Semi Final - South Africa

[francoisfou]

An England v Wales final would be great to rid the world of the so-called Southern Hemisphere dominance. Then again, if South Africa make the final and lose, England will have beaten each SH team in this tournament. Whatever, C’mon Wales!!

[Son of Mathonwy]

This result is good and bad for us.

Emotional, I don't like it, I will always support NZ over England, but rationally it gives as better chance of winning the whole thing because we know we can beat England.

It raises the stakes. The prospect of doing worse than England is painful. It would be much easier to take losing our semifinal if England had done so as well. But, so be it, they have stepped up and so must we. SA will be tough, but we can do it, our recent record is good. And (although I know I shouldn't be looking ahead - Gatland won't be) we know how to beat England too.

So, irritating as today's result is, it gives us the best chance of total victory. It also makes the prospect of losing a lot worse (as Sourdust has pointed out).

Anyway, it's all about tomorrow. Let's do it.

[Hooky]

This is the nightmare that I feared all along.

Win, and we get to play patsy for the England victory parade and face 25 years (that's the rest of my life) of "yeah but who won the RWC?" chanted at us even when we beat them.

Lose, and we get a genuine crack at ending 60 years of misery by going after a NZ team who look completely lost.

I have never wanted Wales to lose. I can't possibly countenance it. But I can't escape the conclusion that we'd be much better off if we did. You'll come at me with charges of defeatism of course, but look back on this morning, and get real.

Pull yourself together! A final is a final. Better to get there than not at all. Plus knowing our luck the blacks will be hurting and want to take it out on us

[normanski]

This result is good and bad for us.

Emotional, I don't like it, I will always support NZ over England, but rationally it gives as better chance of winning the whole thing because we know we can beat England.

It raises the stakes. The prospect of doing worse than England is painful. It would be much easier to take losing our semifinal if England had done so as well. But, so be it, they have stepped up and so must we. SA will be tough, but we can do it, our recent record is good. And (although I know I shouldn't be looking ahead - Gatland won't be) we know how to beat England too.

So, irritating as today's result is, it gives us the best chance of total victory. It also makes the prospect of losing a lot worse (as Sourdust has pointed out).

Anyway, it's all about tomorrow. Let's do it.

Don’t disagree with any of that.

It is about tomorrow. Can we win? Can we come through with only minor injuries? Will we have enough in the tank to compete forcefully next weekend bearing in mind we will have one day less recovery.

[Sandydragon]

This is the nightmare that I feared all along.

Win, and we get to play patsy for the England victory parade and face 25 years (that's the rest of my life) of "yeah but who won the RWC?" chanted at us even when we beat them.

Lose, and we get a genuine crack at ending 60 years of misery by going after a NZ team who look completely lost.

I have never wanted Wales to lose. I can't possibly countenance it. But I can't escape the conclusion that we'd be much better off if we did. You'll come at me with charges of defeatism of course, but look back on this morning, and get real.

Pull yourself together! A final is a final. Better to get there than not at all. Plus knowing our luck the blacks will be hurting and want to take it out on us

This. I’m not hugely confident about tomorrow, but I’d rather get to the final and lose, even to England, then miss another opportunity to get to the final.

[francoisfou]

This result is good and bad for us.

Emotional, I don't like it, I will always support NZ over England, but rationally it gives as better chance of winning the whole thing because we know we can beat England.

It raises the stakes. The prospect of doing worse than England is painful. It would be much easier to take losing our semifinal if England had done so as well. But, so be it, they have stepped up and so must we. SA will be tough, but we can do it, our recent record is good. And (although I know I shouldn't be looking ahead - Gatland won't be) we know how to beat England too.

So, irritating as today's result is, it gives us the best chance of total victory. It also makes the prospect of losing a lot worse (as Sourdust has pointed out).

Anyway, it's all about tomorrow. Let's do it.

I just don't understand this anti England feeling! Ok, England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland are arch rivals, but I'd bet that the majority of England supporters will be behind Wales tomorrow, and rightly so. An England Wales final has the makings of a cracker! C'mon Wales tomorrow.

