The Rugby World Cup

B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Are any other Dissensians interested in, nay excited by, the forthcoming Rugby World Cup. As someone of Welsh parentage, I am facing it with the requisite excitement /dread combination. At least watching England fail to defend the title should be solace amid the gloom...

The opening France-Argentina increasingly looks like the key group game. Lose, and France will probably end up facing the All Blacks in the quarters.
 
B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
DOES NO-ONE CARE??

The passion of Argentina's victory over hosts France, the hilarity of seeing crestfallen French supporters surrounded by English pubgoers, the romance of Namibia's efforts against Ireland, the drama of Brian Lima's wobbliness when brought on for a record-breaking World Cup appearance, the heart-in-mouth excitement of seeing Wales avoid humiliation against Canada, the sheer schadenfreude of watching England struggle against (cough, splutter, giggle) the U S of A?

Philistines, all of you. Philistines.
 
jenks

jenks

thread death
isn't part of the problem the thing that destroyed the cricket world cup - it's going to take too long!!! Also the Euro 2008 qualifier are on at the moment and kinda take priority over australia japan or whatever it was at the weekend

Argentina match was excellent but Japan, Georgia etc being steam rollered by the big boys is really not worth it.

Think the match on Friday will light things up cos it's so important - the matches between the three teams in Group D will also cause much excitement.

it' s going to be the quarters that matter - RSA look good, All Blacks natch but Ireland?wales? England? as Zinzan Brooks has said the northern hemishere sides look really disjointed - maybe they'll get better. It'd be a laugh if the French didn;t even qualify for the next stage - i think they should have had that bonus point removed becasue they were just so woeful!
 
B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Thank you sir for your valued input! You're quite right of course: the timeframe means that a momentum of interest can't easily be established, and too many matches are predictable. However, several results indicate that the 'smaller' nations are finally beginning to be able to compete, at least with the second tier into which all of the Home Nations fall.

With France, we've been here before: rubbish in the first few matches, devastatingly brilliant in (some of) the knockout rounds. For the sake of running rugby, I want them to get through. But I can't see them getting close to the All Blacks, sadly.

I would love to see Argentina reach the semis, where I'm presuming they'd face South Africa. Could be a titanic game, but I can't see South Africa failing to reach the final really.

jenks said:
isn't part of the problem the thing that destroyed the cricket world cup - it's going to take too long!!! Also the Euro 2008 qualifier are on at the moment and kinda take priority over australia japan or whatever it was at the weekend

Argentina match was excellent but Japan, Georgia etc being steam rollered by the big boys is really not worth it.

Think the match on Friday will light things up cos it's so important - the matches between the three teams in Group D will also cause much excitement.

it' s going to be the quarters that matter - RSA look good, All Blacks natch but Ireland?wales? England? as Zinzan Brooks has said the northern hemishere sides look really disjointed - maybe they'll get better. It'd be a laugh if the French didn;t even qualify for the next stage - i think they should have had that bonus point removed becasue they were just so woeful!
Click to expand...
 
jenks

jenks

thread death
What about tonight then? Are England really as woeful as all that or culd it be the thing that happened with Mclaren's England - the team actaully more coherent when the less fancied palyers get a look in?

I think England's problem is that they really don't know their best side - Farrell, is he really up to it? Still quibbling over No 8.

Agree France cannot get any worse but with Argentina and Ireland in that group they could be out before they get the chance to play well.

I just want to start havine matches that i actually want to watch rather than feeling honour bound to watch cos it's the world cup.
 
B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
jenks said:
What about tonight then? Are England really as woeful as all that or culd it be the thing that happened with Mclaren's England - the team actaully more coherent when the less fancied palyers get a look in?

I think England's problem is that they really don't know their best side - Farrell, is he really up to it? Still quibbling over No 8.

Agree France cannot get any worse but with Argentina and Ireland in that group they could be out before they get the chance to play well.

