyer either. Tried to keep an open mind for as long as I could, but you’d have to be a real believer to keep faith in the man after the Japan fiasco. Can’t question his passion, but I don’t see that as much of a qualification for a top coach. If I was in charge of the SA rugby show, I’d beg or bribe a good NZ coach to take the job for 4 years, and in the meantime nurture Ackermann to take over after the next world cup. (Wouldn’t give him the job just yet – let him build up the Lions and gain experience.)
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  127

  nortie on 4 October 2015 at 9:07 pm

  @ Vrystaat:
  Never a truer word spoken, great post and I agree 100%
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  128

  rebop75 on 5 October 2015 at 8:32 am

  Vrystaat wrote:

  @ nortie:
  “Ireland today has undone a lot of what they have managed in the WC so far. Up to today they were one of the top most impressive sides, Australia definitely took over that mantle yesterday”
  Might actually do Ireland some good to have a bad game now. As Naas used to say, the Currie Cup is not won in May. The same goes for the WC: you don’t win the thing in the pool rounds (although you obviously can lose it there – witness England). Earlier All Black WC teams used to destroy everyone in their pool, and then had their one bad game when it mattered.

  Yes not really a good thing for France to see them having a bad game yesterday
  We need some fear to be good

  BTW their 6 O Mahonny and 4 Henderson were quite outstanding

  we will see

  too bad for Italy to have lost so many touchlines…
  too bad for Parisse a real fine player