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The 6 nations is over, with England winning unconvincingly, France Imploding, Scotland...well being scottish, Wales and Ireland all over the shop and Italy...well, actually playing the best rugby they've EVER played..IMO, non of this bodes well for RWC 2011.

Can a northern hemisphere team win this year?? If so, who has the best chance??

England winning unconvincingly?

Did you miss the bit about only losing one game?

EDIT: Hey! You're from Bedford! D'you go to the Games Workshop on greyfriars?

NH?

I thought you were talking about New Hampshire in the thread title. I am disapoint.

Monster Rain wrote:NH?

I thought you were talking about New Hampshire in the thread title. I am disapoint.

As am I.

Monster Rain wrote:NH?

I thought you were talking about New Hampshire in the thread title. I am disapoint.

Truly, New Hampshire rugby is the best kind of rugby.

Hey, I know that guy!

Australia are pretty weak right now. So that leaves South Africa and New Zealand. New Zealand are playing great rugby, but they almost always do, so it's just a matter of waiting until they choke in the semi-finals.

At which point you have to ask yourself "can we can concievably beat South Africa". If the answer is yes, then you're a chance at winning the Rugby World Cup.

In all seriousness though, no, its very unlikely that a Northern team will win.

If we play to the level we played at during the Six Nations (excepting Ireland, which was a half-arsed attempt at a grand slam knowing full well that it wouldn't matter if we won or lost) then I think we stand a reasonable chance.

I wouldn't say we're front runners for the World Cup, but we're not write-offs by any stretch.

Centrebet has pay outs at (Australian dollar is 96US cents because we are obviously more awesome than the USA)

Pay on the Winner Rugby World Cup 2011.
Winner - WINNER
NEW ZEALAND 1.83
AUSTRALIA 4.00
SOUTH AFRICA 7.00
ENGLAND 10.00
FRANCE 13.00
IRELAND 41.00
WALES 41.00
ARGENTINA 67.00
SCOTLAND 101.00
FIJI 501.00
ITALY 501.00
TONGA 501.00
SAMOA 751.00
CANADA 1501.00
GEORGIA 1501.00
JAPAN 1501.00
NAMIBIA 1501.00
ROMANIA 1501.00
RUSSIA 1501.00
UNITED STATES 1501.00

Personally I think NZ will choke again, Australia is overrated.
Japan does have ninjas, and will soon have new uniforms to play in.

It will probably be SA but I can see NZ (finally) stepping up to the mark.

England and to a lesser extent France have a chance if their Packs can step up to the mark and generate quick ball against the better teams because they both have the Backs to exsploit holes.

I will now revert back to form and say that England will win it because we is bestest and ruggerbee.

Edit - @ Gonads - SA have got be worth a tener at 7 to 1 if you can get those odds.

Yes.We have before and can do so again.Ok,the ireland game was half-arsed, but that was because they had one eye on the six nations title already.We are capable of beating anyone on the day and that is what it comes down to in the end.Providing the forwards give the girls in the backs quick ball and control/bully the scrum and line-out we are more than good enough.

Well, personally, after that Six Nations performance (except for the last game), I think that Leicester Tigers have a decent chance in the World Cup.

Oh, sorry, yeah, I mean England.

GazzyG wrote:Well, personally, after that Six Nations performance (except for the last game), I think that Leicester Tigers have a decent chance in the World Cup.

Oh, sorry, yeah, I mean England.

Don't forget the Saints now!

Where would we be without Chris Ashton?

England won because they were more consistant, but if you try to be objective, they just weren't clinical and consistant enough. They stuttered against Scotland, were flattered by France's self destruction and were just rubbish against Ireland. Had they put Ireland away, then I'd be happy, but they didn't. Saying they had an eye on the Grand Slam is true-but that's not going to get them through the RWC where they have the Aussies, All Blacks and Springboks to contend with along with Agentina.

IF England play consistantly at their best, then they, along with the French, have a shot at the cup. The problem is NZ and SA are rugby machines. England can't ride their luck or live off scraps. My pick (and it hurts to say) is France as highest RWC finishers from the NH

If Ireland play the same in the world cup as they did against England, they'll win it.

However, they won't, which is almost a shame. England are probably the best hope for NH, unless France decide to string 7 or 8 good games together!!