I just want to start havine matches that i actually want to watch rather than feeling honour bound to watch cos it's the world cup.
Click to expand...

Sorry, didn't see your answer til just now. Yes, England are as woeful as that. I didn't even think SAfrica were that good, tho they were surely playing within themselves, making it difficult to tell. I was more impressed with Australia, whose defence was, as ever, awesome.

Georgia, eh? Absolute heroes, every one of them. If only their backs were a bit more resourceful, they'd have been over for the winning try. Having said that, some of the passing before the last ten mins was really top drawer amongst the Georgian backs.

I hope France don't go out. A quarter-final with NZ might ignite the whole WC.
 
jenks

jenks

thread death
Thought I'd reignite this thread in honour of saturday - anyone think we can actually do it?

Not since the Ashes has a sporting occasion really been so gripping and i really don't think it's just cos England are winning.

England have been underdogs in the last couple of matches and must be again this weekend - surely not a bad place to be in terms of team bonding etc.

C'mon let's talk about this, i can't bring myself to even contribute to the football thread currently rumbling on...
 
B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
jenks said:
Thought I'd reignite this thread in honour of saturday - anyone think we can actually do it?

Not since the Ashes has a sporting occasion really been so gripping and i really don't think it's just cos England are winning.

England have been underdogs in the last couple of matches and must be again this weekend - surely not a bad place to be in terms of team bonding etc.

C'mon let's talk about this, i can't bring myself to even contribute to the football thread currently rumbling on...
Click to expand...

What a contrast in English sporting fortunes indeed!

Close contests are very gripping, but I've been disappointed by the lack of dazzle out wide/anywhere at this World Cup. If only Fiji had had clearer heads when in sight of a victory against South Africa, cos their backs were consistently brilliant. Habana's been very good when he's had a chance though, and du Preez was superlative in one game I watched (can't remember which one).

Every logical impulse says the Bokke will win.

So England are double World Champions then.
 
Grievous Angel

Grievous Angel

Beast of Burden
the semi was awesomely dramatic, fantastic entertainment.

looking forward to saturday night.

unsurprising to see mclaren falter against a half way decent side.
 
luka

luka

Well-known member
"Former Ireland back Gordon D'Arcy is proving significantly more incisive in print than he ever was on the field. Best known for not being anywhere near as good as Brian O'Driscoll, D'Arcy's savaging of English league convert Sam Burgess in the Irish Times went around the planet in a nanosecond.

According to Mr D'Arcy, Burgess' "naivety embarrassed those around him and severely damaged England's chances of reaching the quarter-finals".

D'Arcy, of course, knows plenty about RWC quarter-finals - it being the stage where Ireland tended to exit the tournament during the 16-odd years of mediocrity that coincided with his international career."

Have to love the nz herald sometimes
 
luka

luka

Well-known member
donieG73
38m ago

1
2
Deluded?! Of course you were. You ALWAYS are. In EVERY sport you compete in you think you're going to win. Very same in football. I dread to think what the Euro finals are going to be like. It's no wonder that EVERBODY that's not English supports your opposition. You just don't do humility, never have, never will. If you were playing Islamic State I'd be donned, head to toe, in black!
 
B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Surely that clash will be forthcoming on the 2016 tour of the Middle East.

Predictions for the quarter finals? Looks like a southern hemisphere sweep to me, though the All Blacks look well out of sorts and are lucky this French team seem to be shorn of flair.
 
luka

luka

Well-known member
The all blacks don't look remotely out of shape. They look comfortably the best team in the tournament. The last competitive game they played they beat Australia by about 50 points!
 
luka

luka

Well-known member
South Africa are in a sorry state having lost to both Japan and Argentina recently and although Wales have self belief issues they should win a tight game. Ireland Argentina is a toss up really but I expect Ireland to come good. Australia and NZ should win at a canter. They both are on a completely different level to their opponents but upsets are part and parcel of any knockout tournament so who knows
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top