The Rugby Thread
Comments
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Losing to SA twice in one day.........
At least the rugby was more of a contest than the cricket.1 -
It certainly becomes a problem when you rely as heavily on kicking penalties as England do.Dorset_Boy said:South Africa so do not deserve to be in the final.
Both weeks O'Keefe has found a way to ensure they win.
With this continued inability to cross the whitewash, it’s also hard to say that England deserved to make the final.
I guess that means we will all be supporting The All Blacks next weekend.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Discounting the games against Japan and Chile, England managed a grand total of 4 tries in the tournament.blazing_saddles said:
It certainly becomes a problem when you rely as heavily on kicking penalties as England do.Dorset_Boy said:South Africa so do not deserve to be in the final.
Both weeks O'Keefe has found a way to ensure they win.
With this continued inability to cross the whitewash, it’s also hard to say that England deserved to make the final.
I guess that means we will all be supporting The All Blacks next weekend.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
England's style of rugby over the last couple of years has been awful to watch, and certainly doesn't attract new fans and the current gameplan needs to be torn up.
They played the conditions brilliantly last night.
My comment re the Boks not deserving to be there is down to having had their pet ref in both knock out games, which I'm sure is unprecendented.
I'm not sure many England fans thought we'd make a game of any semi we ended up in, and for the wider appeal of the game, England not being in the final is a good thing.
However, without their pet ref, the Boks would have gone home last weekend.0 -
The biggest disappointment for me is that the undercard playoff is a repeat of the England Argentina group match.
This game never holds much appeal at the best of times.
Sadly, France vs Ireland was never a possibility."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
This was the first time that you could see what Borthwick has been trying to do and it bloomin' nearly worked.
Yes, it's one for the purists but that's sport. It's no different to the Discovery Train or parking the bus.
It took the SA back 3 completely out of the game and actually ended up exposed them. It humiliated their starting 10 . If only the ball hadn't slipped in Jamie George's hand etc..
It was a brilliant game for people who know rugby.We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver2 -
Knowing rugby means you pretend to prefer games where nobody can hold onto the ball.2
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Meh, England didn't look like they could score a try, whereas as soon as SA progressed beyond the 22 in the second half, I thought that was it.ddraver said:This was the first time that you could see what Borthwick has been trying to do and it bloomin' nearly worked.
Yes, it's one for the purists but that's sport. It's no different to the Discovery Train or parking the bus.
It took the SA back 3 completely out of the game and actually ended up exposed them. It humiliated their starting 10 . If only the ball hadn't slipped in Jamie George's hand etc..
It was a brilliant game for people who know rugby.
Farrell mouthing off in the first half and conceding 10m was also a low light.
Ultimately it all made for a tight stressful game, but I'm not sure having things turn around based on scrum penalties (which ITV did a poor job explaining) is the way to bring an increased audience into the sport.
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Stuff happening underneath a pile of bodies that change games has always been my main barrier.Jezyboy said:
Meh, England didn't look like they could score a try, whereas as soon as SA progressed beyond the 22 in the second half, I thought that was it.ddraver said:This was the first time that you could see what Borthwick has been trying to do and it bloomin' nearly worked.
Yes, it's one for the purists but that's sport. It's no different to the Discovery Train or parking the bus.
It took the SA back 3 completely out of the game and actually ended up exposed them. It humiliated their starting 10 . If only the ball hadn't slipped in Jamie George's hand etc..
It was a brilliant game for people who know rugby.
Farrell mouthing off in the first half and conceding 10m was also a low light.
Ultimately it all made for a tight stressful game, but I'm not sure having things turn around based on scrum penalties (which ITV did a poor job explaining) is the way to bring an increased audience into the sport.0 -
What seems slightly odd is the extensive slow motion replays for head/head action. Then lack of analysis on scrum penalties, beyond talking about turning of hips and putting a knee down, but with replays at full speed.
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Oh can everyone just eff off with that nonsense...Jezyboy said:is the way to bring an increased audience into the sport.
Let's remove scrums from union, cancel the tour de france and throw away the ashes because they don't bring an "increased audience into the sport"
YawnWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Meh given the number of premier rugby clubs that have disappeared due to money woes, I would have thought getting more people into the sport might be a little helpful no? Just as during the tour, you get slightly more beginner friendly commentary, have the same during RWC might not be unreasonable.
Ultimately you're the only one suggesting getting rid of scrums!
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Eh?ddraver said:
It was a brilliant game for people who know rugby.
I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about rugby. Phase play makes it a brilliant game imo.
That’s why I switched off after 35 minutes.
It was quite clear by that point that the ball was going to spend as much time in the air as in the hands, punctuated by many scrums.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.2 -
I like to think I know rugby a bit as a season ticket holder at a Welsh Premiership team and having played at low level for a good few seasons. I certainly wouldn’t describe it as brilliant, there’s been some superb matches in this World Cup and that wasn’t one.ddraver said:This was the first time that you could see what Borthwick has been trying to do and it bloomin' nearly worked.
Yes, it's one for the purists but that's sport. It's no different to the Discovery Train or parking the bus.
It took the SA back 3 completely out of the game and actually ended up exposed them. It humiliated their starting 10 . If only the ball hadn't slipped in Jamie George's hand etc..
