Support NeoGAF

[Conrad Link]

Wow, now I'm nervous as f**k. It shows what desperate players can do at a World Cup, and France are going to be VERY desperate.

We can do it! Just go out and do what we've been doing these past few years, everything has been leading up to this point, this is it from now on we bring the A-Game! FOCUS, SENSIBLE TAKE THE POINTS WHEN ITS ON OFFER AND JUST SQUEEZE THE LIFE OUT OF THE FRENCH, PLAY IN THEIR PART OF THE FIELD, LET THEM MAKE THE MISTAKES.

We've got the players, we're good enough to win, come on we can do it!

Believe in Black!!!

Go All Blacks!

 

[celestial body]

You should handily beat the french - they don't even have home advantage, the game is being played in Wales! (wtf is all that about?).

Any injuries apart from Carter?

 

[Conrad Link]

Yes we should, but as a long suffering at World Cup All Black supporter I know all-to-well to take NOTHING as a given, we really can't get in that mode of thinking because we haven't had pleasant World Cup results lately because of it.

This is a different team though, I have confidence in them, I know they can do it!

Only injury worry is Mealamu of the bench, supposedly in doubt.

Carter is fine to play from reports, heres hoping he pulls out a hat-trick in a row of those legendary brilliant games I know he's got in him!

Believe in Black!!!

Go All Blacks!

 

[Steroyd]

OMG I can't believe there's a Rugby thread. :O

Okay I know jackshit about Rugby except we humped Australia on scrums, but the penalty kicks from boths sides were awful, with England being marginally better, sucks that we didn't score a try at all, wasn't a pretty way to win a match, but at least our performance is much much better than earlier on in the tournament.

Now to get humped by the All Blacks in the semi's.

 

[TheDrowningMan]

I'm no major Rugby fan but sometimes I'll watch the odd World Cup match with a passing interest in the England team - It's pretty clear to me that a big problem with the Australian team today was mental. I think Aussie sportsmen are usually strong in that department, but knowing that England have had the better of them in the biggest games for over a decade now aided in their departure from the competition.

Mental capitulation in sports is much more of an English tradition in usual circumstances. :lol

 

[deadhorse32]

That french dude got totally KOed after 3 mins

 

[Osorio]

Looking at that scoreline I know why i take little interest in Ra-ra

If i want to see people kick goals, the AFL is infinitely more spectacular and in soocer its the point of the game.

Scoring tries, league seems to have that covered as does the NFL with touchdowns.

Rugby seems to be the worst fusion of the footballs, arcane rules not even the referees understand, kicking only to get in position to score from a kick, stoppages out the wazoo ugh. Peter Fitzsimons published a study in his SMH column that stated that in top level rugby the ball was actually in play for a little over 40 mins. The other 40 mins was taken up with setting scrums, lineouts, penalty kicks, timewasting etc. He thought the rules needed changing.

typical rugby game. Kickoff, maul, pass it back kick, pause, lineout, arcane infringement, kick, pause lineout, maul, kick, pause, lineout, error, pause scrum, pass, kick, maul, pass, mall, kick, pause, lineout, rinse repeat. UGGHHHHH

* sorry about the rant, I went to a very established Rugby school in Brisbane, Australian captains and all, but the game needs to be changed so that it is more accessable.

Isn't league essentially run tackle run tackle run tackle run tackle run tackle punt?

 

[FabCam]

Lol @ Australia being pwnd by the n00bs of Engerland!

 

[FabCam]

wtf? that pass was so forward. Sorry for double posting.

 

[Alx]

 

[Aurora]

ALLONS ENFANTS DE LA PATRIE, LE JOUR DE GLOIRE EST ARRIVE!

 

[Steroyd]

Christ an England - France semi final the odds must have been a billion to one. :O

 

[celestial body]

LOL @ NZl. Enjoy the 20 hour flight back. That was ridiculous. France defended like lions but why the hell did they stop the kicking game, they had total control in the first half and were even winning opp. lineout.

