OT: Rugby World Cup 2019

[warspite1]

A few hours to go to the first semi-final.... England will need to be on top of their game if they are to stand any chance of beating the Kiwis... not confident [X(]

[Ian R]

It will be fun watching this as a neutral. Whilst drinking beer.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

It will be fun watching this as a neutral. Whilst drinking beer.

warspite1

As an Aussie who do you hate more? Isn't this one of those fixtures where the only acceptable outcome is for both to lose? [:)]

[jdsrae]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Ian R

It will be fun watching this as a neutral. Whilst drinking beer.

warspite1

As an Aussie who do you hate more? Isn't this one of those fixtures where the only acceptable outcome is for both to lose? [:)]

Hate is too strong a word for sports rivalries between allies.
I would prefer to see the All Blacks win. I think Its just my SoPac bias!
Wales v South Africa I have no real preference.
Maybe Wales as it would be good to see them progress further than England!

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Ian R

It will be fun watching this as a neutral. Whilst drinking beer.

warspite1

As an Aussie who do you hate more? Isn't this one of those fixtures where the only acceptable outcome is for both to lose? [:)]

Hate is too strong a word for sports rivalries between allies.
I would prefer to see the All Blacks win. I think Its just my SoPac bias!
Wales v South Africa I have no real preference.
Maybe Wales as it would be good to see them progress further than England!

warspite1

I think there is a place for hatred in sport - so long as its kept to the playing field and then all forgotten over a pint afterwards [:)]

To paraphrase Winston, if the Devils XI were playing Arsenal Football Club, I'd be giving strong support to Beelzebub....

As for Rugby, for me, there is probably no other sport in the world that provokes such intense feeling against the opposition. Losing to the French is a kick in the guts, losing to the Irish, Scottish or Welsh is just as bad, no one likes losing to the Australians or the South Africans, and losing to Italy, Argentina etc is just unthinkable.

The only other country I really like in world rugby is New Zealand - but then I have a massive soft spot for that country anyway. Still going to hurt like hell to lose today though....

As for the other semi, there is only one country to support and that's the home country, Wales. I know the Celts don't always feel the same way about England, but that's okay, each to their own, I put my British hat on and will 99% of the time support the home countries against a.n.other (and for the avoidance of doubt that IS NOT the same as a win for England).

If it can't be England then a Wales v New Zealand final would be good as I wouldn't be that upset whoever won.

[warspite1]

Er......

What the hell just happened? England didn't just beat the All Blacks.... they totally outplayed the best team in the world!! [X(] Two disallowed tries and the only reason New Zealand got on the scoreboard was thanks to a rare mistake from England. Incredible....

Great, magnanimous comments from the Kiwi manager and ex-captain after the game too. A class act [&o].

[warspite1]

And so we move toward the pointy end....

Quarter Final Line-Up

England 40 vs 16 Australia

New Zealand 46 vs 14 Ireland

Wales 20 vs 19 France

Japan 3 vs 26 South Africa


Semi-Final Line-Up

England 19 vs 7 New Zealand

Wales vs South Africa


3rd/4th Place Play-off

New Zealand vs Wales or South Africa

Final

England vs Wales or South Africa

[Ian R]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Ian R

It will be fun watching this as a neutral. Whilst drinking beer.

warspite1

As an Aussie who do you hate more? Isn't this one of those fixtures where the only acceptable outcome is for both to lose? [:)]

The AB's, because they have this chippy "little bro" thing going on ....

[Yaab]

Boer War Redux?

[jdsrae]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Er......

What the hell just happened? England didn't just beat the All Blacks.... they totally outplayed the best team in the world!! [X(] Two disallowed tries and the only reason New Zealand got on the scoreboard was thanks to a rare mistake from England. Incredible....

Great, magnanimous comments from the Kiwi manager and ex-captain after the game too. A class act [&o].

I missed the first 5 mins so it was already 7-0 when I sat down. It was a good game for a neutral to watch.
There’s still a chance for Wales to finish ahead of England, but on that performance the Poms would have to be favourites now.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Boer War Redux?

warspite1

Possibly.... the South Wales Borderers are keeping the Zulus just about in sight but one gets the feeling the thin red line's try line is in danger of breach any time soon. The Africans are powerful units and getting through is not going to be easy.

Half-time

Wales 6 vs 9 South Africa

[warspite1]

....so often the way with Wales.... so near yet so far. They magnificently brought themselves back into the game after going a try and conversion down... only to lose it to a penalty at the end...[:(]

Well done to South Africa.

[warspite1]

And so we move toward the pointy end....

Quarter Final Line-Up

England 40 vs 16 Australia

New Zealand 46 vs 14 Ireland

Wales 20 vs 19 France

Japan 3 vs 26 South Africa


Semi-Final Line-Up

England 19 vs 7 New Zealand

Wales 16 vs 19 South Africa


3rd/4th Place Play-off

New Zealand vs Wales

Final

England vs South Africa

[warspite1]

...and so to the game no one wants to play....

It's the 3rd/4th Place Play-Off. I thought this may be the final and said at least that would mean I wouldn't mind too much who won. But I would like it to be Wales - so often the bridesmaid but never the bride.

New Zealand vs Wales

[warspite1]

And so we move toward the pointy end....

Quarter Final Line-Up

England 40 vs 16 Australia

New Zealand 46 vs 14 Ireland

Wales 20 vs 19 France

Japan 3 vs 26 South Africa


Semi-Final Line-Up

England 19 vs 7 New Zealand

Wales 16 vs 19 South Africa


3rd/4th Place Play-off

New Zealand 40 vs 17 Wales

Final

England vs South Africa


...and then there were two.....

[rustysi]

I have no real 'horse' in this race, but I will pitch in for the English. Good luck.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

I have no real 'horse' in this race, but I will pitch in for the English. Good luck.

warspite1

Damn right [;)]

[warspite1]

Nerves jangling....pulse racing....sweat glistening and rolling off the forehead.... just over two hours to the start and I'm getting wound up into a (tightly wound) ball [:)]

Looking forward (and dreading) this one. The way we played against the All Blacks tells me we can win... but the South Africans are brutal, and as a Southern Hemisphere side, they have to be feared.

But hope springs eternal Baldrick... let's just hope Maro can recreate his semi-final performance - in fact lets hope they all can (except for that embarrassing line-out in the second half [;)])

Head-to-Head doesn't look good (certainly in the World Cup) but we've won the last two meetings (although one of those was a dead rubber)....

[warspite1]

I love you Maro, I want to marry you and have your babies....

[Orm]

Know any channel where one could watch this? From Sweden? Without getting robbed while doing so?