• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

2011 Rugby World Cup (Sept 9 - Oct 23) in New Zealand

BB73

Loves Buckeye History
Staff member
Bookie
'16 & '17 Upset Contest Winner
There are 5 teams in each pool. Two teams from each pool advance to the quarterfinals.

One half gets the Pool A winner vs the Pool B runnerup, and the Pool D winner vs the Pool C runnerup.

The other half gets the Pool B winner vs the Pool A runnerup, and the Pool C winner vs the Pool D runnerup.

Schedule

Pool A - New Zealand, France, Tonga, Canada, Japan

Pool B - England, Argentina, Scotland, Georgia, Romania

Pool C - Australia, Ireland, Italy, USA, Russia

Pool D - South Africa, Wales, Samoa, Fiji, Namibia
 
Last edited:
198801_199681430086906_166108920110824_495096_1239669_n.jpg


http://www.eaglesxv.com/20110621428/articles/eagles-rwc-preliminary-squad-named

Clever is a friend and I am pumped for him to captain this squad and hopefully leave his mark on the Eagles. Lot of familiar names such as MacDonald, Stanfill, Hawkins, Emerick, Ngwenya, Petri, Scully, Wyles and Malifa. First warm-up will be this Saturday against Canada in Toronto.
 
Upvote 0
Upvote 0
50k on each of Australia and New Zealand. Can't really see past either of those two.

Are South Africa going into this with Matfield and Botha as the first choice lock pairing still? Those guys are very much on the back nine of their careers and I'm slightly surprised they haven't been replaced yet.

Having said that, I see the English squad includes the 87-year old Simon Shaw.
 
Upvote 0
I hate to do it, but I'm leaning toward Oz in this one. Obviously, the Boks will come out of the pool, but I think they'll be bruised having had to deal with Samoa and Fiji in addition to Wales. Toughest, by far, of the pools.
 
Upvote 0
South Africa's Tri-Nations strategy was to rest star players, get over injuries, and try out combinations that might be needed if injuries take out key players. Australia was flattered by Bok injuries. New Zealand didn't take Australia seriously, trying to follow South Africa's lead and rest key players in their first matchup.

Jack, Matfield and Botha will still pwn whoever is put up against them. South Africa crushed New Zealand in the last Tri-Nations game.

It's not going to be pretty. It's going to be Woody Hayes rugby.

So, I am picking the Springboks or All-Blacks. The Boks are rested and ready. They will give as good as they get against the Oceanic teams.

Three months ago, I would have thought that South Africa didn't have a chance. Now, I think they might just take it.
 
Upvote 0
I read this morning that Habana will be missing the Fiji match with a knee injury. Hope it's not too bad and he can get back after one away.

Good Cup so far. No upsets, but several close ones. England and Scotland barely squeak by and Japan gave France all it wanted. Springboks get past Wales by ONE (the last several between these two have been close, though, so I didn't really see this as a surprise). Finally, although the outcome was never in doubt, USA played much tougher against Ireland than I expected; still no offense (despite benching Malifa), but a LOT of defense.
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top