RugbyRebels

They looked powerful against France without actually convincing. We can do their scrum and lineout and if we kick to the corners, we'll find opportunities. If we let them camp on our line, they'll score.

UKHamlet wrote: ↑Sat Aug 19, 2023 9:57 pm They looked powerful against France without actually convincing. We can do their scrum and lineout and if we kick to the corners, we'll find opportunities. If we let them camp on our line, they'll score.

Yep. If we kick loosely then we are screwed. Some of their runners are incredibly dangerous given even a half chance. But if we can keep it tight and get the driving maul going, then we should be able to get ahead and suck the energy out of their game.

Very interested to see how they get on against England next weekend.

I thought Fiji played well against a France fielding a lot of 2nd and even 3rd choice players but they didn’t have the wherewithal to break really free.

It was difficult to see just how good they were. They have some big lumps who go into the breakdowns with great aggression.

If Gatland can put out a strong, injury-free 23, then we ought to win the opener. Fiji won slow ruck ball and that will allow our defence time to align. It’s a game made for Lydiate.

normanski wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 2:05 pm I thought Fiji played well against a France fielding a lot of 2nd and even 3rd choice players but they didn’t have the wherewithal to break really free.

It was difficult to see just how good they were. They have some big lumps who go into the breakdowns with great aggression.

If Gatland can put out a strong, injury-free 23, then we ought to win the opener. Fiji won slow ruck ball and that will allow our defence time to align. It’s a game made for Lydiate.

I thought much the same, as even with all the changes, France seemed to cope with Fiji pretty well. Of course, France has real strength in depth and Shaun Edwards, two things Wales doesnt have.

And as for France, they fielded a loose forward with the pace to play on the wing and the game ended with a drop kick to touch by the no 8 who was actually the hooker! French rugby is a wonder to behold sometimes.

I was interested to see France's no-nonsense approach. Bang, bang, bang, 9-0, and relax. By the time things even started looking like a contest, there was enough of a buffer that bums never squeaked. Fiji looked tougher than I'd hoped, but also less fizzy than I'd feared.

I'd fear for our dirt-trackers, but a full test XXIII should have enough to deal with this Fiji team. It won't be pretty, it probably won't be convincing, but as of this moment I'd back us by 8-10 points.

World Rankings as of 21 August:
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8. Australia 79.87
9. Fiji 78.70
10. Wales 78.66
11. Georgia 76.23
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Obviously warm up games can bring some weird results, but this is interesting.

Lizard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:53 am World Rankings as of 21 August:
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8. Australia 79.87
9. Fiji 78.70
10. Wales 78.66
11. Georgia 76.23
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Obviously warm up games can bring some weird results, but this is interesting.

Are you insinuating something about the quality of pool C???

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 1:14 am

Lizard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:53 am World Rankings as of 21 August:
.
.
.
8. Australia 79.87
9. Fiji 78.70
10. Wales 78.66
11. Georgia 76.23
.
.
.


Obviously warm up games can bring some weird results, but this is interesting.

Are you insinuating something about the quality of pool C???

“Insinuating” suggests some degree of subtlety.

Seriously, having teams occupying 4 consecutive slots in the rankings should make it a fairly compelling watch for the neutral observer.

Well, nearly neutral. Obviously you can’t support the Wallabies at all, and I’ve been going to Fiji on the reg for about 35 years, which probably outweighs my soft spot for Wales.

Lizard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 8:01 am

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 1:14 am

Lizard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:53 am World Rankings as of 21 August:
.
.
.
8. Australia 79.87
9. Fiji 78.70
10. Wales 78.66
11. Georgia 76.23
.
.
.


Obviously warm up games can bring some weird results, but this is interesting.

Are you insinuating something about the quality of pool C???

“Insinuating” suggests some degree of subtlety.

Seriously, having teams occupying 4 consecutive slots in the rankings should make it a fairly compelling watch for the neutral observer.

Well, nearly neutral. Obviously you can’t support the Wallabies at all, and I’ve been going to Fiji on the reg for about 35 years, which probably outweighs my soft spot for Wales.

Yeah, the ridiculously early seeding for the RWC has been unfair or overly generous to almost everyone but it will have the effect of making the pool stages more watchable. Pools C and B (IRL,RSA,SCO) should be particularly intense.

Lizard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 8:01 am

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 1:14 am

Lizard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:53 am World Rankings as of 21 August:
.
.
.
8. Australia 79.87
9. Fiji 78.70
10. Wales 78.66
11. Georgia 76.23
.
.
.


Obviously warm up games can bring some weird results, but this is interesting.

Are you insinuating something about the quality of pool C???

