RWC 2015 Final - Australia v New Zealand, Twickenham, Sunday 1 November, 3:00 AEDT

[Tahspark]

Pfitzy, I'm predicting that your pre-RWC final therapy will need to include another Friday night session at the Concourse Bar (for relief only) with a gathering of the true believers throng.

 

[Tahspark]

Absolutely, plus for us if you want to be the best you gotta beat the best and the AB's without Richie just wouldn't have been the same.

There would also be the delicious irony of Foley slotting the winning penalty goal from a McCaw infringement but you'd have to believe pigs fly to see a final of any ilk thus decided twice in a lifetime.

 

[formerflanker]

A minor issue - I think the only two national coaches at the RWC who wear coat and tie to matches are Cheika and Hansen.
Their teams are in the final. Coincidence?

 

[drewprint]

Hey Redsman, don't be that guy.

 

[cyclopath]

A minor issue - I think the only two national coaches at the RWC who wear coat and tie to matches are Cheika and Hansen.
Their teams are in the final. Coincidence?

Have you not seen this bloke?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Pfitzy you forgot Gregan pointing out to the All Blecks in 2003 that they had to wait 4 more years.

and this

 

[dru]

would prefer to see To'omua at back with KB (Kurtley Beale) off bench. KBs defence = suss

WTF?

 

[Pfitzy]

Pfitzy, I'm predicting that your pre-RWC final therapy will need to include another Friday night session at the Concourse Bar (for relief only) with a gathering of the true believers throng.

No, I've been spending a bit of time on a Kiwi rugby site, and actually get a real sense of where they're coming from. It has become like Serbia and Croatia - the reasons behind the hatred are so far in the past no-one cares any more about what start it, just that it is.

And I've already promised my abstinence for the next three months to the Rugby Gods if we crush the ABs, so Concourse Bar is NOT going to help that situation.

 

[Lindommer]

Spose I'll have to do my bit assuage the Rugby Gods: I'll be attending a meeting of Waratahs Old Boys in the sporting capital of the western world, Wagga Wagga, on Friday night, and while I'm there I'll encourage them to sprinkle some of their magic dust over the Wallabies. Am I tempting fate?

NO Concourse Bar for me. Sadly.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Same here. They're a fucking strange race when rugby is involved.

Absolutely salt of the earth at all other times, but rugby triggers some masochistic morose response that just isn't warranted.

Poor buggers, best in the world and struggle to truly enjoy it.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Plenty of joy here thanks Tex. Win or lose.

Yes some of my fellow country men are at opposite ends of the spectrum (rugby stability one that is....) but after all is said and done it's just a game.

ABs to win 96-19

 

[cyclopath]

Plenty of joy here thanks Tex. Win or lose.

Yes some of my fellow country men are at opposite ends of the spectrum (rugby stability one that is..) but after all is said and done it's just a game.

ABs to win 96-19

He he, nod to Canerbry!!

 

[matty_k]

A minor issue - I think the only two national coaches at the RWC who wear coat and tie to matches are Cheika and Hansen.
Their teams are in the final. Coincidence?

USA Coach

 

[Joe Blow]

Eh? Did the Wallabies not just miss 30 odd tackles in the semifinal?

Yeah, we did miss a few. You must take into account that the Pumas were able to mount repeated attacking moves moving the ball through the hands and were one of the best attacking sides in the RWC.
The Boks....not so much

 

[Quick Hands]

The real question is, why does it matter? It was the worst kept secret of the world cup - if the Aussies didn't know it by last week Tuesday, I'd be more concerned with myself if I were them than I would about the All Blacks already knowing who the ref is.

Besides, I'm guessing Aus got the same information at the same time. Fox just felt compelled to out it for some reason.

It matters because this is supposed to be an elite, professionally run event. Official announcements as to who is going to referee the final should come from World Rugby, not the selector of one of the competing teams. Process and procedure actually do matter.

If all the competing teams were told, one assumes that it was not to be made public. If Fox received it unofficially and no-one else did it's actually quite important and a bit of a worry.

 

[Bullrush]

Gotta say - I love being an All Black fan. Since Henry took over and even more do under Hansen, they have really embraced some of the best things about rugby and sport in general and make me damn proud to be a kiwi.

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/all-blacks/news/article.cfm?c_id=116&objectid=11534169

 

[Brumby Runner]

How is it that Grant Fox, a current All Black selector, is told the identity of the referee before it is made public? And why does he then make it public? Was he told officially? Does he have a deep throat within the referees appointments ranks?

It all sounds a little odd to me.

Fox says that the All Blacks were informed before the semi-final that Owens would be in charge of the next weekend's finale.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/nigel-owens-referee-rugby-world-10326695

Think they meant to tell Foxsports but one of the unpaid interns mistakenly passed it on to Grant Fox.

 

[JJJ]

To add to Groucho's almost comprehensive list of things we're better at:

David Pocock

Is there a better example of a player missing two injury enforced seasons then returning at international level to be such a dominant force? I'd like to see that. This bloke wants to hold Bill aloft big time and it's going to take many staunch ABs to stop him.

The funny thing about that is that the general consensus was that he would never again be as influential even if he regained fitness because he was too limited. He was a one-trick pony and his trick -- pilfering -- had been rendered anachronistic by current rules and interpretations. The proof of the pudding being that Richie no longer heavily contests the breakdown. If GOAT doesn't do it then it can't/shouldn't be done.

Then he came back and was immediately terrorising breakdowns again. Brussow must be loving it, because without the example of Pocock's effectiveness his international career was probably over.

 

[qwerty51]

To add to Groucho's almost comprehensive list of things we're better at:

David Pocock

Is there a better example of a player missing two injury enforced seasons then returning at international level to be such a dominant force? I'd like to see that. This bloke wants to hold Bill aloft big time and it's going to take many staunch ABs to stop him.

I'll stick my hand up here. I got it totally wrong. I claimed he would never make a big impact coming back from his injuries.

 

[Brumby Runner]

A minor issue - I think the only two national coaches at the RWC who wear coat and tie to matches are Cheika and Hansen.
Their teams are in the final. Coincidence?

But Cheika is the only one who wears a hoodie under his suit coat.

 

[Hell West & Crooked]

Ahh - that's Day One of the World Cup without the Englischers and the South Africans... I Like It... I like it Alot!

As to our Pommy Mates, ( and however inelegant it might sound), I have not missed them for even One moment...

I might even have a Son, just simply so I can tell him about this World Cup!