Rugby World Cup Matches OTA

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Talk about a bunch of non-preferred results (from my perspective) over the weekend. We've now got two sides in the running to win their fourth RWC and frankly they'd have to be VERY short odds to do that and fucking England in another semi.

The rugby gods have not smiled this weekend. Great footy for the most part though.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Just watching the Ringinland v Fiji QF mini & wondering how a grass-cutter tackle isn't a YC? Really, really dangerous & I'd have thought something WR (World Rugby) would want to eliminate from the game.

 

[Bullrush]

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

The NZ public have short memories.

1998 was probably the worst season I have personally seen the ABs have. I'm sure fans more mature than I would be able to comment on other teams.

Yes - we lost to Ireland at home, lost to Argentina etc etc but the fact is that the international rugby landscape has changed, and for the better, over the last 20 years and the gap between Aotearoa and the rest of the world was always going to get smaller.

We might not like it as AB fans....but as a rugby fan - it's awesome.

 

[LeCheese]

Just watching the Ringinland v Fiji QF mini & wondering how a grass-cutter tackle isn't a YC? Really, really dangerous & I'd have thought something WR (World Rugby) (World Rugby) would want to eliminate from the game.

They're occasionally penalised for not wrapping - I think I vaguely recall someone being done for it in Super a few years ago (Folau Fainga'a maybe?).

Agreed that it's surprising a more concerted effort hasn't been made to eliminate it though - there are quite a few repeat offenders, namely front rowers, who seem to toe a fine line.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

@Bullrush I've been watching AB since 1972 & can confirm that 1998 was the absolute nadir, the 4-0 drubbing v SA in 1949 being arguably at least partly due to (a) the shameful non-selection of Maori players & (b) some refereeing that was by most accounts somewhat dubious.

 

[LeCheese]

They're occasionally penalised for not wrapping - I think I vaguely recall someone being done for it in Super a few years ago (Folau Fainga'a maybe?).

Agreed that it's surprising a more concerted effort hasn't been made to eliminate it though - there are quite a few repeat offenders, namely front rowers, who seem to toe a fine line.

Not the one I was thinking of, but Jone Tiko copped a yellow for this earlier in the year

 

[Linerunner2023]

The NZ public have short memories.

1998 was probably the worst season I have personally seen the ABs have. I'm sure fans more mature than I would be able to comment on other teams.

Yes - we lost to Ireland at home, lost to Argentina etc etc but the fact is that the international rugby landscape has changed, and for the better, over the last 20 years and the gap between Aotearoa and the rest of the world was always going to get smaller.

We might not like it as AB fans....but as a rugby fan - it's awesome.

Couldn’t agree more great for international rugby
When your at the top only a matter of time until the gap closes
Seems the NH just got a little carried away presuming they were now in front and fav for the title
Great have Argentina rising, the Pac islanders who are finally getting more players eligible
Ireland and France have risen quickly and Scotland are progressing well
England are on and off but up there on their day

 

[Dan54]

The NZ public have short memories.

1998 was probably the worst season I have personally seen the ABs have. I'm sure fans more mature than I would be able to comment on other teams.

Yes - we lost to Ireland at home, lost to Argentina etc etc but the fact is that the international rugby landscape has changed, and for the better, over the last 20 years and the gap between Aotearoa and the rest of the world was always going to get smaller.

We might not like it as AB fans....but as a rugby fan - it's awesome.

Couldn't agree more about short memeories, but I also honestly believe what we are doing in here is one of reasons. Internet forums have allowed nutters with memories that stretch back a year or 2 to think the rugby landscape hasn't changed, and what they read here is fact. As with @waiopehu oldboy I have followed the game in NZ for a few years, (earliest I can kind of recall is late50s/early 60s) and have seen at times where we have been up and down, and when to be honest reat of world wer genuinely just crap (late 80s). I quite often measure people's opinions when they say Australia is our historical biggest rivals etc, no SA and Wales are, but that's historical, we have many great rivalries now and with the rugby landscape like it is where we know it's hard to win a test, this will do me!
I will add the NZ public as such don't have the chort memories , I think it's more the internet forum jockeys (I was falling into same trap I was talking about), most people I talk to that watch/go tp rugby understand the beauty of the game being competitive all over the place.