OK, I've slated them all week, and my head says that we've got Buckley's, but who cares what my head says - winning has as much to do with heart as with head. Anything can happen in an 80-minute game. David CAN beat Goliath. Today we will achieve glory - or an interesting death, at least. If we're going down, we're going down fighting!!! http://www.kiwirugby.net/krforums/im.../icon_evil.gif http://www.kiwirugby.net/krforums/im.../icon_evil.gif http://www.kiwirugby.net/krforums/im.../icon_evil.gif

Nobody (including myself) has given them the most remote chance, but the moment is now almost upon us...this is the moment that everyone's lived for, worked for. This is when rationality stops and emotion and passion starts. Stuff the form guide. They'll be representing their country and defending the World Cup...and whoever wants that Cup will have to take it away from them. Don't die wondering, Georgie! This is the game to go insane. I'll be one of the 80,000 cheering you on today - today, the day that you've spent the year preparing for. The odds are against us, the challenge is immense - the All Blacks have been that good, they think they just need to turn up and victory is theirs. They will seek to intimidate us through the haka, and will be very physical and try and smash us out of the game. But the true test of character is the ability to triumph against impossible odds, to dream the impossible dream, to be able to surmount the insurmountable challenge.

Interesting anecdote from the 99 Rugby World Cup:

<font color="yellow">
As to Rod Macqueen, there is no doubt about his greatest hit - and it was no joke. In 1998, on a tour of France, the Australian rugby team stopped at a windswept cemetery on the edge of the village of Villers Brettonneux where hundreds of young Australian men their age had lain six feet beneath the sod since the darkest days of WWI. The team was profoundly moved as they wandered among the grave-stones in the chill air.

Just a year later, in his final address to the Wallabies in the bowels of Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, just before they went out to face the French in the 1999 World Cup final, Macqueen referred back to a story from that battlefield. It concerned an Australian Lieutenant by the name of F.P Bethune, a clergyman at home, who found himself in charge of 20 Australian soldiers in a particularly bloody battle of the war.

In March of 1918, it fell to Bethune's men to hold the line against the marauding Germans. The Australians were clearly outnumbered, and outgunned, and nearby British forces considered their position suicidal. But it was crucial to the rest of the Allies that they at least try to hold the line, and the only way out was total resolve. If one man wavered they were lost. Lieutenant Bethune gathered his men and gave them written orders.

And the orders went like this, Macqueen said, clearing his throat, and trying to keep his own emotions in check, as he read from the piece of paper in his hand.

This position will be held, and the section will remain here until relieved. The enemy cannot be allowed to interfere with the program. If the section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead, but in any case it will remain here. Should any man through shell-shock or other cause attempt to surrender, he will remain here dead. Should all guns be blown out, the section will use Mills grenades and other novelties. Finally, the position, as stated, will be held.

"And guys," he finished. "They held their position." After that point, not another word was spoken, as the Wallabies went out the door, down the tunnel, and into the roar of a World Cup final, to return victorious some 90 minutes of football later.
</font>

Win or lose, we're not going to surrender meekly. If we go out, we're not going to go out with a whimper, we're going out with an atomic explosion. Go you Wallabies!! Do us proud. Stick it up the Kiwis. David did beat Goliath, after all. :YB http://www.kiwirugby.net/krforums/im...s/ANIM-JJD.gif http://www.kiwirugby.net/krforums/im...on_twisted.gif http://www.pk-hq.com/community/images/smilies/5butt.gif

[img]smile.gif[/img]

If Eddie Jones is as eloquent we should win! Go Sailor, Rogers, Tuquri

Enjoy the match Mario......I got your text!

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No further comments.

whoo hoo.. im watching right now.. its 7 aussie to 0 NZ :D

Radio for me. The missus wants to watch the "Bill" instead.....bah! ;)

Into the break with the Aussies in front... 13 points to seven well deserved the lead is, every time I see the wallabies attack I can't help but notice our boys falling over ourselves and missing tackles... jitters perhaps? :D

Aussies definately playing smoother ball than I've seen in thier previous games so far this WC, only hope they can make some mistakes in the second ;)

GO BLACKS GO!!!

Time is running out for the all blacks...... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

22-10 for the Aussies 15 mins to go!!!!!!

yeah!!! whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AUSTRALIA WON !!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

Congrats to the Wallabies, a game well played and a game they deserved to win [img]smile.gif[/img]

Sad for all our hard work to go down in a poor performance such as we did but I suppose there's always next time :D

Phils wisdom corner... "He who does not have the ball, cannot score points" ^^

Ya beat me too it


Yahoooooooo!!!!!


errrr bad luck pc giant and Downunda! [img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img]

That was an awesome defensive display by the Wallabies. It starved the AB backline of possession and eventually all they could do was resort to trying to batter through the defensive line with their forwards.

The better team won [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Dammit - I was washing my hair and I missed it. I didn't know the score until I got a phone call from a clearly jet lagged, confused and rather excitable Davros.

No point in me watching the highlights then.

I missed the match but I'll still root for the Wannabe's.

Yay! I'm not a huge fan of rugby but that was a great match! The Wallabies had their number from the very first minute. And personally I thought the haka lacked passion - think Eddie psyched them out ;)

<font color="cyan">England will do ya!</font>

So, Memny, Davvy, looks like the final game will oppose our Blues and yours Wannabes, eh ? [img]graemlins/viking.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/ninja.gif[/img]

Well, after the slight formality of tomorrow morning. ;)

Wearing the ABE badge are you ? :D

My cup runneth over - there's a bloody freedom girl online! I suggest you add this to your collection of "posts I wish I'd never made" ;)

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Hi Claude! ;)

[ 11-16-2003, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: Donut ]

<font color="cyan">It's on now, England beat France!

The WC is coming home now!</font>

Hey Leonis, we've re-written the words of the National Anthem just for Saturday


God save YOUR gracious Queen
God save YOUR noble Queen
God save YOUR Queen
Send her victorious, happy and glorious
Long to reign over YOU
God save YOUR Queen! :D

What's with the weather there - it's pissing down and blowing a gale!

I heard Swing Low being bellowed out in the NZ - Aus semi-final. Our fans outsing yours even when we ain't playing.

Apparently Australia is the greatest place in the world to be english at the moment!


;)