Rugby World Cup general discussion
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@sparky said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Big story of this World Cup so far has been the strength of the Northern Hemisphere sides relative to the Southern Hemisphere ones. Why has this been so different in this respect to previous World Cups?
No doubt the NH is getting stronger across the board at Test level, due in part to Ireland waking up and France being more consistent.
The ABs were always going to be on a downslope after the 2011 and 2015 efforts, which showed in the 2019 SF against England.
The Wallabies... well... they've been on a downslope for over a decade.
South Africa's game plan is simple to implement but simple to stop AND relies on having all the players there. No Marx is a significant chunk of experience and talent lost when you don't pick a third hooker and your bench are a bunch of fat, unfit pricks.
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Big story of this World Cup so far has been the strength of the Northern Hemisphere sides relative to the Southern Hemisphere ones. Why has this been so different in this respect to previous World Cups?
https://twitter.com/rugbyinsideline/status/1705882624156201309
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@MajorRage said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Dunno where this is from, it’s a UK publication somewhere
Nice random numbers pulled out of someone's arse! The gist could be correct tho, basically no chance quarters, small chance semi, reasonable chance final.
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Apart from 03 , the winning players used to play super rugby too ,
That trend is about to change, looking like a smart move by South Africa with hindsight
@kiwiinmelb said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
That trend is about to change, looking like a smart move by South Africa with hindsight
the move is driving the change. We miss them - and I think they miss us.
Reality is the best comp to prepare you for Tests is no longer Super. We have a long road to get back - the NH did it in 8 years; we can do it and do it quickly, but we have to really re-look at the whole structure in NZ to make it work.
My confidence that this board will do that well is approximately zero.
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@kiwiinmelb said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
That trend is about to change, looking like a smart move by South Africa with hindsight
the move is driving the change. We miss them - and I think they miss us.
Reality is the best comp to prepare you for Tests is no longer Super. We have a long road to get back - the NH did it in 8 years; we can do it and do it quickly, but we have to really re-look at the whole structure in NZ to make it work.
My confidence that this board will do that well is approximately zero.
@nzzp said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
My confidence that this board will do that well is approximately zero.
Be less than zero if Fozzie manages to orchestrate what would currently appear, impossible...
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Big story of this World Cup so far has been the strength of the Northern Hemisphere sides relative to the Southern Hemisphere ones. Why has this been so different in this respect to previous World Cups?
https://twitter.com/rugbyinsideline/status/1705882624156201309
@sparky Well, the NH is pretty certain to top all four pools, now.
On the other hand, hopefully all of the runners-up will be SH sides.
Let's wait and see how it all pans out.
In 2015, the SH won all four QFs, so will be interesting to see how strongly that trend reverses.
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@sparky Well, the NH is pretty certain to top all four pools, now.
On the other hand, hopefully all of the runners-up will be SH sides.
Let's wait and see how it all pans out.
In 2015, the SH won all four QFs, so will be interesting to see how strongly that trend reverses.
@Chris-B said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
In 2015, the SH won all four QFs, so will be interesting to see how strongly that trend reverses.
The NH went away and got good. We went backwards.
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so tasty. I can see Fiji giving England a hard time. I genuinely wouldn't tip any game with any confidence.
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so tasty. I can see Fiji giving England a hard time. I genuinely wouldn't tip any game with any confidence.
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
I can't see Fiji getting past England twice in a row.
France / SA will be a cracker.
I think we can and will beat Ireland. They are rightfully the best team in the world right now, but from what I saw today, we can beat that team if we get our kicking game and discipline right.
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Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
I can't see Fiji getting past England twice in a row.
France / SA will be a cracker.
I think we can and will beat Ireland. They are rightfully the best team in the world right now, but from what I saw today, we can beat that team if we get our kicking game and discipline right.
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
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Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
I can't see Fiji getting past England twice in a row.
France / SA will be a cracker.
I think we can and will beat Ireland. They are rightfully the best team in the world right now, but from what I saw today, we can beat that team if we get our kicking game and discipline right.
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
I can't see Fiji getting past England twice in a row.
France / SA will be a cracker.
I think we can and will beat Ireland. They are rightfully the best team in the world right now, but from what I saw today, we can beat that team if we get our kicking game and discipline right.
I reckon Englands rediscovered 10-man kicking game will see the game played mostly in Fiji territory and Fiji will beat themselves trying to win - comfortable 15pt England win for me
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@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
Agree. Given where we were less than 12 months ago - losing to Georgia in Cardiff, coach being fired, general chaos - the idea that we have a shot at making a semifinal is barely believable.
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@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
Agree. Given where we were less than 12 months ago - losing to Georgia in Cardiff, coach being fired, general chaos - the idea that we have a shot at making a semifinal is barely believable.
@GibbonRib said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
Agree. Given where we were less than 12 months ago - losing to Georgia in Cardiff, coach being fired, general chaos - the idea that we have a shot at making a semifinal is barely believable.
this might be one of Gatland's biggest achievements. United the team, gave them some clear direction, and they are reaping the benefits. They were so professional dismantling Australia today.
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@GibbonRib said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
Agree. Given where we were less than 12 months ago - losing to Georgia in Cardiff, coach being fired, general chaos - the idea that we have a shot at making a semifinal is barely believable.
this might be one of Gatland's biggest achievements. United the team, gave them some clear direction, and they are reaping the benefits. They were so professional dismantling Australia today.
@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@GibbonRib said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@mariner4life said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@gt12 said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
Argentina have looked like dogshit so far, so it would be big for them to suddenly tip up Wales.
agreed, but Wales have been poor for a while, and Aussie served the game up on a plate today. Wales will start deserved favourites but seeing them tipped over would not surprise.
Agree. Given where we were less than 12 months ago - losing to Georgia in Cardiff, coach being fired, general chaos - the idea that we have a shot at making a semifinal is barely believable.
this might be one of Gatland's biggest achievements. United the team, gave them some clear direction, and they are reaping the benefits. They were so professional dismantling Australia today.
Like most things done well, it looked simple too. Kick long within your 22, kick contestables outside but put them in their half, and ensure they can't use their set piece as a platform.
I'm not surprised that Gatland said they had clarity and a good training week for this game. It looked it.
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territory is everything at this world cup. The best teams are doing nothing in their half. And they are waiting on errors made by the team that is playing in their half. The SA v Ireland game was played between the 40s almost. France kicked us to death. England are kicking the ball constantly.
Kick very high or very long, don't play phases until you get past half way, turnover ball gets put in behind. Then squeeze on defence.
Our issue will be we don't kick well, and we can't get at the opposition set piece, so we lose the territory game.
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territory is everything at this world cup. The best teams are doing nothing in their half. And they are waiting on errors made by the team that is playing in their half. The SA v Ireland game was played between the 40s almost. France kicked us to death. England are kicking the ball constantly.
Kick very high or very long, don't play phases until you get past half way, turnover ball gets put in behind. Then squeeze on defence.
Our issue will be we don't kick well, and we can't get at the opposition set piece, so we lose the territory game.
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@mariner4life Also our kick chase has been poor
@Duluth said in Rugby World Cup general discussion:
@mariner4life Also our kick chase has been poor
yeah, weirdly. Some of it is decision making, like v France where we put up a high kick to the wing of the guy who took the previous run. I also don't think we kick high enough to give ourselves a chance.
The flip side is we don't protect our wingers well then teams kick to us.
Fuck, we're bad at detail aren't we?