 

[navanman]

What a game, WHAT A GAME..
France attacked superbly in the 2nd half when they had to win the 2nd half...

 

[MrSardonic]

wwooooo! On a gagné! On a gagné!

What a game! One of the greatest in the history of the world cup. The quality of play was fantastic and that moment where the All Blacks were on roughly their 25th phase of play and got turned over...awesome. Real patience and skill from both sides. France's substitutions were incredible and their tactics turned out to be right on; but I thought we might lose after the first half.

It's hard to believe that the All Blacks, the most dominant and talented rugby team of the last 20 years, keep getting beaten in the world cup by a team pulling out the performance of their careers. I do feel sorry for their players, truly great players, who end their careers without a world cup to their names.

 

[celestial body]

Of course it didn't help that Carter and Evans got injured and McAllister was yellow carded. Also the French subs were orsum.

As an aside I think it's ridiculous that the referee was from the country that one of the two teams would face in the next round. A scandalous decision by the authorities.

 

[MrSardonic]

As an aside I think it's ridiculous that the referee was from the country that one of the two teams would face in the next round. A scandalous decision by the authorities.

I think that they, along with everyone else, thought there was no chance of England being in the next round :lol

 

[navanman]

Its like a broken record every 4 years though.
This is the best NZ team ever, best team in the world and they bottle it every tournament.

Here is a stat to show how well France did though.
tackles made: new zeland 36, france 178

 

[speedpop]

Wow at the French. Absolutely mayhem. Goodbye Kiwis, I hardly knew ye.

Will South Africa live up to their dark horse reputation tomorrow night?

Who the fuck thought the northern hemisphere would have TWO sides in the semi-finals?

 

[Steroyd]

I think that they, along with everyone else, thought there was no chance of England being in the next round :lol

If someone told me England would beat Australia and France would beat New Zealand today I would have drop kicked them in the nutz for insulting my intelligence.

 

[speedpop]

Definitely. I had a little too much confidence in Australia, but England played smartly in the scrums against them.

And New Zealand well.. I had a bet with a friend at work that Australia would make the final over New Zealand so what the fuck are we supposed to do now? :lol He got real nervous yesterday, due to a "nightmare" he had that the All Blacks got beaten by a point or two with a few minutes to go. Said he woke up in a cold sweat.. and now the bastard had his dream come true so he'll walk in very pissed off today.

 

[spoon!]

Good stuff from France, excellent defense especially. Though I have to say the ref took the opportunity to watch a different game a couple of times.

 

[gné]

L'ETENDART SANGLANT EST LEVÉ \o/

QUE LE SANG IMPUR DES ALL-BLACKS ABREUVE NOS SILLONS RAN PLAN PLAN PLAN \o/

 

[navanman]

I'm calling it as France Vs Argentina final.

 

[speedpop]

Yeah I'm thinking Argentina will get through too and France will outplay England. I'd love it if they did.

 

[Fuzyfrog]

We were screwed by a useless ref.

 

[navanman]

We were screwed by a useless ref.

Care to tell where you say it as that, the game is was watching was well referreed.
Deserved binning for the block and France were very disiplined at the breakdown.

 

[Blimblim]

Haha, I was wondering what the noise outside was all about. Completely forgot about the match

 

[Fuzyfrog]

He didnt deserve to be binned and the ref missed a vital foward pass

 

[MrSardonic]

The yellow card was justified. The slow-mo shows a cynical charge; you can see him switching his look to the French player, bracing himself for the impact, making no attempt to stop running towards him. It was a subtle attempt at deliberate foul play.

The try involved a forward pass but I didn't notice it until they showed the slow-mo replay. It's not always easy for the ref/linesmen to see those short forward pass - a lot have been missed this tournament - and it's harsh to blame the referee for not spotting it.

