Australia to beat England by 12 or less
NZ to beat France by 13+
SA to beat Fiji by 13+
Argentina to beat Scotland by 12 or less
Going to be interesting game. France v New Zealand at Cardiff…
All Black should win, but the French are unpredictable.
Jonny Wilkinson may beat the Australian, but I doubt that.
don’t remind me, it was like watching an accident about to happen. Even though we were still in the lead you could see the whole thing unravelling and it was only a matter of time 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajRdEDXGa0I
This was a lot worse imo
AUS vs ENG - 27 to 17
NZ vs FRA - 40 to 15
SA vs FIJI - 30 to 7
ARG vs SCO - 14 to 7
Aus bt Eng
Fra bt NZ
SA bt Fiji
Arg bt Sco
Semi’s
Fra bt Aus
SA bt Arg
Final
SA bt Fra
(maybe because I’m South African)
which is odd that you didn’t choose SA V NZ Final, that is one of the great rivalries of world rugby. It is only the last 20 or so years that NZ v Aus has taken on any relevance.
England send the Wallabies packing :eek:
RUGBY WORLD CUP
By MARC HINTON in Marseille - Fairfax Media | Sunday, 7 October 2007
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Reuters
England’s raging bull forward pack exposed the soft underbelly of the Wallabies to turn the form book on its head and dump the Australians out of the World Cup with a stunning 12-10 victory in the opening quarterfinal at Stade Velodrome early today.
It was brutal stuff from England as they went for the jugular up front, unsettling the Wallabies early and never allowing the heavily favoured southern hemisphere side to settle into the rhythm with which they prefer to play.
And so the defending champions, against the odds and most people’s predictions, live to fight another day at this World Cup, through to next week’s first semifinal in Paris where they will await the winner of the All Blacks-France match.
It was a match that England managed to turn into the dogfight they knew they had to if they were to prevail, their big pack giving the out-of-sorts Wallabies a hiding at almost every phase of the game.
The Wallabies were pushed all over the paddock at scrum time, outplayed at the breakdown and only really showed any nous up front at the lineout where their work was as efficient as ever. It was a brave, bullying performance from the English eight, exactly what they knew they had to do to dump these confident Australians out of the tournament.
But for a pack who had talked all week about their aim of becoming “the best in the world” the Australian eight was so far off that mark it was laughable.
The Wallabies could barely keep the scrum upright, so much pressure were they under, and in the end it was a telling aspect of the game. Their work at the breakdown was also lacklustre, time and again England able to turn over possession with their superior technique and commitment.
For all that, there was still not much in it, just a whisker at the end. The 2003 champions relied on four penalties from Jonny Wilkinson to get them home. Australian skipper Stirling Mortlock had a late chance to snatch victory with a 50m penalty from wide out, but he was unable to make the miracle play.
The Australians had actually scrambled extremely well to take a 10-6 lead into the sheds at halftime, Lote Tuqiri’s try after 33 minutes the difference in a frantic opening 40.
But the signs were there even then that their lead was on very shaky ground, the Australians struggling to get their offensive game in gear and being pushed from pillar to post at the breakdown.
After referee Alain Rolland initially penalised the English for the first two of many scrums that went to the deck, eventually even he worked out that it was the Australians who were hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
Tuqiri’s score late in the half had been pretty much against the run of play and may have shaken a less determined outfit than this England side today.
It was a well-taken try, Chris Latham and Stirling Mortlock putting in the power runs, and good patience and ball-retention eventually seeing Berrick Barnes able to slip a pass to Tuqiri that sent him scrambling over, and through, the ineffective tackle of Josh Lewsey.
Remarkably, that was to be the end of the scoring for the Wallabies, their error-rate and lack of punch up front preventing them from mounting the sustained pressure they had to to find the holes in the English defensive line.
So two Wilkinson penalties in the second half, after 51 and 59 minutes respectively, were all that the 2003 champions needed to progress through to the semifinals. The Wallabies probed for one last response to get them out of jail, but with England’s defensive line scrambling well, there was to be no opening.
It was a thoroughly deserved victory, too, for this limited but suddenly lethal England side. With Andy Sheridan leading a splendid front-row effort, and the likes of big Simon Shaw and inspirational flanker Martin Corry full of endeavour up front the arm-wrestle was won conclusively by the English.
Wilkinson ran the game well, and there were even the odd moments of inspiration out wide. But really this was a famous victory foundered on the iron will of the front eight.
