jakee 1,254 #51 October 1, 2007 Quote To be honest NZ playing england a couple of times a year would lose viewers and supporters as to be honest all the kicking that england does is very boring to kiwis, aussies and SA. When we play England it is not the sort of game you want tickets for or you will drop plans for like when playing OZ or SA. I am pretty sure SA and OZ rugby supporters will say the same. Yeah, but we were talking about ArgentinaDo you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #52 October 1, 2007 Again, I think they are good but to be perfectly honest, I do not think they are up to the level of the tri nations. I really dont. They have a great forward pack but they will not keep up to the tri teams. If they put money in for the first few years and lost every year they would be bankrupt before they were winning. They dont have enough players for a couple of supre 14 teams. They have enough players for one team if that. Also, the All Blacks use to always play argentina, they have had 100 years to get better, they have not really improved at all, they are still playing as good as they always have and that is just doing enough to be in the top 10 of the world in my opinion. I dont know, maybe i just love watching the tri antions and i believe they are super exciting, Again, i dont think argentina would draw a crowd. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,254 #53 October 1, 2007 Quote Also, the All Blacks use to always play argentina, they have had 100 years to get better, they have not really improved at all, they are still playing as good as they always have and that is just doing enough to be in the top 10 of the world in my opinion. They're number 4 right now and I'd put my right arm on them making the semis this year. And make up your mind, are Argentina a great team that you've always rated above England, or are they only just good enough to be a fringe team?Argentina would lose the tri-nations if they joined right now, of course they would. I wouldn't bet against them winning at least one game though. Also they would still gain a lot of revenue and consistent big match experience. I don't see how it would not be beneficial for them building towards the future.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #54 October 1, 2007 when i say they are a great team i m ean like they are always a threat. You can always rely on argentina to play a good game. However they are not to the level of certain teams. If these certain teams are not 100% you can count on argentina to win the game with their forwards. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #55 October 1, 2007 Quote England has never made the number one ranking team in the world despite winning the world cup. World rankings IMO is quite useless, as it is way too subjective. And will become more and more so, as I believe that unfortunately Test matches will slowly disappear. Mostly because in most countries, the clubs employ the players, and they will get tired of seeing them go down to injuries after international tests. More and more, the World Cup will be the ultimate test of where a team stands. It doesn't take a genius to know that year in, year out, the All Blacks will be the team to beat. But putting rankings in front of teams only serves one purpose: help bookies do their job. PS: as a football (Soccer) fan, I remember all too well what the undisputed #1 World ranking was worth to the French team in WC 2002... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #56 October 1, 2007 Test matches will never die. Test matches are all too important. The super 14 will die before a test match does. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #57 October 1, 2007 QuoteTest matches will never die. Test matches are all too important. The super 14 will die before a test match does. I hope you're right. But I think you're talking with your heart, not your brains. Economics... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #58 October 1, 2007 If test matches dies that would mean the all blacks would only play every four years at the world cup. MAte, You say some sensible things but if you think the All Blacks will not be playing test matches every year in 10 years time you are crazy. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #59 October 1, 2007 Well it would never happen in New Zealand. You have been to new zealand . The all blacks are religion and our most proudest moment in this world. There is no way we will not be playing international matches in 10 years time. For starters it would kill rugby. Super 14 is not half as important as our international team is. All blacks is a huge Brand. They have even coprighted the logo 'New Zealand'. There is not enough money in rugby for the international test matches to stop. There never will be enough money in it either for new zealand teams. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #60 October 1, 2007 QuoteIf test matches dies that would mean the all blacks would only play every four years at the world cup. MAte, You say some sensible things but if you think the All Blacks will not be playing test matches every year in 10 years time you are crazy. OK, my bad. "Tournaments" such as the Tri-Nations and 6 Nations will remain. NZ coming to France for 3 test matches will, I am afraid, slowly disappear. Mostly because clubs owners are benefiting form the experience of the football clubs owners, and will start fighting test matches outside of tournaments fairly soon. As salaries get bigger, clubs will try to lower the risk of seeing their investments sitting on the sideline with an injury incurred on a test match. I remember European Rugby in the early 80's without a World cup, and without European Cups. Many matches have been added per year for the players, and with it comes the likelihood of getting injured. Once again, I hope I am wrong, but I am afraid it will happen. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #61 October 1, 2007 QuoteWell it would never happen in New Zealand. You have been to new zealand . The all blacks are religion and our most proudest moment in this world. There is no way we will not be playing international matches in 10 years time. For starters it would kill rugby. Super 14 is not half as important as our international team is. All blacks is a huge Brand. They have even coprighted the logo 'New Zealand'. There is not enough money in rugby for the international test matches to stop. There never will be enough money in it either for new zealand teams. Once more and more players from Oz/NZ/SA emigrate to Europe to make $, the clubs will become more and more powerful. Eventually, someone will challenge the All Blacks' "ownership" of the players. Rugby clubs are not at the level of football clubs yet, but the big ones are surely getting there fast. And once you start talking about tens of millions of Euros at stake, the pressure is going to be hard to ignore. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,254 #62 October 1, 2007 QuoteI hope you're right. But I think you're talking with your heart, not your brains. Economics... At the moment, economics is why I think you're wrong. Club rugby is not in the same league as club football. How often can club rugby matches fill a stadium like Twickers, or Stade de France, or Millenium? International matches are where the money is right now.