But this is the way sport is and the All Blacks simply didn't do enough in the 2nd half.

 

[speedpop]

Haha, I was wondering what the noise outside was all about. Completely forgot about the match

You should be running naked down the streets too Blim. Your country has beaten the favourites in the QTR Final.

 

[Alx]

Haha, I was wondering what the noise outside was all about. Completely forgot about the match

You should be ashamed of yourself ! >_<
(actually I was watching something else too, and switched to the match each time I heard some noise from the street... )

 

[Blimblim]

You should be running naked down the streets too Blim. Your country has beaten the favourites in the QTR Final.

You got me at naked.
brb.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

I'm confident. Time for South Africa to take back the cup. It's been, what, 12 years? We just need Mandela to watch the games again.

Hier kom die Bokke!

 

[Polari]

Wow, now I'm nervous as f**k. It shows what desperate players can do at a World Cup, and France are going to be VERY desperate.

We can do it! Just go out and do what we've been doing these past few years, everything has been leading up to this point, this is it from now on we bring the A-Game! FOCUS, SENSIBLE TAKE THE POINTS WHEN ITS ON OFFER AND JUST SQUEEZE THE LIFE OUT OF THE FRENCH, PLAY IN THEIR PART OF THE FIELD, LET THEM MAKE THE MISTAKES.

We've got the players, we're good enough to win, come on we can do it!

Believe in Black!!!

Go All Blacks!

lol

 

[Omikaru]

I just passed through town (I live in Cardiff, and the stadium is a few blocks from my home) and all the French are having a wild party out here! :lol

I'm half tempted to join 'em...

 

[spoon!]

Care to tell where you say it as that, the game is was watching was well referreed.
Deserved binning for the block and France were very disiplined at the breakdown.

Excuse me?

The French got away with so many offside offenses I had to wonder what they were paying the touch judges for and McCaw got penalised many times for merely being in close proximity of the ball, from what I saw.

Having said that - NZ should have taken that game by at least 20pts, ref or no ref.

 

[Bubblicious]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_national_rugby_union_team

:lol

Check it before it changes!

New Zealanders are sore losers!

 

[navanman]

France suck at rugby!!!

 

[gné]

COMME TA MERE LOL!!

 

[Antakken]

Mouais....restons mesurés dans la victoire hein, pas besoin d'être grossier ; )

ABs are still the best. France was just at HIS best, in the right time and place, when NZ laked of spirit, leadership and flair.

Vive la France, aller les bleus!

 

[Ghost]

wow those All Blacks...how do they manage to choke EVERY.TIME.




Seems like Fiji have the world cup sewn up

 

[gné]

C'etait plus une private joke qu'une grossiereté ^^ m'enfin mea culpa pour ceux que ça choque ^^

Maybe France suck at rugby, but this evening it seems New-Zealand sucks more ^^

 

[ElNarez]

COMME TA MERE LOL!!

Yeah, lol, because it IMPLIES YOUR MOTHER SUCKS ON THINGS LAWL.

This. Was. Awesome. End of argument. However, I would like to thank the wikipeons to bring on the lols.

 

[xabre]

Just saw the scores...you have got to be kidding?

 

[medrew]

Wayne Barnes should commit suicide, but he won't because that would require him making the correct decision for the first time in his life.

 

[HolyCheck]

WOW.

totally couldnt stay up to watc hthe whole game, dozed off around 5am

all i can say is :lol

Now we just need fiji to win the world cup.

 

[Allen]

Wow. Amazing. France completely outplayed a mighty All Blacks squad. When Sébastien Chabal clocked in you could feel the excitement in the crowd through the television.

Wow. I’m still speechless. I love it.

 

[legend166]

The only thing that comforts me abut the Aussie loss is that New Zealand lost also.

That, and I don't really care about Rugby ;(

 

[polg]

plz pumas, make my monday morning and win tomorrow!

that would be pretty freaking awesome