2019 Predictions Thread
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10 bold predictions for 2019
Alex McLeod has brainstormed 10 World Cup-related predictions eight months out from the showpiece event's kick-off.
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Try this:
10 bold predictions for 2019
Alex McLeod has brainstormed 10 World Cup-related predictions eight months out from the showpiece event's kick-off.
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@Tim The Gatland as Wallaby Coach is an interesting idea and not beyond the realms of possibility. I don't think Warren has really endeared himself to New Zealanders, so I'm a bit sceptical that he's on the inside track to replace Hansen. Replacing Chieka certainly a possibility.
Wallabies getting beaten by Fiji or Georgia seems a bit pie in the sky to me. Similarly, I think Scotland are a class above Japan and won't get ambushed.
McLeod is on the Will Jordan bandwagon and seemingly agrees with me that he'll get most of his early chances on Big Seta's wing. Given that we're a bit short on wingers it's also not beyond the realms of possibility that he could somehow storm into the ABs, though he's coming from further back than Kiwi in the Melbourne Cup. I think the smart money is on George Bridge.
Nonu in the midfield? Doubtful!
Argentina getting bundled out and Rieko or Stockdale as top try scorers at RWC? - likely.
Ireland win the RWC? - they're getting beaten in the QF by South Africa! In the words of Selwyn Toogood, "You've got your three in a row"!
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Either DMac or Reiko to break Habana/Lomu/Savea's tries in a RWC tournament record (depending on who plays against Namibia)
Whitelock to break or equal McCaw's winning RWC appearances record
EDIT: Blues to make the SR finals at the expense of Highlanders
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The All Blacks will lose or play averagely in one Test in July or August. Articles will appear from Stephen Jones, Chris Rattue and Bob Dwyer saying the All Blacks might as well not bother to turn up to the World Cup.
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Sonny Bill Williams will play particularly badly in this game. Hansen and Foster will finally admit he's not played well in years and will leave him out of the RWC. SBW will storm off to Toulon saying he always hated the All Blacks playing environment. Chris Rattue writes a column describing Sonny Bill Williams as the greatest sportsman who ever lived and the ABs have no chance without him.
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Owen Farrell will get sent off for England in their RWC Quarter Final after a swinging arm, high tackle. England will lose by 14 points. Eddie Jones will give an angry press conference where he demands a tearful Owen Farrell apologises. Clive Woodward calls Eddie Jones a disgrace in several newspaper columns. Eddie Jones gets the sack. Eddie Jones and Clive Woodward appear in a tetchy TV studio encounter just afterwards (think Brian Clough/Don Revie Yorkshire TV 1974) with Piers Morgan in the Austin Mitchell role.
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Ireland will finish second in the Six Nations and will get knocked out of the World Cup at the Semi Final stage earning them a reputation for peaking between World Cups.
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The Rugby World Cup final will be between the All Blacks and Springboks the 100th Test between the Old Foes. Various politicians will arrive wearing replica versions of their nation's captain's Jersey and will think they are Nelson Mandela. Jordie Barrett will get an intercept try. Akira Ioane will crash through about eight defenders to score another try. The All Blacks will win with a last-minute Beauden Barrett drop goal. Michael Cheika will accuse the All Blacks of cheating.
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@sparky said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
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The All Blacks will lose or play averagely in one Test in July or August. Articles will appear from Stephen Jones, Chris Rattue and Bob Dwyer saying the All Blacks might as well not bother to turn up to the World Cup.
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Sonny Bill Williams will play particularly badly in this game. Hansen and Foster will finally admit he's not played well in years and will leave him out of the RWC. SBW will storm off to Toulon saying he always hated the All Blacks playing environment. Chris Rattue writes a column describing Sonny Bill Williams as the greatest sportsman who ever lived and the ABs have no chance without him.
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Owen Farrell will get sent off for England in their RWC Quarter Final after a swinging arm, high tackle. England will lose by 14 points. Eddie Jones will give an angry press conference where he demands a tearful Owen Farrell apologises. Clive Woodward calls Eddie Jones a disgrace in several newspaper columns. Eddie Jones gets the sack. Eddie Jones and Clive Woodward appear in a tetchy TV studio encounter just afterwards (think Brian Clough/Don Revie Yorkshire TV 1974) with Piers Morgan in the Austin Mitchell role.
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Ireland will finish second in the Six Nations and will get knocked out of the World Cup at the Semi Final stage earning them a reputation for peaking between World Cups.
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The Rugby World Cup final will be between the All Blacks and Springboks the 100th Test between the Old Foes. Various politicians will arrive wearing replica versions of their nation's captain's Jersey and will think they are Nelson Mandela. Jordie Barrett will get an intercept try. Akira Ioane will crash through about eight defenders to score another try. The All Blacks will win with a last-minute Beauden Barrett drop goal. Michael Cheika will accuse the All Blacks of cheating.
This should be a story on literotica.com
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Owen Franks will score the winning try, his fist in tests, in the RWC Final after the full time hooter (returned to the field as injury replacement having earlier been subbed).
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@sparky said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
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The All Blacks will lose or play averagely in one Test in July or August. Articles will appear from Stephen Jones, Chris Rattue and Bob Dwyer saying the All Blacks might as well not bother to turn up to the World Cup.
