The business end: Quarter Finals

[againstthehead]

Ah, at last some knock-out rugby to look forward to and get to get the old juices flowing. With only the hosts not making it through, we've a pretty strong line-up to look forward to with some interesting clashes of styles:

First up I think it's the Bok and Wales. After the biggest shock in RWC history, the boks seems to have the bit between their teeth and look pretty determined to make a mends. In contrast, Wales have done remarkably well just to get out of their group but I fear the engines will be running on empty come the last quarter of the game. Too many injuries and too many big games on the trot to compete with the physicality of SA. Wales have a goal-kicker who might just keep them in the game but I expect the power the boks to come through towards the end. Boks by 5-10.

Next up is the mouth-watering match up of NZ and France. It's 2007 all over again and all we need is Wayne Barnes with the whistle lol. France showed enough in their 1st 40 mins against Ireland to demonstrate that they can put up a defensive display and cause a few problems. However, NZ have been focused on this match for months and possibly years. Plenty of gas in the tank so I expects the ABs to banish a few demons and run out by 10-15.

Ireland Vs Argentina is quite an intriguing match-up. The Argies will have focused on this game from day 1. Without being too disingenuous, this is their rugby world cup final and they will be throwing everything at it. Having beaten SA in SA earlier this year they won't be fearful, indeed, they'll relish this game as the underdog and I fancy them to do well. Ireland on the other hand are battered and bruised and have the added burden of now being one of the favorites after demolishing France. In the past, Ireland have struggled with that favorites tag so it will be interesting to see if Ireland can have two big games on the bounce. With Payne and POC gone and question marks over a couple of others, the small squad is getting stretched. Thus, I sniff an upset. I think ireland will have the gameplan and discipline but I think the Argies might just win the battle of the collisions and have a touch more intensity about them. I think if Argentina can be disciplined and kick their points that they will be in with a chance. If Ireland have SOB, POM and Sexton then they'll probably have enough but I'd like to sit on the fence with this one as I really do think it could go either way.

Oz V Scots
Probably little more than a dead rubber. The transformation of Australia has just been incredible. If they go from the group of death to win this RWC is will be one of Rugby's great achievements. I can't see Scotland getting the upper hand in any facit of the game. They might be a bit fresher and will have no pressure on them but it's going to take a miracle to stay in the game. Oz by 10-15.

[OneMore]

I think it would take a monumental failure to perform from Ireland to lose to Argentina. Ireland could lose Sexton, O'Connell, POM and SOB and I still fully expect them to beat Argentina.

Madigan is playing well, though I'd have faith in Jackie to be capable of running this one too. If Murray went down we'd be in fairly dire straits. Likewise losing either of Hendo or Toner would result in a fair step down to the next man. We could afford to lose probably 2 more of those in the 12-15 shirts before I'd be too worried about Argentina.

We're not losing this game. It's just not going to happen.

[big mervyn]

Without being too disingenuous, this is their rugby world cup final

They're probably saying the same about us.

[thecrouch]

Losing to Argentina would be a disaster. Another game to chalk onto the board of World Cup let downs for Ireland.

Argentina are decent, we are better. Turn up and we will win.

[WhiteKnightoftheWeld]

I'll not bemoan the plethora of typos because this reads like it was pecked on a smartphone whilst braving the 6.32 from Larne, but....

lol

You're a grown man. Act like it.

Describing the possibility of the team sitting 2nd in rugby's world ranking winning the tournament as one of "Rugby's great achievements" must put 'Our 99' up there with Beethoven's composition of his 9th symphony.

Where do you place Japan doing over the Boks? The Boks winning in 95? Paddy Wallace getting 30 international caps? Global circumnavigation with a compass, a piece of string and only the stars to guide seems pretty insignificant when you look at those examples...

Of course the Aussies have a very good chance. They're a very good team... Their pool means nothing - other than they've had to win a few tough games early on. If you're going to go on and win the thing you've to win these matches anyway. Plus they're now more battle ready, and have got there without injury.

They've now got 'the' relatively easy QF in Scotland. After that, us or the Argies. Avoiding SA or NZ until the final would - you'd think - work in their favour.

Losing to Argentina would be a disaster

I see this over-exaggerating bug is contagious.

[BaggyTrousers]

I'll not bemoan the plethora of typos because this reads like it was pecked on a smartphone whilst braving the 6.32 from Larne, but....

lol

You're a grown man. Act like it.

Describing the possibility of the team sitting 2nd in rugby's world ranking winning the tournament as one of "Rugby's great achievements" must put 'Our 99' up there with Beethoven's composition of his 9th symphony.

Where do you place Japan doing over the Boks? The Boks winning in 95? Paddy Wallace getting 30 international caps? Global circumnavigation with a compass, a piece of string and only the stars to guide seems pretty insignificant when you look at those examples...

Of course the Aussies have a very good chance. They're a very good team... Their pool means nothing - other than they've had to win a few tough games early on. If you're going to go on and win the thing you've to win these matches anyway. Plus they're now more battle ready, and have got there without injury.

