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

[Inside Shoulder]

No he didn't - he realises as he gets the leg up, that the head is going down, and starts to lower the leg accordingly. Once the player hits the deck, he releases the leg. You can see it on the slowmo.

It was "high range yellow" for me, despite Owens' desire for it to be penalty only.

I think back to Sam Warburton in RWC2011 and what a tragedy that red card was.

His head made contact with the ground.
Samoa/Fiji/Tonga? Certain Red.
On another note.
If NZ are going to be permitted to perform the Haka thereby delaying the game for minutes how can the following (which has absolutely zero affect on timing or anything else), possibly, be justified?

"We were probably a little bit disappointed tonight because we [the coaches] wanted to go out and sing the national anthem with our team," Cheika said. "But World Rugby wouldn't let us. We were probably disappointed about that. But it's neither here nor there if that's the way it is. We've really enjoyed it, we've tried to improve over the whole tournament. It came pretty quick for us as a group and we tried to make the best of it as we could."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugby-world-cup/rugby-world-cup-final-michael-cheika-slams-disingenuous-spying-and-world-rugby-bans-coaches-from-signing-anthem-20151031-gknult.html#ixzz3qBe4yoQV
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What is the principle in play here?

 

[BDA]

I didn't think that tackle deserved a red. A yellow was sufficient. I think its a bit petty to argue semantics in relation that incident.

 

[fatprop]

No he didn't - he realises as he gets the leg up, that the head is going down, and starts to lower the leg accordingly. Once the player hits the deck, he releases the leg. You can see it on the slowmo.

It was "high range yellow" for me, despite Owens' desire for it to be penalty only.

I think back to Sam Warburton in RWC2011 and what a tragedy that red card was.

Yeah, I thought Owens got it right

The reality may have been in other games he could have got a red, but that would have been undeserved

 

[fatprop]

I know I know you not saying the ABs didn't deserve to win, but it doesn't look good fellas. Perhaps just discuss these things some other day when someone can go back over all ref decisions huh?

Agreed, the AB's thoroughly deserved the win.

They were simply more effective and efficient throughout the game

The ref had f*ck all to do with the end result

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The ref had f*ck all to do with the end result

Absolutely.
But he's still a dickhead.

 

[fatprop]

Unfortunately there is all too many examples of similar tackles being deemed red card offences. Latu's four week suspension and Skelton's two week suspension for the tackle on Sam Whitelock spring immediately to mind. Skelton's offence was deemed worthy of a red card and he didn't even do the lifting.

Edit: Although like this was certainly not deserving of a red

agreed, sanity prevailed, Owens got it right, quite a few of the others mentioned didn't

 

[Hugh Jarse]

To all Australians feeling a little down about the result, remember who made the Grand Final, and which teams left the tournament as Minnows.

Any victory after the Soap Dodgers packed their bags was a bonus.

ABE.


For @Pfitzy, the Pforecast Pfitzy Pfamine is now oPficially over.

 

[fatprop]

Absolutely.
But he's still a dickhead.

he is a ref, that goes without saying

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Pretty Good As Well​

 

[Blue]

Nigel Owens didn't throw it into the lineout , slip tackles or drop the ball. He also didn't make the All Black players more skilled, which they quite simply happen to be.

I guess it hurts so it's natural that people would complain but Owens did not cost Aus the game. Not even remotely.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Fellow Gaggerlander @Drewprint gets quoted by the SMHonline
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...lacks-win-over-wallabies-20151031-gknuft.html

 

[TSR]

Congrats New Zealand and all your supporters. Clearly the better team. But gee the Wallabies gave it a good shake in the second half. I can't help but be hopeful that with some of the talent emerging in Australia and the character displayed by this squad we've got some better days ahead then some of the dross that was displayed over the last 10 years.
I was very happy to see Giteau & Mitchell do so well. Both had previous unfortunate departures from the Australian rugby scene, for different reasons, and both have had very fine World Cups.

