Giants clash as World Cup quarterfinals kick off
Source: Agencies |
October 8, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TEMPERED in the fires of a gruelling month of pool matches, eight teams have emerged, some buoyed up, some battered, for four heavyweight encounters this weekend to decide who stays on for the Rugby World Cup semifinals and who goes home.
By every conceivable measure, host New Zealand should have the beating of Argentina and claim its place in the last four but the other three quarterfinals are too close to call for all but the most confident, or partial.
Ireland opens the weekend of spectacular rugby with a match-up against its Celtic cousin Wales in Wellington this evening before England takes on the French in what is expected to be a titanic tussle in Auckland.
The southern hemisphere takes center-stage tomorrow with Australia tackling defending champion South Africa at Wellington Regional Stadium before the All Blacks take on the Pumas at Eden Park, Auckland.
"I think it's going to be a spectacular weekend of rugby," New Zealand's avuncular coach Graham Henry said yesterday. "You never know what's going to happen with France, they could come out of the blocks and be very difficult. There's a lot of passion between them and the English, which is great.
"The Irish-Welsh game will be a beauty," the former Wales coach added. "The Australia-Springboks game - I hope they knock seven bells out of each other and come off buggered. They're two pretty even sides."
Needless to say, New Zealand will face one of its Tri-Nations rivals in the semifinals if it gets past Argentina, which finished third at the 2007 World Cup but has looked a shadow of that exciting team in New Zealand so far.
While Ireland's World Cup campaign is likely to be the last for captain Brian O'Driscoll and his golden generation, Wales is looking to youth to get it into the last four for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1987.
Winger George North has probably been the find of the tournament but flyhalf Rhys Priestland and openside flanker Sam Warburton have also impressed.
"The game is exciting because it's 50-50," said Warburton, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Wednesday. "Both teams believe they can beat each other."
Ronan O'Gara, the Irish flyhalf, will be expected to use his boot to keep the Welsh pinned in their own half and much will be expected of a back-row featuring outstanding flanker Sean O'Brien as the Irish strive to reach a first semifinal.
Few are expecting much flowing rugby when England and France meet today with redemption on the line for both teams after off-field activities overshadowed their pool games.
England, the 2003 champion, has knocked France out in the semifinals for the last two tournaments but is expecting anything but an easy ride from a team of whom the cliche about wounded animals being most dangerous could have been written.
France has much to prove after losing to Tonga in its final pool game and both teams have spoken about the importance of getting off to a good start.
"That's the battle and they will be trying to do the same to us," said England coach Martin Johnson.
By every conceivable measure, host New Zealand should have the beating of Argentina and claim its place in the last four but the other three quarterfinals are too close to call for all but the most confident, or partial.
Ireland opens the weekend of spectacular rugby with a match-up against its Celtic cousin Wales in Wellington this evening before England takes on the French in what is expected to be a titanic tussle in Auckland.
The southern hemisphere takes center-stage tomorrow with Australia tackling defending champion South Africa at Wellington Regional Stadium before the All Blacks take on the Pumas at Eden Park, Auckland.
"I think it's going to be a spectacular weekend of rugby," New Zealand's avuncular coach Graham Henry said yesterday. "You never know what's going to happen with France, they could come out of the blocks and be very difficult. There's a lot of passion between them and the English, which is great.
"The Irish-Welsh game will be a beauty," the former Wales coach added. "The Australia-Springboks game - I hope they knock seven bells out of each other and come off buggered. They're two pretty even sides."
Needless to say, New Zealand will face one of its Tri-Nations rivals in the semifinals if it gets past Argentina, which finished third at the 2007 World Cup but has looked a shadow of that exciting team in New Zealand so far.
While Ireland's World Cup campaign is likely to be the last for captain Brian O'Driscoll and his golden generation, Wales is looking to youth to get it into the last four for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1987.
Winger George North has probably been the find of the tournament but flyhalf Rhys Priestland and openside flanker Sam Warburton have also impressed.
"The game is exciting because it's 50-50," said Warburton, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Wednesday. "Both teams believe they can beat each other."
Ronan O'Gara, the Irish flyhalf, will be expected to use his boot to keep the Welsh pinned in their own half and much will be expected of a back-row featuring outstanding flanker Sean O'Brien as the Irish strive to reach a first semifinal.
Few are expecting much flowing rugby when England and France meet today with redemption on the line for both teams after off-field activities overshadowed their pool games.
England, the 2003 champion, has knocked France out in the semifinals for the last two tournaments but is expecting anything but an easy ride from a team of whom the cliche about wounded animals being most dangerous could have been written.
France has much to prove after losing to Tonga in its final pool game and both teams have spoken about the importance of getting off to a good start.
"That's the battle and they will be trying to do the same to us," said England coach Martin Johnson.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
