The French have done it!

[sasguru]

Interesting to see the mighty All-Blacks fade - yet again.

France rarely have two great performances back-to-back - so England in the final?

Going to be hard. I think the French have the edge. The French changed their game plan halfway from a kicking to a running game while still being tight at the back. Do we have that flexibility? And they'll be at home.
England will need to be able to run some tries in, as the French are sure to.

[wendigo100]

Going to be hard. I think the French have the edge. The French changed their game plan halfway from a kicking to a running game while still being tight at the back. Do we have that flexibility? And they'll be at home.
England will need to be able to run some tries in, as the French are sure to.

You are probably right.

However, my mind goes back to when France beat NZ in the semis in 1999, celebrating like they had won the whole tournament, and as a result not turning up for the final.

[sasguru]

You are probably right.

However, my mind goes back to when France beat NZ in the semis in 1999, celebrating like they had won the whole tournament, and as a result not turning up for the final.

Yes I remember that semi - another classic.
There are a few things different this time - being at home, being beaten by Argentina and being criticised by their home press - they-ll feel they still have something to prove.
But with an astute game plan and the ferocity the English forwards showed yesterday, we are in with a fighting chance.

[dang65]

All Black and Half Yellow bottlers. Love it!

Good for the planet too. They can share the same plane home!

Unfortunately, from what I've heard, half of New Zealand are on planes heading over here as we speak, having saved up months ago and bought all-inclusive packages to see both of the semi-finals and the final.

Still, I'm sure they'll have no problem switching their allegiance to England.

[Alf W]

I love the fact that they are blaming the loss on an unpunished forward pass for France's winning try. It's not like you ever see Southern Hemisphere sides get away with these ever is it?

Dare we begin to dream?

[wendigo100]

Is this the best rugby day ever, 2 underdogs winning. Southerm hemisphere totally over-hyped. French were awesome.

Looking back on all the rugby and footy world cups I've seen, most finalists have been the teams who started slowly and played themselves into the competition.

I would support the French except I stuck some money on England after they lost to South Africa.

I hope the Argies beat the Springboks next week. No-one in their right mind likes the Springboks.

[sasguru]

Looking back on all the rugby and footy world cups I've seen, most finalists have been the teams who started slowly and played themselves into the competition.

I would support the French except I stuck some money on England after they lost to South Africa.

I hope the Argies beat the Springboks next week. No-one in their right mind likes the Springboks.

I dont like them but I've put money on them to win.

[Mailman]

I was gonna give me CY friends crap after they lost to England but didnt get round to it and then the big game started then I didnt feel like it!

Then again, three sh1t decisions from a guy who should never ref at that level again (bah who am I kidding, given his sh1t performance I am picking many years ahead of him as an IRB croney! ).

1. McAlister sent off, what a sh1t decision and massive over reaction that was!

2. Michilak passed the ball forward like it was a farken hamburger (the Analka is much nicer!).

3. Final minutes, AB's on attack, refs arm goes out signalling advantage, ball goes to McAlister who has a droppy and then the ref calls advantage over! Where the f8ck is the advantage in a missed droppy AND at no stage during the world cup has any other ref called advantage over straight after a droppy has been missed!

So there you have it, NZ getting f8cked over by England again!

Mailman

ps. The 9/11 boys are peddling the story the ref is related to Suzy!

[DodgyAgent]

I was gonna give me CY friends crap after they lost to England but didnt get round to it and then the big game started then I didnt feel like it!

Then again, three sh1t decisions from a guy who should never ref at that level again (bah who am I kidding, given his sh1t performance I am picking many years ahead of him as an IRB croney! ).

1. McAlister sent off, what a sh1t decision and massive over reaction that was!

2. Michilak passed the ball forward like it was a farken hamburger (the Analka is much nicer!).

3. Final minutes, AB's on attack, refs arm goes out signalling advantage, ball goes to McAlister who has a droppy and then the ref calls advantage over! Where the f8ck is the advantage in a missed droppy AND at no stage during the world cup has any other ref called advantage over straight after a droppy has been missed!

So there you have it, NZ getting f8cked over by England again!

Mailman

ps. The 9/11 boys are peddling the story the ref is related to Suzy!

Is'nt it pathetic? they dont even have the grace and humility to take defeat on the chin. Seeing the precious all blacks lose was even better than seeing England beat Australia. The swaggering arrogance of the kiwis and their one eyed supporters was shoved straight back in their faces. And what have they got to say for themselves? blame the ref Once again desperate kiwi supporters will be hovering around the semi and final venues trying plaintively to offload their tickets to more worthy rugby supporters .

No mention of the cavalier way in which the Blacks played the second half (as if they were leading by 30 points). No attempt to set up a drop goal using all the last quarter pressure (we are too good for that!!). No mention of the fact that the all blacks decided to protect themselves from having to play proper rugby in the run up to the world cup (remember England travelling to Aus and NZ and beating them both just before the world cup?). When it comes to refereeing decisions why was the NZ number 8 allowed to block french chasers at all four of their kick offs. As far as forward passing is concerned, New Zealand are not only masters of the "marginal pass" but also use whatever means they can to influence referees (as do the aussies.. note the pre match whining about Mark reagan).

They may be fantastic athletes and fantastic rugby players, but they are also chokers (though to their credit they have not moaned about the referee..). Worse they are also supported by little people with little country mindsets who are so pathetic that they cannot take defeat and instead have to turn their blame on the ref.

One word for you mailman.... LOSER

[sasguru]

Is'nt it pathetic? they dont even have the grace and humility to take defeat on the chin. Seeing the precious all blacks lose was even better than seeing England beat Australia. The swaggering arrogance of the kiwis and their one eyed supporters was shoved straight back in their faces. And what have they got to say for themselves? blame the ref Once again desperate kiwi supporters will be hovering around the semi and final venues trying plaintively to offload their tickets to more worthy rugby supporters .

No mention of the cavalier way in which the Blacks played the second half (as if they were leading by 30 points). No attempt to set up a drop goal using all the last quarter pressure (we are too good for that!!). No mention of the fact that the all blacks decided to protect themselves from having to play proper rugby in the run up to the world cup (remember England travelling to Aus and NZ and beating them both just before the world cup?). When it comes to refereeing decisions why was the NZ number 8 allowed to block french chasers at all four of their kick offs. As far as forward passing is concerned, New Zealand are not only masters of the "marginal pass" but also use whatever means they can to influence referees (as do the aussies.. note the pre match whining about Mark reagan).

They may be fantastic athletes and fantastic rugby players, but they are also chokers (though to their credit they have not moaned about the referee..). Worse they are also supported by little people with little country mindsets who are so pathetic that they cannot take defeat and instead have to turn their blame on the ref.

One word for you mailman.... LOSER

All true.

The French had the wit and intelligence to change their game plan while the Kiwi yokels just stuck to their stupid hacking game.