Rugby World Cup general discussion
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Into the knockout stages and here's my takes:
Minnows of yesteryear are cementing themselves up the pecking order - Fiji, Japan, Samoa & maybe Georgia etc. Maybe as a result of playing club rugby in the NH, the PI SR teams and regular Tests. Keep it up guys.
Todays minnows - Chile, Uruguay, Portugal need to follow the same path. It isn't all up to World Rugby, individual countries can help too. Send the AB XV or similar to tour these countries. It's a win-win for both countries. England could re-instate the Saxons etc.
Are we missing a trick with the teams exiting the Pool stages? A Plate competition to run mid-week in the knock-out stages would be fantastic for the smaller teams. I'd love to see more of the likes of Davit Niniashvili.
Refereeing is an absolute mess. Guidelines change from game to game, some Refs aren't up to it (I'm talking about you Carley) and the TMO has become too intrusive. The Georgian ref has been a revelation so make a point of widening the net.
With a few exceptions, players have respected the opposition and avoided soccer-style shit. Loved the spirit the England-Fiji games was played in today - heck, even Farrell was smiling.
The main arch-whiners thankfully left the competition early. Fuck off Eddie, you're a disgrace to the game. Sympathy to the players who have to put up with these fluffybunnies.
The crowds seem to have been fantastic and sporting. One of the most memorable scenes from the AB-Ireland game was the Irish & NZ supporters standing and applauding the opposition teams as they walked around the stadium. Class from all concerned.
Finally can we stop the ad break between the anthems/Haka and kick-off? Bloody annoying
@Victor-Meldrew said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
he Georgian ref has been a revelation so make a point of widening the net.
And how nany of us were pissed off with his work experience performances last RWC and in between?
Think Barnesy 2007 too.
Development comes with a cost. Perhaps just not on the biggest stages.
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@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Nepia yeah was tounge in cheek cos up until yesterday, it was all about Ireland & France.
Has anyone asked Sir Clive how he would like his crow cooked?
@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Has anyone asked Sir Clive how he would like his crow cooked?
This has actually aged quite well.
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@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I know it’s easy to forget Scotland but Finn Russell has been known to be difficult too.
Contrast that with DC, Beaver, Beaudy etc who you’d happily buy a beer for at the pub
@MN5 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Contrast that with DC, Beaver, Beaudy etc who you’d happily buy a beer for at the pub
You'd imagine Wilko would be up for that as well.
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@MN5 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Contrast that with DC, Beaver, Beaudy etc who you’d happily buy a beer for at the pub
You'd imagine Wilko would be up for that as well.
@Victor-Meldrew said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@MN5 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Contrast that with DC, Beaver, Beaudy etc who you’d happily buy a beer for at the pub
You'd imagine Wilko would be up for that as well.
Anyone who practices goal kicking on Xmas day is not the kind of cat I want to have a beer with.
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This seems to be the most appropriate thread to post this is:
While I am elated about the Boks making it to the SF - as would be the AB fans and Argie and England fans - I truly commiserate with the losing quarter finalists and their fans.
Fiji were magnificent and punched way above their weight for a country with a TOTAL population barely 10% of the city of London.
Wales came from a dismal run of results to within a whisker of making consecutive RWC semi finals.And then there is France and Ireland. Either team could have been deserving winners of the tournament - they were playing that well. That it took the 2 best quarter final games I can remember to destroy that dream will be scant consolation to the players and their fans. Knock-out rugby is cruel like that.
I genuinely feel for you.
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@frugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
So which refs get the semis?
With Jaco down and Uncle Mat being rubbish, is it as simple as BOK does SA v ENG and Barnes does NZ v ARG, or will the Georgian boy/Dickson/Pearce/Gardner/Berry come into the reckoning?
In past tournaments, the QF refs have done the semis.
It was a "learning" from 2007, when they invested in development for a certain QF that didn't happen.
Best refs do the biggest matches.
Thought Raynal looked lost. Jack O'Piper is crocked. Leaves Barnesy and BOK.
Leaves the question what if it is NZ v England ...
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@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
Touchies used to just work out where the lineouts were and who's throw it was, and judge kicks at goal. Until sometime in the 80s when their roles expanded.
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@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
Touchies used to just work out where the lineouts were and who's throw it was, and judge kicks at goal. Until sometime in the 80s when their roles expanded.
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
Touchies used to just work out where the lineouts were and who's throw it was, and judge kicks at goal. Until sometime in the 80s when their roles expanded.
I remember in school my mate explaining that if the ref was on the other side of the scrum you could just punch the opposing prop because the touchy wouldn't do anything about it.
Not sure if that was true, I played for the second team, which was a lot more casual.
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Sportsbet are offering $10.50 for Argentina and $6.75 for England at the moment
@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Sportsbet are offering $10.50 for Argentina and $6.75 for England at the moment
NZ TAB were famously paying $9 for France in the '99 semi.
Got fleeced.
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England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
Occurred to me this morning watching Farrell, thinking Jonny had a ready made replacement.
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@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I get the first two, but I've never found Biggar to be on the same level, have I missed something?
@Nepia said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I get the first two, but I've never found Biggar to be on the same level, have I missed something?
Go find the Wales v Fiji replay, especially just before half time.
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@Nepia said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I get the first two, but I've never found Biggar to be on the same level, have I missed something?
Go find the Wales v Fiji replay, especially just before half time.
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Nepia said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I get the first two, but I've never found Biggar to be on the same level, have I missed something?
Go find the Wales v Fiji replay, especially just before half time.
