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Rugby World Cup 2015 |OT|
- Thread starter phisheep
- Start date
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KiwiLannister
Member
A beautiful result for Rugby today 
I'm not that confident in the ABs but I think our side of the draw is decent. Ireland and Australia are really the two favourites right now as far as I'm concerned.
I'm not that confident in the ABs but I think our side of the draw is decent. Ireland and Australia are really the two favourites right now as far as I'm concerned.
RumblePuff
Member
I've switch off a few times now because the coverage by itv has been so focused on England constantly. Hoping it will be a bit more impartial now.
Just watched the whole game. Australia well deserved winners. England simply not smart enough, not powerful enough, not good enough. The scrum was a shambles, especially after the subs were made. Farrell and Burgess could both have easily gone to the bin for their tackles near the end. Some of the decision making was a farce. But the biggest problem was simply a lack of ability and strength in the forwards. I've said for years that Robshaw shouldn't be in the team. Not good enough as an international seven. Wood and Morgan are decent but not world-class. Hooper and Pocock gave the English back row a lesson in what world class loose play looks like.
So pumped to see another Ireland game!
The Irish seem to be on form at the moment so I am hoping for big things but who knows, In this world cup anything can happen.
Anyone thinking of making a world cup winner bet? Seriously considering sticking one on Ireland just to add to the excitement but it's early doors yet.
The Irish seem to be on form at the moment so I am hoping for big things but who knows, In this world cup anything can happen.
Anyone thinking of making a world cup winner bet? Seriously considering sticking one on Ireland just to add to the excitement but it's early doors yet.
Shorty11857
Member
This game is a lot more tense than I was hoping for
Italy are playing well, was really expecting the second half to be a completely different match to the first but Italy seem to be holding up well.
They are very, very scruffy though and I do expect Ireland to turn it around in the last ten minutes. I wouldn't put money on it though.
EDIT:
World class take from Parisse there!!
They are very, very scruffy though and I do expect Ireland to turn it around in the last ten minutes. I wouldn't put money on it though.
EDIT:
World class take from Parisse there!!
We're certainly in big danger. We need to start recycling the ball and killing time.
MURRAY YOU MORON stop kicking it's time wasting time
EDIT: 2 minutes to go, exciting as hell
The kindest thing I can say about Ireland? At least Ireland at its worst can still beat Italy at their best.
But that's the only kind word I have. Dreadful game by Ireland. Though, with all the changes they'll have to make for France next week...that match won't give them a lot of data.
But that's the only kind word I have. Dreadful game by Ireland. Though, with all the changes they'll have to make for France next week...that match won't give them a lot of data.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
Haven't been able to follow the Cup, and just caught up with the news. What the hell happened for England to be as bad as their football counterpart?
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Nothing happened to them apart from the puncture of their overhyped belief that they were world-beaters. Average team played averagely and lost. Playing Burgess in the centre didn't help a bundle though.
One problem was that they don't have any truly world class players, but more importantly their coach had an absolute nightmare.
He had 4 years to pick a flyhalf and backline and yet after the first game he drops his first choice for the backup, when in fact the first choice was widely seen as the correct one and the backup was his assistant's son (hmmm...). Made no sense at all to shake the team up like that and looked like nepotism. In the centre he played a guy (Burgess) who was a recent convert from rugby league who was way out of his depth alongside a guy (Barritt) who wasn't good enough and was out of form. This lead to stodgy, inconsistent play across the entire backline as they were never in sync or rhythm. You should have a settled 15 going into a world cup, one where you can make one or two changes and the 'idea' or 'philosophy' of the team stays the same. England never had that despite all their time to prepare and it showed in fluency.
Also the players weren't prepared with game-management scenarios, leading to them making a terrible decision vs Wales that blew the game. The forwards seemed unprepared against Australia for what the Aussies would be doing at the breakdown, and got turned over 8 times and never got quick ball. There was just an overriding sensation that they weren't ready.