They've now got 'the' relatively easy QF in Scotland. After that, us or the Argies. Avoiding SA or NZ until the final would - you'd think - work in their favour.

Losing to Argentina would be a disaster

I see this over-exaggerating bug is contagious.

Most amusing, don't be a stranger now, I need a laugh with some of the stiffs around here.

[BaggyTrousers]

Have to say some monumental stupidity about but sure, nothing changes around here.

This is not the Argies 2nds/3rds we played in the jungle a summer or so back, these are the Argies who having been playing at a level much higher than we have faced so far this year and they didn't bottom out in the Rugby Championship, indeed winning at Kings Park is a feat beyond Ireland's knowledge to date.

Fortunately Fibber will instill more respect than we see here. Without, POC & POM definitely, probably without SOB & potentially without Sexting, only a fu@king fool would suspect this will be anything other than a major scrap.

[againstthehead]

'Describing the possibility of the team sitting 2nd in rugby's world ranking winning the tournament as one of "Rugby's great achievements"'

I didn't quite say that... I said 'The transformation of Australia has just been incredible. If they go from the group of death to win this RWC is will be one of Rugby's great achievements'. To to spell it out for you.... Prior to Cheika, Oz were not even on the radar. They were routinely getting smoked in the rugby championship and didn't look like getting a sniff at the bledisloe. To come from that place, win the rugby championship, smash the host nation, England off the park and come out unbeaten in the toughest RWC group ever, is a tremendous acievement. Now that's all well and good, but to take that further and to actually win a RWC from a group like that, away from home will be quite remarkable considering where Cheika took them from. You are right in saying that their QF and indeed SF are on the easy side but they've worked hard to deserve that.

[BaggyTrousers]

'Describing the possibility of the team sitting 2nd in rugby's world ranking winning the tournament as one of "Rugby's great achievements"'

I didn't quite say that... I said 'The transformation of Australia has just been incredible. If they go from the group of death to win this RWC is will be one of Rugby's great achievements'. To to spell it out for you.... Prior to Cheika, Oz were not even on the radar. They were routinely getting smoked in the rugby championship and didn't look like getting a sniff at the bledisloe. To come from that place, win the rugby championship, smash the host nation, England off the park and come out unbeaten in the toughest RWC group ever, is a tremendous acievement. Now that's all well and good, but to take that further and to actually win a RWC from a group like that, away from home will be quite remarkable considering where Cheika took them from. You are right in saying that their QF and indeed SF are on the easy side but they've worked hard to deserve that.

I believe it fair to point out that you were spouting bal .............ah, sure Welder has already told you

He's a funny bloke Welder, gets into me at times too, but sure why not?

[bazzaj]

Have to say some monumental stupidity about but sure, nothing changes around here.

This is not the Argies 2nds/3rds we played in the jungle a summer or so back, these are the Argies who having been playing at a level much higher than we have faced so far this year and they didn't bottom out in the Rugby Championship, indeed winning at Kings Park is a feat beyond Ireland's knowledge to date.

Fortunately Fibber will instill more respect than we see here. Without, POC & POM definitely, probably without SOB & potentially without Sexting, only a fu@king fool would suspect this will be anything other than a major scrap.

Quite Bagster

I for one can't understand how we would be considered favourites for this particularly given our losses.
The Argies are a seriously good team who we traditionally struggle to beat.
They have also gone one better than us in World Cups as they have been to a semi.
They have no major weaknesses and as I said they are better than anything in the 6 nations having now found their feet in the championship this season.

A year or so ago I would agree with the consensus on here but their recent development is on a pars with Australias only they are slightly more under the radar.
The other qfs are more straightforward to predict but hopefully our guys coming in can impact to the same extent we saw on Sunday.
They will need to.

[againstthehead]

Did I read somewhere that Argentina had more travelling fans than any other country? Maybe I made that up as it sounds bonkers.

Will be interesting to see how they deal with Ireland's kicking game. Bloody hard to combat a good kicking game with chasers that put your back 3 under pressure.

[Russ]

Did I read somewhere that Argentina had more travelling fans than any other country? Maybe I made that up as it sounds bonkers.

Will be interesting to see how they deal with Ireland's kicking game. Bloody hard to combat a good kicking game with chasers that put your back 3 under pressure.

Approx 15000 of them in Leicester

[mikerob]

The RG fans may not be travelling from that far - there is quite a large ex-pat community in the UK, France, Italy and Spain. The Argentinian economy is fecked and a lot of RGs can get EU passports from ancestry so they are working over here.

[Samstew]

The Argentinian economy is fecked and a lot of RGs can get EU passports from ancestry so they are working over here.

German

[Russ]

The RG fans may not be travelling from that far - there is quite a large ex-pat community in the UK, France, Italy and Spain. The Argentinian economy is fecked and a lot of RGs can get EU passports from ancestry so they are working over here.

Like the little Bavarian towns that sprung up in Argentina shortly after WW2?