The Rugby World Cup has reached the first round of knock-out matches at the quarter final stage .
After some terribly one sided trouncing of the minnows in the competition , the usual suspects from the northern and southern hemispheres of world rugby are gearing up for battle in some eye-catching ties .
The massive Australia v South Africa game tops the bill, the Irish face Wales to hopefully play a stuttering but resilient England in the semi finals after we (again fingers crossed) batter a French team looking capable of implosion at any point .
It is clear thou that everyone wants to beat England and as Ireland showed in a well deserved victory in Dublin in the Six Nations , that teams up their game and after beating Australia in the group stage they will fear no-one.
There have been only one real big surprise so far in this tournament with Tonga crushing a very disorganised and mentally unstable French side . Please turn up with the same attitude on Saturday please !!!
There is a colossal amount of pressure on the home nation New Zealand and they have been dealt a serious blow with the injury to the best player in the world the play maker Dan Carter but still remain slight favourites to win the trophy they have not lifted since the first tournament jointly hosted in Australia and New Zealand in 1987 .
England will have to improve and be more disciplined in not conceding so many penalties against stronger opposition if we are to emulate the the boys of 2003 and come away with the Webb Ellis trophy from down under . It will be a major surprise if we do but then we wasn't tipped to reach the final last time out either .
A date with the unpredictable le bleus is first up , so a morale boosting thumping would do wonders for the confidence and then an even looking semi against Ireland (probably) followed by a tough game with one of the big boys in the final .
Getting carried away a little maybe , but it looks an easier path through and we have as much chance as anyone, a winning Ashton swallow dive try in the corner followed by a resounding rendition of Swing Low would go down nicely thanks and then Mike Tindall can do what he wants with dwarves and get knighted for it.
Maybe................
After some terribly one sided trouncing of the minnows in the competition , the usual suspects from the northern and southern hemispheres of world rugby are gearing up for battle in some eye-catching ties .
The massive Australia v South Africa game tops the bill, the Irish face Wales to hopefully play a stuttering but resilient England in the semi finals after we (again fingers crossed) batter a French team looking capable of implosion at any point .
It is clear thou that everyone wants to beat England and as Ireland showed in a well deserved victory in Dublin in the Six Nations , that teams up their game and after beating Australia in the group stage they will fear no-one.
There have been only one real big surprise so far in this tournament with Tonga crushing a very disorganised and mentally unstable French side . Please turn up with the same attitude on Saturday please !!!
There is a colossal amount of pressure on the home nation New Zealand and they have been dealt a serious blow with the injury to the best player in the world the play maker Dan Carter but still remain slight favourites to win the trophy they have not lifted since the first tournament jointly hosted in Australia and New Zealand in 1987 .England will have to improve and be more disciplined in not conceding so many penalties against stronger opposition if we are to emulate the the boys of 2003 and come away with the Webb Ellis trophy from down under . It will be a major surprise if we do but then we wasn't tipped to reach the final last time out either .
A date with the unpredictable le bleus is first up , so a morale boosting thumping would do wonders for the confidence and then an even looking semi against Ireland (probably) followed by a tough game with one of the big boys in the final .
Getting carried away a little maybe , but it looks an easier path through and we have as much chance as anyone, a winning Ashton swallow dive try in the corner followed by a resounding rendition of Swing Low would go down nicely thanks and then Mike Tindall can do what he wants with dwarves and get knighted for it.
Maybe................
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