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Wallabies to meet All Blacks in Japan

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This year looks like the Wallarobbies are gonna spank the ABs. ABs are pitiful and will come third in the try nations.

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Pitiful? Hang on a sec. How many Aussie teams made it in the super 14 - none. Will all the ABs big guns be back and rested - Yes. My pick is SA first, ABs second and Wallabies last.

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Not so sure about the Aussies coming 3rd- there are only 2 teams in the Bledisloe Cup (I'm sure you were talking about the Tri-nations, though). I think they'll take the Bledisloe this year and ramp up to a World Cup 1st or 2nd in 2011. Maybe I'm just an optimist, huh. Anyone planning to get to the Tokyo match?

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great news! Hopefully they will both raise their levels by then. Recently, only SA and Wales have shown the best rugby.

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And with eye-gouging officially approved by the Southern Hemisphere teams, it should be an eye-opener.

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Aahaha- I get it- a South African player was pinged for eye-gouging an English rose (the audacity!) and one of the coaches failed to have him hung, drawn and quartered- that must mean all southern hemisphere teams approve of eye-gouging. Brilliant.

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giving Japanese fans a chance to see one of the most intense rivalries in rugby union.

And expats!

I agree that the Yarpies should take out the Tri-nations this year, but Australia winning the Bledisloe? IIRC they need to actually win the series, not just draw it, in order to take the cup from its rightful home, and I don't see an Australian rugby team beating New Zealand 3-1 this season.

http://www.irb.com/rankings/index.html

1(1) NZL NEW ZEALAND 90.68 2(2) RSA SOUTH AFRICA 89.45 3(3) AUS AUSTRALIA 86.32 4(4) IRE IRELAND 83.27 ... and the rest ...

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one of the coaches failed to have him hung, drawn and quartered

Which translates as their coach said it wasn't a yellow card offence and then said he believed his player hadn't even done it. Despite it being as clear as day on live television beamed to millions of viewers around the world. Hung, drawn and quartered ? No, it should be at least a 4 month ban.

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Northlondon,

He retracted the statement anyway, and(unbelievably) I think there is an appeal against the severity of the punishment. But neither of these statements, nor yours, negate my point.

You said

And with eye-gouging officially approved by the Southern Hemisphere teams.

Riiight, well done.

Davidattokyo,

Yeah, as I said I'm probably a bit optimistic, but it's good to see the Aussies starting to turn the corner after some disappointing campaigns in recent years. Here's hoping Australia can take the Ashes and follow with a Rugby World Cup in 2011.

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And with eye-gouging officially approved by the Southern Hemisphere teams

and what of the Italian captain banned for eye gouging an All Black?

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Recently, only SA and Wales have shown the best rugby.

Now I know why Davidattokyo showed up(haha), Wales? apart from a propensity for sheep they don't even belong on the same paddock as the ABs. Position for position the current batch of ABs at best match or give ground to the Aussie team. Without Carter McCaw and Williams the ABs will struggle. Super 14 form means nothing in test matches. Different kind of game. Anyone know when tickets come up for sale?

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1(1) NZL NEW ZEALAND 90.68 2(2) RSA SOUTH AFRICA 89.45 3(3) AUS AUSTRALIA 86.32 4(4) IRE IRELAND 83.27 ... and the rest ...

Along with their ever-changing 'traditional' Haka, the All Blacks are the greatest underachievers in world sport. Although they usually boast a nearly unbeaten record throughout the test year, their World Cup record is pretty rubbish considering their reputation. The Wallabies are the best World Cup side, but have done nothing since being runners-up in 2003. The Springboks come next and are the best current side and England have a better World Cup record than the All Blacks who last got to the final way back in 1995.

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Shame about the stadium. Best bring a pair of binoculars.

North London - The game`s 4 months away. That gives you plenty of time to brush up on some old convict or sheep shagging jokes.

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and what of the Italian captain banned for eye gouging an All Black?

Yeah but Italians are southern hemisphere people within the northern hemisphere..

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north london. good old balmy army whinging about another lost/ stolen game. Poms need to pick up their bottom lips and grow a sack. less cups of tea and more sun is what they need. Thought this thread was about the bledisloe cup but stick around you might learn something.

