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Both too close to call, both simarly ranked teams, only one team has never made it to a semi final from the bunch though...
Can an ascendant Wales squeek past a well firing Argentina who have perhaps failed to spark this tournament
Can a 17 match unbeaten run Ireland get the monkey off their backs and make it through versus a 3 time world cup winning union?
Don't miss either!
Nearly 40 phases at the end there to hold off Ireland. gg
Incredible disciple after two yellows!
Ridiculous control and precision from both sides.
HOLLYYY SHIIIIIIITTT
LETSS GOOOO SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SEMIS
Gonna cry if it's a SH final
Allez les blues!
Imagine, nobody saw it coming in 2015 either; and to be fair it probably had no right to be given Scotland were robbed. But c'mon Fiji & Saffa!
Well that was a it fucking intense, wasn’t it?
Yup. ABs clearly sandbagging pre tourney it seems
The SA & France results do need to be taken with a grain of salt. Jordie Barrett is a bit of a sleeper reputation wise but my impression is that his selection at 12 is what really nails the ABs best backline. Obviously 9 & 10 are critical positions, but Barrett at 12 both stiffens the defence, provides a big body to run it up on attack and gives a great kicking option (off the tee for long distance ones too).
In the forwards, as much as I hate his presence in the team, Frizell does make a huge difference. He's as big as Akira Ioane but uses his size in a very physical way. Akira probably ought to have played in the backs as a centre in hindsight, but its far too late now. Frizell takes a huge amount of the workload off Savea, and that lets us have another jackal which is critical.
One other selection that I think made a difference was on the left wing. Telea was playing too well to drop; but Fainga'anuku is less prone to break too far from support and is very strong in the rucks. Telea ruling himself out through misbehaviour has potentially lost him his place for all of the finals.
I had to stop watching just before half time after my watch warned me about my heart rate. I'll risk injury for my Mapgies next week against the Bulls - and wanted to get some work done on my boat :)
What I did watch I thought was decent rugby; up until what I believe was a very harsh yellow card to Aaron Smith. I think Barnes could have forced Ireland to play on a bit more rapidly. A lot of huddling, walking to line outs and delayed kicks. Ireland controlled the tempo after the first 15 or so and that's what got them back into the game.
Anyway, who cares about the RWC, my 'pies are playing in the first ever First Division final next week and I am FIZZING.
Noticed the Irish being slow to the line out every time. Given they were supposed to be in top of that,yeah Barnes could have had a word.
Yeah i'd love to see that, and kickers taking an age to kick for touch stamped out of the game. The rules are already there, just need to be applied.
Oh how sweet is that, scoring a world cup try on your birthday!
My head says Wales and Ireland win, but my heart says Southern hemisphere semis
Ooohh gooood I think I just orgasmed
Having said don't miss, guess who's on the road and likely to have only the radio for the first match?
Can't argue with the result, but it should have been the final.
A rough day for teams in green with a reputation for choking in world cups.
Not sure I’ll be able to catch the first game, but it’s the least interesting from a neutral point of view imo. Argentina have been poor, and wales have been pretty decent. Don’t see that going anything but a comfortable wales win.
Ireland should be too strong for the ABs, especially with Telea dropped. But let’s face it, they’re reigning RC champions for a reason. They might not be the ABS of 2015, but they’re no slouches. For Ireland, they won’t want any more injuries regardless of what happens.
Might have just sent this to my Irish mate
Good to see Ireland building some momentum. This match needs to go down to the wire.
Well that was a good prediction
Ireland trailing by a point at half time. The quarter curse is real I feel. If this team can't do it, will any ever manage it?
AB's of a year or two ago would've spent the first half figuring out ways thru the other team, and then steamroll them in the second half.
I think they figured them out before the kick off. Chips over devastating them. Targetting that lineout hard too. Kicking game neutralised. ABs looking unassailable
Well earned penalty try. ABs clearly fucked that maul defense
Not sure I'll catch the Wales match but will be in the pub for Ireland Vs Kiwis. Hoping for Ireland ftw.
I think Wales and Ireland will pull through today. Both sides have been playing very well so far.
Don't like the ref? Take him out!
The heck was that? Intentionally shoulder barged him to the deck, nowhere near the ball. Could have got a concussion on hitting the ground. Ref says it's "just" a cheap shot. How is it not a red card?
Ive seen worse, but it was definitely a surprising decision.
I guess they need to get better at hiding it from the cameras, like Richie McCaw.
ITV commentary making George Gregan look like a... very short person.
Interesting to see how the AB's handle being underdogs for a change.
Well, next we get to find out who beats Argentina next Friday.
Glad I was able tune in for that. The Welsh I was watching with was less glad.
I've been wrong before, but I predict this'll be mostly Ireland's super-slick defence vs the AB's creating chaos in attack.
LOL, they make Sean Fitzpatrick hold a big green microphone.
Really stupid hand from Smith. And another silly pen to boot. ABs wanting to do this the hard way it seems!
He's rated for his fast hands, not his fast brain, eh?
Is anybody actually worried about Ireland being able to maintain this level for the next World Cup and intervening years? You don't get that good by not having the proper support thru age groups and clubs. That and the glamour of winning a test series in New Zealand, I think they'll be just fine. I'm more inclined to worry about England ever being able to win the 6N again.
Ireland will be fine. But the other nations will keep improving too, and so this may well have been the best attempt they could have had
England will rise again too. Too many good players to languish for too long. Can Wales and Scotland be able to compete again? Will Italy win more than 1 match in the next 5?
Well it was theirs to lose, and that's what they did. It's happened to our All Blacks more times than not, and we keep coming back just fine.
Yes, Italy. And Australia! Hope they can get their shit back together.
Aki goes over. It takes a New Zealander to score against New Zealand.
Lol, Gibson-Park also born in New Zealand
This is tense on the radio
Good close finish here
Aki looks to be literally bleeding green. Incredible finish