The Poolie Bunker

Just 1 sleep to go...is anyone else looking forward to this?? Does anyone else even care about it or is it just me??
I'm really looking forward to this and hopefully it will see the All Blacks lose their "choker" tag and actually win the damn thing!! It won't be easy for them though though as there are a few teams who on their day could beat anyone.

New Zealand Are the team to beat and have home advantage. It will take a VERY bad performance by them or an outstanding performance from another team for them to lose.
South Africa Have a decent World Cup pedigree, top team and are hard to beat.
Australia Look like they have a lot of exciting talent and will be looking to continue their good form from the tri-nations.
France Have a chance and have reached a final in NZ before. Have the ability to beat the best in the world if they turn up to play, if they don't turn up they could end up on the wrong end of a drubbing.
England If they win their group they will play sides they don’t fear. An outside chance, but a chance none the less.
Wales If they get out of their group without getting beaten up they would fancy their chances. An outside chance at best.

Prediction, All Blacks to beat Australia in the final.

Yeah they might do...I see the Poms have the Argies first up...it could be a chance of an upset although I think the class of the Poms will prevail in the end. Wales v the Saffers could also produce an upset, I expect the Taff's to push the Saffers but once again the class of the Saffers will win over in the end.
And yeah I may be biased..but the AB's are hard to beat at home, indeed they haven't lost a test at Eden Park since 1994.

An egg has just fallen off the work top, bounced and I`m now chasing it round the kitchen

What a moment

What do you call the 3rd/4th place play off game at the RWC?



















The Bledisloe Cup

Will be watching most of the matches- ah the joys of working from home

Having said that the group matches are usually deeply dull, don't suppose anybody will be having a fiver on Tonga to beat New Zealand will they?

And, Mr Tropical Poolie, as the haka is meant to be an invitation to war why can't the opposition charge down the pitch and kick them in the nuts while they are dancing about? And why do they stop them fighting nowadays? A good rolling brawl is always a great leveller.

But they do this one don't they?

"The various types of haka include whakatu waewae, tutu ngarahu and peruperu. The peruperu is characterised by leaps during which the legs are pressed under the body. In former times, the peruperu was performed before a battle in order to invoke the god of war and to discourage and frighten the enemy. It involved fierce facial expressions and grimaces, poking out of the tongue, eye bulging, grunts and cries, and the waving of weapons. If the haka was not performed in total unison, this was regarded as a bad omen for the battle. Often, warriors went naked into battle, apart from a plaited flax belt around the waist. The aim of the warriors was to kill all the members of the enemy war party, so that no survivors would remain to undertake revenge."

Obviously running about naked except for a plaited flaxen belt around your waist wouldn't make you look hard in Hartlepool but thats cultural differences for you.

Any tips for a surprise package in the world cup?
An outsider to get out of their group?

I cant see beyond an NZ v Aus final though

You can get 11/10 for australia to win without New zealand so if the ozzies get to the final you have won and the 2 them can only meet in the final. good bet.

What if the Aussies get to the final and dont play New Zealand?

My cousin is from New Zealand originally and has been watch to Pools on a few occasions. They are all big fans of sport so i'm sure he'll be keenly watching.

If I dont watch the games, I might record them and watch them later.

I can still remember the amount of thrashings there were in 2003 of Georgia, Romania and the like.

I remember going to his wedding and staying over the weekend in Berkshire. On the Saturday morning before the wedding, all the family were in the hotel watching England vs. New Zealand.

you win you have bet without the NZ.

A fair summary, which I find it hard to disagree with any of it. Would have been good too if the Irish had any sort of form.

PS. I'm looking forward to the 1 good group game (for each group) and the knock out stages. Too many non events in the first 2 weeks

Dunno, I have a funny feeling that England will reach the final but I dunno what'll happen then.

Here most of the games are about tea-time which is nice. Last time It was through the night so I shut all systems down and got up and watched it with a nice cup of coffee it in the morning not knowing the result, and then the Internet went down with ten minutes to go.

Filter or instant

Not if they lose you havent.

What if the Aussies get to the final and dont play New Zealand?[/quote]you win you have bet without the NZ.[/quote]


Not if they lose you havent.[/quote]

i was thinking that, what happens if they loose to tonga in the final?

Then you lose but it looks all over a nz or ozzie final and you will win if you win the final against anyone and win if you get beat in the final if nz get there.

been to a Rugby 'legends' lunch today where Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Lynagh, Will Carling and Michael Owen (no, not that one....) were the guests.

Will Carling and Michael Owen both said they fancied Australian to win

Sean Fitzpatrick stood next to me having a slash after the event, i was going to ask for a photo but it just didn't seem right

This Michael Owen? Real shame he retired early.



