Rugby World Cup Matches OTA
- Thread starter Pfitzy
- Start date
rugbyAU
Bob Davidson (42)
Who would have thought!
HooperPocockSmith
Bill Watson (15)
This is bad news for us down south. It’ll mean World Rugby will be hell bent on changing the rules to suit the NH game
hifflepiff
Charlie Fox (21)
Same teams as always through to the semis.
Really feels like the worst possible outcome for the sport.
Really feels like the worst possible outcome for the sport.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Would you have preferred the better teams to play with 13 men all game to even the ledger?
Experience goes a long way in tournament format competitions. As long as teams like Fiji, Ireland etc keep building on this, they’ll hopefully go one better in 2027.
rugbyAU
Bob Davidson (42)
To me, it’s so disappointing that these games (nz v Ireland and rsa v France) were not semi finals they should be at any other tournament given they’re the top 4 sides
England and Argentina are big step below
it’s the fault of the draw being done so early
but at least we saw 2 of the best QF of all time
Tomthumb
Chilla Wilson (44)
Yeah this is true, but I wouldn't write off either Argentina or England in a one off game against knackered opponents
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
I don't really get why people care so much about the draw. The games happen either way, we got 2 (actually 4) titanic matches this weekend that were some of the best I've seen, it being a QF or a semi doesn't change the match quality or enjoyment. France and Ireland to win a world cup have to go through SA/NZ either now, semis or final.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Quality content
Tomthumb
Chilla Wilson (44)
It’s more that now we have England and Argentina in Semi Finals which feels a bit undeserved. Not that they both couldn’t surprise us
AFL_Converted
Charlie Fox (21)
Can someone with better rugby rules knowledge explain a ruling for me.
In extra time England were penalised for a deliberate knock on, but the bloke who did it was not yellow carded. How was the situation different to Smith's Deliberate knock on in the NZ/IRE game?
In extra time England were penalised for a deliberate knock on, but the bloke who did it was not yellow carded. How was the situation different to Smith's Deliberate knock on in the NZ/IRE game?
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
It's no longer an automatic yellow (thank god). I havn't seen the incident so not sure but i believe for it to be a yellow you need to stop a try scoring opportunity.
Tomthumb
Chilla Wilson (44)
Aaron Smith was yellow carded due to it stopping a clear line break attempt (could have been a try) whereas Fiji weren’t going anywhere even without the intentional knockdown
noscrumnolife
Bill Watson (15)
Perhaps a bit controversial, but a part of me also quite likes that they do the draw further out. I'd prefer its 2 years, not 3. But I think there is something appealing about connecting the World Cup to the performance of teams within the cycles. A favourable draw then becomes a reward for sustained performance over a longer period of time.
Anywho, there's been far too much made of it so hopefully all that chat dissipates now. With the expansion of the next World Cup I can't imagine it will be an issue in 2027 either.
Linerunner2023
Watty Friend (18)
Just what the NZ public and supporters are saying
Foz has bad record for NZ coach, lost their first pool game at RWC, and lost first NH series to Ireland last year plus lowest ranking of 4th
if only we could be as good as NZ and despise this record
I actually bellieve they have the ability to be up their with some of their best NZ teams, just not on a consistent basis atm
Linerunner2023
Watty Friend (18)
Well that was one of the best weekends of rugby I can remember
Just as you thought you could up the Irish and ABs game France and SA just delivered
4 great games which could have gone either way
If Fiji got over England would have swept for the SH sides
NH will be ruing the best chance to get more in the semi finals, this was their best Chance particularly France and Ireland to get into the finals
NZ and SA look like favs atm for the final but you never know what surprise England or arg could pull off
Just as you thought you could up the Irish and ABs game France and SA just delivered
4 great games which could have gone either way
If Fiji got over England would have swept for the SH sides
NH will be ruing the best chance to get more in the semi finals, this was their best Chance particularly France and Ireland to get into the finals
NZ and SA look like favs atm for the final but you never know what surprise England or arg could pull off
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
They've consistently tweaked the rules to suit a slower NH style game over the years much to the detriment of the actual product. The reffing bias against the smaller sides that could realistically beat them (looking at Wales v Fiji) is on display for all to see. The corruption in WR (World Rugby), though only hinted at, is pretty obvious too.
And they still can't get a win.
So fuck them.