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Whenever you happen to contemplate across this final weekend of pool matches at the Rugby World Cup, it’s almost appreciate an extra knockout stage before the knockout stages. Handiest two teams have qualified for the quarter-finals, so there’s a lot of places up for grabs. Thankfully, a variety of two facets are Wales, so we can relaxation a little easier this weekend as we head back to Nantes 16 years after our last, forgettable visit.
France, the hosts, aren’t thru yet, although I’m no longer definite I glance an Italy side that loyal conceded 96 formula against the All Blacks knocking them out of their possess tournament! The no 1 side on this planet, Ireland, peaceful haven’t secured their place within the last eight yet, either. Their clash with Scotland has the makings of a very fascinating game.
Andy Farrell’s team aren’t top of the rankings for nothing. So that you are left thinking how save Scotland beat them? Ireland can be assured after the way they’ve played, but I judge Scotland are very dangerous. In this day and age, anything can happen but I’d peaceful fancy Ireland with their self-discipline, their tackle technique and their clinical edge with the ball. I fancy them to find that one. They’re loyal outstanding in their execution.
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Scotland have played neatly on this tournament and they’re a very dangerous attacking side. It’ll be a very fascinating game and it’s so complicated with the permutations in that South Africa may per chance also exit. You can read about those right here.
Argentina against Japan as a winner-takes-all clash is another fascinating one. We’re clearly thru and, in case you are taking a contemplate at potential quarter-finals, you couldn’t ask for a better draw.
In case you loyal jog on the world rankings and the tip eight teams, then Scotland are the one from that eight likely now to no longer be within the knockout stages. And if they save make it, it’s at the expense of 1 in all Ireland or South Africa – and they’re first and third within the rankings. I do know Australia aren’t within the tip eight anymore, but they were weeks before the tournament. They’re another who are out.
For Wales, you are taking a contemplate at a potential quarter-final against either the ninth or 12th most productive side on this planet, according to the rankings. You couldn’t really better that. It’s a very fascinating draw. Clearly it was achieved a very long time ago, and you loyal have to take what’s given to you. Wales are a assured side and they’ve achieved that so far. They’re a dangerous side.
I judge Wales will jog in as favourites, particularly against Japan as they have been below Wales for some time. That’s no longer quite the case with Argentina although, as it’s much less than a month since they were four places ahead of Wales. Since then, they’ve successfully swapped places as Wales climb and Argentina have plummeted.
The fear with Argentina is how they jog this week. You understand how Japan are going to play. But Argentina have been very unhappy so far. Why are they so unhappy and is there a colossal game in them?
Now we have achieved quite neatly against Argentina within the past, but certainly they received’t be as bad as they have been so far. So watching how they jog against Japan can be fascinating. If they save no longer play neatly against Japan, they are going to be out. I judge, if I was Wales, I’d probably favour playing Japan. It’s a very fascinating one. If Argentina really play neatly on this game and jog chubby throttle, then Wales have their hands chubby all of a sudden.
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But if they play appreciate they have and loyal scramble thru, then I’d fancy Wales. With Japan, you realize what’s coming by way of their playing vogue and I’d back Wales against them. Maybe Japan is the better draw for Wales because Argentina may have that performance in them.
But without reference to whoever they face, each team will have earned the legal to be there and you will have to perform neatly to find. That’s the article, you can’t fear about who you will have except you salvage there. Then for those that’re there, you fear about that and the way you will compete.
That all comes back to Georgia in Nantes this weekend. Bear in mind, Wales must find the team first before they can fear about Argentina and Japan. As for Georgia, they’ve establish in a impartial real performance against Fiji now. They received’t be scared of Wales. They beat them last year.
They received’t contemplate back on that and judge ‘Oh, but it was a unhappy Welsh side’. They beat Wales. That’s the pause of it. I’m glad Wales have long gone chubby tilt against them. Catch the latest rugby information sent straight to your inbox by signing up to our daily e-newsletter.
For me, you may have now obtained four games in four weekends. Accumulate them and you find the World Cup. Now that they’ve long gone sturdy, they can gain extra confidence with a impartial real performance this weekend. It’s loyal about building that momentum ahead of the knockout stages, doing the same issues as before.
Catch a impartial real kicking game going, salvage Georgia playing away from the Welsh half. And, also, let’s accomplish on what we have achieved attacking-smart. Now we have given away a lot of ball within the previous games. I save no longer judge that’ll save us many favours within the quarter-finals or semi-finals.
Optimistically, when Wales salvage the ball in those attacking position, they are going to battle thru the phases and establish them away. If they can’t save that, then I fear they are going to combat against the better teams later on within the tournament.
One totally different thing that this clash with Georgia does is remind us of how far the national team have arrive in a short space of time. That defeat to Georgia in Cardiff was positively a low point for Wales. That performance was dreadful and they all know that. Now Warren Gatland is back and Wales have obtained their confidence back, they’ve improved their fitness levels and they’re assured with their living-share.
I’ve been there. After we misplaced to Romania in 1988, the entrance page of the paper the next day had the headline ‘RIP WALES’. Smartly, that’s loyal the click. You may per chance per chance per chance be going to salvage that and you accept that. Whenever you happen to’re down, you are down and for those that’re up, you are up.
The handiest those that bear in mind those issues are the media and a lot of supporters. As a player, you loyal are trying and transfer on. You don’t are trying and lose games for Wales, it’s the worst feeling on this planet.
You loyal are trying and salvage over that and transfer on. That’s what Wales have achieved. Positive, there were changes to the side last year and in many ways, it’s a totally different team now, but ultimately they misplaced last year. That may peaceful inspire them, no longer loyal to find, but to accomplish towards the quarter-finals with the legal performance.
What you want to save now may per chance be exit and establish that Australia performance available once again, no longer the Portugal performance. They clicked neatly in Lyon. The combinations looked impartial real, the kick-chase was impartial real, the defence was impartial real, the living-share was impartial real.
They may per chance be tested a bit extra at the living-share against Georgia. Optimistically, they can accomplish extra on the attacking side and no longer salvage drawn into an arm battle against Georgia.
Wales save no longer have the jeopardy that totally different facets face this weekend. They handiest want a label find the pool. This weekend is all about building towards the quarter-finals within the legal manner.
You can watch Jonathan on S4C at some stage within the World Cup, whereas all the episodes are also available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer. Watch all of Wales’ games at the Rugby World Cup dwell on S4C.