First home game of the season for his hometown club tomorrow, looking forward to that more than the world cup to be honest.

That proud day to be English!

Nice first up win for the AB's...looking forward to today...no work and 4 live matches...
Jocks v Romania...Scotland to win.
Fiji v Namibia...Fiji to win.
Frogs v Japan...French to win.
Poms v Argies...Poms, but only just, wouldn't be surprised if the Argies got up.

What a great game...well done to Romania for putting up a decent fight...the Jocks better shape up or they'll be trouble!!

It's a good job Argentina can't kick...we should be dead and buried here...mind Wilkinsons not much better!

Were not very good here.

I also think the kiwi ref has it in for us on account of our all black kit!

Grim as...

What a great day of rugby...3 fantastic open, flowing, running games of rugby...and an England game.

We played badly in the group games last World Cup and still made the final.

This wasn't exactly the best game of rugby but we got the win which was the important thing.

No you're right there.

It must be one of the lowest scoring England World Cup games that I've ever seen. It was all silly penalties being given away. Wilkinson, like Dan Carter yesterday, missed a couple of sitters.

If Argentina had scored a couple more of their penalities, they would have punished, but that try in the last 15 mins proved to be vital.

If Wilkinson carries on like that, I cant see him being at the World Cup in 2015.

Don't get me wrong, England have a good team and could quite easily win the world cup, it's just that they are sooooooo boring to watch. The whole pin the opposition in their own half and play for penalties type of rugby they play, while it works for them, it's not terribly interesting to watch. Would be nice to see them cut loose now and again and try to win a game by scoring actual tries. They have some exciting backs who I bet are just itching to show what they can do if given the chance. Maybe against some of the weaker teams they'll let their hair down. I certainly hope so!!

I prefer League to Union but I do enjoy the RUWC. A very enjoyable tournament.

I knew England's game today wouldn't be easy. Argentina always get patronised when the truth of the matter is a victory for them today would not really have been much of a shock. Just like them beating France at the last one wasn't really a shock.

A good hard game to start with with two games against Georgia and Romania to come. They should give plenty of scope for the team to build their confidence with a couple of big wins. It would be a big concern if they fail to put Georgia to bed without any sort of swagger.

Cracking game this evening and a pretty decent showing by the All Blacks. No one expected Japan to trouble the All Blacks, but I don't think many would have picked the 83-7 score line after the Japanese put up a decent show against the French t'other night.
Should be some good games this weekend...looking forward to the Aussies v The Irish.

And Ireland beat the Aussies. Bit of an upset...but a welcome upset!!!

Looks like it could be Australia v South Africa in the quarter finals, could be a goodun that

Great game last night..The AB's are looking good, they totally destroyed the French...and lets face it the French never even looked close to scoring a try!!

Uh, what about the two tries they actually did score then?

Too much heavy metal has fryed his brain monty!

One was a lucky intercept...the other was just a total cluster fuck...ref was still talking to the AB's about why he gave the penalty and the French take the quick tap and score before the ref has blown for time back on. What I meant was that in general play the French never threatened the AB's line...it took two pieces of extreme bad luck or good luck, depending on your point of view for them to score.

A real battle this morning between Argentina and Scotland.

Will England put Scotland out of their misery next weekend though?

And will anyone score a try??

A bit harsh considering England have scored 17 so far at the tournament. Scotland on the other hand, well that's a different kettle of fish. 4 tries in three games, two of which were against Romania and Georgia, is an absolutely pitiful return.

I do know what you mean though. The match does have the potential to be an absolute snore fest. I think if England score early Scotland will buckle.

Rugby is shite and played by canoots

If the English football team had got up to the 'high jinx' the rugged buggers have and put in the same performances on the pitch, there would have been blood on the moon

We was robbed.
Ref a total homer gave the all blacks everything, we should have had a penalty just before new Zealands decisive penalty was awarded.

That gadgie who kneeed the French gadgie in the head should've been binned too....

I slept in this morning, did I miss it. Oh dear, what a pity, never mind.

Typical game of union. Not a patch on what the rugby league 4 nations will serve up over the next month

Aye....and those bloody kiwi's will probably win that aswell!!!

The final wasn't the best game of rugby ever played...and I only got to see the first half, had to catch a train to Tynecastle for the Hearts v Rangers game, but the All Blacks won, that is ALL that matters...World Champions!!!

Good job you didn't watch the second half your heart wouldn't of stood it! (My kiwi mate on here was hiding behind the shelves on thet last penalty kick!...
Good job it finished when it did, the froggies where coming to get yer!
( mind you he did make the typical S hemisphere statement about the REAL final being last week! )