RWC 2011 - It's Time!

England inspire no confidence in me, but France is doing their annual headgames chokefest implosion courtesy of Lievremont being a complete 9-ball.

At least you can guarantee Johnson has his Englishmen revved up every match and ready to crack heads.

And that's worth 3 points to me.

England 

Both teams haven't impressed me but holy shit France looks like my shit after a night out

i'd still love to know where you got some of those wacky lines and so far before the WC started

English books. 

Oh, also, those aren't "wacky lines."  The first six matches listed were the opening lines. 

French have released a strong XV for Friday.

Ah shit.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.

Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 David Marty, 22 Cédric Heymans.


Palisson at 11 is the only move that raises an eyebrow, but I assume it is to allow for a strong substitution effort.  This French side is BRUTE and I am, quite frankly, shocked at Lievremont's stoic ability to pick this.  I for sure thought he would choose some Frankenstein hybrid o' bullshit that would see the English romp like circus clowns over elementary school children.

"I'm very happy to be in the team, I was quite frustrated to be a reserve," said Harinordoquy said.

"We have to stop asking questions of ourselves now and go for it because the French team plays well when it stops asking questions."

"I lost to [England] in 2003 and 2007, I've had enough of that," said Harinordoquy.

Georgia

Bakkies Botha OUT for the Boks against the Wallabies

Lot of pressure on Matfield in the lineouts now

France always look good on paper. This team look a complete mess at the moment, they are really missing Skrela's direction in the midfield. Parra is a far better scrum half than a fly half.

I'm thinking that England will win this by more than 13, got no money on it but that's just what i'm thinking. France are looking just terrible and I could see England step it up a lot for this game.

Love talking some good rugby.

I didn't know you could change your name on the site, otherwise I would have changed it to "dumbasssuckerforhugeassAFLmoneylinesdumbshit" years ago. 

Alright, Johnno has played his hand and it is hot as Hades!!!  Here we go:

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Matt Stevens.

Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 Simon Shaw, 20 James Haskell, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Matt Banahan.

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As said, I was absolutely stunned, then frightened, by the announced French XV.  I think Lievremont got that right and I immediately started to shit myself about did I make the right call at England -3 early in the week.  And then I saw something that I have been waiting for for what seemed ages.....and improbable:

Jonny and Toby....together.

My huge man-love for Wilko aside, this is Nartin Johnson's master stroke.  His best, most complete moment in his time at England.  In an era of English line-up shuffling and uncertainty, this line-up should be bronzed and stored away for the great-grandchildren.  It is glossy and willing.  Perfect and pedigreed.

The only thing left to finish this off is a victory on the weekend.

The forwards are expected and solid.  A dependable lot which will win a lot of turnover ball for the Roses and dominate in the line-outs.  Banahan on the bench will be a firebrand sub in the 2nd Half providing power and energy that will rock the French.  The American Corbisiero will play like a typical American, hard, fast, without regard for physical safety, and is perfectly suited for the final 20 minutes of the match.  Shaw and Haskell provide the experience, Lawes and Hartley the understanding and the youth.

Spot on.

The backs, ooooooh the backs!!!!

BRAVOOOOOO!!!! (kisses hand and brushes away) BRAVOOOO!!!!!

15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs

This is the GREATEST ENGLISH BACK-HALF in OVER A DECADE.  Better than 2003, dare I say?

This selection by MJ is his coup-de-grace....almost as if he saved his best for the knock-out rounds.  Where have you been all my life mate?

Foden at Full...versatile, heavy-hitting, fearless.  Almost cheating.

Ashton and Cueto at Wing....Beauty and the Beast.  The Young and the Restless.  Father and Son.  A blissful harmony of destruction.  Speed, experience, ability, and instinct.

Tuilagi and Flood at Centre.  See above.  The hunger with these two even moreso.  Something to prove.  A man wanting to belong.  Another ready to take the Roses as his own.  It's all for the taking.

Youngs at Scrummie.  Youth and resilience.  Power and intelligence.  Guided by the solid hands of Jonny and Easter, confidence swelling...........a definite force at this position.

The greatest NH player of our-time, in what could be his last WC game of all-time, at Fly.  Jonny.    The intelligence, ability, defence, and anticipation.  A force in himself.

This backline is a whirlwind of youth and experience, of force and finesse, of hunger and handiness.  Combined with the announced forwards.....and the willing bench...............

WOW.

WOW.

WOW.

That being said, the English tactics become all too obvious here.  Johnson knows the French, after having a great week of training, will come out of the gates like blockbusters to gain an early edge.  What is going to happen on the English side next will surely draw heavy criticism in the media, win or lose:

NEGATIVE FOOTBALL.

Johnson will be playing negative football in this match.

Jamming up the breakdowns, ready-at-hand garryowens and grubbers, NO HESITATION DROP GOAL ATTEMPTS.

England will be questioned by the match announcers, booed by the fans, and drubbed by the media.

By they will win.  And win ugly.  Indeed.

They will plug up the French attack, which will try to go wide at every conceivable moment, by controlling possession and, when not in possession of the ball, forcing the French wide.  Turnover ball and French error will lead to a slow English progression in the forwards......followed by sporadic and unpredictable bursts by the backs.  Erratic and dangerous....like a cobra strike.

France will fall off-balance.  And just when they pull it together.  English will stun them with a drop-goal attempt, most of them successful.

Two field generals at the same time, Wilkinson and Flood, to control the troops.  Unrattled, unshakened, committed, and convinced.



ENGLAND BY SEVEN. 

So while France have named 2 scrum-halves, England have named 2 fly halves. This ought to be good

Indeed.

I was very happy to hear Wilkinson actually talking about Flood being in the mix at the same time.  He mentioned the two field generals strategy and how Flood could take the game over if he was buried in a ruck, etc.  I was very elated to hear that, as I think my pulse on the match is accurate here.  Plus, I was been waiting AGES for this pairing.  I was afraid Wilko might retire from international ball before he got a chance to pair up with his old ex-student in Flood.  Tonight's match is going to be historic.  I will be jumping for joy to see this match.

COME ON ENGLAND!!! 

Wow!  England up to -5 in some places!!!



Public money backing the Poms.

No matter.  I am very confident in my analysis of this team.  A team which I have won and LOST a shitton of money on......(remember the 6Nations there HoH?  hahaha....).

Jonny + Toby = BOOM! 

I cannot wait for this match!!!! 

Wales up to 2.5 in some places.

ARRRRRGH!

Tempting....tempting......but. just. can't. pull. the. trigger......ARGH!

Roses tonight

 

LET'S GET THAT SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Wales up 22-10 in the 71st Minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!  Not enough to have backed the Welsh here, although my instinct was right.

Nailed Wales, now let's get England

Off to bed, hope to wake up to extra $$$ in the account tomorrow morning

Oh you wimp!  Stay up for this!  3:30 am start where I am at!!