[Sandydragon]

This result is good and bad for us.

Emotional, I don't like it, I will always support NZ over England, but rationally it gives as better chance of winning the whole thing because we know we can beat England.

It raises the stakes. The prospect of doing worse than England is painful. It would be much easier to take losing our semifinal if England had done so as well. But, so be it, they have stepped up and so must we. SA will be tough, but we can do it, our recent record is good. And (although I know I shouldn't be looking ahead - Gatland won't be) we know how to beat England too.

So, irritating as today's result is, it gives us the best chance of total victory. It also makes the prospect of losing a lot worse (as Sourdust has pointed out).

Anyway, it's all about tomorrow. Let's do it.

I just don't understand this anti England feeling! Ok, England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland are arch rivals, but I'd bet that the majority of England supporters will be behind Wales tomorrow, and rightly so. An England Wales final has the makings of a cracker! C'mon Wales tomorrow.

Possible because you managed to kick the fuckers out after a few hundred years. We’re still stuck with them.

[Sourdust]

This. I’m not hugely confident about tomorrow, but I’d rather get to the final and lose, even to England, then miss another opportunity to get to the final.

I honestly wish that I felt this way, but I honestly don't.

If we lose the final to England, our great-grandchildren won't live to hear the end of it. The thing is, even if we WIN, I fear the "banter" in the aftermath will cost me friends.

[normanski]

This is the nightmare that I feared all along.

Win, and we get to play patsy for the England victory parade and face 25 years (that's the rest of my life) of "yeah but who won the RWC?" chanted at us even when we beat them.

Lose, and we get a genuine crack at ending 60 years of misery by going after a NZ team who look completely lost.

I have never wanted Wales to lose. I can't possibly countenance it. But I can't escape the conclusion that we'd be much better off if we did. You'll come at me with charges of defeatism of course, but look back on this morning, and get real.

Pull yourself together! A final is a final. Better to get there than not at all. Plus knowing our luck the blacks will be hurting and want to take it out on us

This. I’m not hugely confident about tomorrow, but I’d rather get to the final and lose, even to England, then miss another opportunity to get to the final.

I’m with you Sandy. We’ve never been to a final before although this is our third semifinal.

We’ve got to convert this opportunity against SA and go one better than we have in 32 years of trying.

It’s going to be tough tomorrow but perhaps the 6/2 SA bench may play against them if they lose a couple of backs to injury early on. They will bish/bash forward but we have a useful front 5 who are very good at absorbing pressure. Our back row can match the best at the breakdown.

The Wales kicking game has to be spot on. And we must eradicate the missed tackles which have become a feature of recent games. That’s probably easier tomorrow against a side like the Boks who play in a more structured and conventional way.

I watched my first international from the schoolboy enclosure at the old Arms Park in the 1950s. This week will be the pinnacle for me of following Wales through their ups and downs for over sixty years.

Carpe diem!

[Son of Mathonwy]

This result is good and bad for us.

Emotional, I don't like it, I will always support NZ over England, but rationally it gives as better chance of winning the whole thing because we know we can beat England.

It raises the stakes. The prospect of doing worse than England is painful. It would be much easier to take losing our semifinal if England had done so as well. But, so be it, they have stepped up and so must we. SA will be tough, but we can do it, our recent record is good. And (although I know I shouldn't be looking ahead - Gatland won't be) we know how to beat England too.

So, irritating as today's result is, it gives us the best chance of total victory. It also makes the prospect of losing a lot worse (as Sourdust has pointed out).

Anyway, it's all about tomorrow. Let's do it.

I just don't understand this anti England feeling! Ok, England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland are arch rivals, but I'd bet that the majority of England supporters will be behind Wales tomorrow, and rightly so. An England Wales final has the makings of a cracker! C'mon Wales tomorrow.

It's mainly focused on English rugby, not England itself. I'm happy to support English athletes, tennis players etc. I blame the media... and certain English fans (not on this site, of course )!