It was also a sad end to the test career of George Gregan, the Wallaby halfback’s 139th, and final, test destined to go down as one of his less fond. And as he trudged off afterwards, head bowed, it was difficult not to say to yourself: “Four more years, George. Four more years.”
England are now just two matches from the most unlikeliest of title defences, and for that alone must be respected. If the All Blacks win through to meet them in next weekend’s opening semifinal Graham Henry’s men can be assured of one thing: they will receive the sternest of examinations from a pack finally starting to flex its muscles.
“It was our worst performance [of the tournament],” lamented Wallaby coach John Connolly afterwards. "England’s scrum got it in stride. England controlled the breakdown strongly.
“We lost a fair bit of composure and made uncharacteristic errors, things we pride ourselves on not doing. A lot of the ball we got on the back foot. When we did get the ball on the front foot we looked dangerous.”
England coach Brian Ashton said: “We took Australia on in a way that people would have expected Australia to take us on, by moving the ball around the field.”
“Today was a much more balanced and complete performance than anything we’ve given in the World Cup.”
As for his pack’s collective effort, Ashton was left almost gobsmacked: “I think to say it was magnificent would probably be an understatement, but I can’t think of a better word at the moment.”
Tres magnifique, indeed.
England 12: Jonny Wilkinson 4 pens.
Australia 10: Lote Tuqiri try; Stirling Mortlock pen con. Ht: 6-10
fvkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
I will now be laughing at the choking sounds. Choke, choke!! How ironic the 1987 on the AB’s arms.
A SA-NZ final? Don’t think so any more.
. Thanks for coming, maybe on home soil next time, or not!
France edge New Zealand out of world cup
(Rugby News Service) Saturday 6 October 2007
By Paul Rhys
From Cardiff
Thierry’s all gold: Dusautoir powers to the lineCARDIFF, 6 October - France staged a second-half fightback to beat the All Blacks 20-18 in an epic encounter at Millennium Stadium.
Trailing 13-3 in the first half, tries from Thierry Dusautoir and Yannick Jauzion for France in the second 40 saw the favourites condemned to another early exit from the IRB Rugby World Cup as Les Bleus set up a semi-final with world champions England.
France bolted out of the blocks in the second half, and repeated pressure on the All Black line paid off when centre Luke McAlister was adjudged to have blocked Jauzion as the French centre tried to reach a Jean-Baptiste Elissalde chip-over. McAlister saw yellow and Lionel Beauxis kicked the penalty.
Sebastien Chabal’s entrance on 51 minutes roused French support in the stands as Les Bleus pressed forward again, rewarded when Dusautoir stepped through a tackle to finish off a sweeping move. Beauxis struck the inside of the post to level the scores at 13-13.
As McAlister returned, Dan Carter limped off to be replaced by Nick Evans. That signalled a period of sustained attack by the All Blacks, rewarded as number 8 Rodney So’oialo powered low through two Frenchmen to dump the ball over the whitewash. The score remained 18-13 as McAlister put the kick wide.
Frederic Michalak made an entrance on 67 minutes to devastating effect. He immediately powered down the left, handing off to Jauzion to dive over. With Beauxis off the field, Elissalde kicked the conversion.
A cagey opening to the first half saw veteran flanker Serge Betsen being knocked out cold and helped off the field. Then Carter dispatched a penalty to make it 3-0 with 13 minutes gone. Five minutes later, Carter, Jerry Collins and McAlister combined for the centre to power through and cross next to the posts. Carter converted, then Beauxis missed a penalty for France to leave the score at 10-0.
Carter increased the lead with a penalty on 30 minutes, before Beauxis scored a last-gasp three points to get the scoreboard moving for France.
Just in case you missed it France 20 - 18 The greatest team … to choke!
Two upsets on a memorable Saturday of World Cup 2007! The favourites are out and France are through! Les Bleus return back across the channel to face England in the semi-final! What a day…Goodnight!
78 On last chance for the All Blacks now! Sivivatu sets another good platform as Leonard sends the ball out. But they’re driven back and McAlister has to have a shot at the drop from halfway…it’s well short!
77 Inches from the line but France turn it over and Michalak’s cross-field kick is strange to say the least! New Zealand have possession back on the French 22 with slow ball. Can France hold out?
75 New Zealand are forced to work through their phases with McCaw and Sivivatu involved! Inside the French 22 - it’s back-to-the-wall stuff for Laporte’s men!
