Official Rugby World Cup 2007 Thread

[JudgeDredd]

MEANT TO SAY - POSSIBLE SPOILERS, SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE SCORE OF A GAME, THEN DON'T LOOK HERE...JUST IN CASE (PEOPLE LIKE ME) GIVE A RUNNING COMMENTARY

Official by me.

I started one saying well done Argentine, but that was Argentine specific and just went by the wayside talking about other things.

So this thread is your official "post what you like" about the Rugby World Cup...any team, any topic about the games...bring it on

And my first comment tonight is about the South African strips...they look like bloody wetsuits!

Anyway...cruncher match, for both teams but mostly England and, I never thought I would hear myself say this, but good luck England (and if word gets out that I said that and anyone asks, I'll just deny saying it!) [:D]

[JudgeDredd]

omg...did England just get humped 33-0 by the boks?

I knew they were good, but I didn't know they were that good. I can't ever remember a single game where England didn't score any points!

Nothing went their way...not finding touch, bad scrums, lack of drive, kicking game was woefully bad meaning every inch had to be fought for...and against a heavy mob like the boks, that's bad news! AND Jason Robinson looks like he could be out...

Well, on the basis of that performance, England will be hard pushed to even make it to the next round...and surprisingly, the commentators are still talking about them doing so....but I reckon the Tonga boyz have to be walking into the next match with great big smiles on their faces.

[MikeBrough]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

omg...did England just get humped 33-0 by the boks?

Even better () - 36-0.

I really do fear for Scotland though when they take on the Kiwis next weekend. 36-0 might seem like a moral victory by then.

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: MikeBrough

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

omg...did England just get humped 33-0 by the boks?

Even better () - 36-0.

I really do fear for Scotland though when they take on the Kiwis next weekend. 36-0 might seem like a moral victory by then.

agreed!

But most people thought there would at least be a fight...England didn't even look like scoring a try...can't wait to see the stats, 'cos I'm pretty sure they had very little of the ball (was on my 6th tin of Stella at half time, so my memory may be loose!)

[Raverdave]

36-0  [X(]   

[Neilster]

A fairly good win by the Aussies against a gallant Wales. There's still plenty of room for improvement though but the good thing is I think we'll play England in the next round and not South Africa.

Australia had too much class despite a lot of handling errors. Wales looked better in the second half when they were more expansive. All in all a good game under the roof at Millennium Stadium in front of a big vocal, parochial crowd. How on earth Wales got a home game in a Rugby World Cup supposedly held in France is beyond me. [&:]

Cheers, Neilster

[JudgeDredd]

Reasonable win for the Aussies...some dirty play on both sides there...and I noticed the ref let it go. I remember the day when the yellow card was used [&:] Southern hemisphere refs are more tolerant of the hard stuff...but I don't think they should be...the game is hard enough on the body without blatant professional fouling to be allowed to go on.

Latham and Alfie should've both walked for 10 minutes

[Neilster]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

Reasonable win for the Aussies...some dirty play on both sides there...and I noticed the ref let it go. I remember the day when the yellow card was used [&:] Southern hemisphere refs are more tolerant of the hard stuff...but I don't think they should be...the game is hard enough on the body without blatant professional fouling to be allowed to go on.

Latham and Alfie should've both walked for 10 minutes

If anything the Welsh got the better of the decisions. And the game can do without overly officious Northern Hemisphere referees slowing it down with endless niggardly decisions, turning it into a kick-fest. Running rugby is what we're after brother! [:'(]

Cheers, Neilster

[JudgeDredd]

I'm not on about slowing the game down, I'm talking about two specific tackles and "the general consensus" being that southern hemisphere refs being more lenient in general...sometimes that's a good thing, as you say, to keep the ball moving. I was specifically talking about unruly play hence the comments "hard stuff" and "professional fouling". Both of these instances should be dealt with, by warning or, if severe enough, a card.

But in this particular game, both players should have seen the yellow card and been off for ten minutes to cool down.

[Neilster]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

I'm not on about slowing the game down, I'm talking about two specific tackles and "the general consensus" being that southern hemisphere refs being more lenient in general...sometimes that's a good thing, as you say, to keep the ball moving. I was specifically talking about unruly play hence the comments "hard stuff" and "professional fouling". Both of these instances should be dealt with, by warning or, if severe enough, a card.

But in this particular game, both players should have seen the yellow card and been off for ten minutes to cool down.

We'll have to agree to disagree [:)]

Cheers, Neilster

[7th Somersets]

So who is going to win?

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: Neilster

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

I'm not on about slowing the game down, I'm talking about two specific tackles and "the general consensus" being that southern hemisphere refs being more lenient in general...sometimes that's a good thing, as you say, to keep the ball moving. I was specifically talking about unruly play hence the comments "hard stuff" and "professional fouling". Both of these instances should be dealt with, by warning or, if severe enough, a card.

