Well there’s only one thing that both Ireland and England can say about their respective games last weekend…they didn’t deserve it on the day!

Having talked to some of the boys from the Irish camp and I’m sure it’s the same for the team across the water, it’s the disappointment in the way they played on the day that kills them. It wouldn’t be so bad if they had turned up and at least played to their ability and still lost, that wouldn’t be too bad but unfortunately for both sides that just wasn’t the case.

So here we are still looking forward to a cracking weekend of rugby but with a little tear in the eye for what could have been!

Let’s have a quick look at the games starting with the first, the northern hemisphere showdown. To sum it up I think we all know the most obvious thing that will influence this game is what French team will turn up?! And trust me they will need to turn up to beat this energetic welsh side.

In my view Wales’s strength is also probably their flaw, they have a great ability to go out and play at 100% of their ability and just punish aside from start to finish but the problem I think is that they are already playing at 100% and there is no higher they can go, no improvement to be made. Now this is a huge achievement that any side can do this at all but they will not be the same force if they are only slightly off the boil.

Frances strength and the reason that I think they might come out on top of this game, is not where you might think it is!

There was clearly trouble in their camp during the pool stages and the word has it that the senior players got them together and they have said to hell with their mad coach, we are playing for ourselves…and that makes them dangerous! There is a way of beating the red teams fast up, high tempo game and if the French have done their homework, their new spirit could be the difference.

I going to come out and say it… I think that New Zealand will lose on Sunday!

I don’t think that the Aussies will have any fear, I think they will attack the 10 channel with everything they’ve got and hopefully get down to the 4^th choice 10. I think the longer the game goes on with the scores tight the more pressure will come on NZ and we know that they don’t do pressure well!! I think it vital for them that Beale starts, even just for the mindset of the same team starting.

There’s is no doubt that it will a cracker and I won’t be surprised if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am!!

Shane