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I hereby go on record and state that the Wallabies support will be outnumbered 9 to 1 in the stadium, and whipped by 30-40 odd points by the men in Black. Speaking as an Aussie, I can honestly say most Aussies couldn't give a hoot about the Wannabies: it's League we care about in Queensland and NSW, and Aussie Rules is the religion everywhere else.

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it's League we care about

well a soprt that hunts women in packs and then punches them is worthy of banana bender support. Come over to where the men can get a lady on their own, except the English and Waseda students that is.

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BurakuminDes - true that. I see another good Origin series win by the Maroons a week or 2 ago. NSW might beat them in a few years time but at the moment they are probably just lacking in a little Origin experience.

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And in other rugby news, Japan will host the RWC in 2019 (England to host in 2015).

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As for the Bledisloe cup, NZ are traditionally the best team in the workd for 3 years out of 4, it's just the fourth is a world cup year... At the moment they're pretty poor (just look at the results against France and yes I know their were injuries but 3 years ago the NZ second team would have beaten France) so maybe it's their turn to win it... Though the Aussies have the better coach, something that NZ may regret for a very long time.

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Come over to where the men can get a lady on their own, except the English and Waseda students that is.

spud, seeing as you're a man who seems to struggle to 'get the English and Waseda students on their own', I can probably suggest a few bars and parks for you.

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BurakuminDes - true that. I see another good Origin series win by the Maroons a week or 2 ago. NSW might beat them in a few years time but at the moment they are probably just lacking in a little Origin experience.

I'm sorry to say the Queenslanders are better across the park than NSW, I am glad I was in Japan and couldn't watch the games!

As for spud, well I don't want to watch a game where players are at risk of having their eyes gouged out...and the thug who did it only cops a 2 month suspension! Union may attract the university educated types, but also the violent psychopath eye gougers!

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Agree with Bura. League has always been a better and harder game than Union and the League players have always been recruited into Union and are the standout players in the Union game.

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League has always been a better and harder game than Union and the League players have always been recruited into Union and are the standout players in the Union game

...and don`t the Union folk get all shrill when they try to deny it

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Matt Rodgers was a real success. Wendell as well.

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This was Matt Rodgers before he 'met' Josh Lewsey was it? ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZPZLnA_HWc

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Matt Rodgers was a real success. Wendell as well.

Well they are still both decent League players, but no greats of the game...and both strolled into the Wannabies team and played dozens of Tests. So did Tuquiri (who has just had his ARU contract torn up today, mind you). You would have to concede Leaguie Brad Thorn was a brilliant purchase for the All Blacks from Aussie Rugby League , very good Broncos forward...walks into the ABs and turns world-beater.

The one thing Union has over League is bigger wads of cash - to buy the brilliant League players. I still wouldn't watch union at less than International level, though.

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Huh? Brad Thorn was contracted by the Canterbury union. He went back to league and realised his passion was for union. This league versus union debate is moot cause in the professional age the money is in union, no way would a successful union player switch to league. But go back 20 years and there were tons of ABs and top drawer Kiwis being poached by the NRL. Matt Rodgers was the hyped up league star till he went to union, then the NRL boys got long bottom lips about it. Same for Sailor, celebrated for their return to the NRL but not really able to successfully make the switch.

League players have always been recruited into Union. Couldn't happen until the early 1990s.

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My god Wallabies are attacking people and in Japan of all places!

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This league versus union debate is moot cause in the professional age the money is in union, no way would a successful union player switch to league.

It's not even a "debate" for most people in Aus not in the AFL states: League wins hands down. If I want to watch blokes kicking a ball, football (soccer) is vastly more entertaining than Rugby Yawnion. The fact is, Union has more money now than league, but (in Aus) don't develop many players, which is why they must buy League players. Ever seen a "First Grade" club rugby game in Aus? Me neither, but I've heard it's less entertaining and less physical than watching a women's netball match! I like Brad Thorn, he is a champion League player who switched to Union for big cash - and good on him - and if I go to the Test match in Tokyo, I'd pay to watch him and his side demolish the Wannabies.

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The fact is, Union has more money now than league

point taken league wins nothing. It is a dying corporation with more and more amalgamations in store. NRL shrinking Super 12 expanded and expanding.

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Where can we order tickets? Thanks.

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