74 It will be an All Black 22 drop-out as time ticks on in Cardiff! McAlister restarts and the ball is back with NZ just inside their own half. Now they move into opposition territory with a forward charge!
72 Evans now follows Carter as he limps from the action! It’s French ball and that’s a great kick to touch from Clerc, sending NZ back inside their 22!
70 JAUZION TRY CONVERTED BY ELISSALDE! 18-20! What an impact from Michalak! He broke through the tackle and kept his composure to send over his centre with for a 60-metre try! They’re ahead for the first time tonight!
68 The replacement number ten now bursts through a gap, but his offload is not the best to his support as France breath again! Beauxis clears long to Rokocoko and that’s a clear forward-pass from the wing, as the stoppage sees Michalak enter at fly-half!
66 And it’s double the misery for France as Evans’ high-kick is fumbled forward by Heymans. Can New Zealand extend their lead to more than one score?
64 SO’OIALO TRY CONVERSION MISSED! 18-13! Here’s the impetus New Zealand were looking for! It’s Sivivatu who breaks the first tackle and now So’oialo carries on the charge. Five metres from the whitewash and the latter barges over with a magnificent effort!
61 McAlister smashes it up as does the second attacker, but what about this from Chabal! The lock stole the ball at the breakdown and France can clear with ease!
59 Replacement Leonard breaks from the scrum just inside French territory as the All Blacks look to steady themselves. They’re moving inside the 22 with phase after phase of slow ball!
57 McAlister returns to the field as Carter limps from the action, replaced by Evans! Here’s So’oialo crashing into the contact until the knock-on from an All Black hand gifts possession back to the French.
55 DUSAUTOIR TRY CONVERTED BY BEAUXIS! 13-13! There are holes here for Les Bleus with an overlap also on offer! But Harinordoquy doesn’t quite have the pace to get over the line! They do this time though, and it’s Dusautoir who gallops over the whitewash…game on!
53 ‘Sea Bass’ and Szarzewski are on for Pelous and Ibanez respectively! And Carter now attempts a long-range drop-goal, which falls to the left as France try to respond!
51 This is an encouraging period for the NZ pack! Only for Woodcock’s fired pass to bounce off So’oialo, which allows Beauxis to clear up to halfway as Chabal prowls the touchline!
49 The All Blacks pile forward though, getting to within ten metres with a strong tight game. Very slow ball here for Kelleher but he’s not interested in sending this one to Carter!
47 BEAUXIS PENALTY! 13-6! France have the lineout and get their driving maul going inside the All Blacks’ 22. It’s moving nicely as they get to within five metres! Beauxis now dabs a delicate chip over the top that comes to nothing, but Barnes spots McAlister blocking and sends him to the sin-bin! The lead is reduced!
44 Good continuity from the All Blacks here are they start to make the French tacklers work. Just over halfway and Williams now stretches his legs, but Les Bleus turn it over and kick-and-chase!
42 Carter restarts the game, with an early NZ score very much on Graham Henry’s wish-list. And they have the scrum on halfway as Kelleher darts brilliantly through a gap, but his pass flies into touch.
40 Half-time in Cardiff with New Zealand holding a healthy ten-point cushion. But can France reenact World Cup 1999 in the second period?
39 BEAUXIS PENALTY! 13-3! Williams is penalised this time for hands in the ruck and Beauxis is back on target! They’re on the board!
38 New Zealand ball just outside their 22 and again Carter’s kick stays infield. Can France get on the board in the closing stages of the half? They have their best opportunity here until it’s turned over and Carter drills it out!
35 McCaw is now given a gentle talking to by Barnes as France get the penalty for a high shot. However, the attacking lineout is lost until France get the penalty for offside! Elissalde takes over the kicking duties after Beauxis’ earlier miss…but he is unsuccessful!
33 Rokocoko sets a good defensive platform for Carter, who sends the ball long to Beauxis as play is kept alive again! New Zealand win the battle though, as Traille overcooks his kick which bobbles dead - scrum back (just inside French territory).
31 CARTER PENALTY! 13-0! Kelleher boxes well to Clerc and he’s met by Sivivatu with a big hit. Scrum-half Elissalde’s clearance eventually puts the ball out of play! But flank Dusautoir is now offside at the breakdown and Carter extends the lead from 45 metres!
27 Sivivatu is forced to take contact close to the touchline and again more kicking envelops. This time Traille wins the battle, pushing the All Blacks inside their 22.