Admittedly he's was just a fluffybunny to his own team.
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@frugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
So which refs get the semis?
With Jaco down and Uncle Mat being rubbish, is it as simple as BOK does SA v ENG and Barnes does NZ v ARG, or will the Georgian boy/Dickson/Pearce/Gardner/Berry come into the reckoning?
In past tournaments, the QF refs have done the semis.
It was a "learning" from 2007, when they invested in development for a certain QF that didn't happen.
Best refs do the biggest matches.
Thought Raynal looked lost. Jack O'Piper is crocked. Leaves Barnesy and BOK.
Leaves the question what if it is NZ v England ...
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@frugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
So which refs get the semis?
With Jaco down and Uncle Mat being rubbish, is it as simple as BOK does SA v ENG and Barnes does NZ v ARG, or will the Georgian boy/Dickson/Pearce/Gardner/Berry come into the reckoning?
In past tournaments, the QF refs have done the semis.
It was a "learning" from 2007, when they invested in development for a certain QF that didn't happen.
Best refs do the biggest matches.
Thought Raynal looked lost. Jack O'Piper is crocked. Leaves Barnesy and BOK.
Leaves the question what if it is NZ v England ...
Then you get Marius Jonker. Who refs the game from the TMO box.
Game ends up being abandoned after 6 hours 43 minutes with only 3 players left on the pitch. -
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
Touchies used to just work out where the lineouts were and who's throw it was, and judge kicks at goal. Until sometime in the 80s when their roles expanded.
I remember in school my mate explaining that if the ref was on the other side of the scrum you could just punch the opposing prop because the touchy wouldn't do anything about it.
Not sure if that was true, I played for the second team, which was a lot more casual.
@GibbonRib said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
Touchies used to just work out where the lineouts were and who's throw it was, and judge kicks at goal. Until sometime in the 80s when their roles expanded.
I remember in school my mate explaining that if the ref was on the other side of the scrum you could just punch the opposing prop because the touchy wouldn't do anything about it.
Not sure if that was true, I played for the second team, which was a lot more casual.
Probably. In my day they had no say other than as described above. Touch and shots at goal.
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@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@canefan said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@taniwharugby said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Bones I also think that the ARs need to do a better job of assisting, whle the TMO needs to have thier remit amended.
Assistant refs have been shithouse for as long as I can recall, I still have memories of Stuart Dickerson dragging play miles back for some minor or imagined foul play that allowed him the limelight for a few minutes more. I can't remember how it was back in the days they were called touch judges. But I seem to recall that at least offsides and forward passes were picked up
Touchies used to just work out where the lineouts were and who's throw it was, and judge kicks at goal. Until sometime in the 80s when their roles expanded.
I remember in school my mate explaining that if the ref was on the other side of the scrum you could just punch the opposing prop because the touchy wouldn't do anything about it.
Not sure if that was true, I played for the second team, which was a lot more casual.
@GibbonRib said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
I remember in school my mate explaining that if the ref was on the other side of the scrum you could just punch the opposing prop because the touchy wouldn't do anything about it.
It was called "Bringing one thru"....
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@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Nepia said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I get the first two, but I've never found Biggar to be on the same level, have I missed something?
Go find the Wales v Fiji replay, especially just before half time.
Admittedly he's was just a fluffybunny to his own team.
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@Nepia said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
I get the first two, but I've never found Biggar to be on the same level, have I missed something?
Go find the Wales v Fiji replay, especially just before half time.
Admittedly he's was just a fluffybunny to his own team.
who absolutely deserved every droplet of the spray
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How much fun would it be to travel with the McGOATs?
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@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
Occurred to me this morning watching Farrell, thinking Jonny had a ready made replacement.
@booboo said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@NTA said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
England: Farrell
Ireland: Sexton
Wales: BiggarIs it preferable to be a massively unlikelable fluffybunny to play 10 in the British Isles?
Occurred to me this morning watching Farrell, thinking Jonny had a ready made replacement.
Farrell actually smiled. That's significant progress.
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I'm genuinely surprised that it seems a few people think England have a hope against SA.
They 100% genuinely, really, don't. Not a sliver.
@MajorRage said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
I'm genuinely surprised that it seems a few people think England have a hope against SA.
They 100% genuinely, really, don't. Not a sliver.
This. I can’t understand people rating our forwards with a hope in hell against the Boks. We’re not good enough outside of the pack to live on parity, let alone on the amount of shit back foot, going backwards ball we’ll have to live on. God forbid anyone knocks a ball on, our scrum is going to be marmalised
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Regarding refs, bit frustrated about the amount of whinging here. They’re all good, sometimes they make mistakes. People tend to think their own ref is the best as they watch those games through both eyes. Always possible to spot inconsistencies, it’s just most only see them that go against their side. My main objection in this tournament is the inconsistency of the TMO role, some get involved in everything, some only when asked etc. don’t know how to fix it.
Last thing, head contact has properly screwed me over in this tournament, I am in the process of totally changing the way I perceive them as the refereeing across the board has been totally different to what went on in the years up to the WC - I actually don’t think Curry’s red in the first week would be red at this point in the tournament based on this weekend (and I totally agreed with it at the time). Having initially been a fan of the bunker process, I now think it’s bollocks and just means fans don’t know what’s happening and Bunker refs are working hard to keep people on the field with no real consequence to their decision. Watching the Premiership over the weekend there was a perfect example of the old system at work on the field, where you hear the ref going through the process. Foul play, level of danger, mitigation, decision. Took no longer than the bunker referral and you know straight away. Would prefer to go back to that system.