[Renniks]

Now England have reached the final, I Want Wales to lose tomorrow - I can't imagine anything worse than the chance we might lose to Wales in the final… For the same reasons being said the other way here!

[francoisfou]

I watched my first international from the schoolboy enclosure at the old Arms Park in the 1950s. This week will be the pinnacle for me of following Wales through their ups and downs for over sixty years.

Carpe diem!

Good man, Norm! You must be as old as me - if not older!
Will you be at the game? I'll be in front of the telly, with French commentators.
Let's hope you make the final, although I must admit that I won't be cheering for you then!!

[Son of Mathonwy]

Now England have reached the final, I Want Wales to lose tomorrow - I can't imagine anything worse than the chance we might lose to Wales in the final… For the same reasons being said the other way here!

This is wonderful - we speak with one voice. See how rugby brings us all together!

[Renniks]

Now England have reached the final, I Want Wales to lose tomorrow - I can't imagine anything worse than the chance we might lose to Wales in the final… For the same reasons being said the other way here!

This is wonderful - we speak with one voice. See how rugby brings us all together!

The slight difference is that if Wales weren't in with a chance, I doubt you'd want England to win still!

[Son of Mathonwy]

Now England have reached the final, I Want Wales to lose tomorrow - I can't imagine anything worse than the chance we might lose to Wales in the final… For the same reasons being said the other way here!

This is wonderful - we speak with one voice. See how rugby brings us all together!

The slight difference is that if Wales weren't in with a chance, I doubt you'd want England to win still!

I can't deal with such a hypothetical idea

[Mikey Brown]

I’d rather face SA than Wales. I will say that.

I would have thought you’d fancy us in the final much more than NZ, and can just picture you managing to get amped up enough for it in the same way England were today for NZ.

This will have take a lot of out England. I’m just hoping whoever wins tomorrow have enough lumps taken out of them that it evens it out.

I can’t see any mockery of potentially losing to England in a final being bad enough to not get there at all. I feel like Wales should be less scared of England than any other team.

[Digby]

I don't mind which side we face, though I would like the game to be an absolute physical beasting

[Sandydragon]

If we can win tomorrow, big if, then we will certainly need no additional motivation to play against England in a World Cup final. I think it will be a thunderous match .

[MrK]

What we need tomorrow

Forwards
Parity in the scrums
Clean ball at the lineout
Quick ball from rucks
Solid Maul Defence

Backs
Quick Ball from Davies
JD2 to stay fit
North to get involved.

[normanski]

What we need tomorrow

Forwards
Parity in the scrums
Clean ball at the lineout
Quick ball from rucks
Solid Maul Defence

Backs
Quick Ball from Davies
JD2 to stay fit
North to get involved.

Yes.

And North really owes Wales a big one. I remember his first game against the Boks and ghosted through for two tries.

Same again tomorrow please!

[Sandydragon]

Parkes had a massive first game against the Bokke as well, although North really needs to pay back the faith shown in him.

[normanski]

Parkes had a massive first game against the Bokke as well, although North really needs to pay back the faith shown in him.

Yes two tries in about 20 minutes and we held on for a narrow win.

I’d take that tomorrow.

[Sourdust]

Massive start. Pressure. Points.
Cross-kicks. Chips. Every half-chance, drop at goal.
Promise Moriarty a house on the Gower if he can stay on for 80.

[Gog]

Wales haven’t played a full 80 minutes well and must be due a good match. George North has had a lot of criticism this tournament but to be fair he hasn’t seen much ball. I get a feeling tomorrow he will get the chance to show what he can do. I predict a close game but a Welsh win and North to score a try.

[normanski]

Wales haven’t played a full 80 minutes well and must be due a good match. George North has had a lot of criticism this tournament but to be fair he hasn’t seen much ball. I get a feeling tomorrow he will get the chance to show what he can do. I predict a close game but a Welsh win and North to score a try.

I pray you are right.