Argentina

[TigerLad]

Excellent display from Argentina and all the players with tigers connections. The 4th best team in the Southern Hemisphere just demolished the best team in the northern hemisphere. Says a lot about the state of European rugby.

[drc_007]

I think Argentina finished above South Africa in the last TriNations and so probably regard themselves as the third placed team. However the general point still stands, looks like the southern hemisphere domination of quarter finals.

[jgriffin]

Excellent display from Argentina and all the players with tigers connections. The 4th best team in the Southern Hemisphere just demolished the best team in the northern hemisphere. Says a lot about the state of European rugby.

See my almost simultaneous post for one possible factor before we deify SH rugby (yawn) again.

[Hot_Charlie]

Matera must've been MotM, even if he RWC voting system was going to pick the more obvious Sanchez.

[Darc Tiger]

Fantastic (and a little scary) to see an Argentina side this good. They get my backing for the rest of the Tournament.

[Soggypitch]

Fantastic!! Their improvement sine joining the Rugby Championship is amazing. Perhaps England should apply to join.....oh and the rest of the NH sides!!

[stonebob]

argentina and nz had pleanty of rest coming into this weekend and it showed ..ireland were knackered in the last 15mins .they should have tossed a coin with the french last weekend. to see who faced the all blacks and saved themselves...

[The Boy Dave]

argentina and nz had pleanty of rest coming into this weekend and it showed ..ireland were knackered in the last 15mins .they should have tossed a coin with the french last weekend. to see who faced the all blacks and saved themselves...

Exactly my thoughts.
Scotland also had a fairly easy ride through their group which was toughest on Japan having to play the Scots after a shorter rest.
Australia's tough group nearly took it's toll on them today but they have squeezed through.
Sort of makes England's failure all the more disappointing as they had the best schedule of them all.

[rocktop51]

I thought they could win but not by that margin. I just hope that it is regarded as a good win and not an unlucky Ireland with injury problems. Credit where its due - an historic win

[Spicer]

I want Matera back!!!

[Sajerj]

Fantastic!! Their improvement sine joining the Rugby Championship is amazing. Perhaps England should apply to join.....oh and the rest of the NH sides!!

Quite so, Soggy. The impact of elite players paying at an elite level.

Its hard to ignore that the two biggest underperformers, England and France, are the two countries based on club rugby. The gap between some of the rugby seen in this tournament and what we see in club rugby is absolutely massive.

People keep saying the players are there in England. My answer to that is that last years champions, Saracens, had a back division of Wigglesworth, Farrell, Barritt, Taylor, Goode, Ashton, Strettle etc....and they won it comfortably and have largely been Englands best team for the last 4 years or so.

[Stu_F]

Fantastic!! Their improvement sine joining the Rugby Championship is amazing. Perhaps England should apply to join.....oh and the rest of the NH sides!!

Quite so, Soggy. The impact of elite players paying at an elite level.

Its hard to ignore that the two biggest underperformers, England and France, are the two countries based on club rugby. The gap between some of the rugby seen in this tournament and what we see in club rugby is absolutely massive.

People keep saying the players are there in England. My answer to that is that last years champions, Saracens, had a back division of Wigglesworth, Farrell, Barritt, Taylor, Goode, Ashton, Strettle etc....and they won it comfortably and have largely been Englands best team for the last 4 years or so.

& Hodgson, who imo is theit best back.