25 And that is turned into a penalty as Collins is offside! But Beauxis’ attempt from distance is just wide and the All Blacks remain ten ahead!
23 New Zealand now clear through Carter as he opts not to find touch. But France are rewarded for their hard chase as referee Barnes blows for the attacking scrum.
21 France keep their play tight as we move inside the second quarter of the game. But New Zealand turn it over and break, until Carter’s pass on halfway is called forward by the touch-judge.
19 MCALISTER TRY CONVERTED BY CARTER! 10-0! France manage to clear, but for how long as Sivivatu takes the quick lineout! Oh and it’s McAlister again who sparks the attack! He offloads to the supporting Collins, and gets it back to crash over for a fine try!
17 McAlister bursts through a hole in the French defence and he’s away! Can he offload to McCaw? No! But it’s recylced for the All Blacks and Sivivatu hands it on to Williams, who dives for the corner! It goes to the TMO…no try (in touch)
15 Williams claims the restart but Carter’s resulting clearance is not the best - an opportunity for France to respond? They’re driven back though, as New Zealand’s defence is strong!
13 CARTER PENALTY! 3-0! Great rugby from New Zealand as Kelleher had several options available to him at each breakdown! And France failed to roll away with Carter slotting the simple penalty!
11 Full-back MacDonald now puts his head down and has a run as the All Blacks enjoy possession. It’s slow though, just outside the opposition 22, with So’oialo taking it up. But Traille hacks it away!
9 Now Clerc is forced to kick from deep as both sets of backs give their forwards bad necks! Another French lineout in a promising position, but it’s stolen by Robinson and the All Blacks come away.
7 My apologies, Betsen has been forced to leave play and is replaced by Harinordoquy. France are in a solid position here, with an attacking lineout on NZ’s 22. It’s taken well by the subsititute and now Jauzion takes contact…it comes back for Traille with an attempted drop-goal…just wide!
5 Carter clears very well again from his 22, but there are some worried French faces here for an injured Betsen. It was Rokocoko who took contact against the flank…and he’s back to his feet, if slightly groggy!
4 The French number nine then takes the sensible option, drilling the ball low into touch. Play begins to open up, even at this early stage!
2 Here we go then! France start the game and Carter immediately launches a superb clearance to just outside Les Bleus’ 22. Ibanez throws and it’s solid slow ball for Elissalde, which is now a scrum.
0 Welcome to Cardiff where (hosts?) France take on New Zealand! Coach Bernard Laporte has opted for Beauxis at fly-half with Traille at full-back as he looks to stun the impressive All Blacks. England’s heroics earlier today has seen one World Cup shock, can there be another tonight? Enjoy!
This is what it looks like, not that the All Blacks would remember. 1987, ha ha.
A few pics for all the All black fans.
The guys in the grey jerseys should stay in Cardiff for at least six months, they are going to be shot if they make it back to New Zealand.
And just to make you guys feel a little better:
The long walk home. A sight every South African loves seeing.
Not in Carter’s class, he is better!
Disagree somewhat, '99 was a choke but today’s match was different. :o
This will sound like sour grapes but the ref was a HUGE factor and made some atrocious calls. He should never have sent McAllister to the sin bin for simply turning round. THAT decision was a major factor as well as all the French offside he missed, and as for the last try …definitely a forward pass.
france + wayne barnes vs nz
What can you do, shit refeering lead to france getting 12 points.
All blacks did not play their best but still should of won based on their performance.
Come on John. McAllister was lucky France could not score there otherwise it was a penalty try. Barnes had a simple choice, card or penalty try. But, that is not where the AB’s lost. They CHOKED. They were affraid to play their normal fluid expansive game. And the squad let them down, they do not have enough depth in that squad. In SA we were saying it for months, without a few key players things were always going to fall apart.
I do not agree, this was one of the worst performances by a AB side in recent memory. They played a very weird game tonight, playing right into France’s hands. Aimless kicking and keeping it close to France’s pack.
Your right, most of their play was not expansive, fluid, didn’t show their great counter attack and running rugby. They went down the middle aimlessly too much. I am saying that even based on that performance they should of still won 18-13 if not 18-8 because of the two poor calls.
McAllister send off was boardline. The frenchman basically runs into him, and there were numbers back to pick up the loose ball. The second try was a definate forward pass.
Good luck to the boks, they are my second favourite team mainly because of habana 