 

[Scotty]

I'd like to see this from another angle. Look where SBW is, this is a couple of phases before the final try. Again, I don't want to make excuses, nz deserved the win, but this changed it from a few point margin to 17.
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They didn't get called for one offside all night IIRC.

There appeared to be some blatant ones.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

SBW shows his class again:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...y-world-cup-winners-medal-to-boy-in-the-crowd

Feel for the security guy, he's got a job to do & will no doubt cop plenty of abuse for over-reacting but what else was he meant to do?

 

[Scotty]

Nigel Owens didn't throw it into the lineout , slip tackles or drop the ball. He also didn't make the All Black players more skilled, which they quite simply happen to be.

I guess it hurts so it's natural that people would complain but Owens did not cost Aus the game. Not even remotely.

It didn't cost Australia the game but it did have a big effect on the margin. Losing by 17 looks bad on the record books when that could easily have been under 7.

Questions still need to be asked on Owens performance. He was deemed the best in the world and therefore was awarded the final - but there were several pretty basic calls that he and the touchies missed.

The missed knock on was probably the most baffling. He even went to whistle that but then just let it go. That would have been an Oz scrum around 45m out with about 5 to go in the first half. We had already won 2 scrum penalties at that stage.

 

[Grant NZ]

Unfortunately there is all too many examples of similar tackles being deemed red card offences. Latu's four week suspension and Skelton's two week suspension for the tackle on Sam Whitelock spring immediately to mind. Skelton's offence was deemed worthy of a red card and he didn't even do the lifting.

Edit: Although like this was certainly not deserving of a red

Skelton did do the dropping/driving though which is the dangerous bit. I mean, he didn't really do much of a drive but he was ruled to have.

Also - using suspensions as evidence of 'it should/could have been a red' isn't really accurate IMO. Making a call in the judiciary room is a lot easier than making it in the heat of battle and there's no doubt that refs err on the side of caution (as they probably should).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

SBW shows his class again:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...y-world-cup-winners-medal-to-boy-in-the-crowd

Feel for the security guy, he's got a job to do & will no doubt cop plenty of abuse for over-reacting but what else was he meant to do?

There will still be folk from the NRL Bulldogs days who are still maintaining the rage that will refuse to acknowledge any good from Money $BW Sonny Bill.

 

[gel]

Given the kiwi dominance of the last 4+ years, a World Cup victory is a just reward.

The current wallaby coaching staff have done an amazing job to come from the terrible position they were in 12months ago, but there is clearly an enormous amount of work to be done if the wallabies wish to rise to number 1 (and why shouldn't we wish for that - if you don't want to win, then don't play).

There are so many moments that occur in a match and so many peripheral things that add the extra 1 - 2 percent which when added up give a team the extra edge in matches.

New Zealand rugby do this and it is debatable any of the other nations do at the moment. The wallabies certainly don't.

Cheika is clearly capable of delivering it if given the support and mandate it.

I would like to give specific examples, but it is absolutely impossible to have any constructive discussion online without the usual forum whores phuqueing it up for e-peen.

*edit* that probably reads a bit harsh on the wallabies and I really don't mean to be. I think they have done amazingly well to achieve what they have - just saying if they want to be no. 1 they have to choose to do some things differently and this year was probably too soon for them to make those choices. Well played both teams.

 

[Omar Comin']

They didn't get called for one offside all night IIRC.

There appeared to be some blatant ones.

Those images look like tackle only situations to me. If there's no ruck, there's no offside line.

 

[No4918]

Some positives:
- it's now officially cricket season
- Pocock
- the scrum
- Cheika hasn't peaked 12 months into his stint as coach
- half the NZ side is retiring and losing 3 games in 4 years is absolutely incredible so they deserve the accolades
- half the NZ side is retiring and we might win a few more games
- most of the Aus side will be there in Japan
- Pocock

Well played NZ and your departing legends.