A Touch of the Mongrul

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Dont always agree on Knuckles outlook, but got to enjoy a bit of shit stirring.

Connolly sends out warning

John Connolly: 'You've got to be on your ball'Australia coach John Connolly has warned teams that go into Rugby World Cup games unprepared face the risk of suffering a shock defeat, or one close to it.

This comes after Argentina's famous 17-12 win over tournament hosts France in a scrappy but thrilling match at the Stade de France on Friday.

The USA's display against defending champions England showed the importance of teams being mentally as well as physically prepared for a contest.

England were made to work hard for their 28-10 win against the 'minnows' of Pool A, and were lucky the scoreline ended with only an eighteen gap margin.

Ireland too were put to the sword against Namibia, and have a lot of work to do if they are to even qualify for the knock-out stages in Pool D - which is more commonly known as the "Pool of Death".

"Sport these days is so much between the ears," Connolly said.

"It can happen. You turn up in the wrong space, or tactically you're a bit naive, they (your opponents) will sneak up and bite you.

"You've got to be on your ball, tactically, strategically the whole time."

Connolly had some sympathy for France coach Bernard Laporte in the challenge he now faced to get through to the quarter-finals following Friday's loss to Argentina.

"I think they really believe the sky's fallen in, as Bernard said," Connolly added.

"Their (France's) answer will be to train harder and work harder. The last couple of games in that pool - I think Ireland play Argentina in the last game and the second last game is France and Ireland. It'll be an interesting end to it."

How much sympathy was that again?

Sorry, from Planet Rugby.

[frontrow]

I just cannot understand why some teams decided they were shoe ins before they played a match, you can bet the teams they played were not thinking we have no chance of a win so lets just show up, they would have thought lets give it a red hot go and see where the cards fall....The results speak for themselves really with all but japan making the scoreboard with a try, including the virginal Portugal, and Namibia played some awesome football, so too the US of A and Canada....They came with the right attitude....