We have a shocking record against the Saffers and this weekend's game will be no different. The only thing that might save us is excess hubris and over confidence from them.

However, you can't go into a tournament like this half-cocked and think you can tinker your way to the title. Our players are not inferior to the South Africans. They are less experienced, less cohesive, less prepared and less well coached. Every one of them knows their precise role and how it interconnects with the other 14. We do not and that is why we will lose.

France thumped us 56-10 in the six nations. I hope it won't be that bad. I am going 45-9 to them. If we get double figures and reduce the winning margin to 20, that is a building block to grow from.

Normal World Cup service resumes uninterrupted. What a rubbish way to spread the game. The two teams that always win will be in the final. I'm a rugby fan but doubt I'll watch. I'm iffy enough about even bothering to watch England lose to South Africa. It's a massive anti climax and a waste of the previous few weekends.

Red and Blue Army!

Everything points to another thrashing at the hands of the Saffers ,which is why I think it will not happen. Can't explain why but I think we may just have enough to stop them playing.....wont be pretty tho' if I am right.

Not really. Northern Hemisphere international supporters would want a Northern Hemisphere side to win. The World Cup is going to become increasingly irrelevant if the same two sides win it all the time. I wanted France to win frankly so obviously not that tribal. I thought they were the best team in it. I thought an Ireland v France final would have been nice.

The refereeing was poor as per usual. It shouldn't change the outcomes so much, but it does. Which is another reason rugby becomes ever more farcical.

I'm trying to not have the game die off and be ruined but it looks like rugby is hell bent on killing itself in the long term. When all of the armchair fans say they can't understand the decisions, has anyone really gone out on a limb to say how subjective it all is? Nearly all matches, a major decision, sometimes several, change the entire scoreline.

I think the only time a clash of heads was a red was Curry, for example, look at it again and his is the least of many since, which resulted in yellows, a penalty or nothing at all. You wonder if the refs are trained by the Premier League or just plucked from a Sunday school game.

I agree entirely with Dupont about O'Keefe. What the TMO was actually doing is anyone's guess.

Red and Blue Army!

And is the reason I do not go. The booze ban at football works for odd reasons.

It’s something that I’ve not had a problem with, luck of the draw where you sit I suppose, I’m not a regular so maybe I’ve just been lucky. I do have it a bit at palace with some who sit in my row though, it’s not the drink, it’s just some people are up and down all game, either going to the loo or the shop, they’re a pain in the backside