But in this particular game, both players should have seen the yellow card and been off for ten minutes to cool down.

We'll have to agree to disagree [:)]

Cheers, Neilster

You say that, but I would say you are correct in that the northern hem refs seem alot more stringent, picky and defiant in slowing the game down...so we agree there. I'm currently watching the Scotland Romania match and I'm screaming at the ref to let the ball come before calling time on advantage!

But those two players should've been booked. That we will disagree on.

I'm all for open, free flowing play, but were absolutely necessary, discipline has to be maintained, and I think knocking a player to the ground with a blatant and dangerous shoulder charge should be sin binned. One of the major strengths discipline-wise rugby has over footie is the respect shown to the referees and the availability of the sin bin. I personally think it's a strength and should be used more for dangerous tackles deliberate and repeated slowing down of play.

[Neilster]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

ORIGINAL: Neilster

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

I'm not on about slowing the game down, I'm talking about two specific tackles and "the general consensus" being that southern hemisphere refs being more lenient in general...sometimes that's a good thing, as you say, to keep the ball moving. I was specifically talking about unruly play hence the comments "hard stuff" and "professional fouling". Both of these instances should be dealt with, by warning or, if severe enough, a card.

But in this particular game, both players should have seen the yellow card and been off for ten minutes to cool down.

We'll have to agree to disagree [:)]

Cheers, Neilster

You say that, but I would say you are correct in that the northern hem refs seem alot more stringent, picky and defiant in slowing the game down...so we agree there. I'm currently watching the Scotland Romania match and I'm screaming at the ref to let the ball come before calling time on advantage!

But those two players should've been booked. That we will disagree on.

I'm all for open, free flowing play, but were absolutely necessary, discipline has to be maintained, and I think knocking a player to the ground with a blatant and dangerous shoulder charge should be sin binned. One of the major strengths discipline-wise rugby has over footie is the respect shown to the referees and the availability of the sin bin. I personally think it's a strength and should be used more for dangerous tackles deliberate and repeated slowing down of play.

Yes, you're right. I didn't realise you were referring to those two incidents and I was a bit "tired and emotional" [:'(] when watching the game and couldn't remember them very well. The first was a pretty cowardly, late, "Venus de Milo" (no arms) tackle by the Welsh captain on a young player as revenge for his good play that set up a try. The second was payback by Mortlock. That's never a good thing, although in this case the original perpetrator was too concussed to continue, so justice was served. [:D]

Cheers, Neilster

[JudgeDredd]

Well, erm...I was actually talking about the other challenge (Mortlocks against Gareth Thomas was a bit late, but at least looked like an attempt at a tackle)...I meant the later very late challenge (not sure if it was Mortlock) on the Welsh kicker Shane Williams

Either way...we agree about open play and fast ball.

I would like to see the yellow card more though. I think there have been a few times in the tournament when it should've been shown...even if the ref allows play to go on to the breakdown and then deals with it...

[JudgeDredd]

Good win for Scotland last night and a nice clean sheet to.

Who are these kiwi people? Where are they?

[Plodder]

Right here...............................................waiting. [:D][:D]

[Plodder]

What a crap game of rugger that was.The AB's ball handling was the worst I've seen all year, Carter's kicking was pretty woeful and whoever made the decision that the AB's should wear their alternate strip should have compared it to the Scottish strip, It was bloody hard to tell who was who.The fowards were awesome though but how Chris Masoe got man of the match, I don't know.He pretty much knocked-on every touch of the ball. Scotland were terrible, even Portugal got points against us.

[JudgeDredd]

I agree on all points Plodder.

Worst game this tournament I think.

Scotland should've got a yellow for the scrum problems. Where the hell was Paterson trying to kick? NZ had horrendous handling issues. Scotland were slowing the ball up everywhere because that's all they could do and when the hell is someone going to tell these bloody kickers that if you're going to kick to touch...get the bloody thing in touch...in touch before distance is the priority...especially against the ABs. They run and they know they can...touch IS a requirement when kicking against the ABs.

Just looking at the stats...woefully bad from the Scots....less than 4 minutes in the opponents 22! Reserve team, but still....

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtu ... index.html

[SMK-at-work]

It was hte AB's 2nd team and it still had zero scored against it...I wouldn't be taking any comfort from any aparent problems if I was France or Argentina.....

[JudgeDredd]

New Zealand team:

1 Tony Woodcock
2 Anton Oliver
3 Carl Hayman
4 Reuben Thorne
5 Ali Williams
6 Chris Masoe
7 Richie McCaw (c)
8 Rodney So'oialo
9 Byron Kelleher
10 Dan Carter
11 Sitiveni Sivivatu
12 Luke McAlister
13 Conrad Smith
14 Doug Howlett
15 Leon MacDonald

Erm...SMK, that wasn't the AB second team, m8.

The two players in bold are the only two new players to this lineup from your Italian game...the rest were either on the Replacement bench (Oliver and Masoe) or in the first team.