Yes..league game games tend to get boring(As in a league format, not rugby league)..and it really lessens the chance of shocks which is what draws us to tournaments in the first place..be it football, rugby..the win or go home for 4 years is appealing.
Rugby World Cup 2015 | Reminiscing Thread
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Nigel Owens won quote of the World Cup yesterday when chastising Scotland's fullback for taking a dive. Think he'll referee the final too unless Wales make it.
Lancaster says he will NOT resign.
Argentina vs Tonga
Today's fixtures:
4 Oct 2015 2:30pm Argentina v Tonga King Power Stadium
4 Oct 2015 4:45pm Ireland v Italy Olympic Stadium
Time for Ireland to step it up a gear..
4 Oct 2015 2:30pm Argentina v Tonga King Power Stadium
4 Oct 2015 4:45pm Ireland v Italy Olympic Stadium
Time for Ireland to step it up a gear..
I still can't believe England went for the try against Wales instead of taking the penalty kick (which they presumably would've scored) for a draw. That decision could have changed everything. Even with the loss to Australia, a draw against Wales would've meant they would be 4 points behind Wales right now with a good chance of getting 5 points against Uruguay and with Wales having to play Australia.
Go on Tonga
Still devastated that England played so badly last night … thought this was funny though!
What price a kicker for Tonga.. should be ahead
Ireland not on their game today.
Yeah, this isn't going fantastically at all. Need to make sure we get the win...
Murray has been so frustrating
Tense. It's not going all Ireland's way at all. Really hoping the tackle count is going to count entering the last 20mins
ffs
That was brutal.
O'Brien, Heaslip, Murray and Sexton were as bad as I've ever seen them for Ireland. Best and O'Mahony were better in the second half but were fighting alone in the pack. Then O'Mahony goes and gets a stupid sin binning at a crucial time.
Henshaw and Earls went well in defence and linked well on the very, very few occasions they saw any decent ball. Very disappointing from Ireland though. Italy were committed but they are a limited side and we should have been better. Lots to work on for next week.
O'Brien, Heaslip, Murray and Sexton were as bad as I've ever seen them for Ireland. Best and O'Mahony were better in the second half but were fighting alone in the pack. Then O'Mahony goes and gets a stupid sin binning at a crucial time.
Henshaw and Earls went well in defence and linked well on the very, very few occasions they saw any decent ball. Very disappointing from Ireland though. Italy were committed but they are a limited side and we should have been better. Lots to work on for next week.
Italy were good, Ireland weren't. Need to improve massively.
At least you are still in the world cup..small mercies and all that.
Yeah although we won't be there long with performances like that in our next two games!
I'm hoping against hope that this stupid drift defence is a trap we're laying for France and we're going to blitz them next week. If we back off them like that we will ship 40 points before we know what's happening.
We also have real issues in the back row. O'Brien and Heaslip went missing this evening and as much as I criticised Englands back row last night, Italy destroyed us at the breakdown just as much today, and they have no Pocock or Hooper.
Italy are a decent side, there arent many easy games in the world cup anymore..except for Australia last night, no one has looked that great, so I wouldnt be that worried. Group stages are for exactly this, solving the issues that arise. Its all about kicking on later on.
And even if your dont beat France, that isnt the end of your tournament. The problem with you guys is that against the All Blacks, you seem to have some sort of mental block. They are beatable, You can beat them.
Hope the powers that be listen to what many have said and known and that Gatland has brought up again. The idea of making the draw for the groups based on the last WC 3 years out from this WC is idiotic.
Indeed. How hard is it to follow the Football model when drawing the teams. England are out because of a group of death that never should have happened.
Having said that, it's been a brilliant WC so far. Hard to call a winner at this stage but the Aussie's looked really strong Saturday. Wouldn't be surprised if South Africa go all the way though. The Japan result seems like a blessing in disguise.
What I dont understand is why are NZ- SA are matched to face off in the semi for the second tournament running when both times the draw was made, they were 1-2 in the rankings..that makes no sense.
Romania vs Canada
Romania beat Canada. Nobody cares...
Romanian rugby and Canadian rugby care.
What a comeback by Romania and 25,000 plus crowd on a wet, dreary Tuesday. Canada should have pushed on 15-0 up with 25mins to go but weren't clever enough , well played Romania.
Same with Fiji vs Uruguay
Fiji vs Uruguay
Aha. I genuinely forgot about that one
Romania's win broke the record for biggest comeback ever in a game at the WC. Fair play to them. Seems that in almost every game there is something good to talk about so far. Long may it continue.
Was just asked to pick my World XV using only one player per country. I went for this:
15. Goromaru - Jap
14. Van der Merwe - Can
13. Campagnaro - Ita
12. Bennett - Sco
11. Nadolo - Fiji
10. Sexton - Ire
9. Du Preez - SA
8. Pocock - Aus
7. McCaw - NZ
6. Gorgodze - Geo
5. AW Jones - Wal
4. Launchbury - Eng
3. Mas - Fra
2. Creevy - Arg
1. Taulafo - Sam
Could I have done better? Any ideas?
15. Goromaru - Jap
14. Van der Merwe - Can
13. Campagnaro - Ita
12. Bennett - Sco
11. Nadolo - Fiji
10. Sexton - Ire
9. Du Preez - SA
8. Pocock - Aus
7. McCaw - NZ
6. Gorgodze - Geo
5. AW Jones - Wal
4. Launchbury - Eng
3. Mas - Fra
2. Creevy - Arg
1. Taulafo - Sam
Could I have done better? Any ideas?
There was always the chance of a losing bonus point for Wales against Oz though but going off last week's display they may well give Wales a tonking on Saturday too. We'll see.
But in that scenario (Wales taking a losing bonus point), beating Uruguay by 50 points would have put England through on points difference. That is more than achievable.
True enough. It wasn't the decision for the corner that was wrong, it was the actual short throw in the line out. They're the easiest to defend and I'm sure Wales' forwards were praying they'd go short. It was ultimately that call that ended the game not so much the decision for the catch and drive. Hell, I'd have even taken the scrum before the line out if they were that confident, that is the one area where England were extremely dominant and probably would have had a penalty in field a bit more plus the potential of advantage play.
Michael Hooper won't play for Australia vs Wales on Saturday. Not sure if that has been mentioned here yet.
I think they'll do just fine without him, though still a big loss for the team. I quite fancy the Aussies to get to the final no matter which route they take.
So Jack White candidate for the England job, what a twat.
They won't miss him at all.
He isn't rated on Roar, the aussies seem to despise him.
The issue i have with him is at times, he's a back wearing a forwards jersey. I don't believe he's physically big enough for test rugby, nor does he have enough of a physical presence. When there's a ruck or a maul, too often he is stuck out in the backline. He played at 7 vs South Africa in Brisbane this year and was outplayed until Pocock came on when they then worked well in tandem. What he did vs England to get himself suspended was stupid.
I agree, I still don't know why he isn't a center, he has the hands, the speed, the power and the vision of a center. He has nothing to do with the forwards.