“Insinuating” suggests some degree of subtlety.

Seriously, having teams occupying 4 consecutive slots in the rankings should make it a fairly compelling watch for the neutral observer.

Well, nearly neutral. Obviously you can’t support the Wallabies at all, and I’ve been going to Fiji on the reg for about 35 years, which probably outweighs my soft spot for Wales.

I don't know how you guys are taking this traitorous behavior:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... d-27567338

The Dane Coles video is classic.

As for Hansen helping out his mate Eddie, apparently without pay, well that’s on him. I doubt he’s got huge insights on the ABs after 4 years out. There’s also a non-zero chance that Shag is taking the chance to wind up the press and prank his mate at the same time.

England look as if they might be beaten by Fiji at Twickenham. The rain is hampering the Fijians. Let’s hope it’s pouring in Bordeaux in a fortnight because they look quite tasty.

Fiji just scored their second try. England are plumbing Wales type depths here.

Let’s hope Eddie Jones has buggered up Australia like he did with England. That becomes the must-win game for us.

If we didn't know it before, Wales are going to have to step up big time over what we saw in the warm up games.

Georgia looking worryingly good too!

The only way to stop the Fijians is to chop tackle them before they start moving at speed. Far easier said than done. Our defensive lines have to improve by at least 50%.

normanski wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:12 pm The only way to stop the Fijians is to chop tackle them before they start moving at speed. Far easier said than done. Our defensive lines have to improve by at least 50%.

It’s also fairly clear that playing ten man rugby won’t work. Their forwards are good enough and their back line can cause havoc. We will need to play very intelligently.

Looks like Australia will be our key game. Fiji could easily be the form team in our group.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 8:19 pm

normanski wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:12 pm The only way to stop the Fijians is to chop tackle them before they start moving at speed. Far easier said than done. Our defensive lines have to improve by at least 50%.

It’s also fairly clear that playing ten man rugby won’t work. Their forwards are good enough and their back line can cause havoc. We will need to play very intelligently.

Looks like Australia will be our key game. Fiji could easily be the form team in our group.

Yeah, it's worrying there's a solid possibility that we'll have to beat Australia. (Luckily it's Eddie's Australia )

On the other hand it was a total joy to see England beaten like that, so not all bad news.

I still think 10 man rugby will be a big part of beating Fiji. We need structure, structure, structure. So it's Biggar all the way (am I really saying this??).

Fiji have looked very good all season. They’ve finally been able to link terrifying outside backs and and a useful pack with international class 9 and 10.

Fiji have looked very good all season. They’ve finally been able to link terrifying outside backs and and a useful pack with international class 9 and 10.

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 11:51 pm

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 8:19 pm

normanski wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:12 pm The only way to stop the Fijians is to chop tackle them before they start moving at speed. Far easier said than done. Our defensive lines have to improve by at least 50%.

It’s also fairly clear that playing ten man rugby won’t work. Their forwards are good enough and their back line can cause havoc. We will need to play very intelligently.

Looks like Australia will be our key game. Fiji could easily be the form team in our group.

Yeah, it's worrying there's a solid possibility that we'll have to beat Australia. (Luckily it's Eddie's Australia )

On the other hand it was a total joy to see England beaten like that, so not all bad news.

I still think 10 man rugby will be a big part of beating Fiji. We need structure, structure, structure. So it's Biggar all the way (am I really saying this??).

Agreed, harum scarum remains a really bad idea.

In a normal world, if you saw a scoreline like England 22-30 Fiji, you'd assume (a) it was England's 3rd XV and (b) Fiji lived off their mistakes and ran in sevens tries.

In fact, a clueless all-round rugby team was beaten by a decent all-round rugby team. Although I'm worried for Wales of course, I still didn't see anything from Fiji that I found particularly scary; they were just solid in a way they haven't been before. They actually looked like a team coached to play 15-a-side, rather than the Sevens team plus the Sevens "A" team plus a 38yo fly-half from Worcester.

Right now you look at Wales v Fiji, Wales v Aus, Eng v Arg and Eng v Sam and have to wonder where any wins are coming from there. But in my glass-half-full mode, Operation "Under The Radar" has been concluded with stunning success. No more chortling under the breath that "Wales might not beat Fiji" - Fiji are incontestably genuine favourites now, and because of that how we work, that can only help us.

Samoa hasn't quite got their shit together this year.

Lizard wrote: ↑Sun Aug 27, 2023 12:47 am Fiji have looked very good all season. They’ve finally been able to link terrifying outside backs and and a useful pack with international class 9 and 10.

Agree about Muntz, but I think they still look pretty weak at 9, tbh.