Whole thing was a disaster and an embarrassment for England. Their coach has to go. The Aussie coach was asked what would be different about playing Wales. He said 'Well, for one thing, they've got an amazing coach in Warren Gatland and (...)' He didn't mean it like that or to be about England's coach at all but it still said it all. Lancaster was clueless.
Thank god we have Joe Schmidt.
MonsterHunter
Member
Romania fighting back
LiquidSolid
Member
I thought this was pretty cool:
So 20+% of Japan's population tuned in for a game that was being played in the middle of the night and the RWC seems to be doing really well in Germany of all places.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11525319
So 20+% of Japan's population tuned in for a game that was being played in the middle of the night and the RWC seems to be doing really well in Germany of all places.
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Good timing Griffer, and welcome!
bobnowhere
Member
3 Aussies missing this weekend, Hooper, Folau and Horne. I suppose Pocock to 7 and any number of people to 8, Tomane or Speight to replace Horne not much of a loss and maybe Toomua to replace Folau.
This has been going around my Facebook feed recently. Thought I'd share. Still can't believe England are out.
I will be cheering on the United States against South Africa this afternoon. Would like to see another upset against the Springboks.
Yesterday's Romania v Canada game was a blast. It's so good to see comebacks like that.
There really needs to be a better way to involve these smaller teams with the international leagues somehow. Georgia and Romania have been a pleasure to watch, and it's unfair that this is probably the only chance they will get to play top teams for the next four years, even longer assuming they don't qualify for 2019.
I am still nervous about Saturday's Wales game, but Australia's loss of Hooper, Folau and Horne gives us a small glimmer of hope. Just a small one, however.
And welcome to GAF, Griffer.
I will be cheering on the United States against South Africa this afternoon. Would like to see another upset against the Springboks.
Yesterday's Romania v Canada game was a blast. It's so good to see comebacks like that.
There really needs to be a better way to involve these smaller teams with the international leagues somehow. Georgia and Romania have been a pleasure to watch, and it's unfair that this is probably the only chance they will get to play top teams for the next four years, even longer assuming they don't qualify for 2019.
I am still nervous about Saturday's Wales game, but Australia's loss of Hooper, Folau and Horne gives us a small glimmer of hope. Just a small one, however.
And welcome to GAF, Griffer.
bobnowhere
Member
Hehe, I forgot all about Beale. I do have a massive Brumbies blindspot so my first choice is always a Brumby. In fact they should just select them all, that policy has worked very well in the past.
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
I'd like to see each of the tier 1 nations "adopt" one of the smaller countries and take them on tour with them each time they travel. That way they'd get match time, and tours would be more interesting. Well, it worked for Queen and Mott the Hoople.
Nova Prime
Member
USA getting slaughtered
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
dang that last try
USA got obliterated. Defeat against Japan seems to only embolden the South Africans. I pity any team who goes up against this side in the quarter finals.
Could be a decent idea, but I have said before in this thread that I'd like to see promotion to and relegation from the Six Nations. There are enough unions in Europe to make it a reality, and we already have the European Nations Cup that does this amongst all the second tier teams. However, there's a glass ceiling at the top where the teams in Division 1A don't get the chance to compete with the big teams in the Six Nations, and I think it's about time that barrier was shattered.
I mean, sure, it'd suck for Italy or Scotland who are the most likely candidates to spend a year with the lower orders every now and then, but it will also give these less developed sides a chance to play regular matches against each other and sometimes top teams.
The inevitable outcome is that it's growing the sport in countries that may not be as well represented in the sport, but are so obviously curious (for example, Germany), while also opening up the kind of elite walled garden at the top of Rugby Union so any country can enter it, should they prove good enough.
Another option, as suggested by the Telegraph, is to have a playoff between the top side of 1A and the wooden spoon team of the Six Nations, which is another idea I am supportive of.
What I don't like is how closed off the elite rugby teams are from the rest of the world. It seems kinda self-serving to me, and only a detriment to the sport when teams like Japan and Georgia are playing so well in the World Cup.