It was a brilliant game for people who know rugby.
It was tense even as a neutral but it lacked quality with the weather not helping.2 -
I was driving my daughter to and from a job so had the radio on listening to part of it. She commented that she was glad you didn’t have to down a shot every time they said scrum as it seemed to be every other word.blazing_saddles said:
Eh?ddraver said:
It was a brilliant game for people who know rugby.
I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about rugby. Phase play makes it a brilliant game imo.
That’s why I switched off after 35 minutes.
It was quite clear by that point that the ball was going to spend as much time in the air as in the hands, punctuated by many scrums.0 -
It was very dull for the neutral, I found it negative, but happy if purists enjoyed it.
This is very often the problem with semi-finals and finals tho’. The mindset can change from nothing to lose (for the non-favourites) to everything to lose as at this stage where the teams left have high expectations.
The biggest loss to the tournament for me was France going out as I think the final would have been more of a spectacle had they been there.1 -
I can see both perspectives but as a biased England supporter I thought it was an incredible game of rugby, especially given the context.
England have served up drivel for 2 years. To push the best side in the world to the absolute limit was a phenomenal effort.
England came up with a tactical plan and for 65 minutes it was a masterclass in how to execute a game plan, regardless of whether or not you found it boring.
There are the usual comments that SA were out of sorts. They weren't they were just completely outplayed by England and second best in every area for much of the match. I don't remember a single threat from a SA back, how many teams have completely shut them out like that, it was tactically brilliant from England.
Yes SA won and credit where it was due but England were also at a level I didn't think was within them. Even for the most subjective viewer, you have to give England huge credit and personally I thought it was a brilliant match.3 -
Tried watching a couple of matches.
It's baffling sport for anyone not brought up in it.
I get the basic gameplay. But have no idea whats happened at what seems to be game changing moments.
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
This sums it up well, for meMidlandsGrimpeur2 said:I can see both perspectives but as a biased England supporter I thought it was an incredible game of rugby, especially given the context.
England have served up drivel for 2 years. To push the best side in the world to the absolute limit was a phenomenal effort.
England came up with a tactical plan and for 65 minutes it was a masterclass in how to execute a game plan, regardless of whether or not you found it boring.
There are the usual comments that SA were out of sorts. They weren't they were just completely outplayed by England and second best in every area for much of the match. I don't remember a single threat from a SA back, how many teams have completely shut them out like that, it was tactically brilliant from England.
Yes SA won and credit where it was due but England were also at a level I didn't think was within them. Even for the most subjective viewer, you have to give England huge credit and personally I thought it was a brilliant match.1 -
The scrum that won the game for the Boks. Beggars belief how that was a Saffa penalty.
Green 18 in at 90 degrees with Green 7 beyond the tunnel. It's called boring in and is illegal.
But then the Bok's pet ref wasn't going to go any way other than a Bokke penalty.
Same as last week, got the decision totally wrong to give the Boks the kick to win.
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It's an injustice so it is Calimero 😉
Or is it a moneyball stylee conspiracee?0 -
For what it's worth (probably not much!) I thought the games versus Argentina and South Africa were two of the great England World Cup perfromances.
Beating Argentina with 14 men for pretty much all of the game showed incredible tactical execution and ditto for the game vs SA.
To bemoan the lack of tries is daft IMO. People need to remember that a penalty is only awarded if the opposition illegally stop a side from doing what they were doing legally - which could result in a try if there were no infringement. Penalties are not given out randomly. For this reason my personal favourite passage of play in the whole of this world cup was the last few minutes of the Ireland v New Zealand game. The concentration and execution required by both sides to attack and defend faultlessly for that period of time was quite incredible.
I've never once stepped onto a rugby field thinking that we should win prettily or with flair . . . I just want to win and if the opposition strengths are such that scoring tries is difficult either because their defence is very good or that they infringe when we try to, we would hope to find another way whilst taking any points on offer.Wilier Izoard XP0 -
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Error at your end; X end; or my end?ddraver said:No surprise. Well deserved...
https://x.com/rugbyworldcup/status/1716478248073179509?s=20The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
A pretty miserable, bad-tempered win for England against Argentina. Confess I was confirming my status as World's Worst Mechanic by misreading a tourque chart so I only caught the last 30 mins but that was enough frankly.
Must say I really struggle to see the point of that game.
Still, I suspect me and a lot of England players, coaches and Fans would have taken a bronze medal 6 weeks ago...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
First half was much better.
Stupid substitutions by the England management in the backs messed everything up.
Wigglesworth is a crap attack coach, and Borthwick clearly knows zilch about back play.0 -
The first 30 minutes weren’t any better. Argentina were asleep and England used the high ball from every first phase…….again.ddraver said:A pretty miserable, bad-tempered win for England against Argentina. Confess I was confirming my status as World's Worst Mechanic by misreading a tourque chart so I only caught the last 30 mins but that was enough frankly.
Must say I really struggle to see the point of that game.
Still, I suspect me and a lot of England players, coaches and Fans would have taken a bronze medal 6 weeks ago...
Players seemed more interested in reffing the game than playing in the game.
A total yawn."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