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Sonny Bill Williams will play particularly badly in this game. Hansen and Foster will finally admit he's not played well in years and will leave him out of the RWC. SBW will storm off to Toulon saying he always hated the All Blacks playing environment. Chris Rattue writes a column describing Sonny Bill Williams as the greatest sportsman who ever lived and the ABs have no chance without him.
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Owen Farrell will get sent off for England in their RWC Quarter Final after a swinging arm, high tackle. England will lose by 14 points. Eddie Jones will give an angry press conference where he demands a tearful Owen Farrell apologises. Clive Woodward calls Eddie Jones a disgrace in several newspaper columns. Eddie Jones gets the sack. Eddie Jones and Clive Woodward appear in a tetchy TV studio encounter just afterwards (think Brian Clough/Don Revie Yorkshire TV 1974) with Piers Morgan in the Austin Mitchell role.
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Ireland will finish second in the Six Nations and will get knocked out of the World Cup at the Semi Final stage earning them a reputation for peaking between World Cups.
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The Rugby World Cup final will be between the All Blacks and Springboks the 100th Test between the Old Foes. Various politicians will arrive wearing replica versions of their nation's captain's Jersey and will think they are Nelson Mandela. Jordie Barrett will get an intercept try. Akira Ioane will crash through about eight defenders to score another try. The All Blacks will win with a last-minute Beauden Barrett drop goal. Michael Cheika will accuse the All Blacks of cheating.
Hmmm. Ireland will go out in the semis but NZ and SA will meet in the final...
How to solve that riddle...?
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Ireland don't have a hope. Every other top side has a way that the QF-SF draw can open up for them and they get a path that doesn't require three massive performances in consecutive weeks. Ireland's draw gurantees they have to do just that.
Also worth noting Ireland have gone into World Cups before with strong results; in 2007 they had back to back triple crowns and couldn't make it out of the pool stage. 2003 they only lost on the last weekend of the 6N to eventual champions Engand and beat Aussie on the 2002 EOYT - again didn't make it out of the pool.
I expect the RWC to be unpredictably predictable; France and Argentina will overperform as usual and act as spoiler, there will be some minor upsets with big rammifications for the QF draw, at least one game will hinge on a dubious yellow card or TMO call...
Good to see others see the Gats to Aussie possibility - although I'm not unconvinced he could/would work under Foster if things break that way.
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@rotated said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
Good to see others see the Gats to Aussie possibility - although I'm not unconvinced he could/would work under Foster if things break that way.
How could Gatland -- a man who has coached Five Nations teams for well over a decade, has a great record with British Lions tours, and has quite firm opinions about how he wants his teams to play -- not chafe under a guy who has done squat all and has no discernible game plan?
I find it laughable that he would consider any role other than occasional technical adviser.
I'd like him to take Waikato again.
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@Chester-Draws said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
@rotated said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
Good to see others see the Gats to Aussie possibility - although I'm not unconvinced he could/would work under Foster if things break that way.
How could Gatland -- a man who has coached Five Nations teams for well over a decade, has a great record with British Lions tours, and has quite firm opinions about how he wants his teams to play -- not chafe under a guy who has done squat all and has no discernible game plan?
I find it laughable that he would consider any role other than occasional technical adviser.
I'd like him to take Waikato again.
I assume if he wanted the big job, and this was the way to do it then he'd have to suck it up.
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@Chester-Draws said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
@rotated said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
Good to see others see the Gats to Aussie possibility - although I'm not unconvinced he could/would work under Foster if things break that way.
How could Gatland -- a man who has coached Five Nations teams for well over a decade, has a great record with British Lions tours, and has quite firm opinions about how he wants his teams to play -- not chafe under a guy who has done squat all and has no discernible game plan?
I find it laughable that he would consider any role other than occasional technical adviser.
I'd like him to take Waikato again.
Him and Foster get along well and live down the street with one another plus Gats worked under Foster at the Chiefs in 2007 despite being the bigger name. The tradition of being overqualified for the assistant role has been well established by Smith and Hansen. It would be nice to not be fighting from underneath after 10 years of doing so with Wales.
I would be surprised if he went to Australia unless he got carte blanche otherwise he is pretty much coaching Wales of the south.
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@rotated said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
@Chester-Draws said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
@rotated said in 2019 Predictions Thread:
Good to see others see the Gats to Aussie possibility - although I'm not unconvinced he could/would work under Foster if things break that way.
How could Gatland -- a man who has coached Five Nations teams for well over a decade, has a great record with British Lions tours, and has quite firm opinions about how he wants his teams to play -- not chafe under a guy who has done squat all and has no discernible game plan?
I find it laughable that he would consider any role other than occasional technical adviser.
I'd like him to take Waikato again.
Him and Foster get along well and live down the street with one another plus Gats worked under Foster at the Chiefs in 2007 despite being the bigger name. The tradition of being overqualified for the assistant role has been well established by Smith and Hansen. It would be nice to not be fighting from underneath after 10 years of doing so with Wales.
I would be surprised if he went to Australia unless he got carte blanche otherwise he is pretty much coaching Wales of the south.
Everyone lives down the street from one another in Hamilton.