Let's hope it's Australia.
Could be a decent idea, but I have said before in this thread that I'd like to see promotion to and relegation from the Six Nations. There are enough unions in Europe to make it a reality, and we already have the European Nations Cup that does this amongst all the second tier teams. However, there's a glass ceiling at the top where the teams in Division 1A don't get the chance to compete with the big teams in the Six Nations, and I think it's about time that barrier was shattered.
I mean, sure, it'd suck for Italy or Scotland who are the most likely candidates to spend a year with the lower orders every now and then, but it will also give these less developed sides a chance to play regular matches against each other and sometimes top teams.
The inevitable outcome is that it's growing the sport in countries that may not be as well represented in the sport, but are so obviously curious (for example, Germany), while also opening up the kind of elite walled garden at the top of Rugby Union so any country can enter it, should they prove good enough.
Another option, as suggested by the Telegraph, is to have a playoff between the top side of 1A and the wooden spoon team of the Six Nations, which is another idea I am supportive of.
What I don't like is how closed off the elite rugby teams are from the rest of the world. It seems kinda self-serving to me, and only a detriment to the sport when teams like Japan and Georgia are playing so well in the World Cup.
PjotrStroganov
Member
That was just an awesome show of strength and willpower!
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
What a half!
If Namibia could only make their first tackle count rather than always the fourth one they'd be doing way better.
Lost count of yellow cards - is it 14 v 13 to start the second half?
EDIT: 1 point in it and 5 mins to go - phew
Fantastic game. Well done to both sides. Tense old finish.
If Namibia could only make their first tackle count rather than always the fourth one they'd be doing way better.
Lost count of yellow cards - is it 14 v 13 to start the second half?
EDIT: 1 point in it and 5 mins to go - phew
Fantastic game. Well done to both sides. Tense old finish.
LiquidSolid
Member
From my experience, promotion/relegation playoffs are the absolute best way to make sure nothing ever changes. The first division team always has a huge advantage in terms of budget, high level of competition, etc. so the second division team has to play the game of their lives to claw their way out of the second division.
Plus, I don't think promotion/relegation is a good idea at all if the goal is to develop and grow rugby. Seems to me like if say Italy or Scotland were relegated to the European Nations Cup, it'd be the death knell for a lot of rugby in those countries. Good luck trying to pick up sponsors and fund fully professional teams when you're stuck playing Russia and Portugal on a D tier sports channel (if that). Meanwhile, any promoted team would have one year to develop to a point where they'd actually be able to keep themselves in the competition, which is nowhere near enough. Just look at Argentina, it wasn't until their third year in the Rugby Championship that they managed to win their first game.
I think expanding the Six nations is a far better idea. There might end up being too many games at some point but you can then split things into pools.
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Wales team for Saturday: G Anscombe; A Cuthbert, G North, J Roberts, L Williams; D Biggar, G Davies; P James, S Baldwin, S Lee; L Charteris, AW Jones; S Warburton, J Tipuric, T Faletau.
Replacements: K Owens, A Jarvis, T Francis, J Ball, R Moriarty, Ll Williams, R Priestland, J Hook.
Anscombe should be interesting at full-back, Tipuric and Warburton strong in back row. North in the centre I'm not sure about, and Cuthbert ain't my favourite.
Yeah, that's what worries me about promotion/relegation. There's got to be something better than what we are doing though - I'll have a quiet ponder on Sunday.
Replacements: K Owens, A Jarvis, T Francis, J Ball, R Moriarty, Ll Williams, R Priestland, J Hook.
Anscombe should be interesting at full-back, Tipuric and Warburton strong in back row. North in the centre I'm not sure about, and Cuthbert ain't my favourite.
LiquidSolid said:
Yeah, that's what worries me about promotion/relegation. There's got to be something better than what we are doing though - I'll have a quiet ponder on Sunday.
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