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #63 October 1, 2007 QuoteInternational matches are where the money is right now. Indeed, for the national leagues. But unless the league employs the players, it is apple and oranges. If the Wasps lose a player to injury in a sold out game at Twickers between England and Italy, they are the ones left paying monthly salary to the injured player, although he is not playing. The English league, meanwhile, is taking its money from the sold out game to the bank, and I doubt the Wasps make enough of a cut to compensate for a top player being injured. Besides, TV broadcast, nowadays, is where the money is, more so than filling a stadium. And it is going up fast... Again, I wish things would somewhat remain the same, as I have this maybe romantic view of rugby as being still a fairly "pure" sport. But I do think it will bow down to economics. Just look at how much the game has changed in the past 20 years in Europe! "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #64 October 1, 2007 they only come to european clubs when they are past their peak. That is in relation to all blacks or kiwi players who know they will not make the all blacks. You dont see people pass up being an all black for money. Look at Jonah, he passed on 10 million us when the all blacks were not even pro. We have many players coming to europe next season bt they are all passed their prime. I guess tours could end. I doubt it though. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #65 October 3, 2007 Well hopefully NZ and australia win their games this weekend as we will then see them play each other. I have just noticed that south africa has a very very easy route to the final. I think it is guaranteed for south africa to be in the final as the draw is made up... Quote41 06/10/2007 15:00 Australia England QF1 Marseille 42 06/10/2007 22:00 New Zealand France QF2 Cardiff 43 07/10/2007 15:00 South Africa Fiji QF3 Marseille 44 07/10/2007 21:00 Argentina Scotland QF4 St Denis 45 13/10/2007 21:00 W QF1 W QF2 SF1 St Denis 46 14/10/2007 21:00 W QF3 W QF4 SF2 St Denis 47 19/10/2007 21:00 L SF1 L SF 2 3rd/4th Paris 48 20/10/2007 21:00 W SF 1 W SF 2 Final St Denis .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 49 #66 October 3, 2007 Quote I have just noticed that south africa has a very very easy route to the final. I think it is guaranteed for south africa to be in the final as the draw is made up... Quote Both our rugby and cricket sides have on accasion come up short because of complacency. Of all the teams in the quarters, England are probably the weakest, with Fiji second, but I do not think that Fiji will be a walk-over. If we do win against them and Argentina nails Scotland, then we will most likely see the 'Gondwanaland' semifinals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #67 October 3, 2007 I think england is stronger than fiji. Englands game plan will just be drop goals all game long. They seem to do that when they no they can not win by playing rugby how the other nations play it. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #68 October 6, 2007 45 minutes to the England-Australia game, it's beer time! Just need to make sure I'm up at 3AM for the France-NZ game...Pressure is on! "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #69 October 6, 2007 Excellent- now all the Kiwis need to do is beat France as the only game i have wanted to see is the Kiwis playing England in the semi finals. Boy did Australia play the most terrible game i think i have seen them play in the last 10 years. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gremlin 0 #70 October 6, 2007 Can't beleive the French have just won. How did they ever beat NZ? GremlinI'm drunk, you're drunk, lets go back to mine.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #71 October 6, 2007 Well done France. Now go win the final. Have to say that I am filthy that your winning points were from a forward pass. Not a bad loser bu i am sure a french supporter will admit that was a forward pass. Anyway, you guys played very well. You made 169 tackles and out 30 plays in a row you hel us out without giving a penalty away. You guys played very well. The sad thing i I will forever remember that forward pass. I wish that did not happen as i will forever think that we should have won that game. Anyway, the victory is your, now i hope you go onto win the world cup while it is on your home ground. Congratulations, you deserved it. edit:, Those match stats were amazing!!! 173 tackles the french made against the all blacks 36 tackles. We had 71% off possesion, so you had to make a 173 tackles. I seriously dont think any other team has ever held up to a New Zealand game where we have had that much possesion and that many tackles having to be made on us. France i got to say you deserve to win a world cup if you can hold out against an onslaught based on those statistics so very well done. That forward pass that scored the try where you won the game, well they all even out so it is all fair in the game of rugby it was just lucky you got away with that at such a crucial time. Again, Well done, that was an awesome game to watch. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #72 October 6, 2007 P.S. Our coach can go FUCK HIMSELF for taking off our best players and game winners at half time : Byron Kelleher, Anton Oliver, Dan Carter. They are three of the worlds best rugby players and he is a dumb cunt for taking them off and i hope he never gets to coach a rugby team again! Stupid fucking wanker! .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #73 October 6, 2007 Quote Well done France. Now go win the final. Amazingly enough, we still have 1 more game to go before the final. And not just any other game. Playing England. Much harder, I reckon, than playing the All Blacks. Especially since England beat the Aussies with Jonny pretty much playing with a broken leg. Or he might have been... He won't miss that many kicks against the French. Quote The sad thing i I will forever remember that forward pass. I wish that did not happen as i will forever think that we should have won that game. Whatever. If France would have converted all of its penalty kicks, the game would have been a blow out. No questions about it. We kept the Kiwis into the game. Quote Again, Well done, that was an awesome game to watch. Indeed it was. Down to the last seconds. Party on... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sangiro 4 #74 October 7, 2007 QuoteNot a bad loser bu i am sure a french supporter will admit that was a forward pass. And I think every NZ suppoter should admit that's not why you lost the game. There were plenty of dubious or non-decisions that went the way of the All Blacks as well. That's the game. I would have loved to see the Springboks play the All Blacks in the final. There's just so much history in that rivalry that I always find myself drawn to those matches. Hats off to France though. It's not how much possession you have but what you do with the ball that you do get that counts in the end. I hope the Springboks, who've had a similar run to the All Blacks up to now in that they really haven't been tested, don't suffer a similar fate.Safe swoops Sangiro Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #75 October 7, 2007 QuoteWhatever. If France would have converted all of its penalty kicks, the game would have been a blow out. No questions about it. We kept the Kiwis into the game. i thought the all blacks also missed penalty kicks as well as a conversion. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
