Luke McAlistar

Well here it is the business end of the world cup, its been by far the best WC since the competition begun in 1987. So this weekend the shock semi final lineup will be France vs England and the Pumas versus the Springboks. Both im sure will be tight cagey affairs with so much at sake so they could be relatively low scoring. What are your predictions for the respective games?

France vs England- This will be a thrilling game im sure especially after both teams great wins last weekend, France bet England in both their warmup games plus with the home advantage they will be firm favourites to make the final. England have really improved since their first couple of games, as ever their main weapon will be the forwards who should have the edge over the French. However England havent scored a try against a top ranked side in their last 5 games so the backline will need to provide more penetration, the French backline is certainly better. Goal kicking wise Wilko should be better than Ellisalde but he has been off target alot since his comeback so they should share the spoils.

France by 10-15 pts

South Africa vs Argentina- This will be an enthralling match, two great sets of forwards will probably cancel each other out so the lineout will be extremely important and the south Africans are the best in the world in this particular area. The Springboks have made quite a few mistakes in their recent matches which could cost them against the confident Pumas, the kicking skills of each team are excellent but Hernandez edges it due to his brilliance with the drop goal skill, something that Monty isnt good at. But as far as place kicking goes between Contempomi and Percy Montgomery, Monty edges it so far, he is back to his metronomic best is seems. In the backs the Argentineans have some tremendously skilled backs like Corletto and Borges, but they havent beeen used so much, if the Pumas make handling errors in the wrong part of the field they will be punished by the rocket Bryan Habana and also JP Pietersen. Again should be an enticing encounter, but the Springboks have the better all round game and i think they will emerge as finalists.

South Africa by 10 pts

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george

i think eng 20 and fra 25 should be a good game springboks to strong for pumas in the scrums and on wings,loose trio of sa is to good for pumas,but beware of pichot and hernandez.35-28 to boks go bokke go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!big bok fan.

WallaBen86

Based purely on form, I think France will topple England and secure their fourth final appearance, and the 'Boks of South Africa should have too much for the spirited Pumas.

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Elisalex

Dear Luke or Matt, I hope that you are wrong in your predictions for tomorrow’s semi-final between Argentina and South Africa, we are supporting down here with all our hearts and minds our dear Pumas, and we are praying for a victory, they deserve it. They had struggled a lot to reach this instance and they and we will not give up now. I am aware that for Europeans, Australians, South Africans and others just the fact that our team had reached the semi-final is something not easy to accept. There is still a high degree of contempt towards our Pumas and Argentina amongst many of you, not your case indeed. But we shall overcame all those preconceptions arising from a total lack of knowledge of how rugby has been consistently growing every year in Argentina, a country where we have thousands of players now in some three hundreds clubs throughout our Southern Cone of America. As I said before rugby started almost a hundred and a half years ago, thanks to the Scots (Saint Andrew’s Scot School founded in 1852), the English community (St. Georges School) and the Irish new comers. But these seeds helped to propagate the passion for rugby amongst other people in this country. We are praying to Our Lord and Our Lady that they will give us as a chance of reaching the final, where we shall fact England. By the way, I congratulate the English team for their victory today in Paris. If we win tomorrow well be quite interesting to watch such final next weekend in Paris, where some 20 thousands Argentines travelled from here and from other countries to support our team. My forecast for tomorrow is a narrow but clear VICTORY FOR OUR PUMAS GOD BLESS THEM AND OUR LADY WILL PROTECT THEM. In spite of being extremely tired they will fight as the Spartans fought against Persia and they will prevail, at least this is my hope and what all of us here desire, will be fantastic for Argentine rugby and from now on, nobody will see our teams as “inferiors”, just because they are from South America. Last but not least, I know how well the Springboks play but we had defeated them in the past and I know how committed are Pichot, Contempomi, Hernandez and Corleto in this big challenge, they will play as gentlemen and will show the whole world that our rugby is one of the best, you can take it for granted. Thanks to everybody and to you especially my dear Scottish friend, what a wonderful country you have, this spring I will be in Edinburgh and other places for some weeks, I want to see some rugby games over there with my nephews and nieces who will travel with us and I am looking forward to see Paterson and the Lamont brothers in action. Pumas will win for 8 points, we shall wait and see or watch no?

Luke McAlistar

I hope i am wrong to Elisabeth but you have to look at previous form and think the Springboks power in attack could give them the edge, remember its only a prediction the Pumas have a great chance of winning. It would be a fairytale if Argentina got to the final, thanks again for your kind words and enjoy the game.

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Elisalex

Dear Matt or Luke thanks for your kindness and good manners. We are extremely anxious and nervous with the game. You will find very few people in the streets; everybody is waiting for the next hour when the game will begin. As I said it is an outmost for us to win this match, in spite of the fact that the Springboks are a wonderful squad, when I was a little girl we went to South Africa and I saw a game between South America XV and them, we won then (times of apartheid). This morning when we were in mass our priest told us that we shall trust in Our Lady, she will protect our boys, but they will make a miracle if they can overcome and face England the next weekend. Thanks again and we shall wait with anxiety the match.

Luke McAlistar

Well done to the Springboks, clinical performance but we have come to expect no less. The scoreline flattered them a bit, Argentina put up a good fight even although their try was a knock on, but Habana is a hard man to contain as he showed again. The Pumas will still have a chance of a podium position, small consolation but they could do the double over France.

So on to the final, you would have to say the Boks are the favourites. They havent scored anything less that 30 points in this tournament which really shows what a ruthless side they are. Also great to see Percy back to top form with the boot

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Elisalex

It is a fact, we were plainly defeated by the Springboks but our Pumas did their best, as a friend told me, he played for the Pumas many years ago, the experience and know-how of the South Africans was a key factor in their today’s victory, no doubt they are wonderful and I love their rugby and especially the genius of Brian Habana and the other great player who is Percy Montgomery. I am convinced that our dear team must start playing in other championships so they can obtain more familiarity with international competitions. At least we did not loose like England in the first march with the South Africans in such inexcusable way. Since the beginning of the match, when they starting to sing our National Anthem, I noticed that most of the Pumas were extremely nervous and tense, this was something that operated against them, diminishing their chances. But Corleto, Contempomi, Hernandez, Pichot and others they confronted the Boks with all their strength, who had played much better were those who are playing in Europe in these days, In spite of my poor knowledge of rugby, I am convinced that they must play other international tournaments in the future, depending mainly in the rest of the nations to accept them in those cups. Our Pumas had lost the match, but we are still extremely proud of them, they are our heroes and this defeat with such powerful rival will not diminish what they had done during the World Cup. God bless them, and I believe confidently that this cup will help us to have much more rugby players in our country, and new Pumas will give us a victory in the near future, perhaps some of the same team that had played this evening. If England defeats South Africa in the final will be a real miracle, Springboks look invincible, since the first match were for me the best in this tournament, but I had always hope that they may prevail against all predictions. We are now feeling very sad but we are not downhearted, the future is from us and we will show to the rugby world what we are capable to do, which will be much better of our performance until now in France. Our glorious Pumas will be welcome back as they deserve, with all our love and admiration, regardless of this defeat.